Fair play to them for this.
The team drawn first shall have home advantage. That’s one of the rules of the qualifier draw.
Kildare were drawn first on Monday morning, but seeing as it was Mayo that were drawn after them, the GAA are trying to take this home advantage away from Kildare.
The reason drawing Mayo changes things is that Mayo are a well supported team. They would undoubtedly draw a huge support to St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge. They would draw a huge support if they were playing in any corner in Ireland.
When the GAA decided to request of Kildare to move the game from Newbridge to Croke Park, they were effectively saying that the ability to put a few extra bums on seats, the ability to make a few more quid, is more important than what’s fair.
The Kildare County Board were reported to have initially agreed to the request to move the game to Croker, with capacity issues in Newbridge being cited as a deciding factor.
However, on the back of outrage from a huge Lilywhite contingent on social media, it is being reported that the team are taking a stand against the GAA’s decision.
The Leinster Leader is reporting that Kildare County Board are refusing to move to Croke Park.
They have been widely backed for their decision.
We await a statement from the Kildare County Board to confirm this much.
https://twitter.com/Woolberto/status/1011240328664436736
Kildare's home game with Mayo fixed for Croke Park. Calling on @KildareGAA to hand a walkover, let the ball be thrown in with just one team on field. Much bigger issue than a game and a stand needed. Yet more biased bullshit from @officialgaa who are a step away from rigging it.
— Ewan MacKenna (@EwanMacKenna) June 25, 2018
Cavan were subject to the same fate, but seeing as their home grounds, Breffni Park are under construction, they have less grounds to be upset.
Updates to follow…
