ROSCOMMON GAA IS confident of hosting next month’s Connacht senior football championship final at Dr Hyde Park after holding ‘constructive’ meetings over the venue’s suitability to stage the game.
After defeating Leitrim in last weekend’s semi-final, Roscommon reached the provincial final for the third successive year and, in accordance with a rota system, are due to host the 2018 decider at their home ground should Galway beat Sligo in the other semi-final.
But, as reported by Colm Keys in the Irish Independent, there are a number of issues surrounding the ground, including ticket scanning and exiting, which have put the staging of the Connacht final at Dr Hyde Park in doubt.
In a statement released this evening, Roscommon GAA said: “Roscommon GAA fully accept the venue of the Connacht final will be decided by the Connacht CCC and this will be done when the winner of the Galway v Sligo game is known.”
Dr Hyde Park last hosted the Connacht final in 2015 but, according to Keys, Roscommon GAA may need to purchase scanning equipment worth €30,000 if the 25,000 capacity venue is to stage the game on 17 June.
Roscommon county secretary, Brian Carroll, stated: “I held a very constructive meeting with Connacht GAA Secretary John Prenty this week about the suitability of Dr Hyde Park for the hosting of Connacht championship games in the future and also a potential Connacht final and another meeting is planned for this weekend.”
Galway host Sligo at Pearse Stadium on 3 June, with the winners to face defending champions Roscommon in the final.
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