The Cork County Board have refused to rule out some arrangement to fulfil tomorrow's Waterford Crystal senior hurling game against Limerick IT. With both the county senior footballers and hurlers on strike over the right of Cork team managers to choose their selectors, it appears a hopeless cause, and it still appears inevitable that Limerick IT will get a bye into the quarter-finals.
It would be the first time a county team failed to fulfil a fixture because of strike action and, aware of the consequences, the Cork board met last night to explore all remaining options.
"The situation at present is that it remains a waiting game on whether the game against LIT will go ahead or not," said county press officer Bob Ryan, who confirmed that discussions were going on behind the scenes last night.
However, Ryan has already ruled out the possibility of fielding an experimental team of under-21 players.
In the meantime, Munster Council secretary Simon Moroney confirmed that Cork would not be penalised if they withdrew at this late stage. The Limerick hurlers had already withdrawn from the competition as it clashed with their team holiday, and didn't suffer any sanction.
Cork's game was originally scheduled for last Sunday but was postponed until tomorrow evening, under lights at Páirc Uí Rinn, to allow for further efforts at resolving the impasse between the board and the hurling and football panels. But with the footballers still away on their team holiday, no progress has been made on that front, and the hope instead was that some dispensation could be made to allow Cork fulfil tomorrow's game.
All this has left the Clare hurlers unsure of their next opponents, as they are due to play the winners of the Cork-Limerick IT game in Sunday's quarter-final, although manager Mike McNamara admits he expects to face the student side, who are managed by former Clare goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald.
"All the indications are that Cork will take a bit more time with whatever problems they have," said McNamara. "It's a pity, but that's the world we live in. It's just a shame that intelligent people can't sit down and try to work out their differences.
"Dialogue has to happen. Sitting down and talking has to be the answer, and this competition is poorer for the loss of Cork and hurling is all the poorer for it."
McNamara is still working off an experimental Clare panel, and following last weekend's victory against University Limerick, will now get the chance to watch Clare panellists James McInerney, Jonathan Clancy and Enda Collins, who will be in action for LIT.
"That's an added bonus, but it's a pity that one of our rising stars, Gary O'Connell, will miss out for LIT with a virus. David Barrett would have lined out again for Clare but he's doubtful for the LIT game with a groin injury."
Tony Griffin, who played in the win over the Limerick students, has returned to Canada to resume his studies, but is planning a permanent return home in time for the later stages of the league and the championship.
Limerick football manager Mickey Ned O'Sullivan has secured the services of rugby player Jim O'Donovan for the season.
O'Donovan (26), a former Leinster senior interprovincial player, has agreed to return to the Limerick panel after spending the last two seasons with Lansdowne.
It is expected O'Donovan will link up with the Limerick panel for training and matches at weekends, but in the meantime he has joined Dublin's St Brigid's club.
