Munster Council finances in good shape due to hurling gate receipts

The GAA'S Munster Council has reported a successful financial year for 2014. In the annual report to be presented to next Friday's provincial convention in Killarney, it is outlined that revenues for the year were up 6.2 per cent, largely because of increased gate receipts from the senior and under-21 hurling championships.

According to Munster chief executive Simon Moroney in his report: "the council finances are in good shape and in steady hands going forward".

The financial overview describes 2014 as, “a financially successful year for the Munster Council, with overall income up 6.2 per cent on 2013 at €7,240,682. This was largely due to an increase in gate receipts of just under €509,000.

Bigger capital grants

Expenditure at €7,202,039 increased by 7.7 per cent on 2013 and this was largely due to an increase in match day costs of €261,184 and an increase of €282,654 on the amount paid in capital grants to clubs and counties.

“Gate receipts continue to be the main source of council income, contributing 54 per cent of overall income, while commercial revenue, games development and other funding received from Central Council accounted for 38 per cent.”

Overall attendances in the province were up by 10 per cent and gate receipts by 15 per cent.

It was the senior hurling championship that accounted for most of this with an increase in earnings of 40 per cent, nearly half of which (44 per cent) was generated by the Cork-Waterford quarter-final going to a replay. Conversely the football championship income fell by 31 per cent. This was mainly due to the controversial championship restructure: Cork and Kerry weren’t drawn to contest the quarter-finals and played two rather than three matches.

Furthermore the final between Cork and Kerry in Páirc Uí Chaoimh showed a reduction of 15,000 on the previous year’s final attendance.