National Football League Final taken out of Croke Park

[AbbeySider]

I just heard on Today FM news that the National Football League Final wont be played in croke park because the pitch isnt able for it...


Croke Park will not host league finals, says Brennan
27/11/2007 - 22:09:02

GAA President Nickey Brennan confirmed today that the 2008 National Football and Hurling League finals will not take place at Croke Park.

Speaking at the launch of the National Fixtures Plan for next year, Brennan said: "The National League finals will not be played at Croke Park in 2008. The Sports Turf Research Institute would like a further opportunity to do some broader work on the pitch."

Despite many observers praising the condition of the Croke Park surface this year, the GAA President confessed that he was not totally satisfied with its condition.

"I know a lot of people think the pitch was looking great this year but I wouldn't be totally happy with it. And the STRI have advised us to get a bit more work done on it."

He added: "Moving the league finals from Croke Park is a once off. You need to have this work done at a time of year when the growth is reasonable. And we couldn't do it in June, July or August for obvious reasons with the championship."

Brennan is also unsure as to whether the four All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals, scheduled for the weekend of August 9-10, would all take place at GAA headquarters.

"We are not committed to having all four football quarter-finals at Croke Park. It will effectively depend on how the pairings work out," he admitted.

"It may be a case that we can accommodate Dublin in a stand-alone fixture at Croke Park."

Brennan also confirmed that the M Donnelly Interprovincial championships are likely to return next year, but no confirmation can yet be given in relation to the future of the International Rules Series.

"They are not in the Masters Fixtures List but I am confident that the Martin Donnelly tournament will be played next year. I can't say at this stage whether there will be an International Rules series.

"I was happy with the attendance at the recent Interprovincial finals. It was the biggest in a long number of years and the TV audience was quite high."

[Gnevin]

"I was happy with the attendance at the recent Interprovincial finals. It was the biggest in a long number of years and the TV audience was quite high."

Is this lad for real?