Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
EVERY CROWD HAS A SILVER LINING
DUBS HAVE TO TRAVEL Wexford and Wicklow hope to host Dublin.. and supporters
WICKLOW boss Davy Burke reckons Dublin’s Leinster SFC opener ‘has to be played in Aughrim or Wexford Park’.
Burke says it makes no sense to go to a neutral ground, partly because accommodating Dublin’s huge fanbase isn’t an issue.
Former All-ireland winning U-20 Kildare boss Burke (above) said: “Whoever comes out of our game, Wexford or ourselves, it has to be played in Aughrim or Wexford Park.
“There should be no question about that. I don’t see any point at all in bringing the game to Portlaoise, an empty ground that neither county has any links to.
“It will be very interesting to hear what the Leinster Council has to say. If they go neutral again, I’d ask why?
The attendance thing isn’t an issue so what’s the issue? We’re two Division 3 and 4 counties, all this is going to do is help develop football in the province. Isn’t that the aim?
“Dublin played Westmeath last year in Portlaoise. That was a bit different as Westmeath are a seasoned Division 2 team, they’ve contested Leinster finals.
“With us, you’d be talking about two Tailteann Cup teams. It’s a big difference and the right thing is to give ourselves or Wexford a home game.”
WEXFORD and Wicklow are hopeful of welcoming not just the Dubs, but also crowds come July.
While Micheal Martin and Martin Fitzgerald – Wexford and Wicklow chairpersons respectively – were both at pains to stress they are taking nothing for granted as the two counties face off in the Leinster SFC preliminary round, both are expecting to host Dublin should they qualify for the quarter-final.
Chadwicks Wexford Park was one of the four designated grounds in Leinster outside of Croke Park that could host a Championship game involving Dublin prior to the pandemic given its seating capacity.
However, Leinster chairman Pat Teehan would only confirm yesterday that the six-in-a-row All-ireland champions’ opening game would take place away from GAA headquarters.
Aughrim’s Joule Park wasn’t one of the four grounds though that shouldn’t be an issue if games are still being played behind closed doors come July, though Fitzgerald noted that it has an 8,000 capacity which he said is “probably 90% seated”.
Martin said it was his understanding Wexford “are due to host Dublin the next time we meet”, raising the prospect of the Dubs playing an away fixture in the Leinster Championship for the first time since they travelled to Longford in 2006.
The Wexford chief (below) helped to put together a proposal to the Government and NPHET last year to allow four pods of 200 supporters attend club games in Wexford Park though it was turned down. With the Wicklow/wexford v Dublin tie set to take place on the weekend of July 3/4, he said: “I would certainly hope the country would be in a position where some level of a crowd would be able to watch games in July in person. If we get our messaging right there’s no reason why we can’t have crowds at that stage.
“There’s a couple of hurdles here. For us, beating Wicklow, we got two bites at the cherry last year and Wicklow were stronger both days, and then second of all, the whole Covid situation within the country.”
Fitzgerald insisted they should have the opportunity to host Dublin regardless of the pandemic or crowd restrictions.
“It should be a home and away basis with most counties,” he said. “Ourselves and Wexford have that now.
“Home and away for Leinster Championships, that’s the way it should be and it should be the same for Dublin.
“Behind closed doors or small crowds, we would be expecting to be in Aughrim. That’s a big if though, to beat Wexford.”