League Fixtures 2013 (dates & times CONFIRMED page 3 )

[Croí na hÉireann]

Ros v Royal, March 10th at the Hyde. Luvly.

Probably Kiltoom again the last Ros v Meath league game was played there.

Will ye put some signs out on the main road or else the hoors will be giving out again.

4 fecking away games again, not what's required in a fairly even division. Even though I said the same last year, we need to win the first couple of games and our home games. Can't be needing anything going up to Derry on the last day.

[Donnellys Hollow]

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3
Div 1: Kildare v Donegal (2.00)

SUNDAY, MARCH 3
Div 1: Kildare v Kerry (2.00)

SUNDAY, MARCH 10
Div 1: Kildare v Dublin (2.30)

SUNDAY, MARCH 24
Div 1: Kildare v Tyrone (2.30)

Donegal and Dublin matches moved to Croke Park. Kerry and Tyrone matches to remain in Newbridge.

[ballinaman]

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3
Div 1: Kildare v Donegal (2.00)

SUNDAY, MARCH 3
Div 1: Kildare v Kerry (2.00)

SUNDAY, MARCH 10
Div 1: Kildare v Dublin (2.30)

SUNDAY, MARCH 24
Div 1: Kildare v Tyrone (2.30)

Donegal and Dublin matches moved to Croke Park. Kerry and Tyrone matches to remain in Newbridge.

@EwanMacKenna

#GAA and #KildareGAA put money ahead of their own, and will play home league games versus Donegal and Dublin in Croker. Should be ashamed.

[Dinny Breen]

Ewan has a point, they are putting finances ahead of all other considerations and not many Kildare supporters will travel to a soulless Croke Park to watch a league game in Feb/Mar, at least in Newbridge on a Sunday afternoon the kids can go and just play.

Very disappointing!

[Croí na hÉireann]

You can never get enough games in Croker though but surprised they moved the Dublin game there. Although thinking about it I presume Conleths revised capacity wouldn't be able to hold it. Is there any works planned to bring it back up?

[Donnellys Hollow]

You can never get enough games in Croker though but surprised they moved the Dublin game there. Although thinking about it I presume Conleths revised capacity wouldn't be able to hold it. Is there any works planned to bring it back up?

Lilies to take on Dublin and Donegal in Croker

Published on Tuesday 11 December 2012 10:58

DESPITE assurances from the very top that all of Kildare's Allianz NFL home games would be played at St Conleth's Park, Newbridge, the Leinster Leader understands that, as this paper predicated when the fixtures were made public, both Kildare's opening game (versus Donegal) and their game against Dublin, both 'home' games for Kildare will be played in Croke Park in 2013, writes Tommy Callaghan.

It is understood that intense negotiations have taken place as recently as last week and an offer has been put to Kildare, that simply is too good to turn down.

The offer, understood to be in the region of e60,000 to e70,000 will allow the Kildare County Board to upgrade St Conleth's Park to the required health and safety regulations and also increase the capacity to something in the region of 8,500 to 9,000.

Croke Park, and not the Dublin County Board as happened last season, are conducting the negotiations with Kildare and it would seem they are extremely anxious to continue to promote what has become known as the 'Spring Series' for Dublin's home league games, and with the capacity levels at Parnell Park at around 7,000, Croke Park is the only alternative venue.

However, it would take a double header to make the opening of headquarters a viable proposition, thus the offer to Kildare will make that possible plus give the necessary finance to bring St Conleth's Park up to standard.

While no definite decision has been take as of yet, there is little doubt that Kildare will play those two games at Croker while their other two home games against Kerry and Tyrone will go ahead as planned in Newbridge.

Kildare are back in Division 1 of the Allianz Football League in 2013 and giving up two vital home games against such attractive opposition as All Ireland champions Donegal and Dublin will certainly not help their cause to retain Division 1 status in such a competitive league.

On the other hand with money so scarce and a big debt to be furnished the financial arrangements the offer for moving these two games is simply too good to turn down.

Kildare fans, of course, will not be over enamoured with the prospect of having to travel to Croke Park for two of their home National Football Leagues games but on the flip side if it means bringing St Conleth's Park up to the required level it will guarantee that once work is completed the problem of Kildare holding big games in the future will not be an issue.

http://www.leinsterleader.ie/sport/gaelic-games/lilies-to-take-on-dublin-and-donegal-in-croker-1-4573859

[heffo]

Ewan has a point, they are putting finances ahead of all other considerations and not many Kildare supporters will travel to a soulless Croke Park to watch a league game in Feb/Mar, at least in Newbridge on a Sunday afternoon the kids can go and just play.

Very disappointing!

They're not really in a very strong position to say no though - it's a good deal for the Kildare CB - not so good for the fans maybe.

[Dinny Breen]

You can never get enough games in Croker though but surprised they moved the Dublin game there. Although thinking about it I presume Conleths revised capacity wouldn't be able to hold it. Is there any works planned to bring it back up?

Really? Can't agree with that, give me the option of standing on a packed terrace in Newbridge, 10 mins from home or take the 1 hour trek to Croke Park to sit in a soulless stadium, well there is only one winner. A kip it maybe but a National League game is infinitely more enjoyable there than in Croke Park.

[Hound]

If I was picking something that Kildare GAA should be ashamed of, this would be well down the list!

In pure footballing terms, I think more games in Croke Park will benefit them.

I presume Kildare v Donegal will be moved to Saturday 2nd Feb, with a 5pm throw-in, and it will be a double bill with Dublin v Cork at 7pm.

Not sure whether the Dublin game fixed for Sunday March 10th will move. Ireland host France in rugby in Lansdowne on Saturday 9th at 5pm, so that might be reason to leave the football on the Sunday. Friday night could potentially be put back on the table as an interesting option.

[Hound]

You can never get enough games in Croker though but surprised they moved the Dublin game there. Although thinking about it I presume Conleths revised capacity wouldn't be able to hold it. Is there any works planned to bring it back up?

Really? Can't agree with that, give me the option of standing on a packed terrace in Newbridge, 10 mins from home or take the 1 hour trek to Croke Park to sit in a soulless stadium, well there is only one winner. A kip it maybe but a National League game is infinitely more enjoyable there than in Croke Park.

Agree from the POV of the fans. But from the team's perspective, a win over Dublin in Newbridge would mean little enough come championship time, but a win over Dublin in Croker would give a big mental boost (in my opinion anyway!)

[Dinny Breen]

You can never get enough games in Croker though but surprised they moved the Dublin game there. Although thinking about it I presume Conleths revised capacity wouldn't be able to hold it. Is there any works planned to bring it back up?

Really? Can't agree with that, give me the option of standing on a packed terrace in Newbridge, 10 mins from home or take the 1 hour trek to Croke Park to sit in a soulless stadium, well there is only one winner. A kip it maybe but a National League game is infinitely more enjoyable there than in Croke Park.

Agree from the POV of the fans. But from the team's perspective, a win over Dublin in Newbridge would mean little enough come championship time, but a win over Dublin in Croker would give a big mental boost (in my opinion anyway!)

Only a championship win over Dublin in Croke Park will really give these Kildare players real belief (in my opinion anyway!)

[heffo]

You can never get enough games in Croker though but surprised they moved the Dublin game there. Although thinking about it I presume Conleths revised capacity wouldn't be able to hold it. Is there any works planned to bring it back up?

Really? Can't agree with that, give me the option of standing on a packed terrace in Newbridge, 10 mins from home or take the 1 hour trek to Croke Park to sit in a soulless stadium, well there is only one winner. A kip it maybe but a National League game is infinitely more enjoyable there than in Croke Park.

Agree from the POV of the fans. But from the team's perspective, a win over Dublin in Newbridge would mean little enough come championship time, but a win over Dublin in Croker would give a big mental boost (in my opinion anyway!)

Only a championship win over Dublin in Croke Park will really give these Kildare players real belief (in my opinion anyway!)

Surely it's win-win though for Kildare.

Getting a few quid towards Conleth's and paying back some favours for the dig outs last year.

[Donnellys Hollow]

It's not a surprising development by any means. I'm grateful that we at least get two matches at home. I assumed that all our home matches would be moved.

The county board have no one to blame but themselves. St Conleth's Park has been a mess for decades. I know they had plans for the site at Old Connell but that has been off the table ever since the property crash and the economic downturn. At no stage was anything done to investigate a contingency plan for a refurb of Conleth's. They will claim this as short term pain for long term gain but is €60k to €70k really going to make much difference to the current ground given the state it is in?

It's the Kildare team, the Kildare supporters and the local businesses who will lose out while the county board will be clapping themselves on the back thinking they have done a great job negotiating this payment.

[heffo]

It's the Kildare team, the Kildare supporters and the local businesses who will lose out while the county board will be clapping themselves on the back thinking they have done a great job negotiating this payment.

Surely the KCB have very little wriggle room - what if they said no and then needed a sub after Christmas to pay the ESB bill?

[Croí na hÉireann]

You can never get enough games in Croker though but surprised they moved the Dublin game there. Although thinking about it I presume Conleths revised capacity wouldn't be able to hold it. Is there any works planned to bring it back up?

Really? Can't agree with that, give me the option of standing on a packed terrace in Newbridge, 10 mins from home or take the 1 hour trek to Croke Park to sit in a soulless stadium, well there is only one winner. A kip it maybe but a National League game is infinitely more enjoyable there than in Croke Park.

Agree from the POV of the fans. But from the team's perspective, a win over Dublin in Newbridge would mean little enough come championship time, but a win over Dublin in Croker would give a big mental boost (in my opinion anyway!)

That's where I was coming from alright, the team's perspective. The Dubs playing their league games there helped them towards an AI and if Kildare have aspirations on winning championship trophies there, playing a couple of league games there can only help them. Agree it's not ideal for the fans but it's not a drive to Kerry either.