“That does give them an advantage” – GAA response to Super 8s question one year ago

Donegal took a stand on Tuesday night.

The county aren't happy that Dublin will play two home games in the upcoming Super 8s while every other county in the championship is permitted to just one match in their home grounds. The Donegal county board issued a statement on Wednesday night seeking a meeting with the GAA to "ensure that no team has any advantage over any other team." The advantage of course being that one "county may use a ground as both neutral and home venue."  On the back of the GAA being overruled by player power in the Newbridge or Nowhere saga last week, on the back of the Kildare and Antrim hurlers uniting to hit out at their mistreatment at the hands of the organisation, the last thing the CLG needs is more bad press. The Super 8s football championship restructure was passed in February 2017 under the rule of the GAA's then director general Paraic Duffy to be introduced for the 2018 championship. Their proposals were questioned by many at the time. Why would Dublin play in Croker twice, while every other county was subject to the terms of one home, one away and one neutral game? It didn't seem fair or logical. They were warned about the controversy this could potentially cause. Shortly after Duffy proposed the terms of his brainchild for the football championship, he was quizzed about it on The GAA Hour Show by Colm Parkinson. Here's how that interview went.

Duffy: Well, Dublin will play their home games in Croke Park, so that does give them an advantage. Wooly: That does give them an advantage. I'm surprised at that. Duffy: To be fair to Dublin, that's no different than it is at the moment. The one thing this would guarantee would Dublin is that they would head down the country. They'd be travelling down the country on a regular basis. Wooly: Why would Dublin's neutral game be in Croke Park? Why not be fair about it? Move them to O'Moore Park, to Nowlan Park. Make them go out of Croke Park because that's their home venue. If it's supposed to be a home and away basis, why do Dublin get the advantage of having theirs' in their home ground? Duffy: It's a point. It could be looked at. Wooly: Would you not think about that before you make a decision like that? You know fingers are going to be pointed in the direction of, 'the GAA want more revenue out of the Dubs.' When you're sitting down to do that, would you not do it on the fairer basis rather than, give them Croke Park and allow these proposals come at you. Duffy: Well I'm sure if this proposal is passed, there'll be plenty of tweaks and changes before the final version comes out. If we were looking at the financial side of it, you'd say right, we'll play all our games in Croke Park. To be fair to Dublin, they love going to the provinces, they may well have no objection to it and as it stands, it may be something to be discussed.

Issues with that interview

1 Duffy agrees Dublin have an 'advantage' but doesn't seem too bothered by that. 2 Duffy says it would be more advantageous for GAA to hold all games in Croke Park. Hardly, if Cork and Kerry were being dragged up to GAA HQ for a game. 3 Warning signs were there. Weren't headed. Low and behold, nothing has changed and now the GAA have some explaining to do now. Reactive rather than proactive. You can listen to that interview here from 12.15. https://soundcloud.com/sportsjoe-gaa-hour/super-8s-home-games-egos-are-bad-mkay-dublin-fleg-ii