20% jump in Munster county expenditure

Munster counties increased their spending on team preparations by almost 20% in 2019.

Figures released in recent weeks show the six counties spent a combined total of €7.94m readying their respective inter-county teams during the past year, a jump of €1.24m - or 19% — on the 2018 total of €6.7m.

The same as last year, four of the six counties surpassed the €1m mark.

Tipperary, whose senior and U20 hurlers achieved All-Ireland glory in 2019, show the largest year-on-year increase of any county, their 2019 spend of €1,776,975 representing a massive 54% rise on the 2018 total of €1.15m.

Not alone were Tipperary the biggest spenders in the province, the money pumped into the various Premier hurling and football teams dwarfed the equivalent figure in Mayo (€1.68m), Galway (€1.61m), and Dublin (€1.37m).

Tipperary’s team spend contributed to an overall deficit of €371k for 2019, but board chairman John Devane is confident of pulling the county’s finances out of the red next year.

“Measures have already been put in place to address this and will continue throughout [next] year. As I enter my final year as chairman, I intend to leave Tipperary in a healthy place, both on a playing and financial front. I believe this can be done without affecting the performances of our teams on the field,” said Devane.

Tipperary lifted the Liam McCarthy cup earlier this year.

Cork team expenses rose by €107k to €1.62m. Treasurer Diarmuid Gowen said between 65-70% of that total was absorbed by their senior hurlers and footballers.

In Kerry, where the senior footballers were involved in an All-Ireland final that required a second day out, team costs jumped by 34% to €1.38m.

This was offset, however, by a €427k increase in fundraising income.

“Delegates need to be acutely aware that exiting the All-Ireland series at the semi-final stage would have a detrimental effect on finances as the vast majority of team spending would be complete, yet no capacity for the board to fundraise,” Kerry chairman Tim Murphy remarked in his speech to convention.

Galway provide the perfect example here as the county’s fundraising income collapsed by €715,000 this year. This sharp drop is tied to both Galway senior teams exiting the championship far earlier than was the case a year ago when the hurlers contested the All-Ireland final.

Said Kerry county board treasurer Tom Keane: “Team expenses will always be a challenge to the board. However, while there were significant cost increases in the senior footballers which cannot be ignored, it is a direct result of the success of our senior footballers on the field of play. This increase must be associated with eight weeks of additional training due to the longer season with three national finals (including the replay) reached.”

There was a marginal increase in Limerick’s team expenses total, which came in at €1.48m, while in Clare, where fundraising is also an issue, a €69k rise brought their 2019 total to €862k.

Clare’s independent auditor Anthony Fitzpatrick, in his end of year summation, noted a considerable drop off in fundraising and advised that this be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Clare GAA recorded a fundraising profit of just €12,065 this year.

Waterford poured €807k into their flagship sides this past year, up from €772k in 2018.

Meanwhile long-serving Offaly hurler Joe Bergin will have talks with management over the coming weeks as he decides on his inter-county future.

Joe Bergin

The 32-year-old Seir Kieran forward has been part of the Faithful set-up for 13 years and would like to work under new manager Mick Fennelly.

But three weeks after Bergin scored 1-6 in his club’s Leinster IHC final defeat to Kilkenny’s Tullaroan he hasn’t returned to training yet.

Offaly have already secured back-to-back wins in the Kehoe Cup but Bergin’s return has been put on hold after his wife Lorraine gave birth to his first baby, Tom, on Friday.

And as Offaly prepare to regroup in 2020, with Christy Ring Cup hurling around the corner, Bergin isn’t certain about his future.

“I’m on the fence but I hope to be back,” said Bergin.

I am not training because we only finished three weeks ago with the club. My wife had a baby and I haven’t done any training since. I’d say I am not too far away but I will make up my mind, to go or not.

The 1998 All-Ireland champions will operate in Division 2A of the National Hurling League in 2020.

But eight-time All-Ireland winner with Kilkenny, Fennelly, has come on-board and Bergin knows it could bring a massive change in fortunes.

“It’s fresh and exciting,” said Bergin. “Michael is an iconic figure. In that great Kilkenny team he was the powerhouse in midfield.

“From a managerial point of view he is very young but when you look at where he has played, and the managers he would have worked with, the likes of Brian Cody. Himself, Eddie Brennan and Henry Shefflin come from a good school.

“He is going to be himself and put his own mark on it but Cody is one of the most successful managers ever.”