GAA President Christy Cooney says the ongoing row in Limerick hurling will need to be resolved internally rather than bringing in a professional mediator from the outside.

At Tuesday night's meeting of the county board, chairman Liam Lenihan said that it was ready to bring in a third party to help resolve the issue and that the executive would be willing to sit down with the players who are unwilling to play under county team manager Justin McCarthy

"With regard to Limerick, I don't know whether an external facilitator is going to help at this stage. The county board have to deal with it themselves. I believe it is an interval situation," said Mr Cooney.

"It is likely enough from what I read that there is going to be a motion at the next meeting for it to be discussed.

"They need to make a decision once and for all to either support the executive and confirm that Justin is there to stay or do the opposite.

"We felt that we hadn't anything to add to it. We took our soundings in Limerick and felt we hadn't anything to bring to the table to help solve the problem. We feel it is a matter for the Limerick county board to sort."

At the meeting, a letter written by Limerick selector John Tuohy, who was appointed to act as a mediator between the exiled players and the management, was read out by Mr Lenihan, which hit out at the GAA and the GPA for failing to help in resolving the crisis in the county.

He wrote that the Players' Association "have held up progress" and also went on to state: "It's unfortunate Croke Park didn't take the opportunity to sit down with the county board officers, the management team and the players.

"I know some players were ready, but not all and unfortunately it did not happen." Tweet

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