Dublin could play two Sam Maguire group games at Croke Park

Although the final game in the round-robin period is to be played at neutral venues, the CCCC have not ruled out fixing Dublin’s neutral game at GAA HQ

HOME COMFORTS: Con O'Callaghan of Dublin in action against Conor McCluskey of Derry during the Allianz Football League Division 2 Final match between Dublin and Derry at Croke Park in Dublin. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Dublin could play two of their three Sam Maguire Cup group games in Croke Park, the GAA have confirmed.

Although the final game in the round-robin period is to be played at neutral venues between provincial winners and runners-up from another province, the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) have not ruled out fixing Dublin’s neutral game at GAA HQ.

In 2020, the CCCC were empowered by a successful motion at Annual Congress to determine neutral venues as they see fit. Previously, the rule stated Croke Park must be one of the neutral venues for the All-Ireland quarter-final round-robin series. However, that year’s Super 8 never took place due to the pandemic.

That proposal came a year after Donegal failed with their motion for Croke Park not to be considered a home venue by any county.

Dublin have already qualified as at least third seeds for the Sam Maguire Cup having finished in seventh place (Division 2 winners) in this year’s Allianz Football League.

Should they reach the Leinster final and thus become first or second seeds, they will play their first Sam Maguire Cup round-robin game at home and could yet face provincial runners-up in the neutral game in the third and final round of that stage of the competition.

Dublin’s Leinster SFC quarter-final against Laois or Wexford on April 23 will be played in Portlaoise or Wexford but the provincial semi-finals on April 30 have been fixed for Croke Park.

In a new departure, the GAA will release confirmed 26-man panels for championship games on Friday afternoons a day after they have been issued to Croke Park. The rulebook states the GAA have to receive panels by 9am on a Thursday before a championship game. To allow for players to be informed at training that evening, the squads will be released the following day.

Previously, it was at the discretion of counties to issue their line-ups and while some counties are understood not to be happy about releasing their substitute lists, they are now obliged to because of the championship match regulations.

Managements can still change teams up to 40 minutes before throw-in when they have to give their finalised starting line-ups to the referee. Players injured between then and throw-in can be changed but can’t take any part in the game.

Meanwhile, the CCCC have clarified that Munster and Connacht runners-up will not be matched up with the other province’s winners in the group stages of the Sam Maguire Cup. Munster’s winners could yet be joined by the Connacht finalists but Leinster or Ulster’s second-placed team too.

The draws for the Sam Maguire Cup groups will take place following the completion of the provincial championships next month.