Mayo fined €10,000 for not playing in New York

All-Ireland finalists Mayo have been hit with a €10,000 fine for not travelling to New York for the final of the Connacht FBD League last month.

But they will be allowed back into the competition when it resumes in January.

James Horan’s men, who won the ‘home’ final against NUIG last January, refused to travel for the final against New York on October 7, citing a crowded club fixture schedule and the unavailability of players as the main reasons.

The cash-strapped Mayo County Board, who are struggling to service a large debt on a new stand at McHale Park in Castlebar, said that cost was not a factor in the decision.

The FBD League winners receive a subsidy towards the cost of travelling to New York for the ‘away’ final each October.

Meanwhile, the heavy winds of Hurricane Sandy caused over €10,000 of damage at New York’s Gaelic Park on Monday night.

However, with just over two weeks to go before the New York County Board hosts the GAA/GPA All Star football game at the Bronx venue, it is not believed there will be any impact on the hosting of that highly anticipated exhibition match.

The sole seating section of the facility, which lies on the 240th Street side of the pitch, is partially covered by a canopy which offers shelter from the sun during the summer.

But that was lifted clean off as the so-called ‘super storm’ passed through New York city during a historically destructive night.

The GAA do not own the effected section of the Riverdale venue and repairs will be the responsibility of Manhattan College.

New York County Board treasurer John Phelan told the Irish Examiner the All Star game would go ahead as planned.

“We don’t foresee any reason why the match would be effected,” he said.

“The stand itself is fine, it’s just the covering. It was lifted up like an umbrella by the wind. I was up there [on Tuesday] to survey the damage. Everything else is fine.

“The canopy is only useful for hot days in the summer. It would be no

real issue for the fall or winter unless it was raining. People will be wrapped up anyway.”

When asked if any of the other GAA venues in the greater New York area had suffered any damage, Phelan said he hadn’t heard of any issues from clubs in the Bronx or Rockland County.

Meanwhile, in the NBA, the season-opener for the newly-formed Brooklyn Nets against their Manhattan rivals, the New York Knicks, was postponed due to the after-effects of Hurricane Sandy.