Cork GAA exploring means of facilitating turnstile payment

A TICKET FOR EVERYONE: A general view of Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Pic: ©INPHO/Ken Sutton

Cork GAA are looking at ways of facilitating turnstile payment at their county championship games later in the summer.

Cork will continue to abide by the GAA’s cashless ticketing policy for their club championship program and patrons will continue to have to purchase their tickets online in advance of club games, but proposals are being drawn up to assist the small minority for whom purchasing online proved unworkable last year.

It remains to be seen what shape these proposals will take, and whether, for example, a single cash and/or credit/debit card gate might be operated at Páirc Uí Rinn and Páirc Uí Chaoimh for county championship games staged at the two Cork GAA venues.

Discussions around the issue have started at county board executive level, but it was decided not to air any early proposals at last week’s county board meeting.

The GAA’s cashless ticketing system, whereby tickets are not available for purchase either at turnstiles or nearby kiosks on matchday, took full effect from early last year and drew sharp criticism at a number of Cork county board meetings throughout 2022.

“A lot of decisions have been taken in recent times and they have been taken not to the benefit of people who have supported this association through thick and thin from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s up, people who are not in a position to go online,” said Youghal delegate Liam Ó Laochdha at one Cork board meeting last year.

“If you make them go to their neighbour or some other person [in order to purchase a ticket], you are taking away their independence. I don't like it one bit,” continued Ó Laochdha, his remarks drawing a round of applause from fellow club delegates.

In February of this year, GAA finance director Ger Mulryan wrote to counties to say it had come to the attention of Croke Park “that some grounds” were not correctly following the GAA’s ticketing policy and were accepting cash at matchday venues for Allianz League games.

Counties were told that if money had been collected or taken from a person for entry to a game that this admission charge forms part of the National League pool and should be remitted to Croke Park.