NEWS: Wexford Park has come into the reckoning as a venue for Sunday's Leinster club football quarter-final between Rathnew and UCD. Fixed for Aughrim last weekend, the match was called off at the last minute because the pitch was unplayable due to rain.
The deluge that has hit most areas of the country in the meantime has raised serious questions about the Wicklow ground's capacity to take the match, even with three days to go. As a contingency, the Leinster Council has designated Newbridge as an option, but the Kildare venue has a fairly heavy surface at this time of the year and may not be a significant improvement on Aughrim.
"It's not looking great at the moment," according to Leinster secretary Michael Delaney. "Fourteen of the 16 schools matches are off today (Wednesday), and if this keeps up there won't be adequate drainage in Aughrim, and Newbridge could also be in difficulties. We've been talking to Mick Kinsella (Wexford county secretary) about Wexford Park, which is the best surface we have for this sort of weather, and maybe switching the Rathnew game."
The province's hurling final is also scheduled for Sunday with Gowran and Birr due to meet in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise. Delaney is less concerned about this fixture.
"Portlaoise will be okay if we don't get too much more rain. We're meeting tonight to decide whether we should inspect the grounds on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning."
The situation in the other three provinces isn't as serious. Naturally Semple Stadium, scheduled to take the Munster hurling final between Sixmilebridge and Mount Sion, is in its customarily pristine condition.
"There's absolutely no problem with Thurles," said Munster secretary Donie Nealon. "The surface can take about three inches of rain with no worries. There's not a bit of doubt."
Danny Murphy, secretary of the Ulster Council, is also confident that Sunday's Enniskillen-Errigal Ciarán football final will go ahead.
"At the moment the weather's absolutely foul. It couldn't get any worse unless we were somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic. But Clones has stood up remarkably well and I'd be optimistic. It's certainly as good as what we have. There'll probably be a preliminary determination on Friday if the weather warrants it."
In Connacht, secretary John Prenty is similarly upbeat about the Crossmolina-Strokestown football final, scheduled for Hyde Park.
"It should be alright. We'll talk tomorrow night and see what the latest situation is, but there should be no problem."
