Tribesmen turn troubles around to make €100,000 profit

HURLING officials have defied the recession to turn a loss of €100,000 last year into a profit of that amount for 2010.

Delegates attending the Galway Hurling Board convention tomorrow night will hear how income increased by €131,860 while costs were slashed by €75,910 to turn around their finances. This time last year the board reported a loss of €102,589 but the annual convention at the Raheen Woods Hotel in Athenry will be told tomorrow night that there is now a profit this year of €105,181.

Galway Hurling Board chairman Joe Byrne, who has just completed his first year in charge, will inform delegates that the massive financial gains have been achieved despite the county playing more games than ever before.

Admission prices to clubs games were slashed by up to 30% and while the coffers were helped by a replay in the final and one of the semi-finals in the senior championship, there were less games played in the competition this year.

The biggest savings were made in the cost of fielding county teams with a drop of almost €100,000.

Total team administration costs of €440,712 were down from €536,310 the previous year, while in 2008 they were €670,633.

Ironically, Galway played more senior competitive games in 2010 than ever before with 18 outings for John McIntyre’s side in the Walsh Cup, National League, Leinster Championship and All-Ireland quarter-final.