O’Brien furious with CCCC over Arthur debacle
LOUTH hurling manager Philip O’Brien has accused the GAA of taking the ‘easy option’ in the ongoing controversy over the availability of Niall and Gerry Arthur, as his side’s Nicky Rackard Cup hopes hang by a thread this week.
After starring for Louth in the National League, the Clare brothers missed the opening game of the championship against Warwickshire following an objection, and with the CCCC failing to rule on their eligibility last week, they were also forced to sit out Saturday’s seven-point defeat in Longford.
O’Brien said the Louth camp were expecting a decision one way or another late last week, but the CCCC didn’t even meet as it emerged that Louth’s neighbours Monaghan lodged the initial objection with Croke Park.
‘It’s a pure cop out,’ he said. ‘People won’t like to hear that, but if something is wrong I’ll say it and this whole situation is just outrageous.
‘We have fulfilled all the criteria they asked for to prove the lads are living in the county and the lads GPA rep was told they would get a decision last Thursday, but then we find out the CCCC aren’t even meeting until next Monday - it’s rediculous. To leave tow young lads - and their teammates - high and dry after all the work they’ve put in over the last few months is just not on.’
The controversy centres on the Arthur’s residency, but O’Brien insists they have ‘jumped through every hoop the CCCC have put up’, revealing that the Gardai even attended the players’ home in Monasterboice to vouch that they live there.
‘Obviously they still play their club hurling in Clare, that’s the whole point of the three-player rule, that you can have three players who don’t play with a Louth club. So they go home to Clare line out with their club most weekends, but they live here during the week, work here and train her with us.
‘The whole process has been handled very badly. Up until last Friday we didn’t even know who objected and then we found out it was Monaghan. So I don’t know if the CCCC have been told something we don’t know, but the lads are living in Monasterboice, Niall is working in Donacarney. But even if they could just have made a decision one way or another last week, we could deal with it and get on with it, but this thing of not meeting until next Monday just beggars belief.’
Ironically, Louth face Monaghan, managed by former Louth midfielder Trevor Hilliard, in their final group match next Saturday.
The Reds need to win by 14 points or more and hope Warwickshire beat Longford to seal a semi-final place, but as things stands their neighbours will be hot favourites to join the Exiles in the last four.