The Government allocation of £20 million from National Lottery funds for the Croke Park development was a recognition of the voluntary unpaid work being done for the GAA by thousands of its members throughout the country, said Sligo County Board Chairman Joe Queenan at yesterday's County Convention. The former president of the GAA, Peter Quinn also criticised the media for their treatment of the issue.

Quinn hit out at the Dublin-based media for using the allocation of the £20 million from National Lottery funds as a basis for attacking the Government when, in fact, they were attacking the GAA, because they "are jealous of our success". He told the convention that this criticism should act as an incentive to the GAA - which had contributed to society in a way that no other sporting organisation had - to increase its activity. Queenan praised the county footballers on their new-found success, highlighted by League wins over Dublin and Kerry, and paid tribute to team manager Mickey Moran, whose appointment was "the greatest shot in the arm for Sligo GAA for many a long day".