Monaghan stand up for manager by boycotting NHL Div 3A Final.

Monaghan hurlers will not play in Sunday's Allianz HL Division 3A final unless their county board solve the current fixtures row.

The county senior hurling boss Mattie Lennon resigned over the dispute, which stems from a number of the hurlers being fixed to play club football games on this Wednesday.

Lennon requested that these games be postponed, but when the county board refused, the manager resigned.

The players have met with the county board and the GPA, and their request to see this week's club football games be postponed has been refused.

The hurlers issued the following statement through the GPA today.

The Monaghan Senior Hurling Squad will withdraw from Sunday's Hurling League Division 3A final if a solution cannot be found regarding the Monaghan Co Board's decision to fix a number of intermediate club football matches for Wednesday April 11, four days before the league final.

The Co Board has also refused to give a guarantee to the County Hurling Squad that a four day preparation period before Nicky Rackard Cup games would be afforded to the Squad. The Rackard Cup commences on May 5 and ends with the final a month later on June 9.

Manager Mattie Lennon has resigned on a point of principle over the failure to reschedule this week's club football fixtures and the Monaghan Squad are fully supportive of the manager.

Seven clubs were affected by the scheduling of the fixtures, four of which agreed to release their hurlers for Wednesday's county training session. However, three clubs said they were not in a position to do so and requested that the games be switched. The Co Board refused, leaving nine players having to make a choice whether to play football with their clubs or train with their county hurlers four days before a league final.

Mattie Lennon was appointed as Monaghan Senior Hurling manager in December 2011 and was given assurances by the Board that they were committed to the promotion and development of hurling within the county.

Mattie brought in David Kennedy as coach, Ciaran McKeever as fitness coach and Pat Mac Stravick as a squad liaison. Training began Jan 4 and continued right up to April 6 when the management resigned. During this period the team conducted 44 collective session with a 90 percent average attendance and went from finishing bottom of Division 3A of the Hurling League in 2011 to going undefeated and reaching next Sunday's final in 2012. This huge improvement can be attributed to Mattie, his management team and the dedication of a committed panel of 29 players.

The support of the Co Board in putting these structures in place was vital and it is beyond our comprehension as a squad why they are now prepared undo this progress by failing to accept a compromise.

On learning of the impasse the Co Hurling Squad met and a unanimous decision was taken to support the management decision as we felt it was grossly unfair of the Board not to facilitate this short-term dual commitment. We believe this decision by the Monaghan Co Board contravenes the GAA's stated commitment to hurling contained in the recently published Hurling Development Plan. Also the proposed scheduling of fixtures during the Rackard Cup is also a welfare issue and in conflict with the Association's commitment to tackle player burnout.

The County Chairman was contacted following the meeting and asked to support the Hurling Squad in relation to resolving the issues. However, he was made aware that if no solution can be found that the Monaghan Senior Hurling Squad will be left with no choice other than to withdraw from Sunday's League final and the Rackard Cup.

Three player representatives met with the Co Board last night (Sunday April and brought the following four points to the table, considered by the Hurling Squad to be wholly reasonable and fair:

1. That the football fixtures involving Inniskeen, Cremartin and Toome for Wednesday April 11th be postponed to allow the county train collectively as we have done every Wednesday since January 1in preparation for the Division 3A Hurling League final scheduled for April 15.

2. That club football games currently fixed for Fridays prior to Nicky Rackard games which take place on the following Saturday giving less than 24 hours recovery time be moved to, at the very least, the Tuesday prior to the Nicky Rackard matches giving at least four days to prepare.

3. Should we reach the Nicky Rackard Final a minimum of one week be given for preparation for the final.

4. That all efforts be made to bring Mattie Lennon and his back-room team back on board so training can resume Wednesday night and preparations continue for next Sunday's League Final.

The County Board officers were unwilling to move on the fixtures issue which automatically ruled out our management returning (point 4). In response to the break before Nicky Rackard games the Board said it was a "possibility but no guarantee could be given."

The Board informed us that the only immediate option was to put a joint interim management team in place and the team play next weeks final under them.

However, this suggestion by the Board was unanimously rejected at a squad meeting this morning and a vote was taken that until a resolution was found satisfying the four points above, the Squad would not participate in either the League Final or the Rackard Cup. It is our belief this is in the best interests of Monaghan Hurling.

The Gaelic Players Association has been informed of the decision and is liaising with the squad.

While this process is underway, no member of the Monaghan Hurling Squad will be making any further comment.

I think these lads deserve great credit. They have deservedly qualified for a league final and a football driven county board don't give them the respect they deserve. For once we see player power coming in to keep a manager. Hope they don't have to withdraw from Sunday's match.

Another disgraceful snub to the shtick game. Outrageous stuff here. Why the hell can't people use a bit of common sense? Maybe cos they don't fooking have any .....

Fair play to the monaghan lads hurlers in these counties have had enough.

2012 weaker hurling counties will rise.

The Monaghan hurlers and their GPA puppetmasters would be better off if they put their energy into meeting and discussing this with the co board rather than launching a media campaign. The only way to sort this out is around the table - why go through all the bitchin in between.

RMDrive wrote:The Monaghan hurlers and their GPA puppetmasters would be better off if they put their energy into meeting and discussing this with the co board rather than launching a media campaign. The only way to sort this out is around the table - why go through all the bitchin in between.

Are you fooking serious? did you read the back round to this at all?

Foolish statement from you rmd, suprised me.

The weak hurling counties have been thrown pillar to post this last while and while hurling grows in these areas it seems to be becoming a hinderance rather than the novelty factor it began as to some boards. Put it in the public faces get proper action out of the gaa, not more novelty winter leagues for adult teams that is all the county boards could muster up.

NSG cleaning house here in strident fashion......Well done Sir. Disappointing perspective from RMD...

RMDrive wrote:The Monaghan hurlers and their GPA puppetmasters would be better off if they put their energy into meeting and discussing this with the co board rather than launching a media campaign. The only way to sort this out is around the table - why go through all the bitchin in between.

believe me only when you deal with county boards do you learn to understand how small minded they are

Small minded they may be lads but the ONLY way this will end is with them talking to each other. Everyone knows it. At some stage soon there will be a meeting where everyone will sit down and air it out. Why do we always have to have the posturing and the calling out in between? What happened to people being men about things and having the guts to say things face to face? Running to the media (who are only happy to fan the flames of any disagreement) serves to do nothing but antagonise things. Too many people these days look for someone else to solve their problems and if that doesn't happen they throw the toys out of the pram. Man up FFS.

RMDrive wrote:Small minded they may be lads but the ONLY way this will end is with them talking to each other. Everyone knows it. At some stage soon there will be a meeting where everyone will sit down and air it out. Why do we always have to have the posturing and the calling out in between? What happened to people being men about things and having the guts to say things face to face? Running to the media (who are only happy to fan the flames of any disagreement) serves to do nothing but antagonise things. Too many people these days look for someone else to solve their problems and if that doesn't happen they throw the toys out of the pram. Man up FFS.

RMD given that mattie lennon approached the board only to be treated like a second class citizen. Maybe if the board treated their representative with respect they may have got treated by respect by the team.

Im sure going to the media was a last resort and a couragous decision as to date theyve less madia coverage than the cavan football dispute.

The GAAA should take action or sooner or later hurlers will come together to support one another in a fashion that RMD discribes as cowardly "running to the media" which most will discribe as brave and in the interests of their sport.

Maybe RMD you cant understand this as you cant see how hurlers are treated yourself.

So does the fact that the Fingal hurlers won't get a chance to win a league title through the proper fashion get a shout at all? Or does the fact that they aren't a proper county count for anything?

Monaghan hurlers made the choice to give the game up, no one forced them so i don't buy into all this "support the Monaghan hurlers" crap! I agree that the county board were out of order but to say that hurling in weaker counties is treated badly is the biggest load of crap i have read in a long while! I played for one of the "weaker" counties for a brief while and people complained like mad at how we were treated but in actual fact we were treated brilliantly when you consider things! We only have 6 Senior clubs in Derry and 8 or 9 in total (the rest play in the reserve league) and the gear/treatment we got was on a par with the footballers. The same goes for Monaghan! how many clubs do they have? The fact you have to deal with is that the needs of the many take precedent over the needs of the few!

Manys a time i had a football match scheduled in the week of an important county game, i chose which one was important and went with that, these players could have made the same choice and Lennon knew that. All this could have been sorted out with dialogue from the off!

This is the most blown out of proportion load of sh1te i have ever seen! The people i pity are the players and management of Fingal, they trained and qualified for a league final that they are now denied the chance of winning properly ue to the choice made by Monaghans players! It is a tainted title they have collected and they know it! Don't give me this "weaker" county crap, this is a battle between a county board and it's players, it could be any county strong or weak! An internal matter that should be kept that way, no need for crying to the media!

Givem my treatment by a moderator here last night I can only empathise with what the Monaghan hurlers are going through. There are numerous similarities and the Monaghan Hurlers have my full support.

I think the Monaghan hurlers have been treated disgracefully by their own county board. The issue has nothing to do with running to the media. I feel sorry for Fingal too but fully understand the Monaghan players stance. Shameful that a League final is not going to take place because of the intransigence of some committee knobs.

bald eagle wrote:So does the fact that the Fingal hurlers won't get a chance to win a league title through the proper fashion get a shout at all? Or does the fact that they aren't a proper county count for anything?

Monaghan hurlers made the choice to give the game up, no one forced them so i don't buy into all this "support the Monaghan hurlers" crap! I agree that the county board were out of order but to say that hurling in weaker counties is treated badly is the biggest load of crap i have read in a long while! I played for one of the "weaker" counties for a brief while and people complained like mad at how we were treated but in actual fact we were treated brilliantly when you consider things! We only have 6 Senior clubs in Derry and 8 or 9 in total (the rest play in the reserve league) and the gear/treatment we got was on a par with the footballers. The same goes for Monaghan! how many clubs do they have? The fact you have to deal with is that the needs of the many take precedent over the needs of the few!

Manys a time i had a football match scheduled in the week of an important county game, i chose which one was important and went with that, these players could have made the same choice and Lennon knew that. All this could have been sorted out with dialogue from the off!

This is the most blown out of proportion load of sh1te i have ever seen! The people i pity are the players and management of Fingal, they trained and qualified for a league final that they are now denied the chance of winning properly ue to the choice made by Monaghans players! It is a tainted title they have collected and they know it! Don't give me this "weaker" county crap, this is a battle between a county board and it's players, it could be any county strong or weak! An internal matter that should be kept that way, no need for crying to the media!

A long winded post full of nonsense BE, the derry hurlers should take a similar stance given ttheir treatmenr over the post few years.

You cant havedouble standards, its not about choosing which one to play, its about having the right to play both which is what would have happened had it been the other way round.

Yes i feel for fingal but im sure them lads will sympathise with the monaghan boys, maybe county boards shouldnt have kept treating hurlers the way they have and this would not have come to a head did you stop to think of it that way or is it just a case of you seen GPA and saw red?

I must commend the GPA on their involvement, i said they should be involved before, my only criticism is that they didnt involve themselves earlier.

Full of nonesense eh? Fair enough, you're entitled to your opinion! If players getting ready for a League final need direction from their Co Board what game they should focus on then they are fools. All you have to do is look at the weekly fixtures lists,there is almost always club hurling matches on when a county football team are playing and vice versa, it happens in loads of counties yet these teams and players deal with it when their club is affected.

I am a hurling man first and foremost, but this stinks of people with a beef against a board and spoiling for a fight, period!

bald eagle wrote:Full of nonesense eh? Fair enough, you're entitled to your opinion! If players getting ready for a League final need direction from their Co Board what game they should focus on then they are fools. All you have to do is look at the weekly fixtures lists,there is almost always club hurling matches on when a county football team are playing and vice versa, it happens in loads of counties yet these teams and players deal with it when their club is affected.

I am a hurling man first and foremost, but this stinks of people with a beef against a board and spoiling for a fight, period!

BE your post as others who oppose the monaghan hurlers behaviour fail to address the issue at hand. Yes here in Antrim they nearly have fixtures for football when hurling county games are played and vice versa, but its not the same. I do believe your first post to be full of nonsense and your normally a great poster who ive a lot of respect for and i didnt just make that remark without thinking about it.

For one, having such a small pool of players, say 5 get injured, youve lost the maych before a ball is pucked.

In Antrim, our fixture set up is quite good, bar the fact that we have a lot of whingers about games over lapping, but if a county manager asked for a postponement due to a national final, it would happen 9 times out of 10.

Im not aching for a board v players argument but i am aching for the GAA to intervene in the way hurlers are treated in these counties, a bit of equality, its a national final for christ sake probably monaghan hurlings biggest game in years, if the manager asked for a postponement what is the problem with giving it? especially with word coming out that the chairman agreed with lennon but the majority didnt, seems like a case of weve got more footballers than hurlers so stuff them.

Ive been arguing for some time now on other boards for a tain county board, this would make sense, as this way a tain board could have sat with the monaghan board and got the games called off, but the HDC in croke seem more interested in what to do with div 1a and 1b next year.

North Side Gael wrote:Ive been arguing for some time now on other boards for a tain county board, this would make sense, as this way a tain board could have sat with the monaghan board and got the games called off, but the HDC in croke seem more interested in what to do with div 1a and 1b next year.

Maybe but I would say that the Monaghan Countyh board would still only have paid lipservice to them. the mushrooms at the top table of Monaghan gaa simply don't give a sh1t about hurling

The Puke wrote:

North Side Gael wrote:Ive been arguing for some time now on other boards for a tain county board, this would make sense, as this way a tain board could have sat with the monaghan board and got the games called off, but the HDC in croke seem more interested in what to do with div 1a and 1b next year.

Maybe but I would say that the Monaghan Countyh board would still only have paid lipservice to them. the mushrooms at the top table of Monaghan gaa simply don't give a sh1t about hurling

True but if thats the case then the HDC should be getting agressive and naming and shaming boards who neglect hurling.

They should have a quality check list all counties need to fulfill or lose 50 % of funding or something.

North Side Gael wrote:True but if thats the case then the HDC should be getting agressive and naming and shaming boards who neglect hurling.

They should have a quality check list all counties need to fulfill or lose 50 % of funding or something.

Not a bad idea - and would Kilkenny lose 50% for their total antipathy towards football? I should hope so.

Without doubt kilkenny should and why not?

Parouisa wrote:

North Side Gael wrote:True but if thats the case then the HDC should be getting agressive and naming and shaming boards who neglect hurling.

They should have a quality check list all counties need to fulfill or lose 50 % of funding or something.

Not a bad idea - and would Kilkenny lose 50% for their total antipathy towards football? I should hope so.

Kilkenny have a lot of footballing clubs and competitions, im not so sure it is the neglect of the board such much so as the attitude of the county population although im sure they wouldnt tick every box in a quality check.

North Side Gael wrote:Kilkenny have a lot of footballing clubs and competitions, im not so sure it is the neglect of the board such much so as the attitude of the county population although im sure they wouldnt tick every box in a quality check.

It's much the same in Clare NSG in fact. The County Board and indeed the general populous try to isolate those great GAA strongholds like KIB and Quilty, who are footbal people, in favour of the more suave areas such as Clonlara......

There was once a post on this forum describing those decent West Clare people in a poor light....

We're all equal, or supposed to be...

Boxtyeater wrote:We're all equal, or supposed to be...

We are all equally unequal ......

Parouisa wrote:

Boxtyeater wrote:We're all equal, or supposed to be...

We are all equally unequal ......

Jeeze listen to the functionalist, sorry Talcott Parsons.

Boxtyeater wrote:

North Side Gael wrote:Kilkenny have a lot of footballing clubs and competitions, im not so sure it is the neglect of the board such much so as the attitude of the county population although im sure they wouldnt tick every box in a quality check.

It's much the same in Clare NSG in fact. The County Board and indeed the general populous try to isolate those great GAA strongholds like KIB and Quilty, who are footbal people, in favour of the more suave areas such as Clonlara......

There was once a post on this forum describing those decent West Clare people in a poor light....

We're all equal, or supposed to be...

The problem with Clare football is that the main clubs in the West are all located far too close to each other, leads to an awful lot of bad blood and clanish mentality, a lot of the better lads won't make themselves available for the county team due to this. All you need do is look at how many represtatives the likes of Kilmurrey, Cooraclare and Doonbeg have on this years county under 21 and minor sides. Small villages, built up area and has led to a poisonous atmosphere.