Confusion over Carey's departure as Limerick selector
The news of Ciaran Carey's decision to step down as a Limerick senior hurling selector has come as a shock to many in GAA circles - especially with the Munster Championship just weeks away.
It seems that Carey's concerns over the squad's level of physical preparation were such that he could not continue as a member of the John Allen-led management team.
"I had issues with how the team were physically prepared and that trend has been there for a while now," he told the Sunday Independent.
"The easy thing to do was to go through the motions for the next few weeks but Limerick hurling means too much to me.
"For that reason, I needed to be honest to myself but, more importantly, I needed to be honest to the players. Honesty should be at the core of any inter-county set-up and it would be wrong to stay in a system that I clearly had concerns about."
In Allen's first season in charge, the Shannonsiders finished second in Division 1B of the Allianz League and lost out on promotion to Clare. They are in the midst of preparing for their Munster SHC quarter-final against Tipperary on May 27, and warmed up for that tie by beating Dublin 0-18 to 1-12 in a challenge game in Cappamore yesterday.
Carey is recognised as one of Limerick's greatest ever hurlers and one of the country's best to never have won an All-Ireland senior title. The 42-year-old from Patrickswell has expressed his desire to manage the county side and was admittedly 'disappointed' when first Donal O'Grady and then Allen beat him to the job in recent seasons.
"I decided to stay involved when asked by John Allen and I was quite prepared to give him my full backing but over the past few weeks I have just not enjoyed it," explained the three-time All-Star defender.
"It will come as no shock to the management that I have made the decision (to quit) because I have voiced my concerns over the past few months about our preparations.
"If you are to have any hope at this level, you must be able to compete with the best teams, because power and pace are such a major part of the game now. In this regard, we have some way to go."
But Allen has a different take on Carey's departure, insisting that the former Limerick Under-21 boss was unable to give the required 'time commitment' to his role as a selector.
Speaking after the game against Dublin, Allen commented: "As far as we are concerned Ciaran has decided that he can't give the time commitment that is necessary at this level.
"He missed a full week of training the week before last and he wasn't there last Thursday night and had to go early on Tuesday and he believes that because he can't give the full commitment he shouldn't be there.
"I recognise that Ciaran is an icon in Limerick hurling and that he is very committed to Limerick hurling and always has been.
"I respect his wishes that if he can't give 100% that he is better off not being part of the management team. I wish him well and I’m sure he’ll be back again at some stage on the sideline with Limerick."
Probed on Carey's frustration with the squad's physical preparation, the Cork native replied: "I am not going to get into an controversy so I am not going to say anymore. I am taking at face value that he doesn’t have the time to give. There has been no drama, no dressing room bust-up or sideline bust-up as far as I am concerned."
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