GAELIC GAMES:Leinster Council chairman Martin Skelly has defended the decision not to reduce admission prices for their 2012 provincial championship and offer instead a greater range of ticket packages aimed at groups and families.

“We haven’t reduced our prices,” said Skelly, “but remember we did put in certain price cuts last year, and if you compare our package to any other sport I believe ours is very favourable, to all our patrons.

“Whether it is a young child going with their minor club, or whether it is an adult going with their senior club, there is a ticket there for everybody. The other thing is that there is huge value and we don’t discriminate on family tickets, whether you have two adults and three children, two adults and four children. A family is a family and we take people’s word for it.”

Leinster have designed five-ticket packages: family, student/senior citizen; wheelchair, group passes and child/adult group tickets. See leinster.gaa.ie