Calls to allow hurlers train during April

Napier appeals for release

JACKIE NAPIER appealed for county hurlers to be released to for county training in the club month of April to prepare for the three massive Christy Ring Cup games in May.

‘I’m asking you to take into considering that during the month of May the county hurling team will have to play away to Sligo, at home to Offaly – now that’s a big one – and at home to Derry, and Derry, yesterday, Slaughtneil in Derry won the Ulster club championship. Now, how do you prepare a team for those three matches that will be in the month of May? Surely the team management should be given some latitude to prepare the team for the month of April,’ said the Bray Emmets delegate.

However, CCC fixtures secretary Paul Wilson has been taking a hard line in terms of clubs accepting not having their county players during the club leagues.

‘Jackie, this is where I’ve said, and I’ll say it again: There’s a reason why you have league status and championships status and clubs need to get their heads around that. It’s not the end of the world if you’re in Division 1A because you don’t have the number of players or, that’s life,’ he added.

‘You’re talking about football,’ said Jackie.

‘Same thing in hurling,’ replied

Wilson.

‘No, it’s not. The Senior footballers play one championship match. The Senior hurlers play three vital Christy Ring matches in May,’ said Jackie.

‘Most of those players are dual players, Jackie. It’s the same thing for clubs playing hurling leagues. The level that you’re at without your county players, that’s where you should be with your hurling league team. And that’s what clubs need to accept.

‘We can’t play a proper round of league fixtures if I have to allow, every time there’s a county team out, sorry we can’t have a match that weekend because somebody is involved. You have to be realistic here, lads. And remember, you have 30 players needed for a county team. What about the other 300 players that are playing our sport – 300 or 400 players – week in, week out. Should they be sitting at home, scratching their asses because the county lads are getting football? Or hurling?’

Another delegate said that he would have the opposite view of Jackie Napier.

In the second week of March, the national hurling leagues are over. I think the hurlers should come back to their clubs, get ready, play two matches in the beginning of April. That frees up your calendar. Play two matches, and then be released back to the county for the second two weeks in April to go back in with the county for the Christy Ring in the middle of May.

‘The county manager comes to those two matches and he looks at what he’s got. And he says, ‘Ok, we’re playing championship matches and I’m looking at what I need to see,’ he added.

Paul Wilson then asked what about the second two weeks in April when there’s football on?

‘For that to happen, the clubs need to realise they won’t have their county players for league,’ said Wilson.

‘That shouldn’t be an issue,’ said the delegate.

‘But unfortunately, it is an issue,’ replied Wilson.

A delegate down the back said that it is an issue for the likes of Rathnew who would have 11 players playing county hurling and football and who still have to get 15 players out to play a league game.

‘It’s not easy on them,’ said the delegate.

‘I agree,’ said Wilson, ‘but maybe they’ve a team too many in the leagues. It’s horses for courses,’ replied Wilson.

Another delegate said that a round of club football championship should be played in April. Paul Wilson said that he would be open to that but that the clubs don’t want it.

He also said that when the ‘B’ All-Ireland championship comes into play it might be a case that clubs will have no choice but to play football championship in