Dublin playing away from Croke Park not a ‘done deal’

The Leinster Council has insisted no decision has been made on taking Dubli out of Croke Park in next year’s championship.

Dublin GAA chairman Sean Shanley believes it’s a “done deal” that the All-Ireland football champions will compete outside of Croke Park next summer for the first time in a decade.

The Leinster Council meet tomorrow evening to decide on fixture arrangements for their 2016 championships with huge interest in where Dublin will play their opening encounter.

Jim Gavin’s five-in-a-row Leinster winners will meet Laois or Wicklow in the provincial quarter-finals and Shanley is certain the game will take place at either Kilkenny’s Nowlan Park or Portlaoise.

Leinster Council sources were last night insistent that talk of a ‘done deal’ was premature though and that tomorrow evening’s crucial vote could still go either way.

“Leinster GAA can confirm that a meeting of the Council at Áras Laighean on Wednesday, November 11 will decide upon venues and dates for matches in the 2016 Leinster senior hurling and football championships.

“Any speculation regarding these decisions and where matches will take place is entirely premature. Leinster GAA wishes to emphasise that it will be the delegates at the meeting on Wednesday who will meet and decide on where the championship fixtures will take place.”

But speaking just 48 hours before the provincial gathering, Dublin’s top official said it’s his belief Dublin will be taken out of Croke Park and the only question is where they will play.

“As far as I know, it is a done deal, a fait accompli, that Dublin will be out of Croke Park for the first round,” said Shanley. “Dublin certainly have no objection to it. There are obviously issues about the gate receipts and the dividends that will be available afterwards and what capacity the other stadiums have. Those are things that a lot of people don’t often think about.

“But, as a decision, Dublin has no problem with it. We’re happy to leave Croke Park and go down the country. My understanding is that it’s going to happen for the first round and wherever it is, it will be a great day out.

“I remember myself watching Dublin teams in places like Navan and those were great occasions. So no problems.”

Asked if he detected a strong drive in recent times to take Dublin out of Croke Park and limit their apparent home advantage, Shanley nodded.

“It probably has been driven a little all right, people maybe think it will make a difference Dublin not playing at Croke Park,” he continued. “I don’t personally think it will make much of a difference. They’re a seriously experienced group of players and they’ll cope with whatever the change is.”

Meanwhile, Shanley said it’s his understanding there will only be one double header league games at Croke Park next spring involving both county teams. That’s likely to be the March 5 meetings against Cork in both codes.