The saga is over.
After all that, Kildare and Mayo will do battle in Newbridge at 7.00 on Saturday evening as they were originally supposed to. After an entertaining back and forth between the Lilywhites and the GAA, the organisation have finally taken a step back.
Saturday 7pm #KildareVsMayo, we understand!#NewbridgeOrNowhere
— Kfm Sport (@KfmSport) June 27, 2018
The Kildare-Mayo saga has been front and centre ever since the qualifier draw on Monday morning. First of all, all the hype, attention and anticipation was based around the game itself.
It would be another tough test for the depleted men of Mayo, especially in Kildare’s back yard. But as it turned out, things were only getting going then.
The GAA dug a hole for themselves to fall into when they went against their own rules by insisting that this game would take place in Croke Park rather than in Newbridge.
Kildare supporters lost the rag at the unfairness of it all first. Manager Cian O’Neill became the most popular man in Kildare when he came out with a Braveheart style speech on RTÉ second.
The County Board backed their supporters but some folk wondered whether they were backing themselves into a corner here.
All the while, the Lilywhites stood firm to their convictions, they stood their ground and said come what may.
GAA chief Ned Quinn came out with some farcical suggestion that the game couldn’t go ahead in Newbridge because of crowd trouble.
In the end, the GAA have caved in and bowed to logic, bowed to their own rules.
The game will go ahead at 7.00 in Newbridge on Saturday evening. Victory for Kildare.
