With Anthony Cunningham effectively prevented from taking his place in the dugout at Fenway Park for the AIG Hurling Classic, it was clear that additional time had done little to cool tensions. The players vs Cunningham row was not about to sort itself out. And that's clear more than ever now that the mediation process has come to an end.
The following statement has been released on Thursday morning after the end of the mediation process.
The Galway County Committee met last evening to discuss the full background of the current impasse between the 2015 Senior Hurling Panel and the Senior Management Team and to hear the outcome of the mediation process.
The mediation process has concluded and the Independent Mediator has determined that despite best efforts there was little, if no, possibility of the Parties reaching common agreement, on the substantive issue.
At this stage all reasonable efforts have been made to resolve the impasse.
The County Committee will meet again on Monday evening next, 16th November, to make a decision on the matter.
All of us appreciate how difficult this situation has been, not least for the our Players, the Management Team and their families. We are hopeful that the matter will be concluded on Monday next so that we can begin to rebuild and look to the Hurling season ahead, with confidence.
The players aren't changing their mind and Cunningham seems to be in no mood to back down. Mediation was unlikely to ever have an effect and now that has proven to be the case. All that's left seems to be for the county board to make a final decision. It seems we'll get that after next Monday's meeting and one way or another, the bitter row is unlikely to be sorted out with everyone duly pleased.
