Counties ponder how to spend Croker cash

COUNTIES have less than four weeks to decide how they will use the first raft of funding made available by the opening of Croke Park to soccer and rugby.

It was originally envisaged that the profits made from hosting the IRFU and FAI would filter down directly to the clubs but it has since been decided that counties can distribute the money among up to 10 clubs. Alternatively they may plough the funds into one single development that will benefit the entire county. All proposals must be forwarded to the National Infrastructure Committee for approval by August 1st.

Each county is due to receive €250,000 in the first raft of payments, which will be paid around late autumn or early winter, and the GAA has said the distribution policy has been tweaked rather than drastically altered.

“There was a certain amount of debate at the time (in 2005) that the money would go directly to the clubs but no firm decision was made at the time,” said a GAA spokesman. “It was as much a general hope as anything else that the money would all filter down to the clubs.”

Louth is one county where the quarter of a million euro may well be used for a single project, namely the Centre of Excellence, which is being built just off the M1 motorway at Darver.

However, as county secretary Pat Hamilton pointed out, the final say on where the money is spent will still remain with the clubs themselves. A final decision will be made in Louth at a meeting of the county executive on Monday night.

“The county board will welcome whatever decision the clubs take. That is democracy,” said Hamilton.

Meanwhile, Louth are in the process of finalising details for a radical revamp of the county grounds in Drogheda with plans for a 14-15,000 stadium drawn up for the Gaelic Grounds.

The stadium has been deemed unsuitable for championship games in recent years but has been given the green light to host the round one All-Ireland qualifier against Tyrone on July 19, despite the fact that they had to concede home advantage against the same opposition in 2006.

Due to health and safety legislation, the capacity for the game has been fixed at only 4,500. It has already been deemed an all-ticket affair but Hamilton is looking forward to the day when that figure can be more than trebled.

“We would be looking at a ground that could hold 14-15,000 people in some comfort. It would be suitable for our own needs, county finals, National League and championship games, qualifiers.

“We would also hope to benefit from some spin-offs, colleges games and the like. We feel we are in a fantastic location. The ground is just a minute off the M1 motorway.”