Leinster chiefs bid to boost atmosphere by playing football semis away from Croke Park
TEAM OF RIVALS: Players at the Leinster Championship launch on Monday: Paddy Fox of Longford, Ronan Wallace of Westmeath, Tommy Durnin of Louth, Kevin Feely of Kildare, Dean Healy of Wicklow and Liam Coleman of Wexford, and front row, from left; Seán Raferty of Meath, Brian Byrne of Laois, Mikey Bambrick of Carlow and Lee Pearson of Offaly with the Delaney Cup at Cedral St Conleth's GAA Park in Newbridge. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Both Leinster senior football semi-finals will be played outside Croke Park for the first time in 30 years, it has been confirmed.
At Monday’s championship launch in Cedral St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge, provincial chairman Derek Kent announced the decision has been made to take the games out of GAA HQ for the first time since Meath beat Wicklow in Portlaoise and Dublin defeated Laois in Navan in 1995.
The last time one semi-final was fixed for outside Croke Park was 2002 (Kildare v Offaly in Nowlan Park). Kent explained the games due to be played on the weekend of April 26 and 27 will be staged in provincial venues, likely separate ones, in an attempt to improve the atmosphere at the games.
“Today, I will confirm – and I know it’s been speculated over the last number of months – that we will be moving our semi-finals out of Croke Park after 30 years and the prime reason for that is we have great provincial grounds, we haven’t been filling Croke Park like we thought we would over the last number of years and I will also say it will give a better experience of the Leinster football championship.”
In an interview afterwards, Kent expanded: “The logic behind it was that we were playing our games in Croke Park with half, quarter of an empty stadium, the atmosphere wasn't there.
“Our counties weren't travelling. Really at the end of the day we can go out to provincial grounds, which are all up standard and the point I'm making is that going out there is a win-win for everybody, it's a win-win for supporters, it's a win-win for the county boards.” Kent said Dublin’s dominance, having won the last 14 championships, 19 of the last 20 renewals, was not a reason for the move. “That wasn't in the back of our mind. To be fair to Dublin, Dublin will travel anywhere. They're a county that has no issue travelling anywhere.
“It's not about levelling the playing field. It's about going out and giving the support better value, an atmosphere that will suit a semi-final. And also a provincial ground will get some rebate back on what they've spent.”
Kent also explained the rationale behind the decision to cut the ticket prices for this weekend’s opening Leinster SFC round games. An adult stand admission has been reduced to €15 and it could be expanded to the quarter-finals in 2026.
“Our league and championship structures are designed in such a way that we have a split season. It does lead to strain on the finances of our supporters and this year we decided in the Leinster Council that the first round was €15.
“The reason for that is many of our teams could be out three or four weeks in a row. We have to ease the pressure on our supporter. It’s all very fine for me and many in administration all over Ireland, we get our tickets for free, but supporters don’t. So that’s a gift back and we’ll see how it goes and monitor it as we go along.”
Kent also hailed the launch's Newbridge venue as an example for other counties to follow. “One of the reasons for being here today is to show off what we have, to show off what the volunteer has done. It was built by volunteers within the budget of €18 million, within the timescale of 14 months.
“A blue-chip sponsor in Cedral and it will debt free in 2027. It’s a prime example for everybody on this island in how we should conduct our business with the development of our stadiums.”
Champions Dublin were not represented at the launch as they travelled out on Monday for a warm weather training camp in Portugal.
