Someone ought to tell Donegal there is no place like home
GIVEN the testy relationship which exits between them and came to the surface in last year’s infamous “Blows of Tralee” clash, Kerry folk could be forgiven for thinking the fixing of today’s Allianz League tie by Donegal for Letterkenny is no accident.
Normally, when Donegal host Kerry’s Munster rivals Cork they settle for Ballyshannon, a good 50minute drive south of where the Kingdom head for today.
The reality, though, is that Donegal aren’t necessarily taking Kerry out of their way – although it may be seen as an unintentional bonus – but rather because they have been left with no other choice.
An internal rule demands that Donegal schedule one home League game at Aodh Ruadh (Ballyshannon) and one at St Eunan’s (Letterkenny) with the remainder fixed for their county ground in Ballybofey.
With bumper crowds expected for their home clashes against Dublin and Tyrone, Donegal had little choice but to move today’s match out of their main venue and, as much as that might inconvenience Kerry, it hardly suits Rory Gallagher either.
Home advantage is diluted when you don’t get to play on what you consider to be your regular home ground, and had Gallagher his way today’s game would be taking place at Ballybofey.
It is a situation that demands Croke Park’s intervention because it remains something of a mystery that both Ballyshannon and Letterkenny can still qualify as ‘county grounds’ given their lack of facilities, general accessibility and limited capacity.
It is all the more bizarre given the GAA’s sensitivity towards marketing.
TG4’s cameras will set up at O’Donnell Park today and, although it’s fair to suggest that the St Eunan’s ground is neat and tidy, it will hardly provide the most flattering backdrop for a game of this importance.
It is time for the GAA to remind Donegal that there really is only one place called home.