ULSTER CHIEFS RULE OUT A CLONES FINAL

ULSTER GAA chiefs have confirmed that the Ulster SFC final won’t take place in Clones for the first time since

2007.

A return to Croke Park, which hosted the provincial final between 2004 and 2006, may now be on the cards.

The Ulster decider has been pencilled in for 4pm on Sunday, November 22.

In a statement, the Ulster Competitions Control Committee said: “Due to there being no floodlights at the venue, St Tiernach’s Park, Clones is unable to be considered as a venue to host the Ulster Senior Football Championship final.

“The venue for the final will be confirmed at a future Ulster CCC meeting.”

Speaking at the end of June, Ulster Council secretary Brian Mcavoy admitted that the moving of games was being considered.

But while the use of Pairc Maccumhaill in Ballybofey was seemingly under threat, it will host the big championship clash between Donegal and Tyrone on November 1.

Mcavoy also said at the time that moving the final to Croke Park could depend on availability, with a maximum number of four games allowed over a weekend.

But he had warned that if the Ulster final was to go ahead in Clones, it would have to throw-in at 12/30pm due to the absence of floodlights.

“There will be big demands on Croke Park and it can’t take them all,” Mcavoy told the BBC at the time.

“No matter where you go there will be greatly reduced numbers, so it is all quite challenging from a logistics points of view.”