So, the behavior of the county board in this debacle appears to be very poor, and they should indeed have issued an apology for misquoting the management, it was out of order.

But is not issuing an apology within two weeks a good enough reason to leave a team 6 WEEKS before their first championship game? Listen, I don't blame Donal for being angry, but there are times when you just have to suck it up, and a month before the championship starts is one of those times.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 21/04/2014 17:51:09    1578121

kerryluck
County: Kerry
but why do hurling need limerick to be strong?

Limerick bring somethig unique to inter-county hurling, and have for as long as I remember. The crowds and atmosphere they bring to matches is unreal, just look at last years Munster final. I remember going to Limerick games in the mid and late 90's, even league games (esp. against Clare), and the crowds at those matches used be brilliant. I think think the only other county that could match them for crowds at that time, was Wexford (57,000 at 1997 Leinster final). You need counties like Limerick and Wexford to be strong, just for what they can bring to a championship day when they're going well.

And besides that, if hurling is to thrive, it needs to prosper in our major urban centers. Limerick city has a good hurling tradition, and hurling can't afford an urban tradition like that to fade out.
Obviously we need all counties to prosper and be strong. Its just that we've already witnessed what counties like Limerick and Wexford bring to the table when they're going well, and we don't want to lose that.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 21/04/2014 18:09:42    1578133

Sure he is from Cork Marlon. He can swan back down there without a care in the world as to what is left behind

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 21/04/2014 18:18:40    1578136

Donal O Grady was never the right man for Limerick. A good man had the position got shafted by certain people on CB. These are the same people who told the Co Meeting that the Team Management made the apology at a meeting prior to the CB Meeting on 8 April. There are the CB Officers who should now be men enough to follow Donal O'Grady and step down, as they seem to give the wrong message to CB meeting and now at Eastertime they HAVE EGG ON THEIR FACE.

Gael2013 (Limerick) - Posts: 102 - 21/04/2014 18:20:56    1578138

Top class response Marlon and that of a true GAA fan.

Hoover78 (Limerick) - Posts: 865 - 21/04/2014 20:39:26    1578204

I also am a big fan of Limerick hurling.Their supporters bring great colour and noise to big championship bdays.Its a pity that great mid 90s team never won an All Ireland.The likes of the Nash's,Gary Kirby,Ciaran carey and Mike Houlihan were great to watch in full flow.I felt if Limerick had of won either of the two finals they were in they would have profited so much from the goodwill and a lot of lads that went playing rugby might be playing hurling now instead.Alas we will never know now.Hurling certainly benefits from a strong Limerick.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 21/04/2014 21:19:28    1578223

Dear oh dear, what will the bandwagon do in Limerick this summer?

ahsure. (Galway) - Posts: 1576 - 21/04/2014 21:23:06    1578228

Ahsure
Ye often have a fair 'auld' bandwagon of yer own, especially for a county that has played in 23 finals and won only four.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4342 - 21/04/2014 21:51:23    1578248

Ahsure
Ye often have a fair 'auld' bandwagon of yer own, especially for a county that has played in 23 finals and won only four.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4342 - 21/04/2014 21:51:37    1578250

ahsure.
County: Galway
Posts: 1092

1578228
Dear oh dear, what will the bandwagon do in Limerick this summer?

how many galway fans were at 2012 leinster final - how many were at same year all ireland final
How many galway fans were at 2001 all ireland final - how majny were at that years under 21 semi final v limerick
how many galway fans were at 2005 all ireland final - how many of them were at 2005 qualifer that year v limerick

let he who is without sin cast the first stone

janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 22/04/2014 08:38:54    1578263

I dont think Donals heart was in it this year, it seemed he was just looking for an excuse to get out.

Redfoot (Cork) - Posts: 388 - 22/04/2014 08:52:35    1578265

O'Grady's method is outdated but continues to promote himself through his media outlets. Limerick County Board fell for it TWICE, that's the problem. He couldn't lose the last time he was manager there as Limerick couldn't but improve once they made themselves available to hurl! If the Limerick County Board weren't so awash with money they would have got somebody more suitable and committed for the right reasons.

westisthebest (Galway) - Posts: 444 - 22/04/2014 09:49:59    1578275

Ironic that I mentioned O'Grady using his various media outlets to promote himself in my previous post - one of those outlets, The Examiner, is allowing him great space to explain his current situation. This is coming from the same man who quite happily from time to time doesn't spare other people in his role as pundit but those people being criticised don't have the same opportunities to reply to O'Grady. And those people don't get paid for their hard work, unlike him.

westisthebest (Galway) - Posts: 444 - 22/04/2014 10:25:45    1578293

Marlon, O'Grady was left in an impossible position in fairness. Firstly, a statement was issued in HIS name expressing sentiments which he never made! And as if that was not bad enough, the promise to clarify what had happened was not fulfilled.

He obviously wanted to stay on or he would have resigned the day after the statement had been made. What possessed the CB to be apologising and making a show of the players in the first place? As O'Grady says in Examiner lots of teams 'make a show of themselves' and move on. They don't get shafted by their own County Boards usually.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 22/04/2014 11:06:07    1578323

Limerick Supporters are incredible, they bring tremendous colour & vibrancy to games, they deserve better than this. Regardless of the merits of O'Grady, why on earth would the County Board issue a Statement saying that the team Management apologised for the teams abysmal performances when quite clearly they didn't. To add insult to injury when they were tackled on the issue and agreed this apology was never made why did they not keep their promise to withdraw initial Statement. There must be some method to their madness, was it their way of trying to force the resignations of the Management, that appears the only logical explanation to me.

corkcelt (Cork) - Posts: 4388 - 22/04/2014 11:34:07    1578344

It seems to me that the County Board in not doing what they promised to do, now suffer from a serious lack of credibility, and should resign forthwith.

clonjon (Dublin) - Posts: 665 - 22/04/2014 12:13:19    1578374

corkcelt
County: Cork
Posts: 3965

1578344
Limerick Supporters are incredible, they bring tremendous colour & vibrancy to games, they deserve better than this. Regardless of the merits of O'Grady, why on earth would the County Board issue a Statement saying that the team Management apologised for the teams abysmal performances when quite clearly they didn't. To add insult to injury when they were tackled on the issue and agreed this apology was never made why did they not keep their promise to withdraw initial Statement. There must be some method to their madness, was it their way of trying to force the resignations of the Management, that appears the only logical explanation to me.

Couldn't agree more corkcelt. County board have been left looking a bit inept over the whole thing. Especially when they seemed to have spent most of the time they should have spent retracting the statement arguing over a rugby billboard instead.

I still think Limerick have the talent to turn their season around though. It's gonna take a lot of leadership form a young enough team but who knows...

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 22/04/2014 12:39:43    1578398

clonjon
County: Dublin
Posts: 400
Im calling for their heads but they get paid too well for their county boards job. They wont leave. They survived the strike and will survive this. there was an attempted coup de tat during the year but that barely failed which is a real pity now.
Thing the kills me is that weve never had so many good young players. we have a very solid young senior team who just need a few more forwards.
We hvae a berilliant minor teams and a very very strong 21s team. All looking up to a shambles of a senior team as the county board burn all their bridges

Fishermantom (Limerick) - Posts: 569 - 22/04/2014 13:10:57    1578415

This a Limerick thread, no need to bring Galway into this. However, I can safely say Galway have a better "die hard" support base than Limerick... Just look at the attendances for some of your league games this year.. Jokeshop. Ye can bring 30,000 fans to Croker but could barely drag 1,000 in the gate for a league game. Players deserve better, "supporters" in that county don't. DOG's heart wasn't in it.

ahsure. (Galway) - Posts: 1576 - 22/04/2014 13:27:33    1578435

There's no way O'Grady was looking for an excuse to abandon ship. The more that I read about this, the more i'm convinced the county board wanted him gone.

RebelCork (Cork) - Posts: 789 - 22/04/2014 13:51:41    1578454