Yes, but Sky Sports.
In the finest of GAA traditions - a bit of a shambles.
Itâs a dump but Kildare, as per competition rules, are entitled to home advantage.
All this should have been ironed out months ago either way - each county ground should have been audited for fire and health & safety regulations. Every county board should have been told one way or the other if their ground could take big games in the qualifiers etc.
Only when something like this arises from a draw does it dawn on people there is an issue.
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I think the issue is that they couldnât record from the shithole that is Newbridge.
Mad to think the GAA bowed over to them.
Where can I get a retro Letrim jersey, mate? Iâm all in.
Kildare v Tyrone was live in 2013.
I can recall at least three other live championship matches from Newbridge over the years on RTE.
Itâs comical the way different people have different versions of what the capacity is. Iâve heard anywhere from 6,000 to 12,000 bandied around.
Thatâs the one!
Kildare GAA would like to explain the chain of events that has led to the CCCC announcing Croke Park as the venue for the All-Ireland SFC Round 3 Qualifier between Kildare and Mayo, and to state that the team will not be in attendance, as the game should be taking place at our county grounds, St Conlethâs Park.
It was with great delight that we greeted a home fixture in this morningâs draw, a fantastic reward for the loyal supporters who have travelled to Owenbeg and Longford for the teamâs recent Qualifier successes.
It is an attractive proposition too for team management, players, sponsors, the business people of Newbridge and surrounding areas, and all of the stakeholders of Kildare GAA.As soon as the draw was made, we were in contact with Newbridge Garda SĂochĂĄna immediately and they were happy with the fixture going ahead, their only request being that it throw in at 7pm, given the influx of people to the area due to the Irish Derby taking place at Curragh Racecourse at 5.15pm.
Having received the backing of the Gardai, we sent an email to the CCCC advising them that we would have no difficulty in hosting the fixture as an all-ticket affair and were already putting plans in place to do so.
We informed the CCCC of the advice surrounding the 7pm throw-in, and advised them that the Management Committee of Kildare GAA, on behalf of our loyal supporters, respectfully expected that the CCCC would fix the game for Saturday, June 30th, at St Conlethâs Park for 7pm and we had no issue with adhering to the criteria for St Conleths Park as previously agreed with the National Facilities/Health & Safety committee
We were asked to provide an alternative venue, an invitation we declined because Kildare are entitled to the home venue as per the draw, and were in the position to do so within all criteria of health and safety, and to the satisfaction of An Garda SĂochĂĄna.
The Management Committee of Kildare GAA has been in constant contact with Kildare Senior Football Manager Cian OâNeill. We are all on the same page, adamant that the game take place in Newbridge as the draw dictates.
When notification arrived that the game was fixed for Croke Park, we informed the CCC that we would not be fulfilling that fixture, because it was a home draw for St Conlethâs Park.
This decision does not make sense to us, as we have already hosted attractive Division 1 fixtures this year.
There is also the concern as to the implications were Kildare to qualify for the so-called Super 8s series. The major selling point of this format was that each team would have one major home fixture. Does this now mean that we in Kildare would be denied that right, were we to qualify?
We are not attempting to do anything that contravenes health and safety regulations. We can cater for the fixture St Conlethâs Park and it will not cause undue congestion in Newbridge.
As the management committee of Kildare GAA, we have a responsibility to our team management, players, supporters, sponsors, businesses and every stakeholder in Kildare GAA to insist that we be allowed fulfil the home fixture we are entitled to.
And we are making it clear that we will not play this game in Croke Park. St Conlethâs Park is perfectly capable of hosting the tie on an all-ticket basis, Newbridge is perfectly capable of dealing with the number of supporters that will attend.
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I wouldnât know anything about that mate.
I wonder what side Joe Brolly will side with here.
This is a pivotal moment in GAA history. If Kildare succumb to the wants of SKY you might as well just turn professional and be done with it.
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Croke Park are some cunts.
They even started selling tickets for the double header in Croke Park without agreement from Kildare where that match would even take place.
That Fergal McGill is another GAA company man.
Hope Kildare stand their ground (pardon the pun) here, even if their ground is a shambles.
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They said on Off the Ball there that Cavan nominated Brewster Park as their preferred venue (with Kingspan Breffni Park out of commission) but the bigwigs still didnât listen and fucked them up to a double header in Croke Park which will be 80% empty.
Youâd get two decent matches in provincial venues with boosts to the local economies, matches played in glorious sunshine where families could make a night of it (ok, Newbridge ainât Manhattan) but the GAA bow to Sky who didnât want to get their fingers burnt again like with the late start in coverage to Kilkenny - Wexford a few weeks back⌠the whole thing stinks.
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Would Kildare not mind that theyâll be doing their own fans out of the opportunity to support them? Theyâve as much experience as anyone in Croke Park but if thatâs an issue pitch size wise or whatever then surely Portlaoise is a fair compromise.
GAA have fucked this announcing it without consulting them though. Were Kildare county board consulted I wonder, OâNeill never mentioned he had their backing
Iâd love it if Kildare stood their ground and the fixture was either moved to Newbridge or not played but, Iâd imagine there will be a threat and/or sweetener from the GAA thatâll make the game go ahead in Croke Park.
I think it also boosts the underdogs (Cavan and Kildare) chances in pulling off a surprise result. You look at Mayo in Croke Park in recent years compared to them outside of it. The manner of their performances at Croke Park are of a much higher standard. I think Kildare have a very good chance in Newbridge, less so in Croke Park.
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What matters is they give their side the best chance of winning and I think they have a much stronger chance at Newbridge. They are fully entitled to home advantage.
The GAA seem to have made a decision based on solely financial reasons to have a double header in Croke Park which will likely be comfortable wins for Tyrone and Mayo, played in front of a quarter empty stadium.
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It kills me to say it, but the GAA need to take a strong hand here and eject Kildare
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