Record crowd urged to arrive early

International Rules Second Test: The GAA have urged supporters to arrive on time for Sunday's second International Rules Test in Croke Park after the game was confirmed an 82,000 sell-out. With the throw-in at 2pm, routes to the stadium will be greatly stressed, and special parking arrangements have been made in consultation with the Garda.

Only a few Hill 16 terrace tickets had remained after the weekend but these were snapped up yesterday morning, and the GAA reckon they could have sold another 20,000 stand tickets had Croke Park the capacity.

The sell-out crowd will surpass the previous International Rules attendance record: the 71,521 that showed up for the second Test at Croke Park in October 2002.

That remains the biggest home attendance for an Irish team in any sport, meaning that record too will be surpassed.

"There's no doubt that based on the bombardment of requests for tickets over the last number of days we could have sold another 20,000 tickets if we had them," said the GAA's press chief, Danny Lynch. "And especially stand tickets, because we've been swamped with requests for further stand tickets. They've been gone since last Friday, so I think this should answer a lot of the critics who believe this game is just not popular."

The GAA dropped radio advertisements last Friday when it was clear the second Test would be a sell-out, and following the 30,000 sell-out in Galway's Pearse stadium last Saturday evening.

Lynch also pointed out that despite talk to the contrary the series was not heavily promoted.

"That's another of the myths about this," he said. "Coca-Cola in fact did very little promotion. This series has been practically all self-promoted.

"There are some other dynamics here, and the fact that the first Test was in Galway definitely increased the demand for Croke Park. But all this proves there is obviously huge entertainment value to this game.

"The combined attendance of the two tests would probably surpass the overall attendance of any other sport in Ireland over the last month."

The GAA have issued a number of recommendations for those travelling to the game. Because many groups of children will travel to the game by coach the Garda have arranged for parking for 50 coaches at Mountjoy Square East and Mountjoy Square South.

Drop-off points for coaches will also be available at Mountjoy Square, but these coaches will have to leave once their passengers have disembarked.

Further coach parking is being made available at Great Western Way (near the former Wax Museum).

Coach drivers will have to remain with their coaches.

The Croke Park stiles will open at 11am, ahead of Sunday's curtain raiser, which sees Ireland face Scotland in shinty - the game has an 11.45am start.

Supporters are also asked to refer to the colour code on signs leading to the stadium, and the stadium plan on the back of tickets, to ensure easy access.

The GAA are also urging the supporters to stay off the pitch. Appeals to that effect will be repeated during the game, but Lynch reiterated that co-operation from supporters is crucial in the enforcement of pitch security.

"Obviously it's our wish to keep the supporters off the field at all times," said Lynch. "But that's not easy to do in an open stadium plan like Croke Park. And of course it (pitch invasion) has been part of the GAA tradition.

"But every effort will be made to enforce that rule on Sunday, and of course with so many children attending it is in everybody's interest to ensure the pitch invasion does not occur."

Sunday's Test was originally scheduled to take place under floodlights, but delays in gaining planning permission forced the organisers to revert to the early-afternoon start.

As reported last month, the GAA are still awaiting the outcome of the planning application from An Bord Pleanála - which is considering several objections - and now face a race against time to get floodlights installed in the stadium ahead of next year's Six Nations rugby internationals.

The GAA admit the situation is now "down to the wire" and it seems increasingly likely work on the floodlights - should the planning permission be granted - won't be completed in time for the rugby internationals (against France and England) next spring, and that would force the Six Nations organisers to reschedule their kick-off times.

Ireland's first home Six Nations game, against France, is set for Sunday, February 11th - the first "foreign" game after the historic decision to allow soccer and rugby be played in Croke Park while Lansdowne Road is being rebuilt.

That game has a 3pm start, which would necessitate floodlights. The next home, against England on February 24th, has a 5.30pm start.