Anthony Cunningham resigns as Galway senior hurling manager

Galway senior hurling manager Anthony Cunningham has tonight released a statement through the Galway GAA saying that he and his management team have resigned from their positions with immediate effect.

The move comes ahead of a meeting tonight to discuss the impasse in Galway over the past number of weeks when, following Cunningham’s ratification as manager for 2016, the Galway senior panel said they had lost confidence in him and his management team.

Cunningham, who led Galway to two All-Ireland finals in his four years in charge, said in his statement he was stepping down “with the best interests of Galway hurling in mind” but he hit out at what he described as a “kangaroo court decision, led by a core group of players” to try and have him ousted.

His statement in full reads as follows:

I, Anthony Cunningham incumbent Senior Hurling Manager since 2012, hereby confirm the
following:

Despite the fact that I was unanimously ratified and supported by the Galway GAA Clubs, the County Hurling and Galway County Committees and having reviewed the current  impasse in detail over the past month, it is with great sadness tonight that I and my Management Team announce our resignation from our positions. I do so with the best interests of Galway Hurling in mind and with the priority of best assisting Galway hurling to build on the achievement of 2015.

As a Management team we have exhausted all avenues with support from the clubs, their delegates, the hurling fraternity and County Committees in the past month to bring this impasse to a conclusion and protect Galway Hurling. Despite extensive attempts at genuine dialogue including Independent Arbitration, there were no reasonable explanations offered or given as to the issues that players felt they had.

I believe that the players are misguided in that they are not taking the views of their county on board. They, through their actions, have shown scant respect for, and loyalty to the goodwill shown them by supporters, clubs and County GAA Committees and Management. I contend it is unreasonable to express a lack of confidence in management – how else could we have reached a winning position in an All-lreland Final last September?

I consider this a kangaroo court decision, led by a core group of players orchestrated with  the help of others outside Galway, motivated by a desire to unjustly extend their lifespan as  inter-county players placing personal agendas above the greater good of Galway Hurling. This goes to the very core of what our Association stands for-there is a national danger now that the democratic and voluntary ethos of the GAA is being overrun by groups of players that wish to indulge in the selection and termination of management.

Galway Hurling is bigger than any one individual and given that this current impasse shows no immediate sign of abating, I reluctantly conclude that it best that I now step aside.

I hold a deep conviction that the current Galway management team is the one best positioned to deliver Galway hurling to the next level and bring All-lreland Senior success to our county. I thank my family, my management team colleagues and their families for their support and I am very sensitive the hurt they have endured in the very recent past. I salute the county officials and officers and numerous volunteers who have given me magnificent support over the last five years.

With Disappointment & Sincerity,

Anthony Cunningham