Moroney talks up the merits of a seeded draw

THE advantage of a seeded draw in the Munster SFC is it ensures the final is ‘generally’ contested by the two best teams, states departing Council Secretary Simon Moroney in his report to next weekend’s annual convention in Ennis.

Expressing surprise that the decision taken to change from an open draw attracted such negative comment, he points out that it was the ‘democratic wish’ of the counties after a consultative process.

That apart, Clare have submitted a motion calling for a return of the open draw. In defence of the format,

Moroney says it should be remembered that it is the two finalists from the previous year who are seeded — “and not necessarily Cork and Kerry, though this may generally be the outcome based on their relative county strengths’’.

Meanwhile, the argument made in favour of the seeded draw at the time by Council vice-chairman Sean Walsh from Kerry is supported by figures highlighted in the report which indicate a continuing downward trend. They reveal that the cumulative attendance at the five games in the 2007 championship amounted to a mere 44,457. The average attendance worked out at 8,891, compared to a figure of 16,367 (for six games) in 2004.

In sharp contrast, the cumulative attendance for six games in the senior hurling championship was 192,555 — giving an average 32,092 (down from 36,900 for 2006, in four games). Predictably, these figures are reflected even more dramatically in the financial returns — €4.1 million from the hurling championship and a mere €798,856 for football.

In the course of dealing with the progress of the individual counties, Moroney remarked that Limerick have lost the position ‘as senior championship contenders which they held for a few years,’ commenting: “this is unfortunate for the senior football championship, which badly needs a third force to counter the dominance of Kerry and Cork!’’

On the financial front, he reports ‘an excellent year’, thanks mainly to the two replays in the senior hurling championship. Income increased by 21.69% to €9.04m, while the Council’s revenue increased by slightly less — 20.95% — totalling €8.75m.

The surplus for the year was €286,603, but this could have been much larger (as a result of the three Limerick/Tipp games) but for the fact that they allocated an additional €800,000 to the €1.6m committed to funding phases 2 and 3 of the Semple Stadium redevelopment.

Moroney reveals why he is walking away from the job after four years, explaining that the refusal to adopt recommendations he made last year to enhance the council’s administrative structure ‘demonstrated that the Council and himself had two different visions of the future.’ And, he was not prepared to compromise.

Apart from the Clare motion on the open draw, Waterford want all future senior hurling finals to be played in Thurles.

KILDARE (SF v Galway): T Corley; E Bolton, A McLoughlin, M O’Flaherty; A Rainbow, K O’Neill, G White; P Mullarkey, K Brennan; J Doyle, M Conway, J Kavanagh; R Sweeney, D Earley, K Donnelly.

WATERFORD (SF v Kilkenny): T Wall; J Walsh, J Steward, P Dunphy; T Grey, S Briggs, T O’Gorman; M Ahearne, G Hurney; D Casey, L O Lionain, C O’Keeffe; P Hurney, W Hennessy, G Power.