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The Cavan representatives are made up from 3 clubs....what a farce!

Why is it a farce?

who are the three clubs? surely if they are three small rural clubs then there shouldn't be a prob.wouldnt be surprised if the gaels are involved

2.40 limerick. anybody hear anything on Sligo publican?

Hard to believe the money spent on county teams. And that's only the money that's going thru the books

The accounts presented to recent end-of-year conventions of 28 counties were made available and sourced by the Irish Independent and show a slight improvement in the overall picture for county boards.

Seven of the 28 counties analysed ran deficits compared to 11 of the 32 in 2011.

Among those who turned themselves around were Westmeath, Wexford, Kildare, Roscommon, Sligo and Antrim.

But worryingly, Tipperary and Waterford remain plunged in year-to-year deficits that they are struggling to deal with, while Kerry and Meath joined them in recording deficits well in excess of €100,000.

The GAA's finance department are constantly monitoring the financial situation of all the counties and those on any critical list can change from year to year. A presentation to the GAA's Management Committee last week gave the most recent picture of the climate throughout the country and while it was reported to have improved ever so slightly, there is still much concern that up to five counties are really struggling.

They include some of the Association's biggest hitters like Waterford and Tipperary, who continue to run up deficits, while Armagh and Sligo are also understood to be under the spotlight.

Spiralling

Tipperary have outlined a number of measures to deal with a spiralling deficit that has reached €650,000 over the last four years. An auditor only last week described their situation as "precarious."

A worrying development is the fall of Kerry and Meath into significant deficit on 2012 figures, with Meath dropping €230,000 on their €50,000 surplus in 2011 as gate receipts and much higher maintenance costs got them in trouble, while Kerry's gate receipts fell considerably as a deficit of €157,438 was recorded.

While there is concern in Croke Park about these counties it is not immediate as historically they have a good track record in managing their finances.

In 2011 Westmeath, Kildare, Tipperary, Waterford, Sligo, Roscommon, Antrim, Armagh, Wexford, Limerick, Fermanagh and Carlow all ran deficits on day-to-day spending.

But only three of those counties (Armagh's accounts were not available) remain in the red on day-to-day spending, with Waterford and Tipperary now the most serious worry for Croke Park.

The recent presentation to management noted a fall in local gate receipts in a majority of counties, which is impacting on income.

Once again the most pristine set of books have been presented by Cork, Tyrone and Kilkenny, who occupied the top three places on the 2011 surplus table.

But, significantly, both Cork and Tyrone, who recorded profits close to €500,000 on all activity in 2011 have dropped significantly in 2012, Cork down from €492,309 to €384,653, Tyrone slightly less as they fell from €471,240 to €388,575. This puts them top of the financial table of counties for 2012.

Kilkenny went to an All-Ireland hurling final replay and a league hurling final in a busy year, but still managed to shave off more than €7,000 in team expenses, despite their season lasting an extra three weeks.

So far, Kildare are the only county to be publicly 'bailed out,' with financial help to support day-to-day running costs coming close to €700,000 in the last year. But with direct input from Croke Park, they are now considered to be off the 'critical list.'

The GAA's finance department still consider the amounts being spent on inter-county team preparations to be far too high and see it as the main area of concern.

In 2011 some €19m was spent in this area and estimates suggest that this has only slightly fallen over the last 12 months after coming down from a peak of over €22m four years ago.

LEINSTER

Carlow

Income: €734,273

Expenditure: €714,001

Surplus: €20,272

Carlow ran the smallest deficit of the 11 counties who were in the red in 2011, so this is a significant nudge in the right direction.

Dublin

Income: €3,264,394

Expenditure: €3,105,613

Surplus: €158,781

A decent surplus, but their spend on inter-county preparation was still the highest by some distance, in excess of €1.6m, despite not being in an All-Ireland football final and their early exit in the hurling championship.

Kildare

Income: €1.4m

Expenditure: €1.371m

Surplus: €26,861

A surplus for the first time in six years is a small step to recovery. They face the strictest budgetary conditions of any county, with direct input from Croke Park's finance department over almost every significant financial transaction.

Kilkenny

Income: €3,671,942 (includes ticket account)

Expenditure: €3,378,000

Surplus: €293,770

Once again they are almost Germanic in their approach to budgetary matters. Progress to an All-Ireland hurling final replay and a league final only served to improve their surplus by almost €70,000.

Laois

Income: €1,160,407

Expenditure: €1,143,637

Surplus: €16,770

Their surplus has dropped by almost €80,000, with their O'Moore Park account costing them €42,000.

Louth

Income: €701,908

Expenditure:€ 677,557

Surplus: €24,351

Not as bright a picture as 2011, but they have still managed to stay above water for another year.

Meath

Income: €1,129,000

Expenditure: €1,310,000

Deficit: €180,000

An alarming change, with gate receipts down by €90,000 and expenditure rising by some €185,000. Overall, a €230,000 swing in the wrong direction from a €50,000 surplus recorded in 2011.

Offaly

Income: €889,638

Expenditure: €959,315

Deficit: €69,677

Hammered by depreciation of €210,982, Offaly were otherwise cost-positive with income beating expenditure by over €100,000.

Longford

Income: €1,357,367

Expenditure:€1,120,897

Surplus: €236,470

From one of the smallest pools Longford once again record one of the impressive sets of results for any board. A surplus rise of almost €200,000 recorded on 2011.

Westmeath

Income: €584,310

Expenditure: €520,210

Surplus: €64,100

The most dramatic transformation as they left the historical issues of 2011, when they had to write off a loan to the hurling board and sponsorship money owed. Topped the deficit list in 2011 with €248,712, but are top of the class as far as the Croke Park finance department are concerned for 2012.

Wexford

Income: €2,130,826.

Expenditure: €2,012,770

Surplus: €118,056

Have sorted themselves out. Twelve months ago they were in a mess, but gate receipts were up €64,000.

Wicklow

Income: €715,980

Expenditure: €713,265

Surplus: €2,715

Another county to stay just above water with a slight surplus on 2012 activities.

MUNSTER

Clare

Income: €1,511,244

Expenditure: €1,489,517

Surplus: €21,727

Team expenses took a significant €110,000 jump in 2012 with the U-21 hurlers winning an All-Ireland title and the senior footballers reaching the last 12.

Cork

Income: €3,167,332

Expenditure: €2,782,679

Surplus: €384,653

With the Pairc Ui Chaoimh redevelopment imminent Cork will continue to need a surplus like this well into the future. Healthy as always.

Kerry

Income: €2,567,696

Expenditure: €2,725,134

Deficit: €175,113

Team expenses came down slightly as the senior team didn't travel as far, but overall income was down 11pc while gate receipts fell by 22 pc.

Limerick

Income: €1,551,299

Expenditure: €1,631612

Deficit: €80,313

On day-to-day running costs, just about broke even, but depreciation and a loan to the Gaelic Grounds pushed them into deficit.

Tipperary

Income: €3,851722

Expenditure: €4,096,112

Deficit: €244,390

One of the trouble spots concerning Croke Park. Stringent efforts are being made to bring financial matters under control. Among the measures decided last week were levies on local match passes and banning jersey swapping after games. In four years they have run up a deficit of €650,000.

Waterford

Income: €1.09m

Expenditure: €1.31m

Deficit: €212,271

Another trouble spot that is in the process of cutting costs and re-financing. Secretary Tim O'Keeffe reported to convention that they "stood still" in 2012.

CONNACHT

Galway

Accounts were not available at the time of going to press.

Leitrim

Income: €860,670

Expenditure: €802,222.

Surplus: €58,448.

Team expenses dropped below €300,000 again, so the books were easily balanced.

Mayo

Income: €1,949,380

Expenditure: €1,721,983

Surplus: €227,397

Have a huge capital debt on MacHale Park but they are comfortably repaying it and generated significant improvement in fundraising in 2012.

Roscommon

Income: €1,424,189

Expenditure: €1,339,618

Surplus: €84,571

A big turnaround from a €50,000-plus deficit in 2011. Travel expenses remain high – 13 of the 20 players used against Sligo last weekend are based outside the county.

Sligo

Income: €677,640

Expenditure: €677,035

Surplus: €505

A small surplus, but one of the counties that Croke Park have concerns about after the lowest gate receipts take in 2012.

ULSTER

Antrim

Income: €958,132 (£831467)

Expenditure: €814,250 (£706,606)

Surplus: €144,882

Have turned around a €46,000 deficit built up in 2011.

Armagh

Accounts could not be obtained, but Armagh are one of the counties known to be of concern to Croke Park.

Cavan

Income: €1,365,597

Expenditure: €1,327,439

Surplus: €38,158

Didn't enjoy the healthy surplus of other years but still comfortable.

Derry

Did not make their accounts available.

Donegal

Income: €1,425,063

Expenditure: €1,294,300

Surplus: €130,763

Team expenses rose to €894,487, up by €312,000 from 2011, but they still returned a healthy surplus thanks to fundraising efforts around the All-Ireland final.

Down

Did not make their accounts available.

Fermanagh

Income: €766,388 (£665,000)

Expenditure: €864,347 (£750,000)

Deficit: €97,959

Alarm bells signalled at the county convention, where delegates expressed concern on the amount of money being spent on the county team, around €514,000 (£442,000).

Monaghan

Income: €1,365,597

Expenditure: €1,327,439

Surplus: €38,158

Managed to comfortably balance their books.

Tyrone

Income: €1,409,393 (£1,223,126)

Expenditure: €1,020,818 (£885,936)

Surplus: €388,575

The blue chip GAA county as regards fundraising and finance in 2012. A surplus that equates to Cork, but considering the 'GAA' population of Tyrone is around 110,000 people , their results are the most impressive. The Club Tyrone machine generated €414, 246 (£355,962) for the board.

mark was good but wouldn't classify him as great.

id prob go a step further and split the teams into 3 tiers.

1 omagh- top dogs and everybody will be out to knock them of there perch
2 clonoe - no1 in most peoples eyes and heirs to the throne
3 errigal -  badly missing enda McGinley but still capable of winning the oneill cup
4 dromore - full squad back for an assault on the champ.the 1 team everyone would like to see win it.not
5 island - young squad who can beat anyone on their day or flop.better as underdogs
*****
6 Carmen - nothing more than a champ success will do.not the force of old and fear factor gone
7 ardboe - always regarded as potential champ winners without ever proving why.young team coming thru
8 killyclogher - league winners but flopped badly in championship.big year next year
9 moy - cavanghs to the fore can beat anyone,mid table team
10 trillick - young team,flopped badly in inter final,unbeaten other than that all year
11 - eglish - physical team on their day tough to beat
*****
12 - donaghmore - miracle team who defy gravity every year
13 - dungannon - young team should do well next year
14- augher - will find it tough next year
15 greencastle - will be hard to beat at home next year,good start needed
16 strabane - another team hard to beat at home and good start needed

realistically any team could move up or down 1 or 2 places but I see the league like a lot of others do.top 6, middle tier, and then bottom tier.big question is who will take that 6th spot.if Carmen don't win the oneill cup then the year will be failure.if they are to win one then it will have to be soon with conor gormley playing.

I would rank the teams as
1 omagh
2 clonoe
3 errigal
4 dromore
5 island
6 Carmen
7 ardboe
8 killyclogher
9 moy
10 trillick
11 eglish
12 donghamore
13 dungannon
14 augher
15 greencastle
16 strabane

better team but couldnt get the scores near the end.was ronan oneill carrying an injury,r why did he hit that 50 with his left foot.good to see Clarke back.meyler has some fitness

where is fiontamach.always enjoyed his view on football and def a man who talked sense on tyrone.could niall McKenna make it as a centre half back.pj should def get run of games.any u21 from this years team good enough to step up.mark Bradley,rory brennan,danny mcnulty.what about mcnulty from dungannon,he was v good in the intermediate this year.

firstly few things great debate by the way. from what ive seen ronan o neill has been unmarkable in both ulster games so far his play yesterday especially in the first half when double marked was frightening and his pass to barry tierney was reminiscent of canavan in his pomp we are only too quick to knock lads especially younger guys and one like ronan whos been touted as the next canavan from the age of 12. he is delivering like any kid he needs an arm up and around the shoulder not one to pull him down. (22)
with regard to the winter pitches its nothing to do with the ground its to do with football and having quality around you. ronan has benefitted from an extended run in club football so has justy joe conan and bazza. ronan excelled in last years sigerson due to an extended season with uuj and the fact that he was played at 11. i will ask the question when you play in a county team with a half back line that cant defend and a half forward line that cant create how could a player of ronans ability prosper. both those lines are vital. ronan has been poorly handled post his cruciate thrown in with no competitive football behind him. the monaghan game this year was a shambles in an attacking sense again that was ronan and soneills fault not the dearth in quality around them.
some of the comments on here regarding the lads physique are sad and disappointing and smack of cheap shots something frank mcguigan and joe kernan to name but a few have had to fend off all their lives. celebrate the lad he is putting tyrone football back on the map. ive had the pleasure of watching soneill peter and ronan and at 22 ronan is comparable with either of them and neither the two of them had to deal with a carer threatening injury at 19 years of age or do it as a student in a county set up that is on the slide.
prospective please.

well said lad.stephen oneill wasn't setting the tyrone scene alight at 22 either so def need to cut the lad some slack.your rite about the cruciate.it took Matty Donnelly a few years after the cruciate to come good.despite what a lot of posters feel im optimistic about the future for tyrone.clarke and Tierney plus oneill will be keys players for tyrone in the coming years.can grogan prosper?

Point of Order - Stephen O Neill had an All star at 22. And he was most definitely setting the Tyrone scene alight. (This is no slight against Ronan, but Stephen was an exceptional talent)

yeah ure rite there sarsfieds.i was drunk at lot of the games back then,esp clones.ayway looked him up on Wikipedia and this was on it.bit strange.hopefully hes quit the drink.
Stephen's home club is Clan na Gael in Aughabrack. With the side he has won one Tyrone Junior Championship and one Tyrone Intermediate Championship.

Stephen's younger cousin Niall is one of the clubs up and coming players. Unlike Stephen, Niall is a more defensive minded player but it has been said that he has the potential to equal Stephen's playing career, if not better it. Many, including Stephen, predict Niall to lead the club out of the Junior ranks and eventually into Senior football. There is a renowned tale involving the two which has become a classic in Bohill's bar. On a Baltic January evening up in Aughabrack during a training match, Niall was attempting to mark Stephen. However anything Stephen's boot touched turned to 42 karat Gold, much to the frustration of Niall. Stephen then said to his younger relative, "Come here wee cous'" and the two walked over to the dugout at the side of the pitch. In the dugout Stephen was overheard asking Niall "Do you want to grow up and be like me? Do you want the all-stars I possess? The medals I possess?" "Of course I do Stevie, after my da Tommy you're my hero" was Niall's reply, "Well then you need to take a look at yourself, put down the bottle, give up the riding and stop slabbering about being my cousin up in Belfast. Instead put your heart and soul into this club and it'll be me telling people that i'm your cousin, it'll be me watching you on RTÉ and it'll be me wishing I could shag the women you can". Several days later Niall became Clann na nGael's club secetary. Niall has also regularly been seen on the 212 bus to Derry to attend training and meetings during the week. No-one can predict the future for this young lad but the hopes are high for the Aughabrack boy.

the key question who would come in and do as good or better job.i cant think of anyone really.mal orourke maybe, that's it.2 years ago we reached al Ireland semi.this year tell a lot.not as much about micky but more about the players and how much they want to improve.look at the shape Clarke,matty are in.thats the level u have to be at to be winning al Irelands.plenty of skill in the team but some players aren't putting that extra bit in.mickey prob struggled with that,but that's were peter Donnelly will be key

firstly few things great debate by the way. from what ive seen ronan o neill has been unmarkable in both ulster games so far his play yesterday especially in the first half when double marked was frightening and his pass to barry tierney was reminiscent of canavan in his pomp we are only too quick to knock lads especially younger guys and one like ronan whos been touted as the next canavan from the age of 12. he is delivering like any kid he needs an arm up and around the shoulder not one to pull him down. (22)
with regard to the winter pitches its nothing to do with the ground its to do with football and having quality around you. ronan has benefitted from an extended run in club football so has justy joe conan and bazza. ronan excelled in last years sigerson due to an extended season with uuj and the fact that he was played at 11. i will ask the question when you play in a county team with a half back line that cant defend and a half forward line that cant create how could a player of ronans ability prosper. both those lines are vital. ronan has been poorly handled post his cruciate thrown in with no competitive football behind him. the monaghan game this year was a shambles in an attacking sense again that was ronan and soneills fault not the dearth in quality around them.
some of the comments on here regarding the lads physique are sad and disappointing and smack of cheap shots something frank mcguigan and joe kernan to name but a few have had to fend off all their lives. celebrate the lad he is putting tyrone football back on the map. ive had the pleasure of watching soneill peter and ronan and at 22 ronan is comparable with either of them and neither the two of them had to deal with a carer threatening injury at 19 years of age or do it as a student in a county set up that is on the slide.
prospective please.

well said lad.stephen oneill wasn't setting the tyrone scene alight at 22 either so def need to cut the lad some slack.your rite about the cruciate.it took Matty Donnelly a few years after the cruciate to come good.despite what a lot of posters feel im optimistic about the future for tyrone.clarke and Tierney plus oneill will be keys players for tyrone in the coming years.can grogan prosper?

Just think Bradley may have the same problem as McCurry has to an extent - his size. He will be very small for Senior intercounty footbal but an excellent inside forward he is, no doubt in that. I'd give any defender who looks half decent a trial because other than Aidy McCrory our full back line was woeful last year. I think thats 99% of the reason McCarrons back in the fold. Drastic times/drastic measures and all that. Also would leave Ruari Sludden to focus on U21s. Don't think he's ready for intercounty senior yet and a good year with U21s would be more beneficial to him probably than being on the fringe of our senior panel. Same goes for most of our U21s, let the lads focus on their own grade and those who show up best get drafted into the panel? Seems to me a reasonable idea.

ruari sludden was kicked of the u21 panel last year,maybe he has changed this year but I don't think he has the right mentality for county football.remember you have to nearly train 4/5 nights a week.niall sludden should get a look at for sure

disappointing scenes at the end of the league final,surely it wont be brushed under the carpet this time.didnt see that performance from killyclogher but fair play to them,hopefully they can push on next year.on the game itself mccusker was a massive loss to dromore and there forward line doesnt seem to fire without him.looking at there bench only peter Teague was someone you could pick out as someone who could come into that team next year. they could do with maccarron back but you never know.it will give massive belief to killyclogher who on there day are fit for any team and seem to have plenty of youth on there side.gorman and Bradley there best players.is it time for referees from neighbouring counties to cross over and ref in other counties club games.every team knows wat way each ref is gona ref a game and plays on it.

danny Gorman and mark Bradley should def be worth a look at from killyclogher.very impressive on sunday