Gaelic Games

Connacht GAA to go ahead with indoor FBD League matches in January

All games at the NUI Galway Connacht Air Dome will now throw in at 6pm

The Connacht Air Dome will host its first intercounty match on January 4th. Photo: James Crombie/Inpho

John Fallon
Wed Dec 22 2021 - 12:09

Connacht GAA are to push ahead with their plans to stage the first indoor senior intercounty football fixtures but have brought forward the starting times for the FBD League to comply with the new Covid restrictions.

All games at the NUI Galway Connacht Air Dome at Bekan in Mayo will now throw in at 6pm rather than 7.30pm to ensure that they are finished by 8pm.

There will not be extra-time in the games, which are knockout, and the winner will be decided by a ‘golden score’ if they finish level at the end of normal time.

Dozens of schools, colleges and club games have taken place in the dome in recent weeks since it opened but the meeting of Sligo and Leitrim on January 4th will be the first competitive senior GAA match to take place indoors.

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The dome, built at a cost of €3.1m, is debt-free. It is 150m in length, 100m wide and is 26 metres in height.

The venue has 600 seats and could hold up to 2,500 but it’s expected that Covid restrictions will mean just 300 at the FBD League games. All four games will be streamed live.

The opening game on Tuesday January 4th will be Andy Moran’s first match in charge of Leitrim, while Galway and Mayo, who will meet later in the year in the Connacht championship, will have an early season run-out on January 7th.

Roscommon will meet either Leitrim or Sligo in the other semi-final the following day, with the final scheduled for Friday, January 14th.

The dome will host the annual GAA Congress in February.

Connacht FBD Fixtures 2022

Prelim Round: Tuesday January 4th

6pm - Leitrim v Sligo

Semi Final 1: Friday January 7th

6pm - Mayo v Galway

Semi Final 2: Saturday January 8th

6pm - Sligo/Leitrim v Roscommon

Final: Friday January 14th