Wexford’s team costs increase by €250,000

Rising inter-county expenses are commonplace across the country

THE cost of relative success for Wexford GAA is reflected in a sharp increase in the cost of preparing their inter-county teams in 2017.

Wexford spent €945,224 on all of their hurling and football teams last season, a €250,000 or 36pc increase on 2016 figures when the bill was

€695,891.

Under new hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald, the senior hurlers progressed to a league semi-final and an All-Ireland quarter-final – the same stage they exited in 2016 – while the now-departed football manager Seamus McEnaney guided his team to a Division 4 league final in April.

The rise in costs is reflected in a majority of counties with Cork jumping 27pc or €370,000 from €1.37m to

€1.74m on the back of their Munster hurling success, while there have also been significant hikes in Offaly, Kildare, Laois, Meath and Donegal.

The Cork figure is only a few thou- sand euro short of the €1.75m that Dublin spent in 2011 in pursuit of four All-Ireland titles right into August while Kildare have added €120,000 to their bill, up to €756,000.

Additional mileage being paid to players as a consequence of the 2016 GAA/GPA agreement is being cited as a factor in some of the financial reports being presented in recent days but it seems the pursuit of success and improvement continues to present few financial barriers.

LEAP

However, Wexford’s income has taken a huge leap too, by €447,135 from

€2,578,981 in 2016 to €3,026,116. That includes an additional €150,000 in commercial and fundraising activities that have helped to offset some of the higher costs of preparing teams.

There was also an additional

€75,000 contribution because of their hurling and football league progress while bigger gate receipts from local championships are thought to have been a spin-off from the increased profile of the hurlers.