Offaly’s Cathal Flynn on the ball with Cork’s Darragh Cashman and Adam Walsh-Murphy closing in during their All-Ireland U-20 FC semi-final in Portlaoise recently.

Croke Park decision a boost for Offaly fans

Kieran Galvin

Published: Mon 9 Aug 2021, 3:42 PM

Last updated: Mon 9 Aug 2021, 3:57 PM

The All-Ireland senior football semi-final between Kerry and Tyrone - scheduled to take place at Croke Park this Sunday - has been postponed, the GAA has confirmed.

The GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) confirmed the decision today (Monday), and the match will now be played on Saturday, August 21 at the same venue (time to be confirmed).

The decision - taken due to positive Covid cases in the Tyrone panel - is a boost for Offaly and Roscommon fans who will now receive far more tickets for their novel All-Ireland U-20 football final clash on Sunday.

The U-20 decider had been pencilled in to act as the curtain-raiser to the Tyrone v Kerry showdown.

The GAA has confirmed that the U-20 final will go ahead in Croke Park as planned on Sunday at 1.30pm "with the same permitted attendance".

Under current restrictions, GAA headquarters has a capacity of 24,000 and, no doubt, Offaly and Roscommon supporters will snap up the additional bounty of tickets with open arms, as there is huge interest in the final in both counties.

Roscommon booked their place in the All-Ireland final with a 2-13 to 1-10 victory over Ulster champions Down in Cavan last Saturday night.

For their part, Offaly followed up their stunning Leinster final triumph over Dublin by defeating Cork in their All-Ireland semi-final last Saturday week.

If the Kerry v Tyrone match was going ahead as planned, Offaly and Roscommon would have received a mere 2,000 tickets between them.

A statement from the Gaelic Athletic Association said: "This decision (postponement of the All-Ireland senior semi-final) was taken following a status report received by the GAA relating to positive Covid cases in the Tyrone panel.

"This change will necessitate the GAA Football All-Ireland final being re-arranged to take place on Saturday, September 4.

"The GAA Football U20 final meeting of Offaly and Roscommon will proceed as planned at Croke Park at 1.30pm on Sunday with the same permitted attendance," the statement continued.

"The GAA will continue to liaise with the appropriate Government Departments and officials to discuss the practicalities of having these revised fixtures included under the statutory instrument that has facilitated the increased attendances of recent weeks.

"The GAA will also be working with the LGFA around the TG4 Ladies All-Ireland Junior final scheduled for Croke Park on September 4," the statement added.

Tyrone joint-manager Feargal Logan along with players Frank Burns, Rory Brennan and Tiernan McCann all missed their Ulster final victory over Monaghan because of Covid-related issues.