Croke Park helped rugby ‘momentum’

THE man who led the drive to open up Croke Park to rugby internationals said the GAA venue helped give the Irish rugby team the momentum to take the grand slam.

Former GAA president Sean Kelly said: “If the games had to be played abroad it would have been far more difficult to win them. Our two games in Croke Park were very difficult games, particularly the English game.

“If that had been played abroad I think it would have been far more difficult to win it. And also, it helped build momentum, With more than 82,000 people, you built momentum and the fortitude to take them over the line. I’m not claiming the success, the team had to do the business and for me it was the best day we ever had in Irish sport.