Gaelic Games News round-upLeinster Council secretary Michael Delaney has questioned the structure of the province's hurling championship. In his report to the coming provincial convention, he speaks in characteristically blunt terms about the championship which last summer was won for a record sixth successive year by All-Ireland champions Kilkenny.

"As the years go by it becomes more and more difficult to put a positive spin on a review of the Leinster senior hurling championship. This, I suppose, is understandable when you talk about a competition which involves four different grades of participant.

"Firstly there is the Westmeath,Kildare, Carlow, Meath and Wicklow section; then Laois and Dublin have another plateau; above that is the ledge with Wexford and Offaly while seated high up on the precipice is Kilkenny. It hardly makes sense to have all these in the same mix, but such is the way of democracy."

Delaney draws attention to the dwindling appeal of certain stages of the championship, and by way of example contrasts the crowds at un-hyped club matches in December.

"It is worth noting that attendances at the junior and intermediate club football finals far exceeded that at four of the games in the Guinness Leinster senior hurling championships. These club finals were played in the depth of winter, while the hurling games were played in the summer. Food for thought!"

Delaney goes on to deal with an area of growing concern within the GAA: the physical toll taken on young players by the pressure of playing for too many teams.

Having outlined the rising number of stress-related injuries, he makes the following point: "Basically, what I'm saying is that: (a) the situation needs urgent examination, (b) players are not best judges in these situations, (c) team managers cannot really be expected to concede any perceived advantage by releasing - or going easy on - players, (d) experience tells us that county committees are reluctant to interfere in team management.

"Consequently, I feel the solution lies in the hands of the fixtures makers - both those who devise competitions and those who decide on their timing.

"Hard decisions must be made about matters such as: (a) should we allow under-21 intercounty and Third Level college competitions overlap, (b) is there any need at all for under-21 intercounty competition, (c) should under-21 at county level be an adult grade of its own, (d) should we juggle intercounty fixtures to facilitate dual players, (e) should there be a definite closed period (games and training) from intercounty activity, (f) should there be a greater involvement of our medical committee and sports scientists in the preparation of our match programmes or training schedules?

"Our players are suffering at our own hands and nobody yet has shouted 'stop' - or at least have not done so loudly enough to be listened to in the corridors of power. Please let somebody address the issue before the next batch of players is put on the sidelines with long-term injuries."

Meanwhile, in his annual report, Connacht secretary John Prenty warns that escalating costs may force the western province out of the Railway Cup.

He makes the point in the light of the 2003 departure of playing the hurling final in Rome.

"This year's Railway Cup campaigns have placed a huge financial burden on the council, with the trip to Rome costing over €60,000, which was not budgeted for by the council. One has got to ask the question, has this been money well spent?

"If, as appears likely, that finals in hurling and football are to be played abroad on a rota basis, then it is reasonable to expect that those who want the competition to continue will provide the finance through sponsorship or otherwise to cover the full costs of those who have to travel. Otherwise this province will not be able to afford to compete in the competition."

In Munster, Donie Nealon is stepping down after 27 years as provincial secretary. In his final report, he notes that income for the council back in 1977 was (approximately) €223,541 and expenditure €126,297. The figures for 2003 were €6,380,503 and €5,737,377 respectively. Nealon was pleased to point out that the council's investment portfolio had yielded €226,433 last year, recouping much of the losses of €244,795 run up during a bleak year for equities in 2002.

"As some journalists were very quick to highlight and sensationalise our loss on investments in 2002, I'm waiting with bated breath to see if the same people will give equal prominence to our good fortune and excellent turnaround."

Also on a financial theme, he expressed the hope that "the association will not be forced in the foreseeable future into going professional or even semi-professional, as this would place an enormous burden on all county boards . . ."

He also announced that gate receipts "reached an all-time record figure of €3,967,564, an increase of €236,993 on 2002".