Cork board rejects claims Páirc costs have risen to €110m

CORK COUNTY BOARD chairperson Tracey Kennedy has refuted the suggestion that the cost of Páirc Uí Chaoimh has risen to €110m and has stated that the clubs in the county won’t be levied in order to meet loan repayments.

At Saturday night’s annual county convention in the stadium, Kennedy (right) responded to reports last week which said that the costs had soared and said that, as far as the board were concerned, the total was still approximately €86m.

In her speech, she said: “Despite recent commentary, I see the setting up of the Páirc Uí Chaoimh board of directors and our commercial agreement with Croke Park as hugely positive steps and I am looking forward to the first full year of operation of the new company.” In addition, she assured clubs that would not be levied and revealed that, in January, the board will issue a blueprint for the future of football in Cork.

The night marked Frank Murphy’s swansong as Cork secretary. Among many to pay tribute to the long-serving official, Kennedy said that “he has done more for Cork than I or anyone else here can dream of doing. He has won many battles for Cork, both on the field and in the boardroom.

“I am acutely aware of how privileged I am to have served with him.”

Murphy, who described his 46-year tenure as secretary as a “remarkable journey”, had praise for the clubs of the county as he departed.

“I want to pay tribute to our clubs and divisional committees and compliment them on the tremendous work they have put into the promotion of our games and also for providing the facilities our county now enjoys the length and breadth of Cork.

“There are now 314 club grounds in this county, an additional 18 that would be college or community grounds.”

Glen Rovers brought two motions, both of which failed. One related to the participation of divisional sides in the county senior championships, while the other sought to stop college sides from using players from outside Cork who played senior with their native clubs.

A St Ita’s motion seeking to revert to the old system of drawn All-Ireland senior semi-finals going to replays when level after 70 minutes – rather than extra-time – was passed and will go to Congress next year.