The excitement of the Super 8s and all these packed out provincial grounds and the prospect of ambushing Dublin somewhere down the country during high summer is suddenly a lot less appetising.
For two of the three group games in those quarter-final matches, Dublin will still be at Croke Park.
Every team will have a home match and every team will have an away match and every team will have a game at headquarters but, of course, Dublin’s home game will be played at Croker – even though it’s not their home game.
Last year, had the Super 8s been in place, the Dubs would’ve been in a group with Tyrone, Monaghan and Armagh. Three tough Ulster sides who’d cry out for a shot at the champions in a tighter ground outside of their comfort zone but the reality of it all is that what probably would’ve happened is that Dublin could’ve played Armagh at the Athletic Grounds and then had Tyrone and Monaghan at Croke Park anyway. Not much really changes.
And, on the latest GAA Hour, Colm Parkinson hit out at the GAA handing the advantage to Dublin.
“I think it’s unbelievable,” Wooly said.
“The Director General of the GAA says, ‘that gives Dublin an advantage’. But they’re going to do it. Isn’t that unbelievable? That they’re going to give Dublin an advantage by playing two games in Croke Park, which is their home venue.
“Their game at Croke Park (the neutral game) is allowed but their home game should not be at Croke Park as well or else you’re just saying, like Paraic Duffy just said, we’re giving Dublin – a team that doesn’t need any advantages – the advantage.
“It needs to be pointed out, of course, or we’ll be blamed of being anti-Dublin by all the trolls, Dublin will have no problem leaving Croke Park. This is not a Dublin issue, this is a GAA greed issue where they’re going to milk Dublin because they can pack out Croke Park for a big game.”
As much as Dublin fans travel and they do so in big numbers and fine voice, their argument would be that they can fill Croke Park so why wouldn’t they when the option is there rather than having thousands of disappointed supporters who couldn’t fit into Parnell.
“I would say tough shit,” Parkinson continued. “I would say have Dublin build a home ground that’s suitable for you. Every fan doesn’t get to go see the game.
“You got on TicketMaster for a gig or for a match, if you’re not there immediately, you don’t get a ticket. Sure if that’s the case, for a Champions League game, let’s build a stadium of 300,000 so that everybody who wants to go can go – that’s not the reality of sport.
“Everybody doesn’t get to see the game. It’ll be on tele but Dublin fans, because there’s a lot of them, don’t have a God-given right to go to the game.”
Listen to the full rant below from 11:11.
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