St. Kevin’s too good for Gaelcholáiste na Mara
“THIS runaway train has to stop,” was what a Ballymanus GAA Club delegate said in relation to the significant rise in team administration costs for Wicklow county teams in 2023.
The delegate broached the matter as last Thursday evening’s county board meeting was drawing to a close, saying that the increase of €192,000 in team admin costs was “unbelievable” and that safeguards would have to be put in place to prevent it from ever happening again.
“The team admin expenses went up by €192,000,” began the delegate. “Were the clubs notified that this increase was going to happen or was it just willy-nilly?” he asked.
Wicklow GAA Chairman Damien Byrne asked former treasurer Colm Finnegan if he wanted to come in on the subject.
“To be quite honest, Mr. Chairman, I mean, I don’t have my notes available here,” said Finnegan. “But this matter was open to questions on the night of Convention, and at the last county board meeting. And I think on both nights, I gave as comprehensive an explanation as I could in relation to the expenses of the county teams.
“I felt that at the last meeting that the matter had been out to bed. I don’t have any further figures to hand at the moment. I really don’t know what more we can add to this. We can’t reinvent the wheel,” he added.
“We certainly can’t reinvent the wheel, but we can certainly atop it from ever happening again,” replied the Ballymanus delegate. “That’s unbelievable - €192,000. There has to be some safeguards put in place so that this doesn’t happen again.
“Perhaps we could discuss it at the next county board meeting if he wants to look up his figures, or whatever,” he added.
Colm Finnegan said that the accounts were examined by auditors, presented to delegates and approved by same and that reviewing them day in and day out would be a retrograde step.
“I will tell you straight out here, the county committee’s accounts were examined by the auditors, presented to the Convention by rule, and they were approved at the Convention. We went into it again at the last county board meeting,” said Colm Finnegan.
“The incoming county treasurer and finance committee have already said they have reviewed the accounts and have made cutbacks in relation to various expenses which, one will hope, will bring things back into line that we don’t have as big a loss as we did in previous years. And every heading in those accounts have been looked at. And to be reviewing it day in, day out, I just think it’s a retrograde step, and short of presenting every bank statement and cheque that was issues, I don’t know what more we can do. And nobody will thank us in relation to it at the end of the day,” he added.
“There have been significant cuts right across the board,” said Damien Byrne. “Last year, the two things that went through the roof were mileage and food. And we have cut back on training nights for teams (they were doing three, now they’re doing two). There have been major cutbacks,” he added.
“We’ll support you on that, Mr. Chairman,” said the Ballymanus delegate. “But we’re a club who, this year, are more than likely only going to be able to put out one team in the championships. It’s costing us €10,500 on administration without a penny being spent on our club.
“This runaway train has to be stopped. And we can say we’ve made progress on it, but I’d like to put down a proposal that it be discussed at the next county board meeting when everyone is around a table that the savings or extra money being charged to the cubs this year will be saved on team administration next year.
“I know we can’t do anything this year, but something has to stop. Small clubs are going to go out of business here,” he said.
Another delegate wondered if there would be an update on figures halfway through the year so as keep an eye on spending.
“Wicklow GAA treasurer Larry Howard said that that is exactly what the Executive is gearing up to do.
“Can I reiterate what the Chairman and Colm (Finnegan) said there,” said Howard. “Every day for the last six weeks, the vast majority of time I’ve spent in Wicklow GAA is where to cut costs, and where we can’t.
“Obviously, as the secretary has said, certain things are put in place that a difficult to unwind in 2024, but you have a commitment from me that from 2025 each line of the profit and loss account or the income statement will be reviewed,” he said.
“And we will know exactly where we are going in relation to team administration costs?” asked the Ballymanus delegate.
“I’m more than willing to present a budget for 2025 at the appropriate time coming up to our financial year end,” said Howard.
The Ballymanus delegate said he would appreciate that and that in light of what was said he would withdraw his proposal for a discussion and vote on the matter at the next county board meeting.
TOWERING performances from Allannah Sheridan, Ciara Mooney and Aoife Fenner helped St. Kevin’s CC to victory over a quality Gaelcholáiste na Mara side in the Wicklow Schools Senior ‘B’ football championship semi-final in Pearse’s Park on Friday afternoon.
Scoring 1-3 against the wind in the opening half would prove to be a massive boost for the Dunlavin students who, although going in at half-time trailing by 2-2 to 1-3, looked like they could cause sufficient damage in the second half with the elements at their backs.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable football match from start to finish with some talented footballers on both sides, and the Arklow girls will feel that they had enough opportunities to at least make this a closer game if not win it, with a tally of 10 wides doing them no favours over the course of this encounter.
St. Kevin’s hit the ground running on a sunny morning in the Arklow venue, Ciara Mooney slipping home to the bottom corner of Naomi Ní Chinnéide’s net after good work from Laila Darcy, Amy O’Mara and Sarah Faye Lawlor for the perfect start with four minutes gone.
Allannah Sheridan began her superb shift when cutting out a long Gaelcholáiste na Mara ball while a few moments later, Sarah Faye Lawlor gathered a long ball, turned smartly and drilled it over the bar for a 1-1 to 0-0 lead.
St. Kevin’s weren’t getting anything easy off a tigerish Gaelcholáiste na Mara defence with the formidable Molly Nic Giolla Riabhaigh proving to be a rock at full-back for the Arklow students.
The hosts would have three wides on the board while shooting towards the dressing rooms before they finally got off the mark when Izzie Nic Giolla Chatáin found the back of the net after a ball from the excellent Éadaoin Ní Chatháin who had gathered a St. Kevin’s restart.
Gaelcholáiste na Mara sent Rose Ní Dhonnchadha into the fray after 15 minutes for the injured Aoibhinn NÍ Artlaigh and what an impact the substitute would have, rocketing over a fine point with her first touch to level matters at 1-1 apiece and bringing impressive energy and skill to proceedings.
Quality play from Mia Allen kickstarted a St. Kevin’s move that ended with Laila Darcy firing over a fine point, but Aoife Ní Shúilleabháin finished a superb Gaelcholáiste na Mara move that came from a turnover from the electric Eilis Ní Mhuirí.
Leah Spillane in the St. Kevin’s goal pulled off a quality save from Aoife Ní Shúilleabháin but the Dunlavin students registered two wides in the next few moments and were left to regret these misses when Alanah NÍ Mhurchú gathered a loose restart and finished to the roof of the visitors’ net to leave it 2-2 to 1-2.
The last say of the half would fall to Allannah Sheridan who dropped over a free off her left.
St. Kevin’s pulled level with Gaelcholáiste na Mara within seven of the second half through two Sheridan frees, Aoife Fenner impressing in defence and Leah Spillane’s kick-outs finding their targets with notable accuracy.
Gaelcholáiste na Mara suffered a blow on eight minutes when referee Kieron Kenny waved his arms wide to signal a penalty to St. Kevin’s for an infringement on Ciara Wright, Sheridan dispatching the spot-kick past the competent Naomi Ní Chinnéide to leave it 2-5 to 2-2.
Naomi Ní Chinnéide came to the Arklow side’s rescue moments later when saving from Sarah Faye Lawlor, but the home side couldn’t make things count the other end of the field, registering two further wides and watching Aoife Fenner block superbly from the boot of Tess Nic Chiardha.
As outstanding as Allannah Sheridan was, Ciara Mooney stepped up impressively in attack, firing over two sweet scores, one off her right, the other off her left, to leave it 2-7 to 2-2 with 15 gone in the second half.
A free from Tess Nic Chiardha cut the deficit by one but it never looked like Gaelcholaiste na Mara were going to breach a defence manned so capably by Aoife Fenner at full-back.
Naomi Ní Chinnéide pulled off a late save for Gaelcholáiste na Mara when Rose O’Hara was through one-on-one, and the final say of the game went to Elizabethe Flood who gathered from Aoibhe Hennessy before firing over.
Fine showings from Molly Nic Giolla Riabhaigh, Millie Ní Thréanlámhach, Éadaoin Ní Chatháin and Carra Nic Giolla Chatáin among others for Gaelcholáiste na Mara.
St. Kevin’s were very well represented by Leah Spillane in goals, Emma Heavey, Aoife Fenner and Tara Grace, while Ella McGrath and Aoibhe Hennessy were busy at midfield and Laila Darcy, Amy O’Mara and Tara Kelly busy throughout.
This was a major team effort from the Dunlavin side, but Allannah Sheridan certainly caught the eye in terms of a star player.