GAA warn off rugby in Killarney moves

EMBARRASSED Munster rugby chiefs last night insisted there was nothing underhand or “disrespectful” in their investigations of Killarney’s Fitzgerald Stadium as a potential venue for future Heineken Cup games.

Comments by Munster branch chief executive Garret Fitzgerald at a fans’ forum in Tralee sparked a furore yesterday after he mistakenly suggested the GAA stadium in Kerry was not vested in the GAA and was being considered as a potential match venue.

However, following clarification from the GAA yesterday, Mr Fitzgerald said he regretted any misunderstanding.

“We have unqualified respect for the GAA and its constituent clubs. We certainly would never be disrespectful of the organisation.”

Mr Fitzgerald explained that the comments in yesterday’s Irish Examiner originated from informal approaches made in the recent past to Munster by persons representing local interests in Killarney.

“The suggestion made by those persons that Munster might use Fitzgerald Stadium were only entertained because it was intimated that it enjoyed a unique ownership status. Furthermore, it was only the branch’s intention to ‘examine the possibility’ of Fitzgerald Stadium being an option, in the event of Munster requiring a suitable stadium within the province.”

The suggestion drew a sharp response yesterday from Croke Park, emphasising that the Killarney venue is owned and controlled by the GAA and any decision in regard to the use of the stadium by other sports is a matter for Congress.

“The rules and policy in regard to GAA grounds were clear and unambiguous and were well ventilated in the context of this year’s Congress debate in relation to the use of Croke Park. Congress decided that Central Council was given the authority to consider an application from the IRFU and the FAI for use of Croke Park for senior internationals while Lansdowne Road was closed due to redevelopment works.

“Other GAA grounds were clearly excluded from this decision and the GAA considers the statement discourteous to the GAA, relative to the debate which has already taken place and insensitive and unhelpful relative to potential future consideration in relation to use of Croke Park.”

GAA president Sean Kelly is a trustee of the Fitzgerald Stadium committee which has been strenuously bidding for more games to service the redevelopment debt. Committee chairman Padraig O’Sullivan said the misunderstanding about the stadium’s status needed to be clarified.

“The stadium is vested in the GAA and any decision on its usage is a matter for Congress,” he said.

Meanwhile, at a follow-up fans’ forum in Waterford yesterday, Mr Fitzgerald reiterated his desire to keep Munster’s Heineken Cup knockout fixtures in the province.

With capacity restrictions at Thomond Park, Munster face playing any such game at Lansdowne Road.

However, if any suitable venue presented itself in the southern province, the branch would certainly look at all possibilities.

Meanwhile, Mr Kelly has said that a number of counties have been wasting money by building oversized stadia.

Speaking at the opening of a new state-of-the-art gym built in Dr Cullen Park by the Carlow County Board, Mr Kelly said: “This is an ideal county ground. Far too many counties are too ambitious and build county grounds for 40,000 to 50,000 people and it’s only filled twice a year. They find the costs go up and get too expensive in time while other counties have no proper county grounds.

“Carlow has the ideal ground which can hold between 15,000 to 20,000 people,” he said.