All eyes now on Croker

THE GAA could agree to open up Croke Park on a once-off basis to host the 2008 European Soccer championships, but only if it managed to negotiate a financial package with the Government that would be too good to turn down.

Mr Quinn said: "I have absolutely no idea at this stage how the association should respond to the request. But, the fact that the motion on the use of Croke Park was so heavily defeated at Congress will influence how the request is approached."

"I have no doubt that there will be a degree of opposition to any change of association policy.