Floyd describes Bonnar sacking as unfortunate

By Shane Brophy

Outgoing Tipperary County Board secretary Tim Floyd was accorded a standing ovation by delegates following his final report to County Convention on Sunday.

It what, at times, was an emotional address, the Newport clubman will step down at the end of the year after sixteen years, to be succeed by Murtagh Brennan, who will have the new title of Chief Executive Officer.

Before recalling the highs and lows of his time as secretary, Floyd reviewed the past year in comprehensive fashion, including one of the controversial instances which was the removal of Colm Bonnar after less than a year as Tipperary manager which he described as “unfortunate”.

“It was the hardest decision in my sixteen years,” Floyd added.

“There was no evidence to suggest that there would an improvement and with two of his selectors deciding to step away, it was time to act.

“It was a ruthless decision that had to be made.”

Facilities development

Tim Floyd has been involved in many infrastructural projects for Tipperary GAA, including the upgrading of Dr Morris Park, which continues with dressing rooms being upgraded as well speak as part of a three-phase project which will cost up to €1 million. And he is calling on the four divisional boards, as well as Coiste na nOg, to put some of their financial reserves towards this project, and the new all-weather pitches at LIT Thurles, to reduce the financial burden on the County Board.

“There are large reserves of funds lying idle in divisional boards and Coiste na nOg accounts,” Floyd said.

“I am calling on these sub-committees to consider making a worthwhile contribution to either Dr Morris Park project or the LIT Thurles project, to avoid the County Board having to go into a large debt in the next year or year after.

“Back in 2000 when the call was made to the divisions to assist the divisions with the debt at the time, there was great cooperation, and I believe the same cooperation is required now to ensure we have the best of facilities, centrally located for use by all.”

Tim Floyd described Semple Stadium as “the jewel in the crown” in the county, but added it is an aging stadium that requires a lot of maintenance, and that large scale funding is needed to bring it to a modern standard.

He said: “We constantly hear complaints from patrons about the PA system, the scoreboard, disables facilities, the condition of the seats and terraces, but these are issues related to an aging stadium.

“Plans for a €10m investment in the stadium have been shelved as FBD Semple Stadium is not on Central Council’s priority list and without their backing we cannot progress.”

“With so many major stadia in the province, the demand for FBD Semple Stadium will continue to decrease.”

Ticketing and cashless

Floyd defended the decision to largely go cashless at games over the last three years as it was done for three reasons, 1 – security and safety, as gate-checkers, treasurers and volunteers can be left carrying large sums of money in their cars or in their homes before lodging it in a back which puts them at risk of being targeted by criminals, 2 – Control as it is becoming more difficult to secure personnel to control gates and handle in some cases large amounts of cash, and then are float issues relating to banks who are steering more away from cash as well, and 3 – Hygiene in terms of the handling of coins and cash and the transmission of viruses and infections.

The late Dillon Quirke

The outgoing secretary paid tribute to the late Dillon Quirke whose tragic death cast a cloud over Tipp in 2022.

“For sixteen years I have watched young minors coming through without ever getting to know them. I remember seeing this tall, well-built friendly face you always had this impish smile on his face, only to realise it was Dan Quirke’s son and connected to Declan Ryan and Andrew Fryday (uncles) you get more familiar and by the time he arrived on Liam Cahill’s under 21 panel in 2018, I knew Dillon very well.

“A talented Clonoulty/Rossmore and Tipperary player, taken from us too early and we remember his today with affection.”

Among the tributes paid to Tim Floyd, included Clonoulty/Rossmore chairperson Andrew Fryday who thanked Tim and the board for their support during their clubs “darkest hour.”

There were also tributes paid by County Board Vice-President John Costigan, Con Hogan on behalf of Semple Stadium, Tommy Landers of Coiste na nOg, Aodhan Wrenn of Cumann na mBunscol, and Cora Moroney from Tim’s home club Newport, who “were proud of their clubman’s tenure.”

In wrapping up his address, Floyd thanked his family for their support, growing up in a family on eleven, to his wife Cora, sons Rory & Conor, and daughter Liz, who gave up so much of their fathers’ time to the GAA and he looks forward to “making up for lost time” and in the worlds of his party piece, the ballad ‘Dear old Newport town’, “Adieu, adieu”.