SLIGO WILL NOT PLAY WITHOUT VENUE CHANGE

SLIGO have become the latest county to threaten non-participation over a venue, with a vow they will not play in next Wednesday’s Connacht Under 20 final unless it is played in Sligo.

The dispute has echoes of the Páirc Uí Rinn stand-off.

The match has been fixed for the Connacht Centre of Excellence in Bekan, Mayo, a decision Sligo claim is made to facilitate live coverage of the game on TG4.

The Centre of Excellence facilities include floodlights.

Sligo insist there is a long-standing home-and-away arrangement in Connacht at all grades, that governs football fixtures.

They also claim that having made their position clear to Connacht GAA officials they had, as of last night, received no response.

‘If those charged with the administration of the GAA in Connacht insist on throwing in at Bekan at 7.30 on Wednesday next it is an event in which Sligo GAA will not be involved,’ read the Sligo statement. This has been discussed by the players, team management and the county committee. We are all at one on the point.’