The debate surrounding the Liam Miller tribute match continues to rumble on and The Sunday Game panel have hd their say.
Last week, news hit that organisers of the event had approached the Cork county board with a view to playing the game at the newly renovated Páirc Uí Chaoimh only for the county board to be vetoed by the powers that be in Croke Park, citing the infamous rule 42 which prevents foreign games being played on GAA grounds.
The game was subsequently moved to Turner’s Cross, Cork City’s home stadium, which can only hold a crowd of 7,000 compared to a potential 45,000 that could be in attendance if the game were to be played at the home of Cork GAA.
The topic was broached on the latest edition of the Sunday Game, where resident pundits Tomás Ó Sé and Joe Brolly had their say on the matter.
The former Kerry star who lives in Cork said:
“It’s a no-brainer, 7,000 go into Turner’s Cross, 45,000 go into Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The GAA leave stuff the fester and the anger towards them builds.”
Every pitch except Croke Park has to go before Congress for permission for outside use. So even though Cork county board were open to letting the Liam Miller testimonial match go ahead in pairc Uí Chaiomh (45000) they can’t use it and it will be in Turners Cross (7000) my God
— Tomás Ó Sé (@tomas5ky) July 19, 2018
Speaking on the matter Joe Brolly quickly got to the heart of the matter. He commented:
“The GAA rules, the laws reminds me a wee bit of Father Ted’s great line about Catholicism, ‘It’s terribly vague and nobody really knows what it means’, but we clearly have in my view the discretion to allow this (Páirc Uí Chaoimh) to be used.”
The proper Father Ted line, as brilliantly delivered by Dermot Morgan, is – ‘That’s the great thing about Catholicism. It’s so vague and no one really knows what it’s about’. Brolly was not far off and the comment has merit.
Brolly, a Barrister by trade, tweeted on the matter on Friday citing the rule can be breached in order to accommodate the charity event.
Rule 5.1 (a) allows GAA pitches to be used for "purposes not in conflict with the aims and objects of the association.." So, the Liam Miller game could easily be sanctioned. In any event, the penalty for a breach is discretionary R5.1(b) so a blind eye should be turned.
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) July 20, 2018
He clarified on the matter last night saying, “The rule 5.1 allows our property to be used, so long as it doesn’t conflict with the objectives or aims of the association. All we have to do is characterise this for what it is, it’s a charity event.”
Brolly finished by saying he is confident the game will go ahead:
“I am very optimistic that John Horan, who I believe to be a man of very good intent, he’s probably gotten to this a bit late but I think it will be sorted out, because as Tomás says, the GAA family in Cork deeply wants this, everybody wants this to happen, we should give this our blessing, it’s exactly the sort of thing the GAA should be promoting.”
It is clear that the vast majority of Gaels want the game to go ahead. Over to the powers that be now to ensure that common sense prevails.
The GAA should give the Liam Miller tribute match their "blessing" – Joe Brolly #rtegaa #TheSundayGame pic.twitter.com/GWaIqETqO4
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 22, 2018
Here’s hoping.
