Hughes hits out at Ulster fixture planners

Down's All-Star forward Danny Hughes says he cannot understand why the Ulster Council have not rescheduled Saturday week's provincial encounter between Down and Armagh.

The Ulster SFC quarter-final will start at 7.30pm at the Morgan Athletic Grounds - just 15 minutes before the much-anticipated Champions League final between Manchester United and Barcelona is broadcast across the world.

Given the interest in the game at Wembley it is sure to affect the attendance at the Armagh venue, with the decision to fix the Ulster tie for the same night leaving the Ulster Council open to criticism.

Hughes said: "The Ulster Council should definitely have moved the game. I just can't understand why they did that. Why take money off the gate?

"Why take people away from the game when there's absolutely no need to do it? Why not put it on at 3pm on the Saturday or why not put it on at 5pm even?

"Why not let people go to the game at 5pm and go home or go to the bars then? Economically speaking, from a financial point of view, it just doesn't make sense."

The Leinster SFC meeting of Offaly and Wexford has been refixed that day for 5pm by the provincial body. However, the Ulster Council have said that neither Armagh or Down have requested a change of throw-in in time.

"We're living in the 21st century. I can't understand the thinking behind it. At the end of the day, realistically, FIFA aren't going to move their match so the GAA have to," added Hughes.

"We're a small organisation, we have to make the most of the population we have so that people will actually go to the game. They're cutting off their nose, they really are.

"You'll have your hardcore supporters but it probably won't be anything more than would go to a National League game. It's astonishing."

The fixture clash sparks memories of an Ulster Championship match between Donegal and Derry back in 2002 which was very poorly attended. It went ahead while extra-time was being played between the Republic of Ireland and Spain at the World Cup in Suwon, Korea.

Speaking at the launch of Ulster Bank's GAA Force initiative for clubs, Hughes argued: "Did they not learn anything from the World Cup? There was nobody at that Donegal-Derry game. You learn from your past mistakes.

"There was no problem conceding when it came to opening up the grounds to any major sports. They were bigger issues, far, far bigger issues...so changing the throw-in time, I don't see the big problem."