KILDARE MANAGER CIAN O’Neill has re-iterated his stance on the GAA’s decision to move the Lilywhite’s All-Ireland qualifier against Mayo to Croke Park on Saturday.
Speaking on Kfm this morning, O’Neill stressed that he feels health and safety is being used as a ‘convenient untruth’ to move the clash from St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge, and that there will be ‘long-standing implications’ for the GAA if the decision remains.
“I think we need to hold firm on this,” he told Shane Beattie. “We need to be strong on our resolve.
“I don’t want this to be viewed as Kildare issuing a threat. The term collision course is being used — that’s not how we’re viewing this. If you have a stadium that has a capacity of 9,000, or whatever the figure is, then you offer an all-ticket match. Obviously your season ticket holders, both from Mayo and Kildare will be offered theirs and then a public sale for tickets up to the amount that fits.
“Then let’s go and play football. I know that means that some people that want to go may not get a ticket. But that’s the same for Taylor Swift in Croke Park and the same as an All-Ireland football final.
“Are these rules being made up as we go along? If it was in existence, we wouldn’t have any argument because it’s a rule and it’s a regulation from Croke Park.
“Now they just want to take that [home advantage] away from us because it’s a convenience for them? No, we’re not having that.”
The Lilywhites boss was then questioned on nominating alternative venues like Portlaoise or Tullamore, like the GAA supported as well as Croke Park, with Cavan-Tyrone — the other game in the double-header — to be played in Enniskillen.
“Why would a team who have home venue against a second or third seeded team in the country opt to play a game somewhere other than their home ground when they have rightfully being awarded it?
“It absolutely makes no sense. Why are we being asked to compromise here? Why is this happening — I haven’t heard any logical or rational reason from Croke Park as to why this is happening.”
He added: “If they’re saying it’s to accommodate more supporters, well then that’s a financial reason. We’re here to play football — this is a football competition, not a financial report we’re trying to produce here.
“They’re making things up as they go along. I really would worry for the integrity of any organisation that starts to compromise on its own rules and regulations, and tweak them as they go along to suit their narrative.
This to me is an issue that really effects the fabric of the GAA as an organisation. If they don’t see the error that has been made here and change their stance, I think there’s going to be long-lasting implications for the organisation as a whole.”
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