THERE IS still the chance Dublin will enjoy another outing in Croke Park before the end of the National Leagues – this time as a double-header involving the footballers and hurlers.
Following the obvious success of last Saturday’s Football League opener against Tyrone, which attracted a near capacity of 79,161, Croke Park and the Dublin County Board have mooted the idea of fixing Dublin’s football and hurling ties of March 29th for GAA headquarters. The footballers are down to play Kerry; the hurlers Tipperary.
But there are two obvious obstacles which need to be overcome: Tipperary in fact have home advantage for the hurling game, while the evening before, March 28th, Croke Park is set to stage the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria.
The first obstacle is not expected to be an issue, with Tipperary likely to agree to the switch for the chance to play in Croke Park. However, the soccer match is more likely to prove prohibitive. The different pitch markings and stadium lay-out, plus other practicalities, would present obvious problems in staging two GAA league games the following day.
For now neither Croke Park nor the Dublin board are ruling it out. It may be a case of where there’s a will there’s a way, as much will depend on the league status of the Dublin footballers and hurlers coming up to March 29th.
It’s the weekend of the penultimate round of matches in the football league, and depending on results over the next few weekends, neither the Dublin footballers nor hurlers may have anything to play for. The footballers have to face Galway, Donegal, Derry and Mayo before then; the hurlers Cork (this Sunday), Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
Meanwhile, a venue has still to be confirmed for Donegal’s home National Football League match against Dublin, set for March 8th. A meeting of the Donegal County Board was due to vote on the matter on Monday, but the meeting was cancelled because of the wintry weather.
The match had been provisionally fixed for Ballyshannon, but Letterkenny claimed their equal right to stage it, given they also have county ground status. Donegal’s only other two home games, against Mayo and Tyrone, are taking place under floodlights in Ballybofey, on Saturday nights, which gives the Dublin game on the Sunday even more importance for Ballyshannon or Letterkenny.
