Our beloved neighbours

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Doon Massive
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Our beloved neighbours

Post by Doon Massive »

This goes some way to explaining why Joe Dolan releases an album each year of cover versions and why Ryanair charge for excess baggage.......

Leinster "glory" comes at a big cost to Westmeath


WESTMEATH spent €451,000 to win their first Leinster football title in 2005, a figure that further underlines the rising cost of success in the GAA.

It was classed as money very well spent at the county's football convention in Mullingar last night.

But the bill for a team which played 18 competitive games (four O'Byrne Cup, seven league and six championship) surpasses even that of All-Ireland and league champions Kerry whose season was prolonged by an additional seven weeks.

One Westmeath official last night estimated that another €250,000 could have been added if the team reached an All-Ireland final.

The Westmeath figure incorporates €94,000 for a team holiday to South Africa last month and the running of minor and U21 teams.

But the lion's share of the costs are made up of travelling expenses, meals, medical bills, facilities and training weekends to the north east of England, Sligo and an the exclusive Incheydoney resort in Cork among other places.

The figure represents a huge hike on 2003 expenses when just €264,000 was required to service the county teams. But raising money wasn't a problem in 2004 and with Westmeath on a roll €350,000 was accrued compared to just €88,000 in 2003.

The huge spend on a team that didn't feature in the latter stage of the league and was out of the championship in early August will raise eyebrows in Croke Park where there is growing concern over the cost of preparing teams.

The bill for Kerry's 2004 adventure was €367,000 but holiday funding has not been taken into account here.

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Bord na Mona man
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Post by Bord na Mona man »

2003 expenses = €264,000
2004 expenses = €451,000

x = Paidi's pay packet
y = Rory O'Connell's legal fees

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Loughers
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Westmeath

Post by Loughers »

Did ye see all the boys who are off the panel? There's an awful lot of work and college "committments" in Westmeath.

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