Croke Park officials are confident all games at the venue this weekend will go ahead as scheduled despite the country continuing to experience sub-zero temperatures.
There are four games fixed for Croke Park over the weekend – the All-Ireland club senior and intermediate camogie finals on Saturday, and the two All-Ireland club senior hurling semi-finals on Sunday.
Staff have been constantly monitoring the soil and air temperatures, while undersoil heating can be utilised. Having such technology available to ensure the pitch is playable is one of the reasons so many club games have been played there in recent weeks.
“We are not expecting any issues with regards the fixtures at Croke Park over the weekend,” confirmed a GAA spokesperson.
The All-Ireland camogie finals are pencilled in for Saturday, with Down’s Clonduff facing James Stephens of Kilkenny in the intermediate decider at 4.15pm, followed by the senior encounter between Loughgiel Shamrocks of Antrim and Sarsfields from Galway at 6.30pm.
On Sunday the All-Ireland club hurling semi-final between St Thomas’ of Galway and Antrim’s Dunloy is to throw-in at 1.30pm, followed by Ballygunner of Waterford and Kilkenny’s Ballyhale Shamrocks at 3.30pm.
Temperatures are forecast to rise slightly on Saturday, so it is hoped fixtures elsewhere will also go ahead as scheduled, including the All-Ireland junior and intermediate club hurling semi-finals.
Tooreen of Mayo will face Liatroim of Down in Breffni Park in Cavan at 1pm on Saturday in an intermediate semi-final, while on Sunday in the same competition Monaleen of Limerick are due to play Bray Emmets from Wicklow at O’Connor Park in Tullamore at 1pm.
The two junior hurling semi-finals take place at 1pm on Sunday, Cork’s Ballygiblin playing Horeswood of Wexford in Dungarvan, and Easkey of Sligo facing London’s Kilburn Gaels in Navan.
As of now even if there were to be any issues with pitches elsewhere GAA fixture-makers have no plans to move any of those fixtures to Croke Park this weekend.
Meanwhile, the fixture arrangements for the All-Ireland club senior football semi-finals have been confirmed for a Croke Park double header on Sunday, January 8th. Dublin’s Kilmacud Crokes will face Kerry’s Kerins O’Rahilly’s at 1.30pm, followed by Derry champions Glen against Moycullen from Galway at 3.30pm.
