Alternative history: if Croke Park hadn’t been opened...
The only silver lining on the cloud is that it’s the last ‘home’ game Ireland will have to play in the Millennium Stadium, with the new Aviva Stadium due to open soon.
It could all have been so different, of course. The GAA Congress vote to open Croke Park to soccer and rugby back in 2006 barely failed, but it failed nonetheless, and the nightmare scenario unfolded.
Some of the more excitable economic pundits have gone so far as to blame the GAA for the recession hitting Ireland a little earlier than anywhere else, with the flood of disposable cash out of the country hastening the weakness in the economy, but that’s been the least of the Association’s worries.
The withdrawal of sponsorship at the corporate level is one headache, but anecdotal evidence from the grassroots level is even more worrying.
Many underage activists within the GAA are finding it difficult, for example, to get fundraising efforts off the ground in smaller towns and villages, with most reporting a complete withdrawal of cooperation from people unhappy with the GAA’s stance on Croke Park.
The Government, meanwhile, still maintains the sudden drying-up of National Lottery allocations to GAA clubs in recent years is completely coincidental.
The biggest GAA story in recent weeks, of course, has been the proposed division of hurling and football within the GAA, though president-elect (hurling) Ger Loughnane’s reported comments have not gone down well with the big ball fraternity.
(For his part, Loughnane denies reports that he promised those at an east Clare GAA dinner dance that he would “bar Gaelic football completely” from Croke Park).
Keeping Croke Park closed to rugby and soccer hasn’t been all bad news, of course.
The fact that the Republic of Ireland got so much experience playing away games in their qualifying campaign for South Africa stood to them when it came to the play-offs with France.
Les Bleus couldn’t come to terms with Anfield for Ireland’s ‘home’ leg, and the boys in green weren’t remotely fazed by the Stade de France for the return.
French skipper Thierry Henry won a lot of friends in Ireland when he sportingly confessed to the referee that his late attempt at an equaliser hadn’t gone over the goal-line.
“Fair dues,” said Irish boss Steve Staunton at the Philips Manager of the Year awards recently.
“Though I have to say that I’m not sure, if I’d been in his shoes, whether I’d have done the same.”
That’ll be no consolation to the rugby fraternity, of course. From Vincent Clerc’s late match-winning try against Ireland in Cardiff back in 2007, to Stephen Jones successful last-gasp penalty for Wales in the same venue just over 12 months ago, it’s been a tale of so near, yet oh so far for Warren Gatland’s men.
Some observers suggest that the New Zealander – now the longest-serving international head coach in rugby – has been the weak link, with his fondness for the 14-man lineout whenever things go against his team.
Those observers’ case is certainly bolstered by the success of Cork man Declan Kidney with France, who have now collected a third Grand Slam in a row.
That said, Kidney’s notorious goading of opponents in press conferences ahead of big games is known to make senior figures in the IRFU cringe.
Rugby chiefs are hoping that the new Aviva Stadium will be a step in the right direction for the sport, though it comes too late, of course, to halt Brian O’Driscoll’s dramatic switch to rugby league.
One delicious irony is the fact that a late review of the planning permission conditions allowed the IRFU and FAI to extend the playing area within the Aviva; with the Jones Road residents’ High Court injunction jeopardising championship action in Croke Park this summer, the GAA may not be able to accommodate action in the capital this summer.
“If they want our stadium, we’d be happy to oblige,” said Aviva stadium administrators yesterday.
“We got €191 million from the Government. It’d only be fair to give everyone access.”
* NOTE: we met John Considine of UCC’s Department of Economics for a chat last Friday and as a result of him blinding us with stats, we said he was a professor, when he is in fact a college lecturer. Glad to clear that up. Contact: michael.moynihan@examiner.ie; Twitter: MikeMoynihanEx
