Leinster to hold fewer games at Croke Park

GAA: The Leinster Council is set to schedule fewer games for Croke Park when deciding on the venues for next summer's provincial football and hurling championship.

All dates and venues will be finalised at their meeting on November 12th, but Leinster secretary Michael Delaney hinted yesterday that most of the earlier rounds next year are likely to go to smaller venues.

For the championship just past the Leinster Council fixed a large majority of their games for Croke Park, even allowing for the weeks of unavailability during the Special Olympics. The triple bill of first round games on May 11th was particularly unprecedented.

"Of course we will be fixing the major games for Croke Park, certainly from the semi-finals on," said Delaney. "But it might be that more of the earlier games will go to other venues. Nothing at all has been finalised but it is likely we will use more venues than last year."

The main reason behind the Leinster Council's wider search for venues is the growing expense at opening Croke Park for match purposes. Last year's triple bill of first-round football games, which involved Laois against Wexford, Westmeath against Carlow, and Louth against Wicklow, attracted a crowd of just 17,142. Almost half that crowd is believed to have gained free admittance through a primary school ticket promotion.

It is now reckoned that a crowd of at least 45,000 is necessary to meet the costs of opening Croke Park for a day, money that goes on a range of expenses from catering to security. Next year's first-round football ties (Offaly against Westmeath, Wexford against Louth, and Carlow against Longford) will be played outside Croke Park, and certain quarter-finals - mostly likely Meath against Wicklow - will also go to smaller venues.

Only the Leinster semi-finals in football and hurling are certain to go to Croke Park, with the two hurling games being played on the same day. Any redevelopment work of the Hill 16 area that might be taking place at the time is unlikely to influence any decision to seek alternative venues.

"If the Hill 16 work is being carried out at that time you are only talking about a loss of around 11,000 in a stadium with a capacity of 80,000," added Delaney. "So that won't cause a problem for us."

The Ulster Council have already decided the dates for their provincial championship. The preliminary round game involving Tyrone against Derry is set for May 9th and the first-round games will take place on successive Sundays with the two semi-finals on June 13th and 20th.

While Ulster are entering a new phase of home and away draws, final decisions on venues remain with the council. And it appears Omagh is already facing problems hosting Tyrone's opening game against Derry as a fire recently destroyed much of the main stand area, which may not be refurbished in time for next May.

The provincial club championships meanwhile, continue this weekend with only one minor alteration.

The Leinster hurling quarter-final involving Kildare champions Coill Dubh and the Kilkenny champions has been postponed a week to allow for the replay between O'Loughlin Gaels and Young Irelands.

After drawing in the Kilkenny county final on Sunday, O'Loughlin's and Young Irelands will go back to Nowlan Park on Sunday to decide who will go forward to the provincial championship. Young Irelands, incidentally, are in danger of losing DJ Carey to injury.

The Leinster Council has already accommodated a request from Laois to play their provincial football championship tie later than originally scheduled. The county final will now be played on Saturday, November 15th - even though that means the winning team will be out in the Leinster quarter-final a day later. The request came because St Joseph's, who are set to meet Stradbally in the semi-final, have Joe Higgins and Tom Kelly on International Rules duty in Australia.

The Ulster Council, however, turned down Killyclogher's request for a postponement of their first-round meeting with Crossmaglen in their provincial football championship. The game goes ahead this Sunday as scheduled in Crossmaglen, and features as the live TG4 broadcast.

Having won their first Tyrone county title - upsetting the holders Errigal Ciarán - Killyclogher sought the postponement as their manager, Peter McGinnity, is part of the Irish International Rules panel in Australia, yet Ulster insisted the game go ahead as scheduled.

As expected, Waterford have failed to complete their county football championship in time for their date in the Munster championship, meaning that Cork champions Castlehaven get a bye into the semi-final to play Kerry champions An Ghaeltacht. That game takes place in Killorglin on Sunday week.

Elsewhere, the GAA and AIB yesterday launched an expanded version of their Club of the Year awards - in its fourth year - which they hope will encompass clubs of all sizes around the country. A total of 39 awards and a prize fund of €100,000 are on offer, with changes in the application form making it easier for smaller clubs to challenge for the top awards in their county.

Over 3,000 application forms have been distributed to clubs around the country, and are also available from the GAA and online at www.gaa.ie and www.aib.ie/sports.