Power bemoans ‘keep off grass’ rule

TIPPERARY minor football boss David Power has slammed Croke Park officials for their refusal to allow his players train at GAA HQ ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final against Roscommon.

Power has revealed how requests for a training spin at Croke Park have fallen on deaf ears, with the Premier County facing a Roscommon team who have two outings on Jones Road this year. Power’s players were allowed to walk around the perimeter of the pitch following last Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final and visited the dressing rooms.

But Power is upset he was unable to get his players onto the pitch for a kick-around.

He said: “It’s a joke, laughable. When you think that rugby and soccer teams can go and train there a couple of days before their big games, and we can’t have a kick-around for half an hour. We were told that a rule is in place for the last few years but it’s a complete farce. What’s the big problem with half an hour of a kick-about in Croke Park? Some people up there could do with a reality check.”