A glimmer of common sense has finally emerged through the cloud that has hung over the Antrim v Armagh, Ulster Championship opener on the 12th April. Antrim emerged first from the draw and nominated Corrigan Park as their home venue.
Ulster Council deemed Corrigan unfit to host the game on safety and capacity grounds but Antrim footballers dug their heels in saying ‘Corrigan of nowhere’ The Gaelic Players Association has backed the Antrim stance.
There had been doubts over the fixture ever taking place after Antrim players said they wouldn’t play the game unless it was at the Belfast venue.
But negotiations in recent days have seemingly resolved the issues of contention and the game is now set to be played in west Belfast on 12 April, with the resolution expected to be rubberstamped by Ulster GAA later this week.
We at the Saffron Gael feel that it never should have been an issue and to be fair, the noises coming out of Armagh suggested that they felt Antrim were right to make their stand.
Health and safety issues, largely concerning the big demand for tickets from the very well supported All-Ireland champions, had led the provincial body to move the game to Newry’s Pairc Esler.
This only hardened the “Corrigan or nowhere” stance from the Antrim players and indeed the county’s GAA board which put the match in potential jeopardy.
That scenario could have led to Antrim’s removal from the remainder of the football championship, which would have involved them being thrown out of the second-tier Tailteann Cup. (Talk about kicking a man when he’s down)
It’s understood that Antrim GAA have been able to convince Ulster officials that the required health and Safety provisions will be in place for the provincial quarter-final.
Antrim were first out of the hat in the Ulster SFC draw last October which normally means home advantage for that team.
Even with home advantage, the Saffrons will go into the contest as massive underdogs having suffered relegated to Division Four of the Allianz Football League on Sunday.