From examiner.ie

By Jim O’Sullivan
GERALD McCARTHY last night strongly dismissed rumours of discontent within the Cork hurling squad, saying that the players had been “stung” by such suggestions and that the management team was equally resentful.

Responding to a direct question put to him at a press briefing in the Rochestown Park Hotel in advance of tomorrow week’s All-Ireland semi-final, he also took issue with sections of the media who had been “very quick” to write off his team following the Munster semi-final defeat by Tipperary.

Insisting that there is “a great spirit” within the group, he stated: “A lot of the lads were stung by the fact that they were written off very quickly and everybody within the group was saddened by these rumours — wherever they are starting, wherever they are emanating from.’’

He offered the view that they may have originated through people writing into websites, describing it as “a runaway situation”.

“If people writing about hurling are taking notice of things and rumours that are coming up on websites, I think that’s a sorry day.

“I cannot understand why practically for a long time now it keeps surfacing that there is trouble in our camp. I don’t know who is saying it. I don’t know why somebody doesn’t come out and say what it is.

“There is nothing wrong within our camp, nothing at all.

“We are getting on magnificently well. We are a united bunch and we have one aim only — all together — and that is to win the All-Ireland championship for Cork.

“So anybody who is doubting that is casting aspersions on any of the management team, myself and my selectors and any of the players that we are not pulling together. That is totally untrue.’’

Star defender, Sean Óg Ó hAilpín, said he was aware that rumours had been circulating, commenting that he encountered in his dealings with the public.

“I get them every day, (but) I just block them out,” said Ó hAilpín.

“The public don’t know what’s happening.

“They can comment all they want, but what matters is what happens within the four walls of the dressing room.

“There has always been a great togetherness in my time, and this year it has been bonded tightly because of events in the winter and during the season,’’ he said.