Donegal’s top GAA official yesterday welcomed the decision by GAA chiefs that could result in Dublin being moved out of Croke Park for two of their three Super 8 fixtures next year.
Donegal chairman Mick McGrath spearheaded a motion last February raising concerns about the Dubs playing two games in Croke Park - the motion was defeated comprehensively.
The Aodh Ruadh clubman has always maintained that the motion was not anti-Dublin but Donegal was only looking for “a level playing field”.
The latest GAA move means that Central Council, who have around 35 delegates, will be putting a motion to Congress next February calling for the Central Competitions Control Committee to fix the ‘Croke Park’ round or Dublin’s ‘neutral venue” for really neutral venues.
This could mean the Dubs would have to travel for their neutral match.
Reacting to the news, McGrath said he was pleased with the development: “I am pleased with the news, last February we tried to get the motion through.
“We said we would review it at the end of the year, and we will.
“I was disappointed with the outcome of the vote, but we put it on the agenda, and we are glad that the authorities are proposing a change in line with our original proposal.
“I don’t know yet if we will be putting forward a similar motion to last year, but at all stages, all we were looking for was a level playing field.
“This has to be voted on but if the CCCC have proposed it and Central Council will be putting this to the floor.
“They have 35 to 36 people in support of it, then it should go through.
“And if Dublin are declaring Croke Park as their home venue, then they can’t also have it as their neutral venue”.
