Controversial Antrim-Armagh game set to be played at Corrigan Park

Ulster Council met on Monday night and look likely to allow Antrim to use home venue

Antrim-Armagh Ulster football quarter-final is considered likely to go ahead in Corrigan Park, Belfast on Saturday April 12th. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho
Antrim-Armagh Ulster football quarter-final is considered likely to go ahead in Corrigan Park, Belfast on Saturday April 12th. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho

The controversial Antrim-Armagh Ulster football quarter-final is considered likely to go ahead in Corrigan Park, Belfast on Saturday April 12th.

A statement is expected from the Ulster Council on Tuesday after it met on Monday night to reconsider the venue following a long drawn-out disagreement about whether Antrim, who had been drawn at home, could use their regular venue, which was initially deemed too small by the provincial council.

Earlier this month, the venue was set as Páirc Esler in Newry for health and safety reasons, as Armagh have a sizeable number of season ticket holders and Corrigan Park’s capacity is only around 4,000.

Antrim’s reaction was swift and furious and both the players and their manager Andy McEntee, vowed that they would not fulfil the fixture anywhere else.

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After some further discussion between the county and the province, a fresh submission was made to Ulster Council and the expectations were that this would prove acceptable.

Had Antrim, who were relegated to Division Four at the weekend, boycotted the fixture, it would likely have led to their expulsion from both the Ulster championship and the Tailteann Cup.

Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times