Tuesday, December 08, 2009
THE CORK County Board is to proceed with development works at the Old Mon Field grounds in Knocknaheeny, according to the board secretary’s report for 2009, which also states that negotiations are ongoing regarding a centre of excellence adjacent to Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Although National Lottery funding is unavailable to the board for the Knocknaheeny site, its management committee has decided to proceed and a tendering process has commenced.
The report states that: "this process will be concluded very shortly and it is then intended to commence the work early in the new year".
Acquiring land next to Páirc Uí Chaoimh for new facilities is one of the board’s "priorities" and the report expresses the hope that agreement in negotiations with Cork City Council officials about the Showgrounds will soon be reached.
The board’s expenditure on intercounty teams increased by over one-third in 2009, largely due to the Rebel senior footballers making it to the All-Ireland final.
Figures in the secretary’s report show that in 2008 intercounty team expenses on Leeside amounted to €1,121,405, while this year that figure jumped to €1,501,875.
Included in that figure is a sizeable leap in the cost of feeding players: catering costs jumped by one-third, from €160,679 in 2008 to €249,233 this year.
In all the board’s revenue account shows a surplus of €711,274 for the year in comparison with €890,432 last year. The club draw continues to be a major money-spinner for Cork GAA chiefs, generating €2,132,760 in gross income this year (down from €2,307,354 in 2008) and producing an overall surplus of €300,460 when the commission to clubs is paid out (that amounted to €1,126,732 this year).
Income from championship gate receipts dropped by €20,000, from €1,118,32 last year to €1,098,590 this season. Commercial income amounted to €761,040, up from €674,785 last year, though "crest royalties" income decreased by €107 from €4,213 to €4,106.
The board’s total assets come to €19,452,385 (down from €18,741,111 last year). That figure is made up of €11,277,592 in the capital account, €6,164,801 in the grounds development fund and €2,009,992 in capital grants.
The total number of club affiliations is 259, with a total of adult teams (including minor) reaching 965; 2,623 underage teams competed last year. A total of 14,367 games were played in 2009, an increase of 460 on 2008.
Meanwhile a spate of injuries and a demanding schedule of games have been highlighted by one of Galway’s top hurling officials as the primary reasons for their failure to end their Liam MacCarthy famine in 2009.
John Fahey, in his report to Thursday night’s Galway Hurling Board convention, pinpointed a crowded calendar and a string of unfortunate injuries as major reasons for their championship bid dying.
And Fahey says that players, management and supporters are still wondering how they managed to lose the qualifier game to Waterford.
Fahey points out that from January 18 to April 19, Galway played twelve competitive games in a thirteen week period.
The heavy schedule continued in the championship and with injuries mounting, the hopes for John McIntyre’s men faded.
"With the Leinster campaign behind us we entered the qualifier route where first up was Clare where a ten point margin saw us progress to meet Cork the following weekend in Thurles.
"Once again we headed for Thurles eight days later, having beaten Cork by seven points, this time with Waterford the opponents, supporters, management and players will still ask why we lost this game where Waterford emerged the victors by the narrowest of margins," said Fahey who praised the work of McIntyre and his management team.
Fahey is being challenged for the position of secretary by former Galway manager Jarlath Cloonan, while the battle to replace Miko Ryan is now down to a two-horse race after acting chairman Stevie Cahalan announced he is going to concentrate on trying to be elected vice-chairman. Former All Star and referee Jimmy Cooney will now battle it for the position of chairman with Joe Byrne of Kinvara at a convention where all six top table positions are being contested.
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