President Horan regrets Kildare dispute
Central Council confirmed at their meeting on Saturday that all eight teams in the All-Ireland senior football championship quarter-final stages will have a home game.
GAA president John Horan yesterday made it clear that Kildare, should they beat Fermanagh this Sunday, will enjoy home advantage in their round-two game against Galway on July 21 or 22.
It is in rule that each team in the Super 8s get a home game and that will be stood over,” Horan told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland. “It was agreed at Congress and we won’t be going back on that.
Horan admitted regret about the stand-off between the GAA’s Central Competition Control Committee and the Kildare County Board regarding the venue for the county’s third-round qualifier against Mayo.
“I’m sorry that such a situation did develop, that one of our national committees locked horns with one of our county boards. But look, at the end of the day we did find a resolution, the game went ahead, and I think we will have learned lessons from that going forward, I think we’ll be better for the experience.”
He took exception to the suggestion that the Kildare stand-off was evidence of a disconnect between Croke Park and the GAA’s grassroots.
One topic you could throw out is do we go for full attendance at matches or do we cater for everybody who wants to go by changing the actual venue? That’s just one point. Which do we do? I think no matter which we pick in that argument we’re also going to come in for criticisms. I’d reject that Croke Park has lost touch with the grassroots.
Horan, who said neither Galway nor Kilkenny had an issue with the Leinster final replay being fixed for Thurles on Sunday, said he would seek to ensure there are no concerts in July and August in Croke Park in the future. Michael Bublé plays HQ this weekend, meaning the hurling replay or football qualifiers can’t be played there.
“It’s certainly something I want to change, that the months of July and August will have no non-GAA hurling or football events taking place in Croke Park. Going forward I’d like to see that change.”
Meanwhile, hurling’s Super 11s have been given the go-ahead for a second successive season in Boston this November. Although no counties have yet to be confirmed for the event, Clare are likely to defend their title while Galway and Kilkenny are set to play an exhibition game in Sydney that same month.
