A snapshot of where is Waterford GAA? By Damien Tiernan.

A nice cock-step in the evenings, the clocks have sprung forward, Junior C hurlers and footballers are cleaning the boots.

Monday evening March 31st 2025 7.30pm and around 40 club delegates go into Lawlors Hotel in Dungarvan for the regular county board meeting.

Four men at the top table in the ballroom, two journalists present (Tomas McCarthy and a certain Damien Tiernan), delegates facing the top table. I counted five women in the room.

The meeting was chaired by Neil Moore, the new county chairperson, beside him Pat Flynn, the full-time and long-standing county secretary; on the other side of Neil was Brendan Tobin, the vice chair, or leas-cathaoirleach as the titles are bestowed as Gaeilge; and Kieran Geary, Cisteoir or Treasurer.

The amount of work these volunteers and volunteers in the GAA do is phenomenal, and this was referenced in the meeting by Kieran and the chair.

These few words are being written to try to understand what’s happening, not to criticise anyone, but to try to help realise how people are trying to chart the future path and ultimately a track to success.

A few announcements to start the meeting, including a new three-year sponsorship agreement with a company called Wellfed, to support County Performance and Talent and Youth Development.

A motion and discussion on one of the main fundraising aspects of Waterford GAA – the Deise Draw, with Kieran saying the draw needs to be revamped.

A one-page ‘document’ (printing on both sides) is passed around, outlining that the amount of draws will be reduced from 6 to 5; a revised monthly prize total of €25,000, which includes a first prize of 10k cash and a holiday voucher worth €2,500 with holidays to places such as Las Vegas, Disneyland Paris, and Dubai, as “holidays help with the marketing of the draw” the meeting is told.

Profit from the draw this year was €30k, so a proposal for €10k of that every year to go to help the development squads….one delegate speaks against it, saying the money should go to clubs for their own development teams, a few speak in favour of the motion, there’s a proposer and a seconder and no vote is necessary as there is no counter proposal and it’s carried.

The House Draw is next up, with Kieran talking about how “since he took over” he’s looked at the date of the draw, etc. He says the original date needs to be pushed out as “it’s not realistic” and the new date would be proposed as July 28th

The chair thanks Kieran for all his work on this and the PRO.

Aspects of the proposal are discussed. Kieran says we are still substantially underspending compared with other counties and all the plans need money to see them being realised.

The proposal is put, no questions, it’s accepted.

COMMERCIAL ARM

This was a chance for people to possibly ask questions about the Commercial Arm of Waterford GAA and changes in structures over the past two months. But no questions are asked. Maybe it’s just a change in direction or a reversion to previous times when a ‘separate’ commercial arm wasn’t required.

In October of last year, the board announced with fanfare the appointment of a new commercial manager Mark Radley on a two-year term, quote: “essential to support the next phase of the Waterford Rising strategic plan”.

Press releases were issued, tweets were flown, and posts were posted.

We had emailed the county board three weeks ago when we heard things had changed in the structures and looked for an interview on matters on and off the pitch. It’s always good to help promote the games and the GAA is so important to so many here and abroad.

But we didn’t receive a response. We’ve tried again this week and by the time you read this things may have progressed.

I had it confirmed that Mark Radley is no longer Commercial manager.

I don’t know if another one has been or is going to be appointed – or if the work they were doing is now subsumed into the workings of the County Board. They have a lot to be doing in so many aspects. Matters such as coaching rules referees and strength and conditioning appointments were spoken about at the meeting – the work these volunteers have to do is unreal.

So for whatever reason, there’s no talk at the meeting last night about the commercial team, what’s happened in the past few months, what’s happening going forward, etc.

And journalists don’t ask questions at the county board meetings.

WALSH PARK

Next up is Walsh Park and a push to have companies take some signs at the venue.

Paudie Coffey sends his apologies and the chair outlines that the design team has done massive work and that it’s hoped that any tweaks to design matters will be sorted by the end of April and that the work to Keane’s end terrace will start in August of this year.

And that phase three will hopefully begin next year and it should be finished by 2027.

Capacity for this year is 11,300, says Pat after a question from the floor.

THE GEESE

Fraher Field is mentioned, with the chair saying the pitch took a fair hammering this winter – from the Brent geese – and that ‘established efforts to scare them off’ this year have failed (compared to other years? Have the geese sussed it out?) and that there are a small number of them still there. Neil thanks David Howell for work on the grounds and everything will be ready for upcoming matches. The disabled toilet, kitchen, and referees room are to be revamped and the prices will be brought to the next meeting.

There weren’t any questions on the naming rights for Fraher Field how much Cappoquin Logistics is paying for this or any aspects of the deal.

Then there is talk about the successes of teams on the field, mention of the u19 hurlers, hopes and aspirations for all squads; some talk of clubs giving walkovers and how difficult this is for Pat and Brendan in terms or reorganising or assigning referees, etc.

Brendan makes a plea to clubs to be as non-verbal from the sidelines in upcoming fixtures, especially with new rules and referees.

A reference to the ticket allocation for the 1B League final in Cork this weekend is brought up. The meeting is told Pat Flynn has written to Croke Park to express the Board’s annoyance of how the allocations were made. Former chair Paddy Joe Ryan (speaking from the floor) said he’s happy the letter was sent because he too is annoyed; he says it was all very, very unfair. Another person says it’s an absolute disgrace; yet another delegate says ‘it’s a typical Croke park two fingers to ordinary fans’; another describes it as shambolic.

There’s a report from the Munster Council delegate, the Ard Comhairle delegate, and a few other matters before the meeting is closed.

Everyone wants the best for all the county teams, the squads and management teams; the clubs; the mentors;and the fans. There’s a heap of work to be done. Some head off thinking of the boots. Everyone leaves looking forward, you would think, to the upcoming county and club fixtures.

And there’s no sign of any geese – FOR NOW – over or in Dungarvan Bay.

For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.