New York get help to foot replay bill

THE Ladies Gaelic Football Association last night confirmed they will provide financial assistance to the New York team which returns to Ireland for the All-Ireland Junior final replay against Wicklow.

The American outfit has already travelled across the Atlantic twice for championship games this summer at their own expense – once for their quarter and semi-final and again last week for the drawn decider against the Garden County.

The cost of returning for a third time is likely to be even greater again with players, management and officials looking to book flights and accommodation at such short notice and one estimate has put the final figure at €50,000. New York manager Philip Sheridan revealed before Sunday’s game in Croke Park that his team had already raised $25,000 (€18,537) towards costs since April while clubs had been asked to contribute a further $2,000 (€1,482) towards the trans-Atlantic flights.