GAA defend Hyde Park, Roscommon venue decision after Jim McGuinness blast

Irish Daily Mirror

7 hours ago

GAA chiefs have defended the decision to fix the Donegal/Mayo All-Ireland round robin encounter for Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon - following stinging criticism from Jim McGuinness after the game.
Donegal knocked Mayo out of the Championship with a last-gasp Ciaran Moore point at the Roscommon Town venue to set up a home preliminary quarter-final encounter with Louth next weekend.
But McGuinness claimed Donegal fans are 'being taken advantage of,' as the county face into their eighth championship game - more than any other side, with five of those away or at neutral venues.
For comparison, this weekend's encounter with Cork will be Dublin's sixth championship game with four of them at away or neutral venues.
In Kerry's case this weekend's preliminary quarter-final against Cavan will be their sixth championship game, with just three of them on the road, although the choice of Tullamore for last Saturday's encounter with Meath certainly favoured the Royals, with the venue much closer to them.
In Armagh's case, they've played six championship games, with just one in Armagh.
If Donegal are to make an All-Ireland final, it will mean they'll have played in 11 championship games this season with trips to Croke Park (3), Clones (3), Cavan (1) and Roscommon (1).
Speaking about the Hyde Park decision, McGuinness said: 'It was the equivalent of bringing Mayo to Omagh and staying in Derry and I don't believe that would happen. We put in an email to the CCCC to say we couldn't get a hotel in the area so we had to stay in Athlone.
"We had to go beyond the venue to come to play in the venue. I think that would only happen because it's us. Disappointed in that.
'We made a case and we made the case early. It was on deaf ears. But again, that's for another day but I don't like the fact that our supporters are always being taken advantage of.'
He added: 'We had seven games up to this point. Nobody's played more games than us. Nobody. And yet and all, we had the longest trek and all those people have to find a way to do all that. Breffni (Park) was an option. They're going to say it wasn't.
'I know that Clones was offered and that was rescinded. All you're looking for is fairness and the middle is fair.'
CCCC Chairperson Carroll outlined why the decision to stage the game at Dr. Hyde Park was made and said he'd heard McGuinness' comments.
'The CCCC, we sit down to put these fixtures together,' said the current Roscommon Chairperson.
'A lot of situations have to be taken into consideration. In the case of Donegal and Mayo, the obvious venue for us was Sligo. Unfortunately for us, Sligo wasn't available because the pitch is being repaired. The ground wasn't available.
'Breffni Park wasn't available. Cavan were playing at the same time. Clones wasn't available. Monaghan were playing two hours earlier in the day.
'Omagh wasn't available because Tyrone were playing at the same time, so our feeling was that the most logical venue for both of these counties was King and Moffat Dr. Hyde Park.
'There was people in Mayo had to travel just short of three hours as well, so it wasn't ideal for both. Look, there are a lot of things that have to be taken into consideration when we are doing these fixtures.
'When you have the most northerly county and a westerly county playing each other, it is always going to be difficult to find an ideal venue, but in fairness I think both counties were looked after well and got a good welcome.
'I'd say most Donegal people are fairly happy this morning. They are in second place (in their group).'
Fixture making is determined by a number of factors, but ultimately the GAA have the final call on dates, times and venues.
The availability of local GAA officials and stewards at venues to run big games is a primary factor.
The GAA tend not to fix games for venues when that particular county are playing elsewhere on the same day - to allow officials to attend their own county's matches and carry out match day duties.
Another factor in fixture making is broadcasting rights, with RTE having the first choice of live games.
They tend to opt for Sunday slots, with GAA+ screening some of the other ties on offer over the weekend.
Last weekend RTE screened Donegal versus Mayo and Down against Monaghan as a Sunday double header.
Derry versus Dublin or Armagh against Galway would have been regarded as bigger games in most quarters than Down versus Monaghan, but they both went on GAA+.
However, final round games have to be played at the same time and had RTE screened Dublin/Derry or Armagh/Galway, their viewing figures would have been hit if GAA+ staged the other one at the same time.