Grant attacks central funding

THE majority of county boards are continuing to struggle financially because of the ‘paltry’ redistribution of funds from central level, Waterford GAA secretary Seamus Grant has claimed.

In his report to next weekend's annual convention in Dungarvan, Grant warns of the threat of many of the counties becoming 'completely insolvent'. He also calls for a reappraisal of the qualifying system in the senior football championship.

In common with most others, the Waterford Board has to rely on raising money outside of the normal channels gate receipts predominantly with the result they have to rely increasingly on other resources and monies from central funds.

"But, when one considers the huge receipts generated at our major games, the return to the counties is nothing less than paltry.

"In the three championship games played by Waterford's senior hurlers this year a conservative estimate would show gate receipts in the region of about 4-5 million. Yet, despite an increase in expense claims, the return from central coffers remains abysmal.

"Is it any wonder that most counties are now finding themselves hugely in debt and have no cash available for games promotion and development.

"There should be a defined share of gate receipts from every championship game put in place as a matter of urgency and this applies in particular to the All-Ireland series where a most inequitable distribution continues to exist."

Grant writes that the experiment in the senior football championship needs to be urgently reviewed, saying it doesn't assist the weaker counties by merely providing them with an extra game.

"All the time the strong are getting stronger and the weak continue to provide the fodder.

"If we are to have a more meaningful All-Ireland championship, then perhaps another system should be applied," he adds, suggesting that short of an open draw, maybe the strong teams would come into the competition at a later stage than normal.

"Only the best of the rest would come into the reckoning at that juncture. Of course, provincial traditionalists would strenuously oppose such an approach to an age-old question as many would see it as an affront to their respective counties privileged positions.

"But a trial run of the proposed series would surely be worth some degree of consideration, if only to prove whether there is a better way or not to the present system."

Grant is also critical of the restructured National Hurling League competition, commenting that the fact it is run off within a confined period in early spring 'is far from satisfactory'.

On a happier note, Grant reflects on the success of the Munster hurlers in the Munster championship as 'an extraordinary year and one to be savoured for posterity'.

"After a spell of 39 years, we have regained the coveted and prestigious Munster senior hurling crown."

*More than €250,000 was spent on the preparation of the various county teams. It cost €134,842 for the senior hurling team.

The number of individual training sessions for all grades totalled 188, with 40 challenge games, 10 tournament matches and 29 official games at senior level in the league and championship competitions played.