Counties told: ’Tis the season to be jolly careful with cash

SEÁN WALSH insists county boards must curb their expenditure on the preparation of inter-county teams.

Figures released this week by the Waterford County Board revealed that they spent €250,000 on their senior hurling team in 2011. Walsh believes inter-county team costs need to be tackled but admits that it is Croke Park rather than provincial councils which counties need to turn to if they need assistance in that regard.

“The cutback has to be in the preparation of inter-county teams. At the moment with the state of the economy and the amounts that counties can raise from sponsorship and fundraising, the current expenditure of inter-county teams cannot be upheld.

“As a council we don’t take responsibility in relation to individual counties and how they do their business. But Croke Park would take a view on it and it is them that counties would need to contact for assistance rather than us.”