President: no foreign games after 2010

GAA president Christy Cooney believes soccer or rugby will never be played in Croke Park after 2010.

The FAI and IRFU’s tenancy at the GAA’s Headquarters ends in the middle of next year when the new Aviva Stadium opens its doors, at which point the GAA’s temporary amendment to Rule 42 will come to an end.

Former Munster Council chairman, Noel Walsh, intends to make a motion at next year’s Annual Congress asking that the decision to allow other sports into Association HQ be left to Central Council on a permanent basis.

However, Cooney believes that a major chapter in Irish sporting history will close once and for all next year despite the fact that the GAA could conceivably benefit from one-off occasions such as another Munster-Leinster European tie in the years to come.

Asked if he could see soccer or rugby returning to Croke Park, he replied: “I don’t honestly think that because the commercial reality is that (the IRFU and FAI) have agreed naming rights for their stadium.

“They have seats sold to patrons which guarantees that games are going to be played there. If you are paying significant money for naming rights you are going to expect games are going to be played there.

“Our own association will have to decide whether they want to open the stadium up on a permanent basis but that is another day’s work.’’

Cooney stressed that the GAA would be open to any approaches from either of their sister organisations but added that the site on Lansdowne Road was rugby’s traditional home while the FAI had struggled on occasion to fill Croke Park and also had some issues with the size of the playing area.

With each soccer and rugby international bringing approximately €1.3m into the GAA’s coffers, there is going to be a substantial financial shortfall when the tenants leave but Cooney was unwilling to speculate on how that could be made up in future years.

“We are in a different world now, commercially, as well. These are challenging times and we have challenging times even with regards our own pitch and own facilities.

“Maybe a season with less games on the pitch mightn’t be any harm as well and we might do something about attracting more clubs to play here.’’