GAA president Nickey Brennan has apologised to National League sponsors Allianz for the poor attendances at last Sunday's football finals and hurling semi-finals.
The decision to stage those games on the same afternoon as the Heineken European Cup rugby semi-final between Munster and Leinster proved costly as only 7,598 showed up at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick to watch Kerry beat Galway for the Division One title.
"I would like to apologise for last weekend," said Brennan, while attending yesterday's press conference for this Sunday's Hurling League finals. "I appreciate events took on a life of their own last weekend, and we did have difficulties with fixtures.
"Decisions had to be made, which were not entirely suitable to Allianz themselves. But I do appreciate that they understood the position we were in, and hopefully it won't happen again. Sometimes circumstances are outside your control. But that was last Sunday, and I think we can look forward to two very exciting league finals this Sunday."
The attendance in Limerick was the lowest for a football league final since 1938, when an estimated 5,000 watched Mayo beat Wexford in Castlebar - and around 38,000 less than in Croke Park for last year's final between Armagh and Wexford.
The 8,500 that showed up for the double bill in Thurles was also well down on expectations, although the Division Two football final between Louth and Donegal attracted a healthy 12,000.
Brennan, however, predicted a final of great significance in Thurles on Sunday when his native county, Kilkenny, take on Limerick.
"Limerick's re-emergence is absolutely fantastic. We had Wexford and Clare emerging in the last decade, and we're waiting to see who will come out of the back next. And that's really what we want."
Brennan has also finalised the members of three key committees during his three-year term as president - the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCC), the Central Hearings Committee (CHC), and the Central Appeals Committee (CAC) - that together will oversee the new disciplinary structures approved at Congress.
CCC: Jimmy Dunne (chairman, Wicklow); Michael Delaney (secretary Leinster Council); Simon Moroney (secretary Munster Council); John Prenty (secretary Connacht Council); Danny Murphy (secretary Ulster Council);Tom Daly (Donegal); Joe O'Shaughnessy (Wexford); Michael O'Brien (Tipperary, Phonsie Tully (Roscommon); Secretary: Seán Ó Láoire (Croke Park).
CHC: John O'Reilly (chairman, Armagh); Pat O'Neill (Meath, 2nd year of three-year term); Gerry Mahon (Leitrim, 2nd year); Bob Honohan (Cork, 2nd year); John Heaphey (Monaghan, 2nd year); Pat Dunney (Kildare); Bernie O'Connor (Galway); Paddy Joe Ryan (Waterford); Joe O'Boyle (Antrim); Secretary: Teresa Rahill (Croke Park) CAC: Jim Forbes (chairman, Cork); John Greene (Longford, 2nd year); Michael Curley (Galway, 2nd year); Pat Flynn (Waterford, 2nd year); Martin McAvinney (Monaghan, 2nd year); Mick Spain (Offaly) Kieran McDermott (Sligo); Tom Downes (Clare); Harry Gribben (Derry); Secretary: Liam Mulvihill (Croke Park).
Hurling Development Committee: Ned Quinn (chairman, Kilkenny); Donie Nealon (Tipperary), Jimmy Darragh (Antrim), Nicky English (Tipperary), John Fahy (Galway) Michael Connolly (Dublin), Mick Kinsella (Wexford), Luke Fitzmaurice (Mayo), Paudie Butler (Hurling Development Co-Ordinator) Mary O'Connor (Camogie); Secretary: Pat Daly (Croke Park).
