GAELIC GAMES ALL-IRELAND SFC:THE EXCITING prospect of Dublin against Kerry colliding in an All-Ireland quarter-final no doubt assisted the CCCC decision, but the suspicion yesterday was Croke Park have afforded themselves an additional 24 hours to manicure their new surface, GAVIN CUMMISKEYReports

So, no games at the Jones’s Road stadium until Sunday when the bill will be shared by Cork, Donegal, Kildare and All-Ireland champions Tyrone. RTÉ supply live coverage for what promises to be 140 minutes of engrossing football.

The Bank Holiday Monday is reserved for Dublin, Kerry and Roscommon, with the latter facing The Kingdom minors in an undercard fixture at noon.

From early this morning U2 become the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg’s logistical, albeit profitable to the tune of €2.75 million, nightmare. It was initially envisaged that Croke Park would have only 42 hours to remove the 11- storey, 550-tonne Octopus stage that took up 40 per cent of the pitch for three memorable gigs over the past four days.

“Yes, it makes sense to give ourselves an additional 24 hours breathing space to get the pitch ready,” said GAA operations manager Fergal McGill. “Twenty-four hours is a long time in the context we are talking about.”

From tomorrow, stadium director Peter McKenna’s meticulously laid plans will come into effect as the new sod is laid ahead of Sunday’s double header.

Despite these matches throwing up some intriguing sub plots, none more so than the Armagh management team of Kieran McGeeney and Paul Grimley sending their Kildare side out against Tyrone, but the lure of Dublin and Kerry supersedes everything else.

Ryanair were quick off the mark in increasing prices from Faranfore to Dublin on the Monday “red-eye” to €159.94 if one intends to return on the 9.50pm. The 50- minute journey can be reduced to €40.36 if the Kerry supporter opts to stay overnight in Dublin.

Irish Rail are also expected to announce additional trains on Sunday and Monday to cater for spectators travelling up to Dublin.

County board chairman Jerome Conway expects between four to five thousand Kerry folk will make the trek. There is also their contingent living in the capital to consider, ensuring a decent presence in Croke Park for a match that may well define this year’s football championship.

“We certainly prefer the extra day’s rest,” said Conway. “We do expect a decent crowd. There has been a bigger following at each qualifier game and a few hundred additional tickets will be sought for those who want to watch the minors.”

Tickets for all of next weekend’s games will go on-sale online this morning. Stand tickets are €35, terrace €20, juvenile stand entry is €5, senior citizens and students €15. Group passes are €3 per child and one adult per 10 juveniles free of charge.

Tickets for the Portlaoise qualifier meeting of Meath and Limerick are €25 for the stand, with juveniles €5. The terrace is €15, with juveniles free.

The fourth quarter-final between Connacht champions Mayo and the winners of Saturday’s rescheduled third-round tie looks likely to be accommodated as a curtain-raiser for the All-Ireland hurling semi-final between Kilkenny and Waterford on Sunday week, which should guarantee a respectable attendance.

Meanwhile, the GAA also confirmed that “in light of Friday night’s Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) decision in respect of relegation from the Liam MacCarthy Cup, the relegation final between Antrim and Wexford, scheduled for next weekend, has been postponed.

“The matter will now be discussed at the Central Council meeting on August 22nd “when proposals in respect of the 2010 GAA Hurling Championships will be discussed.”

Basically, neither Antrim and Wexford have been handed a reprieve from possible relegation to the Christy Ring Cup. As the winners of that competition, Carlow, have already been promoted to the MacCarthy Cup for next season and, by right, the Leinster championship. They can be accommodated quite easily as it brings the numbers up to eight in the province.

The Westmeath motion on hurling promotion/relegation relegation passed at Congress must now be re-examined. It appears the postponement of the play-offs is a reaction to the widespread criticism they received from leading figures in hurling, most notably the four managers involved in last weekend’s semi-final play-off ties.