Dublin call for ticket prices freeze

DUBLIN will call for ticket prices for the All-Ireland series to be frozen at 2004 levels for the next two years.

Dublin secretary John Costello pointed out that tickets for the Mayo-Fermanagh All-Ireland football semi-final replay were 5 cheaper than the first game, but suggested that such tickets should be far cheaper: “Had it (the price) been cut to 20 it might have greatly added to the attendance for the replay, which was down by over 25,000 on the first game.”

The report also called for a general reform of ticketing arrangements for major championship games.

The GAA also faces issues relating to the Draft Dublin City Development Plan 2005-2011, which affects recreational land use in the local authority areas, while the county board has also made a submission to the Sports Campus Ireland Development at Abbotstown to support the provision of a purpose-built training/coaching facility.

Costello gave a more detailed breakdown of the cost of the newly launched three-year development programme, with the Dublin County Board itself expecting to contribute approximately 1.65 million towards the total cost of the programme, estimated at 7 m.

On the playing front, board chairman John Bailey deals with a disappointing year on the inter-county scene for Dublin while issuing a strongly worded condemnation of the verbal abuse hurled at former manager Tommy Lyons by a small minority of supporters.

He also referred to the experience of the Dublin minors when playing Laois: “While Dublin are well used to the hostility that rival counties often ‘tap into’ when facing the ‘boys from the city’, many parents and officials of the Dublin team were concerned with the ‘mantra’ being chanted by the Laois team prior to taking the pitch.”

The Dublin secretary also called for reform of the All-Ireland hurling championship and decried a situation in which only 12 counties are competing for Liam McCarthy.

While seeking a reorganisation of suspension procedures, Bailey also called on clubs to be more mindful of on-field discipline.

He also maintained the Dublin County Board’s consistent support for the opening up of Croke Park to other sports while also acknowledging “the sincere reservations of other counties.”