The Roscommon County Board will be operating off reduced ticket availability at Dr Hyde Park for Saturday evening’s opening game in the All-Ireland football quarter-final Super-8s against Tyrone, with the 16,980 capacity still expected to meet demand.
The Connacht champions were entitled to home advantage for their opening game (5pm), which also goes out live on Sky Sports. There is general admission only on the day, and this results in the reduced capacity of 10 per cent to allow for the “free movement of people around the ground on match day”, according to Croke Park match guidelines, in line with health and safety regulation.
“The reduced capacity is 16,980 capacity,” said county press officer Hugh Lynn. “We’re expecting somewhere in the region of 14,000, so that should be enough to meet the demand, absolutely, and they’ll be on sale on Saturday at the grounds.
“It’s the same across the board when it’s general admission and unreserved seating. Basically the capacity is reduced by 10 per cent when it’s unreserved seating. Dr Hyde Park would normally be 18,890 ordinarily, so there is a 10 per cent reduction because as everyone comes in, it’s first come, first seated in the stand, then the terraces.
“And because there is no difference in price between the terrace and the stands everybody pays the same price – €25 general admission on the day. And that creates the need for the free movement of people.
“But Roscommon has the fifth smallest population in the country, so we’re expecting that will meet the demand. Tickets are available in advance, and the plan is there will also be available on Saturday.”
Croke Park round
Roscommon travel to Dublin on Saturday week for the Croke Park round of games, along with Cork and Tyrone. However, it’s still uncertain where they will play their final Super-8s fixture against Cork on the August Bank Holiday weekend as it has yet to be conformed whether Páirc Uí Chaoimh or Páirc Uí Rinn will host the game.
Kerry’s opening Super-8s game against Mayo at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney on Sunday is now likely to be a 31,900 sellout depending on advance ticket sales over coming days.
It was announced earlier this week that the capacity of Fitzgerald Stadium has also been lowered from 38,000 to 31,900, mainly due to the limit on the main stand to cater for all Kerry and Mayo season ticket holders.
Stand seating will also be first come, first served: again the “free movement of people around the ground on match-day”, according to Croke Park, accounted for the 6,000-reduction in capacity.
Kerry are putting their 34-game unbeaten championship home run on the line on Sunday, stretching back to July 23rd, 1995, when Cork defeated them in the Munster Final 0-15 to 1-9.
Since then Kerry have played nine different counties in 24 years and yet to lose in Killarney.
Injury-free
Manager Peter Keane has also cleared up concerns about any further injury worries for forward James O’Donoghue, who missed the Munster final win over Cork last month.
“Touch wood right now we are injury-free. James O’Donoghue is back training and going well. We are confident enough that Jack Barry is in good shape. Killian Young is back training again and while he hasn’t much match practice done he is available.”
“At the moment things are pretty okay, but as you know we have a few days to go yet before Sunday and a couple of more outings where something might go wrong to change that scenario.”
