A Ballysteen man managing Clarinbridge would you believe.
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Kilnadeema Leitrim and Ardrahan hardly surprising although K/L did only win by a point.
Cathal Mannion with 1-03 for Ahascragh-Fohenagh. Athenry had their free taker sent off I think in first half. Ahascragh-Fohenagh had 17 wides.
Who dat?
Bros Pearse
For some reason it had completely skipped my attention that @thelimericks legend, Niall Moran, was over the Bridge this year.
Johnny Glynn still causing wreck even carrying a few extra pounds.
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Johnny wasn’t the only one. The Ardrahan team seems to have a lot of lads in similiar condition. This is in stark contrast to Clarinbridge, who look to have a lighter, much more mobile outfit.
In a way I want to see Johnny back in. In a way that’s not any sort of longer term plan. Be nice to have someone who can catch a puck out though.
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I’ll PM you an interesting opinion on that from one of the UK’s leading sports medics
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Get Brailsford on board?
From what I gather, Lukaz is directing the whole player development process and this role (which is specific to the senior panel) will slot in under him.
Will be interesting to see who will get this.
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Cathal Murray the chosen one supposedly
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Could be a full cleanout of the camogie backroom on the cards so… I wonder will Robbie Lane go for the seniors S&C vacancy?
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Has Callanan any coaching experience? I think he was on the backroom team in 2018 when he was out injured.
He’s involved with Na Piarsaigh atm afaik. As a goalkeeping coach, I presume.
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Fuck it so let’s bump him up and let Henry go imo.
Galway set to break the €2m mark spend on county teams again
Last year, Galway chairperson Paul Bellew made no apologies for the outlay.
BIG SPENDERS: Galway GAA President Paul Bellew. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady
WED, 16 AUG, 2023 - 07:39
MAURICE BROSNAN
THEY can see the headlines already. When convention comes, Galway will stand out once again. Last year they were the first GAA county to break the €2m barrier for intercounty team spending in a single season. 2023 will likely be the same.
Last year, Galway chairperson Paul Bellew made no apologies for the outlay. They played 49 games across six teams that campaign. Limerick GAA exceeded the figure in the same year. Speaking to local radio station Galway Bay FM on Monday, Bellew said he believes they will report a similar total in the coming months.
“I’m not going to give a world exclusive, but I think we will break the €2m mark again this year. That includes our underage teams where we have put in significant resources from a nutrition, gym, structures piece. There is no stone left unturned,” he said.
“Over 30, 35 per cent of this stuff goes on player expenses. Millage, mandated by GPA agreements. There is nothing wrong with that. The price of accommodation and travel from an inflation perspective has gone up. We are carrying way bigger panels now and to be honest, I think we will go bigger again next year. Bang for your buck, you want to be going this anyway to stand still. We can afford it. We are not in a brilliant position yet in Galway, but we can do it.”
The Galway man went on to suggest it would be easier to be a Kerry or Limerick with the bulk of resources focused on one code. As well as that, they deserve credit for still making a €410,768 profit in 2022 even with that spend.
Others will continue to break their own records as well. The shortened intercounty calendar has not alleviated this trend. In 2022 over €32.5 million was spent by 32 counties in preparing hurling and football teams across the various grades. There has been growing concerns among county secretaries and delegates about this drain.
It was at a Westmeath’s County Convention last December that former referee Barry Kelly labelled it a “runaway train” of expenditure and warned if the rate continues some counties will be “in danger of bankruptcy” down the line. That is not to mention how will it impact any merger of the GAA, the Camogie Association and the Ladies Gaelic Football Association.
Stadiums in Kildare, Killarney, Louth, Waterford and Thurles all require upgrades as well. There is more money needed across the board.
HQ are increasingly conscious the intercounty spend has to be sustainable. Three years ago, former president John Horan advised Congress that counties have been pushed to the pin of their collar to finance and fund unrealistic operations.
Writing in his annual report this year, GAA Director General Tom Ryan returned to this theme.
“Ironically for a not-for-profit organisation, much of our pressures manifest themselves in money,” he wrote. “The challenge for every county treasurer is balancing the books each year.
“The financial demands of teams are growing year on year and 2023 will be no different. With every extra cost, there is a requirement to fund this through additional fundraising, sponsorship, or other sources.
“The size and cost of backroom personnel of senior intercounty teams is becoming simply unsustainable. The values of the Association are being eroded with each paid addition to the backroom team and voluntary roles are in danger of becoming a thing of the past. We need to support our treasurers more vigorously on this matter.
“Dispiritingly, a lot of our pressures are self-inflicted, and this is one such instance. The solution is in our own hands. 2023 needs to be the year when we focus on a sustainable level of cost for preparing teams.”
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Limerick exceeded it for one team. Mental really.