THE CONTINUING problems in the Galway hurling camp were temporarily set aside last night when a scheduled meeting of the hurling board was postponed due to the illness of one of the most influential members, Phelim Murphy.

Murphy was confined to bed with flu and it was decided to postpone the meeting. It was called over the decision of the county hurling team manager, Mattie Murphy, to walk out of the county convention claiming that he was "being muzzled".

The team manager, who was also expected to contest the position of county secretary also withdrew from that contest and attempted to reply to criticism of the handling of the hurling team expressed in the report of the outgoing secretary, Bernie O'Connor. The chairman, Frank Burke, intervened to say that hurling matters had been discussed at the hurling board convention and that he would not allow a rehash of that discussion at the full county board meeting, where upon Mattie Murphy left the meeting.

It was expected that Murphy would have been present at last night's meeting to tell the delegates what he intended to do in regard to the resignation from the selection committee of the former hurling star Frank Burke.

That matter will now be set aside until Phelim Murphy has recovered.

The Munster Council chairman, Noel Walsh, has pleaded with the GAA to maintain its amateur status.

Speaking at a function in Limerick at which the 1995 interprovincial hurling team was honoured, he said it was important to the association that they should retain their amateur status.

"I hope I never live to see the day when cheques will be handed out to our players after matches, and when players will move from county to county in search of more money

The GAA, he continued, has survived through difficult times, and looking at members of the Clare and Limerick senior hurling teams who were present, he said "Look what these men have achieved over the past two years ... look at the commitment and dedication shown by them in having brought honour to their respective counties."

Clare's manager, Ger Loughnane, will have charge of the interprovincial hurling team for their upcoming matches and becomes the first Clare man to be given responsibility for the province in either hurling or football.

The Tipperary secretary, Tommy Barrett, in his report to the Tipperary GAA Convention in Thurles on Sunday has rejected the idea of GAA players being paid to play.