Report says Meath GAA finances in a healthy state

Meath GAA Co Committee treasurer Pat Clerkin delivered a healthy financial report to delegates at Saturday's annual convention where the popular Clann na nGael clubman was returned to serve a fifth successive term in charge of the purse strings. Despite reduced income on most fronts and expenditure of €82,307 on the management team for the county footballers, Clerkin was able to report a surplus of almost €51,000 for the year ended on Monday 31st October last. "Our gate receipts for club games are down due to a combination of reduced admission prices and less people attending games," suggested the treasurer. "We will have to continue to monitor our finances closely, these figures don't come easy and we will also have to look at fundraising for improvements at Páirc Táilteann, we have a lot of work ahead of us in 2012," he added. Clerkin and his team set out a budget at the start of the year that they managed to adhere to the targets set last January. "We set a budget for income and expenditure and we were only out by €2,000 on our target for income while our expenditure came almost €50,000 under budget," he told delegates. "It's great to report a surplus, some other counties will not be in as healthy a position and we will have to continue to make some hard decisions to keep our finances in order," he added. It was also reported that work on the upgrading of Pairc Tailteann will be completed ahead of the start of the NFL that will increase the capacity of the ground from the current reduced 10,000 to close to 20,000. Work on the main terracing opposite the stand will see the extra barriers installed and safety regulations complied with. The estimated cost for that work will be in the region of €20,000. Co Committee chairman Barney Allen also enforced the membership rule ahead of elections and called out the membership number of each person who was nominated for any of the 12 positions that had to be filled. That caused some furore with PRO nominee Martin O'Halloran leaving the meeting and former Meath senior football manager Eamonn Barry, the outgoing Coaching Officer, prevented from contesting the position. A stand-off occurred when Barry maintained that he was a paid up member and the meeting was adjourned until Monday 16th January when the matter will be resolved. A motion from Kilmainham to amend the five-year rule will go to the next stage after it was backed by delegates and a Trim motion to allow extra logos on playing gear was also successful. Two new presidents were also elected with the honour bestowed on Pat O'Neill (St Colmcille's) and Michael O'Brien (Walterstown). They will join Mattie Gilsenan, Brian Smyth and Fintan Ginnity.