Semple Stadium to host Castlehaven-St Brigid's All-Ireland SFC semi-final 

The Glen v Kilmacud semi-final will be played in Newry, despite discussion about it and the Castlehaven-St Brigid’s last four games being played in Croke Park.

HQ - A NO GO: A general view of Semple Stadium. Pic: Stephen Marken/Sportsfile

Newry’s Páirc Esler will host the All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final between Glen and Kilmacud Crokes on Sunday, January 7 (3.45pm throw-in).

There had been some discussion about it and the Castlehaven-St Brigid’s last four games being played in Croke Park as the semi-finals were earlier this year.

However, the Down venue will host the repeat of the 2022-23 All-Ireland final, while FBD Semple Stadium will be the stage for the meeting of the Cork and Munster champions and Roscommon and Connacht winners, which will also be played on the first Sunday in January (1.45pm).

The quality of the Croke Park’s pitch had been impacted by an additional amount of games there around this time last year including the Leinster football and hurling semi-finals and finals before Christmas. 

“The surface has taken a lot of usage in the last few months,” said GAA stadium and commercial director Peter McKenna last January.

“There was a sequence of matches before Christmas and afterwards, the Leinster football and hurling semi-finals and finals then ladies football and camogie club matches, the All-Ireland club hurling semi-finals followed by this month’s All-Ireland club games.” 

This weekend, both senior and intermediate camogie and ladies football club finals will be played at GAA HQ with the next set of games being the All-Ireland junior and intermediate club finals on January 13 and 14 followed by the senior deciders a week later.