Brennan calls for compromise in Cork
Friday, 8 February 2008 21:37GAA President Nickey Brennan has called on the Cork players and the county board to find an arrangement or compromise for the eight-month duration of the 2008 season.
Cork's participation in the National League now hangs by a thread, but a final confirmation will not take place until the Central Competitions Control Committee of the GAA meets on 19 February.
Brennan confirmed that the League opener for Cork's hurlers on Sunday will not go ahead.
So Kilkenny will have to wait until Sunday week to begin their campaign against Dublin.
Brennan said he is very disappointed that the intense effort that has been expended in trying to resolve the Cork GAA dispute has to date proved fruitless.
Brennan said that he had hoped that his initiative in involving Kieran Mulvey, Chairman of the Labour Commission and Paraic Duffy, the former player welfare manager and now Director General of the Association, as facilitators would lead to a resolution of the impasse.
The president said that he accepted that both players and county board had entered into the discussion process in good faith with a view to full participation in competitions and that agreement had been reached on most aspects in terms of relationship, representation, interaction and team management arrangements post September 2008.
Brennan stated: 'I am imploring both parties to suspend past differences and to agree an interim arrangement or compromise which realistically will be only for a period of eight months.
'I am asking you to do this in the interest of the GAA in Cork and its place, status and ongoing contribution to the association nationally.'
In that context Brennan asked that both parties revisit the memorandum of agreement prepared by Mulvey and Duffy, that all the players in both panels be fully appraised on its content and that the Executive of the county board formally take a decision on it.
The president said that he felt that any further comment would not be helpful and that he would not be saying anything further at this time.
