Fermanagh chiefs blast scheduling of next season’s NFL fixtures

FERMANAGH county board chiefs have lashed out at the GAA’s fixture scheduling for next season’s National Football League (NFL), as the Erne County are set to be forced to play a greater number of away matches than home games for the seventh time in eight seasons.

The GAA recently issued their fixture plans for next spring’s NFL action with Fermanagh pencilled in for four away games in Division 3 and three home ties.

The Fermanagh county board have revealed that since 2003, the only season in which they had four home matches was in 2007. That particular campaign Fermanagh elected to move their ‘home’ fixture to neighbouring county grounds in Cavan and Monaghan, after consulting with the GAA’s National Infrastructure Committee about the redevelopment of Fermanagh’s county grounds in Brewster Park.

Fermanagh are arguing that the scheduling is weighted against them as 2002 was the last year where they were at home for four of their NFL fixtures. In the interim period they have been forced to undertake three trips to Cork, two trips to Kerry and Mayo and also travel away to Clare, Carlow, Laois, Kildare, Dublin and Wexford. The GAA have argued an home and away imbalance is created due to the promotion and relegation of teams.

But Fermanagh have outlined how themselves and Wexford were both promoted in 2008 and relegated in 2009, yet the Model County will still retain four home fixtures next spring for the third consecutive year.

The Fermanagh county board have also undertaken analysis of home and away fixtures over the past few years concerning all 32 counties and have revealed that Offaly will have four home fixtures for the third year running in 2010, while Kerry, Cork, Tipperary and Cavan have four home games for the second consecutive season.

“It is very disappointing that Fermanagh have been left in this position,” stated county board PRO Deirdre Donnelly. “We are very unhappy with this situation. It would be hoped that Croke Park sees some sense with these National Football League fixtures next spring. Especially when you consider these difficult financial times, it would help to ease the burden on some of the most loyal GAA fans in the country.”

Donnelly also revealed the board’s disappointment that they have been unable to host many league games in their county grounds in Brewster Park, Enniskillen since its major renovations.

The stadium was reopened in 2008 with an increased capacity to 18,000 and in addition floodlights were installed at the end of last year.

“There’s been huge financial investment in recent years into the fantastic Brewster Park facility,’’ Donnelly said.

“It’s capable now of hosting night games and there are excellent facilities for both players and supporters. So it is disappointing then for us that these facilities cannot be showcased more and hold inter-county games.”