GAA BOSSES are considering taking Donegal’s Ulster Championship halloween blockbuster against Tyrone out of Ballybofey – with Croke Park being mooted as an alternative venue.
The GAA announced yesterday that the 2020 football championship would be run on a provincial knock-out basis and with the draws that had already been made.
Donegal were drawn as the home team. However, capacity restrictions are now likely to mean the game will be taken to a neutral venue.
Under current regulations, Sean MacCumhaill Park could only cater for a crowd of around 1,100. The venue’s terracing would not be in use while only around 25 per cent of the stand’s 4,500 capacity could be used.
The Ulster Competitions Controls Committee (CCC) met last night. The Donegal-Tyrone Ulster SFC quarter-final will be played on Saturday, October 31 or Sunday, November 1, with the venue yet to be confirmed.
“At the moment the Ulster CCC say they haven’t changed game but are considering it,” Donegal County Board Secretary Declan Martin told Donegal Daily/Donegal Sport Hub.
“The way it is at the moment, spectators could only go to seated areas and only a quarter of the capacity would be used.
“Actual capacity would depend on the guidelines changing. Maybe a decrease in physical distancing from two metres to one could see a slight increase or they may allow terracing to be half-full, or certainly sparsely populated.
“That will be outside the GAA’s remote and the Association will just have to go along with the government and health guidelines.”
GAA sources say that Croke Park is now being floated as a potential venue to host the do-or-due clash between the old foes. The teams are also due to meet at MacCumhaill Park in an outstanding Division One game in late September. That game would also be under the same capacity restrictions.
Mr Martin added: “We will fight to keep the game in MacCumhaill Park if we can.
“They will make the call on it, but we would like to keep it in Ballybofey, even if they allowed only a quarter of the capacity in. Or, would it be better to go to a bigger venue and get more people in?”
Sean MacCumhaill Park has a capacity of 17,520.
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