GAME ON
GAA confirms it won’t receive a cent as Liam Miller memorial match gets the go-ahead for Páirc Uí Chaoimh
THE GAA will not receive a cent from the Liam Miller memorial match which Central Council yesterday gave the green light to proceed at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
The decision taken by the GAA will see a Roy Keane-led Manchester United legends team take on an Ireland/Celtic selection in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on September 25 – the first time a soccer match will proceed at a GAA stadium outside of Croke Park.
That match will be preceded by a GAA event – most likely a hurling or football exhibition game – but the GAA insisted yesterday that they would not be receiving a share of the gate receipts.
A report in a national newspaper on Friday had claimed that the event would be a joint fundraiser, with some of the money raised directed to a fund for seriouslyinjured GAA players.
But Croke Park emphatically denied that yesterday.
‘The GAA will not be taking any proceeds from the event,’ insisted communications director Alan Milton. And GAA president John Horan claimed that the event organisers had offered a share of the funds raised to go to a GAA charity but that the offer was declined. ‘They made a very generous offer to us that they would give a donation towards a GAA charity but we declined that offer and we will look after the charity that was in mind here centrally ourselves in Croke Park.
‘There will be other beneficiaries but that has nothing to do with us.
‘This event is being organised by a very genuine committee who are looking at some needs within the Cork community who could benefit from this,’ said Horan.