CORK COUNTY BOARD chairman Bob Ryan was forced to launch a vigorous defence of the decision to redevelop Páirc Uí Chaoimh at last night’s county board meeting.
At the meeting – the first since Cork’s All-Ireland hurling semi-final loss to Tipperary last month – criticisms from Shamrocks delegate Patrick Andrews drew a sharp rebuke from Ryan.
Following a report on the Tipp loss from senior hurling selector Seánie McGrath, Ryan thanked manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy and his team, saying that pride had been restored in the county in the three years since Barry-Murphy had returned to the job. However, his assertion that it hadn’t been Cork’s day prompted Andrews to speak up in opposition, echoing the recent comments of former goalkeeper Dónal Óg Cusack.
“We should look closer to home for the reasons,” he said. “We’re redeveloping this stadium, which involves knocking this stand and building a new one and putting a lick of paint on the other three sides. If you build a 35,000-seater stadium, you knock €30m off the cost and can pump it into underage.
“I’ve been at Rebel Óg meetings where they’ve been crying out for pitches the night before games. Invest in pitches around the county and not one out the back. If you don’t agree that there’s a crisis in Cork hurling, then shame on you.”
Ryan was far from happy with the comments, however.
“The redevelopment of the stadium has been widely debated in this forum here, we have given everybody and anybody a right to speak,” he said. “I do not agree that Cork hurling is in crisis. We won a Munster title a short few weeks ago and have huge work going in at underage level.
“Our minors were unlucky to lose to what is probably the best in the country and I think it’s time people took the positive line where Cork hurling is concerned. I certainly refute your comments, I think they’re utter rubbish and it’s about time we moved on in a positive manner.
“This stadium will be redeveloped, regardless of where the knockers come from, and it will be done sooner rather than later. Cork hurling and football will never be down for long and they will progress long into the future.”
Ryan was supported in his views by a number of other delegates, including former chairman Mick Dolan, who praised the recent success by Cork underage sides featuring former players in management roles.
Nice to see all the players singing Amhrán na bhFiann. You’d be lucky to see 3 or 4 of the men singing it.
@brendan hackett: they should hold back after singing their IRA songs. That was not nice to see.
Anyone else find the commentary on RTE2 a very hard listen?, non stop talking pure fluff, had to mute the tv
Why do they always say it’s sold out and still have so many empty seats?
@Der Calnan: I could be wrong but my understanding is a lot of tickets are ‘ block’ bought by companies & organisations who then give them out to staff/ customers/as promotions so there is truth in saying it’s sold out but ticket sales definitely doesn’t equal bums on seats
@Der Calnan: seats are filled now
@Der Calnan: 8400 is official attendance, in a stadium with capacity of 10,500 I suppose that isn’t bad for a Tuesday night at end of October.
@Comments Section Closed: is this not a journal article?
Our super green girls are just unstoppable!!
@Buster Lawless: with Captain Katie at the helm, a fine night in Dublin— I’m calling this a 3 NIL victory for our hero’s.
COYGIG
@Buster Lawless: France Wales England and Sweden stopped them plenty of times since July
@Frank Mc Carthy: that’s it Frank, a great game and easy win..I think 8 nil
@Frank Mc Carthy: back of the net….. 3 nil, lol
1st goal after 2 and half minutes……. this could be telephone number…… going to be a long night for Georgia
Until the come up against a decent team.
@Michael Carroll: I hate to be disparaging of any Irish team but there’s no 2ways about it, these Georgian ladies aren’t up to much…/ far better than the last night we played em’ in Georgia but still a very very low level football
I predict a riot
@Shawn: There riots on Blarney Street every night.
@Ray Ridge: Ok English man
Ah the constant need to push this rubbish on us
@Joe Beirne: Could be worse watching man utd
7-0