DUBLIN WILL HAVE home advantage for next month’s EirGrid Leinster U21 football quarter-final against Meath due to the floodlights not being in action in Páirc Tailteann in Navan.
Meath were slated to have home advantage for the last eight tie on 2 March but it has now been switched to Parnell Park.
The floodlights in Páirc Tailteann are currently not in operation yet plans to replace them have been temporarily suspended.
There are plans in the pipeline to redevelop Páirc Tailteann but Meath GAA chiefs are waiting to see what grounds the GAA and Leinster Council opt to upgrade in the province.
None of Meath’s Allianz football league games this spring are scheduled for Saturday night dates as a result of the floodlight issue. Instead they are at home to Cavan on Sunday 28 February and Tyrone on Sunday 13 March.
Two years ago controversy erupted over the venue selection for the Leinster U21 football final between Meath and Dublin.
Meath were left ‘dumbfounded’ at the time when Dublin refused a coin toss for home advantage and then rejected their offer to play next Wednesday’s Leinster final in Parnell Park, insisting on neutral venue Portlaoise instead.
The Royals were suspicious at the time that Dublin were seeking to take advantage of Meath’s bigger pitch but Dublin insisted that Parnell Park was not an option due to maintenance work on the floodlights and pitch.
Dublin eventually won the clash by 0-15 to 0-10 in O’Moore Park.
