Sights set on final flourish

GAELIC GAMES NEWS:THE GAA have announced a new ticketing deal aimed at maximising attendances at the upcoming Allianz League finals. For the first time all GAA season ticket-holders will be entitled to free admission to the double bill of football finals at Croke Park over the Easter weekend, April 23rd-24th – with a similar deal set to apply to the hurling finals on May 1st.

General admission prices will also be unchanged from last year: stand tickets for the Division One and Two double bill on the Sunday cost €25, or €15 with the usual concessions, and €5 for under-16s. For the Division Three and Four double bill on the Saturday evening, stand tickets will cost €20, or €10 with the usual concession, and €5 for under-16s.

The GAA confirmed this week all four divisional finals will be at Croke Park – the Division One and Two finals taking place on Easter Sunday, with Donegal and Laois facing off at 2pm in Division Two, followed by the meeting of Dublin and Cork at 4pm in Division One. On the Saturday, Longford take on Roscommon at 5pm in the Division Four final, and Louth play Westmeath in the Division Three final at 7pm.

All four games will be screened live by TG4, yet the GAA believe an attendance of about 50,000 is possible for the Sunday double-header. “Giving free admission to season ticket-holders is a new venture, adding further incentive to supporters to attend these games,” said a spokesperson for the GAA ticket office . . . The presence of Dublin and the reigning All-Ireland football champions Cork should also ensure one of the best attended league finals.”

General admission for the regular rounds of the Allianz League was priced at €13, and the Dublin Spring series – which drew a combined attendance of over 100,000 to the four games at Croke Park – was available at €45, which equated to around €11 per game.

Dublin’s presence in the Division One football final is sure to result in one of the largest attendances at a league final: the similar fixture last year, involving Cork against Mayo, drew 27,005. Should Dublin make the hurling final, most likely in Thurles, a similar increase would be expected on the 14,200 that attended the Division One final between Galway and Cork last year.

Dublin’s chances of making that hurling final will partly depend on how Galway fare against Waterford – as they effectively need Galway to lose. Galway’s chances of still defending their title have been boosted by the news Joe Canning and Damien Hayes could yet feature against Waterford, or at least start on the bench. Canning hasn’t started this season due to a foot injury, and likewise Hayes – who has been recovering from a chronic knee injury. Both have been easing their way back to full training – and should at least provide some cover for free-taker Ger Farragher, who is out of Sunday’s game with an knee injury.

At the other end of Division One, Wexford’s chances of beating Tipperary and avoiding relegation have been boosted by the news forward Willie Doran is available, having recovered from the broken nose sustained in the win over Cork last Sunday week. Garret Synnott is also available having missed the last two rounds with illness, although defenders Malachy Travers and Richie Kehoe are out due to injury and work training commitments, respectively.

Among the other matters up for decision this weekend is the Division Three A final, involving Derry against Wicklow, at Pearse Park Longford – with the winners in line for promotion. On that basis, Wicklow football manager Mick O’Dwyer has cleared dual players Leighton Glynn and defender Stephen Kelly to take part, having previously ruled they must commit solely to football. Waterford’s James Quirke, from the De La Salle Club, has also joined their hurling cause having moved to Wicklow town for work reasons. Wicklow beat Derry by one point in their league game last month.

The one outstanding game in Division Four football involving Leitrim against London, set for Ruislip this weekend, has been cancelled, as Leitrim awarded London a walkover. Neither team had anything to play for with only Kilkenny below them.