Hurling crisis looms

With the search for new senior football manager finally out of the way, Meath Co Committee were plunged into further turmoil this week by the resignation of John Andrews from his position as Meath senior hurling boss. Andrews has years of sterling service to Meath hurling to his credit, but is now disillusioned with the Co Committee for, what he feels, is a total lack of co-operation and a flagrant disregard for hurling within the county. Andrews has been embroiled in a constant battle with the Co Committee since his appointment in December 2006 when he replaced Johnny Murray. 'I cannot work with Barney Allen and some of the gang on the Co Committee ever again,' fumed the popular Trim clubman who helped Meath to the All-Ireland SHC B title back in 1993. 'I"ve been thinking about the whole set up for two months now and I"ve had time to see that the current arrangement is unworkable,' he added. 'Matters like wanting to charge the players €70 each for the NHL game in London and also to take any fines that would accumulate for incursions onto the pitch from the expenses of the selectors and myself were just examples of how difficult it was to deal with them. 'Every week there was something. There is no interest in hurling amongst the Co Committee. There was no one from the committee at the Kehoe Cup final, there was no one at the Kerry game, one representative went to the Mayo game in Navan, so there is no solidarity there. 'I"ve come to the conclusion that it is not worth it. I spoke to TJ Reilly on Sunday and I sent a text to all the players thanking them for their efforts and support. 'The players have put in brilliant commitment, we never once had we less than 25 at training, my decision has nothing to do with the players because they were great.' Andrews felt that the battles he was having to fight on an almost weekly basis was to the detriment of Meath hurling. He pointed out many of the problems he faced and was adamant that the public should know what goes on behind the scenes with their county hurling team. 'There was no opposition from Meath to the restructuring of the national leagues or the championships for next year. 'In fact the Meath delegate voted for the change and now Meath will be in NHL Div 3 and the Nicky Rackard Cup next year,' said Andrews. 'We have also had a lot of problems with expenses. We played a challenge match against Laois and because many of the players were coming from different places we decided not to get a bus and the players claimed expenses. 'However, the Co Committee refused to pay any of the players. We sat on that incident and said nothing, but then we had other incidents throughout the year and everything we did was scrutinised and criticised. 'I sent in travel expenses for going to watch players play for their clubs in Tipperary, I never claimed the meal allowances that I was entitled to, but they were questioned. 'I was asked which players was I going to watch. That proved their interest that they didn"t even know the players we had from outside the county. 'We had a player who travelled from work in Westport on a Tuesday night and Thursday night for training in January and the following week he travelled from Cork, but they would only pay his expenses from his home in Clonee. That was a blatant disregard for the player. 'People need to know what is going on with the treatment of Meath hurling. 'The first time I met Barney Allen I congratulated him on winning the chair of the Co Committee and his first words to me were that he would be cutting back on playing gear. 'The second time I met him I was told that any fines incurred would be deducted out of my expenses. 'That was the footing we got off on. It continued to go downhill and I feel that I can"t possibility go on working with the Co Committee,' concluded Andrews. 'I have no desire to get into any arguments with John Andrews and I"d like to thank him and his selectors for their commitment to Meath hurling,' stated Co Committee chairman Allen. 'However, a set of rules and guidelines were outlined on his appointment and I"m disappointed to hear him say that he couldn"t work with me. 'Our management committee requested John Andrews to attend a meeting on three occasions to discuss statements he has made to the media and also to discuss other issues, but he didn"t attend those meetings. 'The hurling development proposals for the Special Congrees were discussed at a Co Committee meeting in September and passed which meant that Meath went into the Nicky Rackard Cup. . 'If John Andrews has decided to resign and ride off into the sunset then that is his own decision,' concluded the Co Committee chairman. 'On behalf of the Hurling Promotion and Development Committee I would like to thank John Andrews for his work with the Meath senior hurling team over the past two years,' stated hurling PRO Martin O"Halloran. Nominations for a new manager to replace Andrews will close at 5.0 on Monday, 24th November and it is expected that a new coach will be ratified at the first Co Committee meeting in December.