BBC SPORT | N Ireland | Cork footballers join rebels

Cork footballers have backed their hurling counterparts by joining them in withdrawing their services.

While the row which has gripped Cork hurling could be edging towards a compromise, the footballers agreed to back the players' stance.

The Cork senior hurling panel sensationally announced last Friday that they were going on strike because of unhappiness over the way they had been treated by the county board.

On Tuesday evening, the Cork hurling selectors, which included county secretary Frank Murphy, resigned their roles with the team.

Reports from the Rebel County on Wednesday evening suggested that the Cork hurlers were set to re-enter negotiations with the executive.

It is understood that a meeting between the parties led to concessions being made in relation to several of the players' demands.

Sean Og O Halpin is one of the top hurlers in the country
Sean Og O Halpin: Part of Cork strike

Now the footballers are giving their backing for change and will be jointly represented in further negotiations with the Cork county executive.

In a statement football captain Colin Corkery said that they shared the same issues as the hurlers with the exception of the team management question.

County Board officers have said they are optimistic the dispute will be fully resolved by the weekend.

Selectors PJ Murphy, Pat McDonnell, John Meyler and Frank Murphy resigned on Tuesday evening.

They had been appointed for a two-year term at the beginning of last season along with manager Bertie Og Murphy who became the first casualty of the crisis when he quit last month.

Despite their resignation, the selectors rejected criticism directed at them by the unhappy players.

"We consider the criticism of the selectors by some players as unjustified but nonetheless, we hope that our decision will, in some way, help to resolve the present situation," they said.


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