A ‘BRIDGE TOO FAR?

Furious Lilies refusing to concede home advantage despite Croke Park warning

WHO’LL blink first? That’s the question now as Kildare’s standoff with the GAA escalates. Kildare say they won’t play Mayo at Croke Park on Saturday but the GAA is equally insistent that the venue will not be changed. Having been drawn out first, Kildare were entitled to home advantage though the Central Competitions Control Committee asked them to nominate an alternative venue due to health and safety concerns around St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge.

The ground’s capacity is set at 9,020 though for an allticket game that would have to be reduced by 10 per cent, with the tie thought to be capable of attracting up to 20,000.

When Kildare refused to nominate another venue, the game was fixed for a Croke Park double header with Cavan-tyrone, with Kingspan Breffni unavailable at present.

It emerged yesterday afternoon that the Kildare county board was refusing to this and, with the full backing of the Gaelic Players Association, confirmation came with a hard-hitting statement outlining how they wouldn’t fulfil the fixture at Croke Park shortly before team manager Cian O’neill (left) appeared on RTE’S Sixone News.

“We’ll be in St Conleth’s Park, we’re going to be togged out, we’re going to be ready to go,” said O’neill.

“That’s our home venue, we earned it by winning the last two matches on the road and that’s not going to be taken away from us.”

He added: “The draw is the draw, the fixture was the fixture.

“We were drawn out first, let’s be fair about this and let’s not bring other issues that have nothing got to do with the game of football and more imporaccept tantly the lifeblood of the Association, the players, let’s not take that away from them.

“Stick to the rules that you created, stick to the draw that was made in the presence of the president of the GAA, John Horan, this morning, stick to those rules and let’s go and play football.”

The Kildare statement outlined how the only concern raised by the gardai with regard to Newbridge being the venue was the throw-in time, which would have to be 7pm given that the Irish Derby takes place at The Curragh at 5.15pm on Saturday.

They also questioned the

If Kildare don’t turn up the game will be awarded to Mayo