Waterford training sessions may be curbed, says Grant

WATERFORD County Board secretary Seamus Grant is warning that the number of team training sessions may have to be limited due to spiralling costs.

The Association’s longest serving secretary says that without careful management of their finances, and the growth in revenue accruing in the main from sponsorship, the board would not be in as favourable a position as it presently is.

He stressed the need for “continued careful husbandry” in relation to finances in his comprehensive report to tomorrow night’s Waterford GAA convention in Dungarvan.

“Expenditure on preparing our county teams was in the region of €300,000 which is excessive,” says Mr Grant. “We must put in place a remedial plan of action to put a curb on spending and limit in many instances the number of team training sessions. In doing so we will be enabling players to train with their clubs more during the spring and summer months.”

Mr Grant states that the implication that county team managers are “calling the shots” and denying clubs the services of players appears to be widespread, and must be stopped.

“Perhaps in our desire for success, we tend to accede far too readily to the demands of team managements in relation to time and finance. By all means let us make available resources and schedules necessary to hasten success, but there must be a limit to what any County Board can afford and our clubs must be safeguarded as well,”

Mr Grant said 2005 did not scale the expected heights on the inter county front, and again Waterford teams experienced a number of disappointments. The two championship games against Cork were “rousing affairs,’’ the secretary said. “They were competitive and intensive, but on both occasions we had to give best albeit only after two titanic battles’’.

While outgoing PRO, John Jackson of Ballyduff Upper, has been nominated for the secretaryship, he is not expected to put his name before convention which will ensure a return to office for Mr Grant, for a 34th year.

Dungarvan clubman Paddy Fitzgerald has also been nominated for the vice chair against Pat Grant but has confirmed that he will not be opposing the outgoing officer.