Croke Park sides with local clubs

GAA / Row over Tallaght stadium:The ongoing row over the use of the Tallaght stadium site worsened yesterday when the GAA formally backed the six Dublin clubs that are determined to prevent it from being completed as a soccer-only arena.

In clear opposition to the stance held by the Government, the GAA are seeking a meeting with the Minister for Sport, John O'Donoghue, to resolve what they say is causing "considerable concern" to the association.

The GAA's statement on the issue was brief, but their backing of the six Dublin clubs is significant. On Tuesday, the Minister was sharply critical of the clubs and their effort to see the stadium currently earmarked as the new home for Shamrock Rovers football club also being used for GAA matches. In digging in their heels, the GAA are risking an uneasy stand-off with the Government.

"Croke Park has stated that issues regarding the stadium in Tallaght are causing considerable concern to the association, particularly in Dublin," read the GAA statement. "It is confirmed that an early meeting between senior representatives of the association and the Minister for Sport in the matter is being sought."

Croke Park officials declined to comment further, except to say the meeting with O'Donoghue's department would be sought as a matter of some urgency.

It remains to be seen if the senior GAA representatives will include GAA president Seán Kelly, whose term as president concludes in three weeks' time, or if incoming president Nickey Brennan will address the matter.

A spokesperson for the Department of Sport later said the Minister had no problem meeting the GAA on the issue, and would be "only too pleased to clarify his position".

It was agreed the meeting would be arranged at the earliest time convenient to both parties.

Right now it's hard to see how O'Donoghue's position can be softened. Speaking on Tuesday, he said, "We made an agreement in relation to the matter and when we make one of those we abide by it. We are not in a position to change things now and, frankly, I am disappointed by the attitude of some of the (GAA) officials out there."

He added: "I come from a GAA county and I'd consider myself a GAA man. But I'm a fair man too so I don't see any way that we'll be changing the plan for the stadium development."

Significantly, the Minister also said, "I'm not so sure that their (the clubs') views are shared whether at county board level or within the upper echelons of Croke Park."

It is now clear they are shared.

The row goes back to late last year when South County Dublin councillors briefly opened up the possibility that the ground would be a €20-million multi-sport arena, containing a pitch big enough for Gaelic games.

But on February 13th they voted 22-4 in favour of completing the stadium as a soccer-only ground, rejecting appeals by the GAA clubs in the area to extend the playing surface and increase the size of the dressingrooms to cater for Gaelic games.

Before that vote, however, O'Donoghue had made it clear that Government funding for the completion of the project would be withdrawn if councillors decided to proceed with anything other than a soccer stadium, as it would also break what he saw as a binding agreement with the FAI and Rovers.

"We (the Government) invested €110 million in Croke Park and they (the GAA) deserved it," said O'Donoghue. "We have overseen a situation whereby 34 per cent of the funding allocated under the sports capital programme goes to them and they deserve it.

"We have told them that we will help them with the 26 acres of land they want to develop at Rathcoole (owned by the Dublin County Board), on the same side of the city, and they deserve that too.

"But when the Tallaght proposal initially came before me it was as a home for Shamrock Rovers and I still believe that there is a need for two 10,000-capacity soccer stadiums in Dublin and that Tallaght is one of them."

Initially, six local GAA clubs presented their combined opposition to the soccer-only concept - St Jude's, Thomas Davis, Faughs, St Anne's, St Mark's and Croí Ró Naofa. At a county board meeting last week they got the support of all 96 Dublin clubs and the Dublin county executive in their quest to open the Tallaght stadium to the GAA.

Earlier this week the six clubs' spokesman, David Kennedy of Thomas Davis, took the issue to Croke Park, which resulted in the GAA's statement.

In reiterating the stance of the clubs, Kennedy said yesterday the issue still had the potential to end up in the civil courts.

"We have no negative sentiments whatsoever toward Shamrock Rovers," he explained, "and definitely welcome them to the Tallaght area. And we've always pointed out that they need to have priority in fixtures at the stadium.

"So it's only shared use we're looking for. We need a Parnell Park-like facility on the south side of the city. But from a funding perspective, this Government stance is a major departure on the funding mechanisms for stadiums.

"Of course we'd like this situation to be resolved through consensus, but we are also addressing the legal issue. We'd prefer not to go down that route but right now it's actively under consideration."

The GAA clubs have until April 12th to initiate a judicial review but are known to have sought legal advice. Rovers officials obviously fear the clubs' opposition could destroy their hopes of playing in Tallaght in the near future.