Making his Mark
March 01, 2010For a few hours, Cavan hurling took its place on the big stage as discussions on the welfare of hurlers nationwide were rolled out once again.
Dublin-born Mark - a member of the Mullahoran St. Joseph's H.C. - accompanied Gaelic Players' Association chief Dessie Farrell to Kildare St.
Along with Dara McGarrity, the GPA's Player Welfare Officer Mark and Farrell sat in deliberations with some of the country's top power-brokers.
Mark was to the manor born as he met with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
The meeting underpinned his belief that player welfare has now scaled new heights in the minds of those with a vested interest in the issue.
"The days of player welfare being just about togs and socks for the players is long gone; things have moved onto a different plateau at this stage.
"The GPA is now involved in looking after matters such as education, employment, alcohol abuse, drugs and so much more.
"Any intercounty player currently at college, for instance, will this year be receiving between 1,500 and 2,000 euros to help fund their studies."
A positive meeting then with the Government mandarins?
"Yeh, it went very well. Most of the people who were there would have had a GAA background and they were very sympathetic towards the players.
"The people who suffered from the cutbacks through the Irish Sports Council got a ten per cent reduction but certain GAA players got 71%.
"We pointed out to the Government that the system of payments was elitist with a clear division between how the teams were being treated."
Part of the Cavan senior hurling panel for ten years now, he hasn't a bad word to say about Cavan County Board's relationship with the players.
His view is that the GPA is one of a trio of parties who - together - can ensure that no major problems about player welfare need ever arise.
He feels that if county boards, team-managements and the players are singing off the same hymn sheet, then the upshot is unity of purpose.
In 2009, Mark - in his role as Cavan hurlers' GPA representative - had no grievances to report to GPA central regarding the county squad.
"There are two player representatives appointed by the team-management and they would normally see that everyone is signed up to the GPA.
"They would take up matters with the team-management on certain issues and I would liase with them on an ongoing basis during the year.
"If a particular issue existed which was causing a problem or began to fester, I would come in as a last resort and consult with the GPA in Dublin."
The former Kilmacud Crokes (south Dublin) clubman is one of a dozen or so full voting members of the GPA's national executive committee.
Wearing his GPA hat, he worked closely with the aforementioned McGarrity in putting in place the novel intercounty twinning process last year.
That process saw a link-up between Cavan and Waterford hurling and was manifested principally in the visit to Cavan of some high profile stars.
The likes of John Mullane visited Kingspan/Breffni Park to take part in coaching sessions with the county seniors and some underage talent as well.
Involving 12 of the so-called weaker counties teaming up with 12 of the top counties, the twinning process was unanimously deemed a success.
"I'd say everyone was happy with the way the process panned out. There was at least one visit from the county stars and all 24 counties participated.
"I think it's projects like that that will help assuage some of the concerns that the 'doubters' will have with regard to what we (the GPA) are about.
"At the start, a lot people within the GAA may have felt the GPA was interested in bringing in professionalism but I think they now realise that's not on.
"It has taken the GPA ten years to get to where it is today but it is now in a better place now than ever to effect change for the better of the players.
"Down the line, the club player will come more and more into focus but we're getting there and the structures will be in place to help them too."
Plainly a deep thinker on the whole issue of player welfare and Association affairs in general, the successful sales rep is a mine of ideas.
"My own personal view is that there should be a charter drawn up by each county and signed by the players, team-management and county board.
"That could be reviewed, each year, and used primarily to prevent or solve any problems that might arise and prevent the possibility of others arising.
"You can see how successful a county can be when, like Kilkenny, everyone is singing off the hymn sheet. Unity should be the common objective."
Mark reveals that in 2008 each member of the Cavan senior hurling panel received 1,300 as part of the vouched expense system.
"We grouped the money together as a panel and paid for a holiday to Cork which was a good bonding exercise and well as a good training weekend.
"We spent two nights down there, training in the morning and having two challenge matches in the evenings against two local club sides.
"It was also arranged that Jimmy Barry Murphy and Larry Tompkins would have a chat with the squad and, all told, it was a very good couple of days."
On the field of play, during 2009, Mark helped himself to an obligatory SHC medal in the colours of his adopted Mullahoran St. Joseph's.
As a ball-winning full-forward, he played a similarily influential role in shaping the fortunes of Cavan's senior hurlers, albeit without the same success.
"Cavan hurling has made steady progress over the last couple of years with Frankie Quinn and, last year, John Hunt adding to the momentum.
"The days of the county team losing by about ten points at half-time and giving up the ghost are gone; things have changed an awful lot.
"Winning at least a couple of matches every year is a realistic prospect for Cavan now and it would be great if we could build on 2009 this year."
Greatly buoyed by the onset of the new 3G all-weather pitch at Kingspan/Breffni Park, he says Cavan is hampered though by the lack of clubs:
"On any given day, we could beat the likes of Monaghan, Fermanagh or Longford but we need to increase the number of clubs, going forward.
"We often compete against counties with superior club structures and, more often than not, the final scoreline reflects that difference.
"But we did well in 2009. The game against Donegal in the first round of the Lory Meagher Cup was probably our best performance of the year.
"They beat us by 20 points to 1-12 but their full-forward scored thirteen of them from frees so it's not hard to see where we lost out."
The former Dublin national league panellist believes that closing the 'gap' on the likes of Fermanagh should be the goal in the coming year.
Two narrow defeats against the "always battling" Fermanagh men in the NHL and the Lory Meagher Cup coloured Cavan's season, he suggests.
Married to Bernie (a sister of former All-Star Dermot McCabe) and proud father of Marie, Cormac and Emer, countyman McEntee says he will continue to play on both the club and county fronts "until I can do no more."
How much more progress Cavan will make in 2010 remains to be seen.
Trust the county's long-standing Dublin import though to see that no stone is left unturned to allow the natives fulfill their potential in the coming year. Tweet
