Galway stay in Leinster extended

THIS EVENING’S Galway county convention will discuss the surprise revelation that their senior hurlers must play in the Leinster championship until at least 2013 – two years longer than originally agreed under the current trial period.

Croke Park recently informed Galway officials that because of a rule passed at Congress earlier this year, no changes are allowed in the championship until 2013.

Galway are currently two years into the three-year trial whereby they and Antrim both came into the Leinster senior hurling championship, on the original understanding that this would be reviewed at the end of the 2011 season.

But according to Croke Park, in their revised rule book, Rule 6.28 now states: “The inclusions of Galway and Antrim in the Leinster Championship shall be up to and including the championship of 2013 at which time a Congress decision shall be made on the outcome of a review of these inclusions.”

Galway’s original decision to enter Leinster on a trial basis was only passed by 66 votes to 54, and there’s been little interest for their minor and under-21 hurlers to follow suit.

Initial reaction to their senior hurlers being bound to Leinster until 2013 will be gauged at this evening’s county convention in Claregalway.

Elsewhere, Tipperary county secretary Tim Floyd believes that the hype surrounding Kilkenny’s so-called drive-for-five helped turn the All-Ireland hurling final in favour of Tipperary.

In his report to next Monday night’s Tipperary convention in Thurles, Floyd describes the Kilkenny training sessions as “tourist attractions”, while Tipperary remained firmly focused on the prize at hand.

“The build up to September 5th was incredible,” he says, “with a lot of media attention focused on Henry Shefflin following his cruciate ligament injury in the semi-final against Cork.

“With Tennyson, Brian Hogan, Tommy Walsh and Richie Power also shipping injuries, the Kilkenny training sessions became tourist attractions even for some curious Tipp supporters.

“On the other hand Tipp’s preparations were low key and postponement of the divisional championships allowed management to have total control of their players in the weeks ahead of the big day. A quiet determination was building up and a committed resolve that we were not going to be denied this year.

“There was nothing new about our preparation as the team management always believed in no surprises and our pre-match itinerary was a replica of our quarter-final and semi-final visits to headquarters.”

Floyd also addresses the contentious issue of ticket pricing, and says that the GAA needs to be constantly vigilant of the needs of supporters: “We have seen in the past year a drop in attendances at most of our games and this reflects in overall revenue income which in turn has a knock effect on finance available for capital expenditure and day-to-day running expenses.

“Maybe it sounds like another budget but I suppose it’s all connected with the current economic downturn affecting all and sundry including the GAA.

“As a county we need to tackle our own gates income and I do believe we must address the match passes issue.

“Ticket prices at intercounty games are also being reviewed even though I believe that the GAA give better value than most sports.

“The family packages which allow a child in the stand for just €5 is now very popular especially as the quality of these tickets have improved.

“The new club package which offered a minimum of 50 stand tickets to a club at €10 each was very attractive in 2010 once clubs became aware of it. Then we had the juvenile groups which allowed one adult free entry with every 10 juveniles.

“In an effort to promote the game in the respective weaker counties, the season tickets should cover both codes. In a county like Tipperary it might improve attendances at our league football games.”

Finally, it has been confirmed that the former Ulster Council chairman, Tom Daly, will run for the presidency of the GAA at next April’s Congress, after his candidature was formally endorsed at the Donegal county convention.

Tipperary’s Con Hogan and Liam O’Neill of Laois have already declared their intention to succeed Christy Cooney as GAA president.