Delegates at a meeting of Cork County Board last night made the most of their opportunity to express dissatisfaction at the recent statement regarding outgoing Cork football manager Brian Cuthbert.
The Cork Board were strongly criticised for the reference they made to Padraig Hughes in the statement, saying: “It is quite probable that but for a totally wrong refereeing decision in that game, Cork would now be in an All-Ireland semi-final.”
Hughes had awarded Kerry a contentious penalty in the drawn Munster SFC final to level the match midway through the second half, and the Kingdom went on to win the replay.
The Irish Examiner reports that last night delegates delivered some scathing assessments of the statement.
“I know you made an apology,” said Shamrocks delegate Patrick Andrews. “But, at the time, that statement was an embarrassment to Cork GAA, you wouldn’t see it in Father Ted.”
Delegate says the statement also showed arrogance, assuming Cork would be in Semi Final but for the refereeing decision.
— Cork's RedFM Sport (@BigRedBench) August 18, 2015
“All of you on the executive must realise it was an appalling blunder, there was no other way of describing it,” Frank McCarthy of Ballincollig said.
“It was eight days later, it wasn’t compiled overnight, no reporter put a microphone in front of anybody unexpectedly.
“You have embarrassed the county, you let us down deplorably, and no apology this late will excuse what you did.”
Last week the County Board wrote to Hughes to clarify their statement.
Cork PRO Edmond Forrest said: “It was unfortunate that part of the statement issued in support of the retired manager Brian Cuthbert was interpreted as criticism of the referee. That was never our intention.”
This did nothing to calm the anger of the club delegates, who compared Cork’s statement unfavourably with Tipperary’s tribute to their outgoing hurling manager Eamon O’Shea.
Tipperary made a statement thanking Eamon O’Shea and it was classy, there was nothing like in our one,” Andrews said.
Former Cork goalkeeper Donal Og Cusack, who disparaged the structures in Cork on The Sunday Game, also came in for condemnation from the delegates.
“I had a problem with the Sunday Game, an analyst paid by the taxpayer, calling the likes of ourselves names,” said Lyre delegate Patrick Murphy.
“I have never been a yes-man and, if people like them or not, that’s it.”
Delegate has made official complaint to RTE about Donal Og's Sunday Game comments in Cork defeat. "You can produce stats to prove anything"
— Cork's RedFM Sport (@BigRedBench) August 18, 2015
Another Delegate upset to be called a stooge on RTE, says comments should not have been allowed.
— Cork's RedFM Sport (@BigRedBench) August 18, 2015
During the meeting a committee was formed to find the new county football manager.
Former Cork All-Ireland SFC medallists John Coleman, John O’Driscoll and Nicholas Murphy will search for a successor to Cuthbert.
The appointments of new minor hurling and football managers were delayed, and it was confirmed that the senior hurling manager position is not vacant, as Jimmy Barry Murphy remains in place at this time.
H/T: Irish Examiner