GAA keeping tabs on hotel costs for intercounty teams

Kerry County Board chairman Patrick O'Sullivan revealed that pre-booking a hotel in Dublin before Kerry played Limerick saved the Kerry county board €7,000. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile

The GAA are keeping tabs on the escalating costs of overnight accommodation in Dublin for counties playing in Croke Park.

As one county reports the price of a one-night stay for panel, management and backroom team members has doubled since 2019, GAA director of communications Alan Milton said of the cost: “It’s something we’re aware of obviously and I would expect counties to raise it in the usual fora.” 

Central Council make contributions to the costs incurred by teams but it is understood no decision has been made to revisit that assistance in the middle of the championship. Last week, Kerry chairman Patrick O’Sullivan expressed his hope there would be some aid from Croke Park.

O’Sullivan also revealed last week that Kerry had taken the gamble of making an advance payment on a hotel for their senior footballers the weekend of June 25 before they had beaten Limerick. 

Had they not made the pre-paid booking, they would have been charged approximately €20,000 instead of the €13,000 they secured the accommodation for that Saturday. They will stay there either after their game or before depending on which day their All-Ireland quarter-final is set.

Despite the late 7pm throw-in time for their Leinster SHC final against Kilkenny this Saturday, Galway will travel up and down to Croke Park on the same day. Their footballers are expected to do the same for their last-eight game on June 25 or 26. Galway usually only spend the night in Dublin when they reach All-Ireland finals.

Derry have not yet made any plans for their quarter-final although the county’s head of operations Stephen Barker says an overnight stay will depend on when they play. 

“If it’s an evening throw-in, we will likely travel up but if it’s an afternoon one we might have to look at accommodation.” 

Due to the travel time, Mayo have often stayed in or around Dublin the night before a Croke Park game but that might only become a matter should they progress to the quarter-finals. However, the Central Competitions Control Committee could yet fix a second round qualifier double-header in GAA HQ the weekend after next.

Ahead of their McDonagh Cup final against Antrim on Saturday, Kerry’s hurlers will fly to Dublin and return home by bus afterwards due to an unavailability of accommodation close to the city.

At present, the cheapest room in a Dublin city hotel the night before the All-Ireland senior hurling final on July 17 is €239.