Meath lament venue decision for clash with Louth

MEATH County Board secretary Cyril Creavin is disappointed the All-Ireland SFC qualifier between the Royals and Laois will be staged outside the province.

The Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) yesterday announced the repeat of last year’s controversial Leinster SFC final will be hosted at Kingspan Breffni Park in Cavan on Saturday week, June 25.

With a throw-in time of 7pm, the game will be televised by RTÉ and is the second part of a double bill which includes the qualifier between Cavan and Longford at 5pm.

However, Creavin says it’s “a pity” the game won’t be played in the province. Although Louth have home advantage, Drogheda Park, with a capacity of just 4,000, was deemed unsuitable of facilitating such an attractive fixture. Louth had used Navan for qualifier games in the past but it was out of the question this time given Meath are the opposition.

“We have to run with what we have,” said Creavin. “There’s no point in cribbing about it. In fairness, we didn’t expect it would be staged in Navan. The one thing I will say is that it’s a pity we have to go outside of Leinster for a game between two Leinster teams.”

Creavin was keen to point out there is no ill feeling between the Louth and Meath county boards after last year’s controversy in the Leinster final.

“The relationship between the two county committees is good. There is no animosity. We meet the Louth lads regularly in Croke Park and at other various functions around the country.”

Meanwhile, Páirc Uí Chaoimh will host next month’s Munster senior hurling final if Tipperary defeat Clare in Sunday’s provincial semi-final in Limerick. The Cork venue would then stage the meeting of Tipperary and Waterford on July 10, in what would be a repeat of the 2002 decider when the Déise lifted their first provincial senior hurling crown in 39 years. The counties met in the showpiece event in 2009 in Semple Stadium but it had been agreed earlier that year that the Munster final would be played at the Thurles venue regardless of the counties involved, as part of the GAA’s 125th anniversary celebrations. Páirc Uí Chaoimh last hosted a Munster senior hurling final in 2005, when Cork defeated Tipp by 1-21 to 1-16.

All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers (R1, Saturday, June 25): Clare v Down, Cusack Park, Ennis, 3pm; Antrim v Westmeath, Casement Park, 2pm; Louth v Meath, Kingspan Breffni Park, 7pm; London v Fermanagh, Ruislip, 1.30pm; Cavan v Longford, Kingspan Breffni Park, 5pm; Wicklow v Sligo, Aughrim, 7pm; Offaly v Monaghan, Tullamore, 7pm; Laois v Tipperary, Portlaoise, 5pm/7pm* *(If part of double header with All-Ireland SHC Laois v Offaly, throw-in will be at 5pm. If it is a stand-alone fixture, throw-in will be at 7pm).

All-Ireland SHC Qualifiers Phase II , Saturday, June 25):

If Antrim v Carlow, Casement Park, 4pm; If Westmeath v Carlow, Cusack Park, 3pm. If Laois v Offaly, Portlaoise, 3pm; If Cork v Offaly, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 3pm.