DONEGAL’S team expenditure dropped back beneath the €1 million mark in 2019.
Although Donegal won the Ulster SFC and had a Division 2 League final in Croke Park, their team administration expenses showed a drop of almost €58,000 in 2019.
Donegal spent €949,270 out of a total expenditure of just under €1.4 million preparing their county teams.
In 2018, Donegal spent €1,007,170 on team administration expenses.
This year showed a big drop of almost €60,000 in players travel expenses, falling to €213,669.
Catering costs fell by €17,000 to €197,790 and medical expenses were down by around €15,000 to €166,468 – best explained, perhaps, by the fact that a greater portion of players are now residing in Donegal.
While Donegal’s accounts showed a profit of €311,430, Treasurer Alan Boyd (pictured above by Geraldine Diver) warned delegates at tonight’s convention that €300,000 of that was due to be paid towards the continued development of the Donegal GAA Training Centre in Convoy.
“We are just just about breaking even,” Mr Boyd said.
“The €300,000 is to be put towards Convoy – it was the deficit that we needed.
“That money will be gone. We have to get Convoy finished and we must get our shoulders to the wheel. We have a €100 house draw and we need 5,000 tickets to break even. If we don’t get it over the line, we will be in a black hole again.
“There is too much of a casual attitude to this draw.”
Donegal’s total income rose to just over €1.7 million in 2019, a jump from a little over €1.4 million in 2018, while expenditure dropped to just shy of €1.4 million from over €1.4 million in 2018.
Sponsorship rose from €218,000 to €302,424, with €50,000 of that increase down to a grant from Donegal County Council.
Donegal’s fund-raising endeavours contributed to a sharp rise in the income, the figure leaping by €100,000 to €203,802.
Royalties from merchandise rose by around €4,000 to €96,124.
There was a big jump in match expenses, soaring to €75,886 from €39,742 – a large percentage of which was apportioned to the two replays in the 2019 SFC final.
Gate receipts were up from €147,337 to €209,691 and commercial income rose from €517,070 in 2018 to €606,956 in 2019.
Former Donegal player John Cunningham, speaking as a delegate for the Killybegs club, asked about the historical debt.
“For the good name of the county, we would hope that our smaller creditors are looked after,” the 1992 All-Ireland winner said.
Mr Boyd said that there had been one creditor who had been owed €38,000, going back to 2016, but he added: “All of the historical creditors are paid.”
While the Donegal GAA balance sheet shows creditors and accrued expenses of €482,278 (down from €603,299 the precious year) and net current assets/liabilities of -€191,241, Chairman Mick McGrath added: “I’m confident that our finances are in a manageable situation and regular meetings with our bankers and the finance department in Croke Park has brought the correct professional attributes to our accounting policies.
“This must be maintained going forward. Donegal has managed 3.5 million euro through their books in 2019.
“There has been a few increases that needs addressed, but there has been many reductions and well-managed areas that should not go unnoticed.”
Tags: