Mileage rate increase for northern counties
The GAA and GPA have approved a 5p mile rate increase for inter-county players in Northern Ireland.
Players from the six counties can now claim 40p per mile, bringing them in line with players from the Republic, who are entitled to 50 cent per mile.

Confirming the mileage rate increase, the GAA's director of games administration and player welfare Feargal McGill said: "The maximum rate allowable is 50 cents in the south and 40p in the north. I would expect that counties will give their players 40p per mile unless they can come to an alternative agreement with the players."

The decision to increase the mileage allowance will put a further strain on cash-strapped county boards. However, Down chairman Seamus Walsh told the Irish News that the Mourne County's footballers had agreed to accept 30p per mile last year, which was 5p below the official expense at the time.

"The players agreed to set the rate at 30p," he revealed.

"They also agreed that they didn't need a lot of the gear that they are entitled to get every year. They talked about it among themselves. That is the way it panned out. It was very amicable. Our players were very forthright in looking at the problems which all counties face."