No Croke Park for either Armagh-Galway or Donegal-Mayo

Armagh celebrate with the fans after their All-Ireland SFC final win over Galway last year at Croke Park. Picture: Colm Lenaghan

NEITHER the repeat of the 2024 All-Ireland football final between Armagh and Galway or the clash of Donegal and Mayo will be played at Croke Park next weekend, The Irish News understands.

Consideration had been given to putting the latest instalment of the Galway-Armagh rivalry in headquarters as part of a double-header.

But Armagh’s victory over Dublin that means they will top the group regardless of next weekend’s result has lessened the game’s value, and so Croke Park is now off the table as a potential host.

Armagh v Dublin coverage

The group stage meetings between the sides in 2023 and 2024 were both played at Connacht venues, namely Carrick-on-Shannon’s Pairc Sean MacDiarmada and Sligo’s Markievicz Park.

Armagh are understood to be keen on an Ulster venue, which makes Clones and Kingspan Breffni the front-runners.

None of the eight last-round fixtures will be played at Headquarters.

Armagh came out on top against Dublin in their second round game in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship group phase fixture. Picture: John Merry

It’s understood that Donegal and Mayo were informed a number of weeks ago that their game would not be taken to Dublin in light of the cost to supporters.

Asked about the prospect of going to Croke Park following his side’s win over Cavan at the weekend, Donegal boss Jim McGuinness’s comments echoed what he had said when it was mooted that the Ulster final would move there.

“No, we wouldn’t be happy with Croke Park. Our supporters have been through the ringer financially up to this point. It’s not easy getting there, it’s expensive to stay there and so on. But there are more important people than me making those decisions,” he said.

Venues for all eight games, plus the four Tailteann Cup quarter-finals that will take place on that weekend of June 14/15, are still being finalised.

Breffni and Clones are in the running for a number of games, including Donegal-Mayo and Derry-Dublin, the latter of which could also end up in Newry.

Cavan and Tyrone played each other in the Ulster Minor Football Championship final at Brewster Park in Enniskillen, Fermanagh. Picture Oliver McVeigh (SPORTSFILE)

Brewster Park in Enniskillen has been the neutral venue of choice for several Cavan-Tyrone clashes at different levels in recent years.

Down’s clash with Monaghan was initially considered as part of a potential Croke Park double-header with Armagh and Galway. That game may still pair up elsewhere.

CCCC will meet tomorrow to nail down the plans.

Click here to read article