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Decision to opt for Gaelic Grounds worth an extra €300,000 to GAA

INTERNATIONAL RULES: THE DECISION to award next October’s first International Rules test to Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds rather…

SEAN MORAN GAA Correspondent
Fri Feb 20 2009 - 00:00

INTERNATIONAL RULES:THE DECISION to award next October's first International Rules test to Limerick's Gaelic Grounds rather than Casement Park in Belfast will be worth around €300,000 to the GAA.

The decision, taken by the GAA’s management committee and endorsed by last weekend’s Central Council meeting in Thurles, caused disappointment in Antrim, whose county chair Dr John McSparran criticised the decision earlier this week.

But the difference between the Belfast and Limerick venues in terms of capacity, and in particular seated accommodation, is significant.

Casement Park can take 32,500 spectators of whom only 8,500 would be seated, whereas the Gaelic Grounds has a capacity of 49,000, 21,000 of which is seated. At the 2006 admission rates of €20 per seat that adds up to a differential of €250,000.

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The Gaelic Grounds has the highest number of seats of any GAA venue outside of Croke Park and Semple Stadium.

In terms of a boost to the GAA in the respective cities, whereas McSparran’s point about Belfast was unarguable, the GAA also faces great competition from rugby in Limerick where the new Thomond Park has been the focal point of Munster’s European Cup matches as well as the venue for the most-watched sports event of 2008 – the visit of New Zealand to commemorate the 1978 encounter won by Munster.

The Gaelic Grounds hosted last year’s Munster hurling final, but hasn’t had a lot of major GAA events and the promotional value of the International Rules test will be useful in the region.

Another factor that has been suggested in the decision is the lack of enthusiasm for the international game in Ulster. One GAA source said: “Ulster hasn’t shown any great interest in the series and when you’re trying to push the idea of a venue and promote the test, you could understand if that caused some reservations.”

Provincial councils were asked to put forward proposed venues and aside from Casement and the Gaelic Grounds, McHale Park in Castlebar and O’Moore Park in Portlaoise were considered.

Meanwhile, Carlow’s Brendan Murphy has been speaking to the Australian media about his lone flying of the Ireland flag at the Sydney Swans now that Tadhg Kennelly has returned to Kerry and Tyrone’s Kyle Coney decided not to return to Australia after the Christmas break.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Murphy said that he sympathised with Kennelly’s wish to come back.

“I can understand how he felt. It’s tough being away from home. Like Tadhg, I’ve always said, and still do, that I want to go home and play football whenever I feel the time is right.

“Don’t get me wrong, I am committed to the Swans, and want to break into senior football with the club this year. But before I came out here I was playing football with my two brothers, and I want to go home and finish up playing alongside them as well.

“Of course I miss Tadhg. We were close, and I would always be spending time with him and getting advice from him. He was like my big brother out here. He looked after me, he always tried to involve me in things, tried to keep me busy, and away from thinking about home. All the boys are great, but obviously because of our connection, Tadhg and I were close.”

Finally, the team selections for the weekend’s inter-provincial hurling semi-finals is complete. Leinster face Ulster at Casement Park and although injury and club commitments rule out a number of Kilkenny’s All-Ireland-winning side, seven of the county’s players are selected in John Conran’s team including four current All Stars. Dublin’s Alan McCrabbe is included at wing forward.

Connacht’s side to play Munster includes Sligo’s Keith Raymond, the sole non-Galway selection.

Raymond hit 1-8 from play in his county’s Rackard Cup final win over Louth last year.

LEINSTER (SH v Ulster): PJ Ryan (Kilkenny); D Franks (Offaly), D Kenny (Offaly), J Tyrrell (Kilkenny); T Walsh (Kilkenny), JJ Delaney (Kilkenny), M Jacob (Wexford); R Hanniffy (Offaly), C Farrell (Wexford); A McCrabbe (Dublin), E Quigley (Wexford), D Lyng (Wexford); A Fogarty (Kilkenny), R Power (Kilkenny), E Brennan (Kilkenny). Subs: B Carroll (Offaly), M Comerford (Kilkenny), D O’Callaghan (Dublin), S Clynch (Meath), S Hiney (Dublin).

CONNACHT (SH v Munster – Galway unless stated): E Ward; M Ryan, D McClearn, F Moore; A Coen, B Costello, B Burke; A Cullinane, K Raymond (Sligo); M Kerins, P Killilea, K Huban; N Healy, J Gantley, A Callinan.