GAA:A decision on the Cork hurling match against Limerick IT - rescheduled for this Thursday to enable officials and players to try and reach an agreement over the current strike action - will be announced today, but none of the 2007 panel will be available.

In an interview yesterday, twin brothers Ben and Jerry O'Connor confirmed manager Gerald McCarthy has yet to reconvene the squad while talks continue over the county board imposing selectors on the Cork football and hurling managers.

Ben: "I didn't even know there was a game."

Jerry (to brother): "The Waterford Crystal (Cup). It was to be on yesterday, but then they were hoping there would be some kind of resolution and it would be on Thursday. There has been no mention . . . "

With team-mates Joe Deane, Donal Óg Cusack and John Gardiner, along with three Cork footballers, in ongoing negotiations with the county executive, the Newtownshandrum All Stars were hesitant to voice personal opinions that might unsettle current talks.

Ben: "There was a meeting the other night. The boys are still talking. We can't say too much or we'll get the head chopped off us when we get home!"

The football panel is still on holidays in South America so collusion between the panels has been disrupted and, despite a meeting last Thursday, a way through the current impasse has yet to be achieved.

Both the Cork County Board and Munster Council stated a decision on the LIT fixture, set for Páirc Uí Rinn this Thursday at 7pm, would be made this morning.

There has been a suggestion that Cork would field an underage side or a team of club players to ensure the striking players cannot be suspended. Whether McCarthy, a supporter of the players' stance, would agree to this is another matter. It would certainly put him and the new team in a difficult position.

Ben: "No one wants that. The players don't want that, the county board don't want that, management don't want that, so I suppose it is only to sort things out to make sure that it doesn't happen. It would make things very awkward if players were asked to come into the panel. Things would be awkward between fellas when they would be meeting each other after. Hopefully, it won't come to that.

"The one thing we've always had in Cork is it's one for all and all for one. No one has ever spoken out against whatever is decided on the vote. That is the way it runs. Everyone supports it to the full after that."

Jerry: "Before it started there were player meetings and everyone had a chance to voice their opinion. There was a general thing where all players discussed different points and then they all agreed on the one thing after that."

The strike - Cork's second in five years - began on November 20th when the county delegates voted 79-35 in favour of the county executive decision to impose selectors on the inter-county manager. McCarthy had already stated he would not seek another term under such conditions.

Long serving football manager Billy Morgan withdrew his name for re-appointment. At the same county board meeting, Teddy Holland was ratified as the new football manager.

The O'Connor twins do not believe the strike has yet to hinder preparations for the season as the panel only begin collective training in late January each year and they are all working on individual conditioning programmes.

Ben: "I suppose the way it has gone fellas come back and they are nearly in top shape before they start. So they fine tune before the league starts in the second week of February. Most fellas are looking after themselves and doing a bit of training."

Jerry: "This time last year Gerald was trying to get to know fellas so there was a couple of challenge games (Ben: 'Down the Mardyke')."

Ben: "But after 12 months in charge, having seen a county championship go ahead he knows exactly what players he has. In a way he has an advantage from last year because he knows what he wants."

Jerry: "Obviously there are a few pounds gone on, but it's at the stage now that even when you are out of the season you are doing your own thing, because if you let yourself go it is too hard to get back into training. If you're not carrying the weight you don't have to do the real slogging, just go into the speed work straight away."

Eventually, the conversation turned to a topic the media will be hammering away at until next September.

Jerry: "Looking at both of them, Kerry and Kilkenny, they are going to be hot favourites to do three-in-a-row because they are 100 per cent football and hurling (counties). But every team is there to be beaten. Two years ago we were going for three-in-a-row. It was all about us.

"Two years before that it was Kilkenny. There is no point saying it doesn't affect teams. You say you put it out of your head, but it is just brought up so often in the media it is bound to get you a little bit.

"All the talk of three-in-a-row will give all the other counties motivation. There is extra pressure on them as no matter where they go people will be talking about it. It does affect you. No matter how professional you are it does get into your head - parts of it anyway."

Ben: "If they got three-in-a-row you would feel they are superior because you haven't done three-in-a-row so it is kinda tit-for-tat. You don't want anyone saying they are better than you."

We'll have a Cork hurling team yet.