Backlash against plan to end pitch invasions gathers momentum

THE backlash against the GAA’s efforts to end mass pitch invasions continues to intensify with a number of county chairmen yesterday expressing their reservations with recent attempts at on-field presentations.

The Kilkenny County Board is deciding whether to formally lodge a complaint with Croke Park after claims that some of their supporters were assaulted by stewards immediately after their All-Ireland hurling final success.

The influx of supporters onto the field after that game prompted the GAA to abandon the podium plan for the football equivalent on Sunday although the victorious Armagh minor side were presented their trophy from the pitch.

“My understanding is that the stewards opened the gates and there were no problems,” said Kerry county chairman Jerome Conway yesterday.

“The difficulty seems to arise when there is aggravation between supporters and stewards at the gates and people are jumping fences.

“I was interested to look at the minor presentation. I felt that only people in the Hogan Stand could see what was happening. If you were in the Cusack Stand you couldn’t see anything.

“I’m not against the idea of presenting the trophy in the centre of the field but if there is going to be an alternative it should be visible to everybody.”

Kilkenny are also considering to request that fans continue to be allowed onto the field after All-Ireland finals and the idea is gaining currency throughout the GAA community.

“I would say that there is merit in continuing the Hogan Stand presentations but the GAA would want to do something to prepare for the pitch invasions,” said Dublin chairman Gerry Harrington. “We have seen it work in other sports around the world.

“In golf, stewards allow the crowds to walk behind a cordon in orderly fashion after the last player has played his final shot onto the last green.

“I can’t see why we couldn’t do that in Croke Park.

“We can’t go on the way we are. I didn’t think there was any need to change from the Hogan Stand. The minor presentation last Sunday was a farce. I don’t know what it cost for the fireworks but the sun was cracking the trees.”

The GAA made their reasons for abandoning the traditional Hogan Stand presentation and pitch incursions clear the week before the hurling decider with health and safety being the primary one and insurance claims the secondary. And while controlled pitch incursions would meet with widespread approval, stadium chiefs have routinely pointed out that such occurrences damage the playing surface and necessitate extensive repairs.

The fact that it was Kerry and Kilkenny fans that flocked onto the pitch also raises the question as to what hope Croke Park staff would have of holding back the tide should a county end a particularly long drought or break their September duck.

One such side was the Tyrone footballers in 2003 and county chairman Pat Darcy is another who believes that the association should look to reduce the health and safety risks while allowing the pitch incursions to continue.

“There hasn’t been a lot of talk about it up here but there would have been had we been in the final. My own opinion would be that people should be allowed onto the pitch.

“What should happen is that it should be done in a more controlled way. Maybe let one section on at a time. I know there is a health and safety issue here but if it was done in a orderly fashion there is no reason why it shouldn’t happen. It is the way that people run on to the pitch, clambering over everything, that is the problem. The stampede is the problem.”