County Board ’very strapped for cash’

Treasurer admits Mayo GAA Board is ‘very strapped for cash’ right now


Daniel Carey

TREASURER JP Lambe told last Tuesday’s meeting in the Welcome Inn Hotel that Mayo GAA Board is ‘very strapped for cash’.
“The end of October is the end of the financial year, and hopefully we’ll be in credit,” said the Garrymore clubman, who said ‘a long dragged-out campaign’ had been necessary to get cheques off some clubs this year. “No club took up the offer to pay their levy early, so you’ll be hit with the full levy next March. Everyone is looking for money up front nowadays, and the County Board is very strapped for cash because of the McHale Park redevelopment.”
As a result, Lambe warned, the Board ‘won’t be in a position to pay levies for clubs’, as they did in some cases this year. He said there was a loan of €9 million for McHale Park, and that there ‘may be an increase’ in the amount being sought from the Mayo GAA Development Draw.
“We’re financially strong at the moment but, like our government, there’s rough times ahead,” Lambe concluded.
McHale Park
County Board Chairman James Waldron told the meeting that naming rights would be up for grabs in a sponsorship package which the McHale Park Finance Committee are currently putting together. The committee met on Monday of last week and the package will be announced shortly.
“Everything is going according to schedule,” the Chairman said of the McHale Park redevelopment. “When it’s completed, it’s something everyone in the county will be proud of. It’ll be one of the finest stadiums in the country outside of Croke Park.”
Work may need to be completed ‘a few weeks early’, as Mayo hope to host Leitrim or Roscommon in mid-June, provided they beat New York in the championship opener. No more games will be played at the county ground this year.

Dates fixed
Mayo’s game against New York will take place on the second Sunday in May next year, Secretary Seán Feeney told the meeting. A request to play the match on the first Sunday in May was turned down as some people have already made travel arrangements.
Mayo will play Galway or Sligo in the 2009 Connacht Minor Championship, while Mayo will face Galway in the Connacht U-21 Championship Preliminary Round, with the winners playing Rocommon.

Bord na nÓg
Bord na nÓg meetings have been planned for each of the four divisions, beginning with South Mayo tonight (Tuesday) and North Mayo tomorrow (Wednesday).
Bord na nÓg Chairman Mike Connelly said clubs will be given an opportunity to examine the proposed league divisions for next year. He explained that girls will not be allowed to play under-14 boys football, and that the ‘competitive element’ at under-12 level ‘may go’.
Connelly said that teams being ‘pulled’ from competitions had caused ‘a lot of frustration’ for organisers and opposing teams. He hoped to ‘improve communication’ with regard to fixtures, which should also help referees. The Bord na nÓg Convention will be held on Thursday, November 27.
Hurling Board Chairman John Hopkins said that there had been ‘complaints from some clubs’ about a clash between football and hurling at under-12 level, and there was a need to liaise with Hurling Development Officer Adrian Hession.

Club AGMs
Development Officer Eamon Clarke has warned that club AGMs must be held before County Convention on December 1. He added that clubs are obliged to give 28 days notice of the AGM to members.

Grants for clubs
Connacht Council delegate Jerry Henry told the meeting that Connacht Council grants totalling €90,000 had been secured by Mayo clubs. He said that Aghamore and Ballintubber would receive €25,000 each, Westport €20,000, and Kilmovee and Crossmolina €10,000 each.
Secretary Seán Feeney has received 15 completed applications for infrastructural grants, a decision on which is due shortly.

Coaching meeting
County Board Chairman James Waldron said that John Tobin, Provincial Games Manager, and Billy McNicholas, Games Development Administrator for Mayo, will address a meeting of club officers in November. He was responding to an update from Coaching Officer Hugh Rudden.

Camps not insured
Central Council delegate Paddy Muldoon said that clubs cannot let anyone into their property to run camps for children. “They’re being run in opposition to our own [GAA] camps, and there is no [insurance] cover for them,” he warned delegates, adding: “Insurance will not apply to any ground that’s leased.”

Ref recruitment
Seán Mac Éil said that recruitment was the main issue on the agenda for referees. He commended Shrule/Glencorrib for ‘taking the initiative’, saying 14 people had expressed an interest in undertaking a foundation course for referees in South Mayo, and said anyone wanting to do a foundation course could contact him.