Rebels Ready to March

3rd Feb 2009

Rebel Ready to March
Finbarr Barry

It is hugely important for the future of Cork hurling that nobody attending the march on Saturday should attempt to vilify the current 'development squad' whatever happens in the coming weeks and months. Nobody should speculate or pedal half-truths about their commitment.

At the 2008 players' press conference, rumoured doubts about the dedication of younger players like Cathal Naughton, Kevin Canty and Shane O'Neill to the rebel Rebels' stance were cast aside as the players themselves clarified, with notable credibility, that they were 'insulted' by claims that they were considering breaking ranks.

Ger, Frank and one of our precious Rebels: Timmy Mac.

Fans who support the 2008 squad should not enter into tit-for-tat speculation about the commitment of the development squad to their beliefs. Some supporters claim they are young, naïve and possibly being manipulated by others higher up the Cork GAA food chain.

There may be a case for this belief but until we get a similar press conference and are allowed to ask the tough questions asked of the 2008 squad last week then we should not speculate as we risk insulting young Corkonians who may in a few years raise themselves to the high standards that has brought Liam McCarthy to Leeside so often.

Even if the 2008 squad are returned to duty, and whoever the Cork hurling coach and selectors are, it would be naive to assume that last year's panel will be maintained in its thirty-strong entirety and several fringe players may be replaced.

Who knows what 'development squad' players may rise to the challenge and the door must be left open for their amalgamation with the 2008 squad whether it is this season or further down the line.

Clearly the 2009 squad are miles out of their depth as was shown against Portumna last weekend (the score being 4-15 to 0-04 at one stage) and this cannot be good for their confidence heading into the league opener against Dublin on Sunday.

The future unification of Cork GAA, be it within the organisation itself at administration level or at club and supporter level, must become a top priority for everybody because the county cannot go and continually challenge the likes of Kilkenny, Tipperary and Galway whilst remaining continually divided. We must aim to dominate the coming decade.

It's up to all of us to try to heal this divide but big concessions have to be made by those in power if those who have had their views dismissed are to be brought back into the fold.

Standing up for what you believe in is ingrained into Corkonians. Supporters who march on Saturday will have a chance to express their views by simply participating. We have made the point in this column several times that the GAA lags behind the Eircom league and the rugby provinces with no official channel to communicate with (and not just 'to') Cork GAA fans.

The silence, mysterious decision making and ignored criticisms cannot go on indefinitely.

Why County secretary Frank Murphy and members of his board have not addressed fans directly in the way the players did with their press conference - opening themselves up to all questions - is strange to fans and only contributes to the image of the association in Cork as being uninterested in public opinion.

The march is an unfortunate result of this refusal to listen so fans, as one significant but largely ignored group in the debacle, must make themselves heard even if the Cork County Board insist on not listening.

Sceptics may take whatever reports they read about Saturday's march and manipulate them as best they can to suit their arguments but those joining the march on Saturday can remain safe in the knowledge that they will have acted on what they believed in - they can do no more than that. Those who support the players but who feel the march will achieve nothing should not be so naïve - last year's marches achieved their aims successfully.

Naturally there will be a broad spectrum of people considering participation and the march should be seen as a show of support for the 2008 players and not a protest against any one individual.

The crowd will contain Corkonians who find the actions of the county board a little unpalatable, all the way up to those who are militantly opposed to the entire root and branch administration of Cork GAA and the "sickness" which players believe inhabits and inhibits it.

If you find yourself somewhere in the middle it does not necessarily associate you with the views on either extreme and shouldn't deter you from attending. Getting out and voting with your feet is the only way fans' opinions can be taken into account regardless of what your personal take on this year's mess is.

Supporters are asked to congregate at Emmet Place outside the Opera House before 3pm before marching up Academy Street, turning left into Patrick Street, u-turning at Patrick's Bridge back down Patrick Street and gathering at Grand Parade where several of the organisers will make speeches.

It is also expected that a large number of the 2008 hurling squad will be present.