Kelly: GAA are serious about hurling

GAA President Sean Kelly reckons the Association's new Hurling Development Plan, which will see €2.6m invested in the game, will show the sporting public how serious the GAA are about hurling.

Kelly was speaking at Croke Park after yesterday's announcement of the cash injection which will come courtesy of the Irish Sports Council (€1.25m), the GAA themselves (€1m) and the Sports Council of Northern Ireland (€354,000).

In all, the Plan will see 19 full-time and 23 part-time coaches appointed across the country as the GAA bid to bolster the small-ball game from grassroots up to inter-county level.

Kelly, whose presidential term comes to an end in April, said of the initiative: "I went knocking on the door of Mr. O'Donoghue (the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism) and I outlined to him what was required for hurling to develop and prosper in every county in Ireland and he was not found wanting.

"He told me to make a submission about the development of hurling and now you see just part of that response.

"I think an investment of this amount will show how serious we are about hurling, and how much we want to see it grow and become more popular."

2005 has been a year of highs and lows for the sport of hurling - the Christy Ring and Nicky Rackard Cups were introduced to good effect in the summer for those counties competing at second and third tier levels.

However, the All-Ireland hurling championship's new round-robin system witnessed a serious fall in attendances and revenue for the GAA in the latter months of the summer.

The GAA have reacted to this by moving more championship fixtures from Croke Park out to provincial venues for next year.

Meanwhile, the GAA are in the process of finalising the specifications for the appointment of the new National Hurling Development Manager/Co-ordinator. Kerryman Kelly has been muted for the role, which is expected to carry an annual salary of €100,000.