On Gerald McCarthy's comment on Newstalk that players having the right to pick the manager "is player power, pure and total" - "The players don't say they have the right to pick the manager, (their wish was to be involved in the selection process) nor do they want the right to pick the manager. The players have the right, according to binding arbitration, to have a two-sevenths representation in the process to appoint a new manager. The players didn't decide this, it was decided by Kieran Mulvey in binding arbitration."
On McCarthy's statement of October 30th that "presentation by certain players of my appointment as Cork hurling manager has been quite disingenuous . . . I'm happy that my appointment was correctly made - it was not a 'done deal', as has been suggested"
- "Gerald wasn't present at any of the five meetings and is not in a position to say whether the players are telling the truth or not. For the record, the players agree there were five meetings but maintain that there was no process, and that they have told no lies."
On the county board statement of October 31st that reaffirmed their support for their "properly appointed hurling manager"
- "Not for the first time, the Cork County Board deems it necessary to say that what they have done in the past was correctly done. The players don't accept that this was a legitimate process or a legitimate appointment and as a result, don't accept that there are any constraints on them or on any of their actions."
On McCarthy's statement that "I have regrettably come to the conclusion that there is a predisposition to conflict among a very small number of Cork players"
- "This echoes the numerous attempts by the board, over the years, to maintain that somewhere between 25 and 28 Cork senior hurlers are being said and led by two to five others - which the 25 to 28 players, whoever they might be, find deeply insulting. It also shows the opinion of the board and Gerald as to the backbone of the Cork senior hurling team. To say that teachers, engineers, bank managers, farmers, businessmen and parents could be led down roads they did not wish to take by one or two of their team-mates is ridiculous."
On the publication of Cathal O'Reilly's document, citing player support for McCarthy as recently as last June
- "We are at a complete loss as to how a confidential document, to which we all contributed under conditions of strict privacy, could find its way to the pages of a newspaper. Cathal O'Reilly has confirmed that only one copy of this document was ever produced by him and was only given to one individual - Gerald McCarthy. For this document to be given to anyone, let alone a newspaper, exemplifies the lack of understanding on Gerald's part, in our view, of the nature of a relationship of trust."
