Dublin double-header ruled out for Croke Park

UNTIL LAST Saturday, Dublin supporters were quietly hopeful of a second day out in Croke Park before the end of the National Football League. Not anymore. The idea of bringing Dublin’s game against Kerry to Croke Park on Sunday week, March 29th, and doubling it up with the Dublin-Tipperary National Hurling League match, has been abandoned. Instead, it will be played in Parnell Park as scheduled.

It might have been different had Dublin, like Kerry, been pressing for a place in the league final. Instead, Saturday’s defeat to Derry leaves them with only two points from four games, and thus facing a nervous battle against relegation in the remaining three rounds.

Croke Park had been mooted as the venue for the Kerry game after the success of Dublin’s opening tie against Tyrone, which drew a near capacity crowd to Croke Park – albeit as part of the GAA’s 125th anniversary celebrations.

But with the Dublin hurlers enjoying a good start to their league, it was further suggested their meeting with Tipperary on March 29th – although scheduled for Thurles – would also be switched to Croke Park to create what could have been an attractive double-bill.

“It was always a bit of a long shot,” explained Dublin county secretary John Costello. “There were some initial thoughts about doing it, but as it turns out the big issue is the Republic of Ireland soccer team are playing their World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria that Saturday night, so it wasn’t logistically possible anyway.”

It seems likely Dublin’s future in Division One could come down to the result of the final round against Westmeath on April 12th. As things stand, three teams are fighting for survival: Dublin, Westmeath and Donegal – but Westmeath are the only team with nothing to show to date.

Dublin, crucially, have beaten Donegal – but are away to Mayo on Sunday, before finishing up with Kerry and then Westmeath. It would be something of an unusual coincidence if Dublin and Westmeath were the two teams to make the drop given they were both promoted last season.

Westmeath, meanwhile, must travel to Kerry on Sunday on the back of the heart-breaking defeat to Tyrone on Sunday. Victims of an injury-time goal scored by Colm Cavanagh, Westmeath are now four losses from four games, and they’re unlikely to find any sympathy against Kerry.

Kerry can effectively secure their place in the league final if they claim another two points, and there’s little reason to suggest they won’t. Manager Jack O’Connor will be without Marc Ó Sé for the next four weeks, but the good news is the knee injury he sustained in Sunday’s win over Mayo is not as serious as feared.

Ó Se left the field 10 minutes from time after colliding with Mayo’s Aodhán O’Shea, and the initial fear was he might have sustained the dreaded cruciate ligament tear. However, a scan carried out yesterday revealed only minor medial ligament damage, and he should be back for the league final on April 26th, should Kerry get that far.

The GAA, meanwhile, have declared their satisfaction with the outcome of the interprovincial hurling final, played in Abu Dhabi last Saturday. Leinster took the title after beating Connacht 3-18 to 1-17. “The pleasing thing from our point of view was the competitive nature of the game,” said GAA press chief Alan Milton. “We’ll await some more feedback on the trip, but I think at this stage most people accept it has become very hard to promote this competition at home, and that we may need to continue to look at it as an overseas promotion.”

Final details have also been announced of this afternoon’s AIB All-Ireland club finals in Croke Park – the hurling final between Portumna and De La Salle at 2.30pm; and the football final between Crossmaglen Rangers and Kilmacud Crokes at 4.30pm.

The finals are being incorporated into the GAA’s 125th anniversary celebrations, with a small section of the St Patrick’s Day parade, called “GAA Monumental Moments” making its way to Croke Park between the two finals.

Tickets will be available at: Ballybough, Bishop’s Palace, Dorset Street and Gills Corner. Prices are €25 for adults, €10 senior citizens and students, €5 for children. Car parking is at Na Fianna on Mobhi Road, O’Connell’s School, Clonliffe College and Cleary’s off Mountjoy Square.