Costly decision to drop O’Byrne and Walsh cups

The GAA’s Leinster Council suffered a €90,000 loss following the decision to drop the preseason competitions, Westmeath delegate Joe Daly confirmed.

Speaking at a meeting of the Westmeath GAA County Committee in the Mullingar Park Hotel, Mr Daly informed clubs that the provincial body is concerned at the financial loss and there will be an effort to restore these competitions, but counties will have to play their part.

“Leinster Council are not very happy with the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) who said they were protecting players, and then challenge games were played,” he remarked.

In the event that the competitions are brought back, counties will have to give them full support, he said.

“They cannot be putting out mickey mouse teams in these competitions,” explained the Leinster Council Delegate.

Meanwhile, there will be club grants available this year with land purchase the priority once again. Westmeath secured €246,000 across the board in land purchase grants in 2024.

Anti-gambling Bill

Elsewhere, the anti-gambling control bill will come in on a phased basis and clubs will need to be mindful of it for their lotto draws, the delegate explained. The bill ensures that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way.

“We talk out of the two sides of our mouth with gambling. We're against gambling, yet we have our ‘Win a home in Spain’ (draw). We are contradictory in it, and every club with a lotto is contradictory in it, and it's an issue for us,” remarked Westmeath County Committee Chairman Frank Mescall.