Football

Ticket prices affecting poor crowds says Declan Bonner

Declan Bonner and supporters roar on the team against Cavan during the Ulster Senior Football Championship preliminary round at Ballybofey on Sunday. The crowd of 9,162 was disappointing and the Donegal boss feels it is linked to increased ticket prices. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin.
Declan Bonner and supporters roar on the team against Cavan during the Ulster Senior Football Championship preliminary round at Ballybofey on Sunday. The crowd of 9,162 was disappointing and the Donegal boss feels it is linked to increased ticket prices. Declan Bonner and supporters roar on the team against Cavan during the Ulster Senior Football Championship preliminary round at Ballybofey on Sunday. The crowd of 9,162 was disappointing and the Donegal boss feels it is linked to increased ticket prices. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin.

DONEGAL manager Declan Bonner has suggested that Ulster Council should take a fresh look at their decision to increase ticket prices and begin charging U16s for entry to the terraces for games in this year’s championship.

While under-16s have been charged £5 or €5 for entry to the seated stand in recent years, this is the first year where the charge also applies to the uncovered areas, many of which provide no seating.

That change has come at the same time as seated adult ticket prices rose from £24 (€30) to £30 (€35) for those purchased on matchdays, while it now costs £17 (€20) for matchday entrance to the terraces, up from £15.

The price of tickets purchased in advance, which have become increasingly popular in recent years, have also risen on a similar scale.

It appeared to have a major impact on the attendance in Ballybofey for Donegal’s preliminary round win over Cavan, which attracted fewer spectators (9,162) than their low-key qualifier against Longford last year (9,915).

“I think that has a definite affect, there’s no doubt about it,” said the Tír Chonaill boss.

“I think it’s €28 prior to the match or €35 if you’re getting tickets on the day, and that’s a lot of money and something that needs for Ulster Council to look at.

“If you’re looking at a family and bringing a couple of kids to a match, and you’re looking to be seated, that’s a lot of money to pay out.

“It definitely affected our attendance at our Cavan match, we had more at our National League match against Mayo (11,250). It was down the guts of 2,000 for a championship match.”

He takes his side to Celtic Park on Sunday to face a Derry team whose strength is tricky to gauge. Their relegation to Division Four in spring suggests that it should be a one-sided affair, but the reintroduction of six players from Ulster club champions Slaughtneil, as well as the experienced Sean Leo McGoldrick, will significantly solidify them.

Having dispatched Cavan with much greater comfort than most would have expected, Bonner’s are overwhelming favourites to reach the Ulster final from the weaker half of the draw.

The Na Rossa clubman insists that Derry’s league campaign will have no bearing on what they bring to the championship, and says his own men will not be taking them lightly.

“We don’t know what Derry are going to bring. In terms of what went on in the National League is going to have no bearing. They have the Slaughtneil boys and Sean Leo McGoldrick back on board.

“Derry footballers are as good as anywhere in the country. Their club football is very, very strong. Slaughtneil have been really outstanding the last number of years, the top team in Ulster, and they’ll have five or six players involved this weekend.

“When you take away that spine of any team, it’s very difficult to replace them. These guys will make a huge difference to them.

“If you’re asking do deserve to be in Division Four I’d say no, not by any manner of means. Derry are not a Division Four team.

“Ok the league table will show they are down there, but when you’re losing players like that and I know Damian tried a number of young players, it’ll have no bearing.

“It will be a different Derry taking the field and they’ll pose plenty of questions for us. We’ll have to find the answers.”

They will again be without the injured Martin McElhinney, but Paddy McGrath and Niall O’Donnell are both expected to be part of the squad after missing the win over the Breffnimen.