Any bid to take Dublin outside Croker must come via Congress

Any attempt to change Dublin’s home advantage situation in the Super 8 will likely have to come from the floor of Congress next year.

Although the matter is currently being debated as part of a Championship discussion paper, there isn’t a great appetite at central level to change the All-Ireland champions’ schedule of playing two of their quarter-final group matches at GAA HQ.

Rule 6.28 (iii) of the GAA’s Official Guide, the rule which concerns the Super 8s, could still be altered.

A rescheduling of games, whereby the provincial champions would earn home advantage in the opening weekend instead of facing another in Croke Park, could be on the cards.

After losing their respective first-round matches to Dublin and Galway and later failing to make the semi-finals, Donegal and Kerry are keen to see that change.

Cork also signalled support for a rescheduling at a county board meeting last week.

However, in the event they claim a ninth straight Leinster title, Dublin’s first Super 8 outing would take place in Croke Park as well as their clash with Connacht or Munster winners, possibly in the third and final round.

Last July, Donegal sought and had a meeting with top GAA officials regarding the fixing of Croke Park as the venue for their clash with Dublin.

They claimed they were seeking “a level playing field for every team at the All-Ireland quarter-final group stage and to seek clarification on how any county may use a ground as both neutral and home venue”.

Following the meeting, GAA president John Horan interpreted Donegal’s gripe as having to play outside the county in their first Super 8 game having won their province.

I think Donegal’s probable frustration is the actual structure of the games that their first game is in Croke Park, I think that is part of their problem.

However, a joint Croke Park-Donegal statement highlighted Donegal did question how any team could nominate Croke Park as their home venue.

They also requested a review of the Championship’s structures be held by Central Council later in the year.

The GAA could also attempt to copperfasten the powers of the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) in light of their U-turn concerning Kildare’s hosting of their SFC qualifier against Mayo.

Meanwhile, Cork’s 2010 All-Ireland winning defender Paudie Kissane is being touted for the position of strength and conditioning coach with the Tipperary senior footballers.

Kissane was Limerick’s coach these past two seasons having previously been a part of Colm Collins’ backroom team in Clare in 2014 and Cork in 2016.