AN ULSTER VENUE is likely to host the first test of this year’s International Rules series.
GAA President Liam O’Neill revealed yesterday that he is expecting a venue in the northern province to host the clash between Ireland and Australia later this year.
Galway’s Pearse Stadium and Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds are other stadiums that have previously hosted International Rules tests with Croke Park the established venue for the second test.
Yet Casement Park in Belfast may not be the stadium chose to host the event.
“It (venue decision) will be made at the Central Council meeting. We have asked a group to report.
“We’ve an interest from venues in Ulster and on the natural cycle of things we would expect that the first game would be in Ulster if a suitable venue is found.
“It (Casement Park) is in consideration but we’d be looking at a venue that would have possibly more seating that Casement would have. I think there are more venues with more seating and covered accommodation and that’s important.”
The Irish manager is shortly expected to be announced for this year’s series while O’Neill also stated that Ireland are committed to travel to Australia to compete in the 2014 series.
The GAA has come in for praise in recent times, ranging from newly-announced 2014 Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley to recently returned Dublin teenage prodigy Ciaran Kilkenny from the AFL.
O’Neill, speaking at the launch of next September’s Aer Lingus International Hurling Festival, is pleased with the light the association has been painted in.
“I’m delighted that we were of benefit to Paul. The GAA gives a community involvement and a sense of team. It was very generous of Paul to acknowledge that and I’m very pleased that he did.
“It’s one of the second big boosts we’ve got in the last couple of weeks with Ciaran Kilkeny’s wonderful unsolicited and articulate reasoning of why it’s good to be a GAA person.
“None of us could do that. No one could have said that except the person who was in the position that he was in and he had obviously give it some thought.”
Kilkenny is set to be a player in demand by both the Dublin football and hurling squads but with Eoin Cadogan recently choosing to devote himself solely to the Cork footballers, the concept of a dual player may be coming to an end.
O’Neill has warned that young players should not be put under pressure to choose a sport.
“I don’t mind players making a choice on which way they go but my concern would be that any player would be put under undue pressure. Because as a young person of 19 or 20 how do you know in seven or eight years which one you are really going to excel at?”
