Bigger not better for the GAA as ££ trumps fairness COLMBOYLE

Four-time GAA All-star and Mayo legend gives us his verdict

NOT many people were surprised that Croke Park was announced as the venue for the Leinster football semi-finals.

But I feel it is the wrong decision, based purely on generating revenue rather than ensuring the competitiveness and quality of the fare on offer.

The home venue should be selected based on the first team pulled from the draw, regardless of the venue capacity.

Kildare and Meath were the first teams out of the draw. It would have promised a close to full or even sold-out St Conleth’s Park and a guaranteed 12-13,000 full house at Pairc Tailteann.

It would ensure a cut and thrust atmosphere – which is what players and fans enjoy in Championship.

Realistically, what kind of attendance will go to the double-header at Croke Park? My guess is 30-35,000, and there won’t even be that amount in the stadium for a significant period.

Croke Park should be seen as a reward venue for getting to big games such as the Leinster provincial final, as well as for the latter stages of the All-ireland series and Tailteann Cup.

Playing in Croke Park is one of the best things a GAA player can do, and I have been lucky enough to do so more than I could have ever imagined.

But playing in Croke Park with a poor crowd and atmosphere can be an underwhelming experience.

In 2016, we played Westmeath in Croke Park in a qualifier game. It was at least three quarters empty – it was completely dead and had an eerie feeling about it.

When our game against

Kildare in 2018 was fixed for

Croke Park, I remember watching Cian O’neill (inset) that evening on the news saying they were refusing to travel there and thus came the famous mantra “Newbridge or nowhere”.

I recall thinking at the time that they were dead right to dig their heels in.

Whilst that game didn’t go our way, it was one of the best atmospheres I have ever played in. It felt like the crowd was in on top of you.

It certainly would not have felt like that if the game had gone ahead in Croke Park.

And then we have the famous All-ireland semi-final replay in 2014 against Kerry in the Gaelic Grounds. I remember walking around during the prematch parade with 45,000 screaming fans packed into the place thinking to myself, ‘this is unbelievable’.

The recent controversies over the venues for the Antrim versus Cavan and Kerry versus Cork game doesn’t do anything to dispel the theory that provincial councils and GAA officials in general are more concerned with generating revenue as opposed to doing what is right for our game.

The notion that Antrim should have been taken out of Corrigan Park because it would not meet the demand of the amount of people that would attend was crazy. The fact that there was even a vote amongst the Ulster counties on it was even more bizarre.

A clear guidance on home and away games should be brought in for provincial games, then they can use the bigger venue for the finals – Croke Park and Clones, for example.

The bigger the venue isn’t always the right option.