Rossies hit by 25% loss of income

ROSCOMMON GAA suffered a massive loss of 25% — over €500,000 — in its income during 2009 as the recession hit hard.

Delegates at their annual convention were told that a profit of €176,251 in 2008 was wiped out this year and a loss of €50,811 was recorded.

County Board chairman Michael McGuire said the loss would have been greater were it not for the fact that expenditure during the year was reduced to from €1,868,251 to €1,580,845. Income of €2,045,003 in 2008 dropped to €1,530,034 this year.

McGuire said: “During the year it became increasingly obvious to us that our income lines were seriously down. Some of it was due to the economic downturn, but there were other factors like a cut in grant aid from Croke Park, a huge decline in national league income, a drop in returns from our main fundraisers and our local gates.

“Our treasurer and finance committee have kept a very close rein on all our spending and this has meant that while we are showing deficit, all our major commitments have been met. There are no major amounts due to creditors.”

An annual race day at Punchestown which produced €169,837 in 2008 only yielded €62,600 this year.

Gate receipts were down from €225,199 to €159,240 but there was a drawn county senior final in 2008.

The cuts in expenditure saw teams administration expenses down from €612,716 to €551,277.

“We will have to continue to be very prudent with our spending and make renewed efforts to keep our income at a level that will enable us to meet all our commitments,” added McGuire.

Meanwhile the cost of preparing Tipperary’s various inter-county teams has topped the €1m mark for a second successive year. County team administration expenses have fallen by €25,000 from last year’s figures but still crashed through the €1m barrier, totalling €1,081,562.

However, officials insists the figures have to take into account that Tipperary’s senior hurlers contested the All-Ireland final, while the footballers gained promotion from Division 3 of the National Football League.

Against that background, Tipperary financial chiefs are delighted with an overall drop in costs but the economic downturn has seen the Premier County’s sponsorship income drop by €75,000 this year.

An operating deficit of €58,863 has been reported by county board treasurer Eamonn Buckley but when income from the county board draw of over €350,000 is capitalised, a surplus of almost €295,000 is recorded.

Buckley explained: “The county board draw is a separate account so we do have a working loss for the year.

“We took a hit with sponsors and that affected us a bit while we also had an audit for the first time ever this year. Up to now books were certified so items were going forward from one year to another so next year, we should hopefully turn that deficit around.”

Tipperary county board chiefs raked in almost €7m this year but items, including over €2m for match tickets, accounts for €4.75m of that overall figure.

Meanwhile, the AIB GAA Club Championship pairings for 2010 have been finalised.

SHC: Feb 13/14: semi-finals: Dunloy (Antrim) v Portumna (Galway); Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) v Newtownshandrum (Cork).

March 17: final, Croke Park.

IHC: Jan 24: semi-finals: Tynagh Abbey-Duniry (Galway) v St.Gall’s (Antrim) St.Lachtain’s (Kilkenny) v South Liberties (Limerick).

February 13: final, Croke Park.

JHC: Jan 9: quarter-final: Black & Whites (Kilkenny) v John Mitchels (Britain); Jan 24: semi-finals: Calry St. Joseph’s (Sligo) v Naomh Colum Cille (Tyrone); Black & Whites or John Mitchels v Blackrock (Limerick).

February 13: final, Croke Park.

SFC: Jan 24: Quarter-final: Kilmurry-Ibrickane (Clare) v Tir Chonail Gaels (London); Feb 20-21: Semi-finals: Corofin (Galway) v St.Gall’s (Antrim) Kilmurry-Ibrickane or Tir Chonail Gaels v Portlaoise (Laois)

March 17: final, Croke Park.

IFC: Jan 24: Semi-finals: Naomh Anna. Leitir Mor (Galway) v Cookstown (Tyrone) Spa (Kerry) v Maynooth (Kildare).

February 14: final, Croke Park.

JFC: Jan 10: Quarter-final: Dunedin Connollys (Edinburgh) v Emyvale (Monaghan); Dunedin Connollys or Emyvale v Kiltimagh (Mayo) Longwood (Meath) v Castlegregory (Kerry).

February 14: final, Croke Park.