Tipperary referees consider options as county board stand-off continues

North Tipperary referees will meet tonight to discuss their options as their stand-off with the county board continues.

Match officials had given the county chiefs until last Saturday to give them written assurances of how they are to be paid this year.

However, they received no documentation and next weekend’s championship could yet be affected by the unavailability of referees.

Instead, they were given a verbal response from the board that Croke Park had informed them negotiations with Revenue officials are going well and a satisfactory outcome is expected sometime in the future.

However, it remains to be seen whether North Tipperary referees will be pleased with the information they have received.

Meanwhile, Tipp secretary Tim Floyd has revealed naming rights to playing and training facilities at the Dr Morris Park complex in Thurles are up for grabs. Premier County top brass met with representatives from 20 local businesses recently in an attempt to drum up badly-needed funds.

Officials are working hard in the area of fundraising after a deficit of almost €220,000 was reported for the 2011 financial year.

A benefit night for Tipperary GAA at Thurles Greyhound stadium was held on Sunday night after the Division 1A clash against Cork and it is estimated that €15,000 to €20,000 was raised.

However, Floyd has revealed the county board needs to generate a whopping €250,000 for floodlighting at the newly-opened third pitch at Dr Morris Park, a sand-based surface that will prove invaluable for winter training sessions.

The Newport man is hoping that local business figures will dig deep and help out the county board.

He revealed: “We had a meeting last Thursday week at Kilshane House and we would welcome corporate sponsorship. Twenty businesses were there that night and we are looking at the whole area of development at Dr Morris Park.”

Floyd, meanwhile, has revealed that a ‘home and away’ agreement dating back to 1993 resulted in Tipperary gaining home advantage at Semple Stadium for the Allianz National Hurling League Division 1 semi-final against Cork on April 22.

In preparation for that game, and looking ahead to the Munster SHC quarter-final clash with Limerick on May 27, Tipperary manager Declan Ryan has whisked his squad away for a four-day training camp at Fota Island in Cork.

The players will return home on Thursday and link up with their clubs ahead of next weekend’s local championship fixtures.

Team medics will assess Noel McGrath, Gearóid Ryan and Donagh Maher after they picked up knocks against Cork on Sunday.