Galway officials anxious to resolve player issues

Peace could break out in Galway hurling by the end of the week if talks between officials, management and players are successful.

Anthony Cunningham looks set to remain in charge for a fifth season but GAA officials are anxious to resolve issues with players without irrevocable damage between the hurlers and management.

On Monday night talks continued at county committee level with support growing for Cunningham after he made it clear that he is determined to stay in charge despite reports of a player vote of no confidence.

GAA officials, who are refusing to comment publicly as they try to find a resolution, are trying to establish the level of discontent amid suggestions that it is a minority rather than majority of players involved.

But some of them are senior players in the dressingroom and carry a lot of influence among what is a relatively young squad, with nine of the side which started against Kilkenny last month appearing in their first All-Ireland final.

One senior GAA source expressed surprise that the issues which the players were unhappy about should lead them to go for such an extreme option.

Efforts are apparently now going to be made to resolve these issues but whether some of these players form part of the Galway 2016 squad remains to be seen.

Team management have declined to comment on the situation and Galway county committee, aside from a brief statement on Sunday night saying they would not be making any comment other than confirming talks were taking place, also maintained their silence yesterday.

The Galway players have not made any comment publicly, either individually or as a group, since the controversy emerged on Saturday and it could not be established if they were going to issue a statement.

Cunningham, who won the second of his All-Ireland medals when Galway last lifted the Liam McCarthy Cup in 1988, was reappointed as manager last week by the county committee, having earlier been approved by the Galway hurling board and management executive without objection.

One official last night confirmed that talks between all the parties would continue throughout Tuesday and suggested that the matter may continue throughout the week as a resolution is sorted out.