Championship optimism grows as Croker to give counties funding boost

Although a final decision on the Championship won’t be made until next month, a week before county panels are due to return, there appears a growing determination to stage an inter-county championship. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Croke Park has announced centrally-sourced financing will be made available to county boards in the coming weeks.

At a virtual meeting with GAA county chairpersons today, GAA director-general Tom Ryan revealed the centrally-sourced borrowings will be distributed “at the earliest opportunity to assist in the running of their activities before Government funding is made available”.

That Government funding, the GAA’s portion of the €40 million in the resilience fund ringfenced for the country’s three major sporting bodies, won’t be released to boards until October at the earliest.

That will come too late for cash-strapped units who are already facing significant financial challenges before they have to finance the preparation of their inter-county teams from September 14.

However, there is hope within Croke Park that additional state funding or credit could be made available to the GAA to resume the inter-county season in October. 

The statement added: “The GAA can also confirm that pending updated public health advice, and in light of an increased optimism and appetite for inter-county games, plans to stage championships in the coming months remain under consideration.”
Although a final decision on the Championship won’t be made until next month, a week before county panels are due to return, there appears a growing determination to stage an inter-county championship. 

Earlier today, Gaelic Players Association’s (GPA) chief executive Paul Flynn wrote to members that “there is a positive will within the GAA to complete both the club and inter-county seasons successfully”.

At the meeting with county chairs, Ryan and GAA president John Horan asked boards to “double down on efforts to help the Association to play its part in the ongoing fight against the Covid pandemic and in light of recent challenges nationally.

“The Uachtarán asked all players and members ahead of this weekend’s planned activity to adhere strictly to the government guidelines in the interest of public health, and efforts made up to this point are acknowledged.”

Horan and Ryan were said to be “encouraged” by the support from county chairpersons for their strong statement on Tuesday night “to ascertain from NPHET the shortcomings in the wider sporting community that exist so that, if necessary, the GAA can review its arrangements and enable the Association to continue to play its part in the wider community effort to thwart the virus. The GAA looks forward to positive engagement with NPHET.”

Former Monaghan footballer Dick Clerkin, a member of the GAA’s Covid-19 advisory group, confirmed yesterday that NPHET have yet to respond to the GAA’s invitation.