Dublin’s home game against Roscommon in the group stages of the All-Ireland series will take place at Croke Park on Sunday, May 28th – forming part of a double-header alongside the capital’s hurlers facing Galway in the Leinster SHC.
The football encounter, which throws-in at 4pm, will be preceded by the provincial hurling fixture at 2pm.
Dessie Farrell’s Dubs will also have an away game against Kildare on the weekend of June 3rd-4th and finish off their round-robin schedule in a neutral venue against Sligo on the weekend of June 17th-18th. With St Conleth’s Park currently out of commission, Kildare have to nominate an alternative home ground and the Lilywhites are likely to confirm a midlands venue this week.
Following the Leinster semi-final recently, Kildare manager Glenn Ryan was highly critical of arrangements that he felt provided Dublin with the unfair advantage of playing regularly at Croke Park.
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“I’m frustrated we got beaten, absolutely, but it’s meant to be a neutral venue, they say. It’s not,” said Ryan after the game.
“There’s the familiarity that Dublin have with here, that no other team gets a chance, and it does benefit them. And I’m probably echoing the thoughts of most other counties.”
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The Sligo-Dublin neutral encounter could yet be Croke Park, though GAA officials say there remain “lots of moving parts” and no decision has been made on that yet, with a regional ground also still a possibility.
Louth, who played their home league games in Ardee this season and have no venue deemed suitable to cater for crowds of 3,500 or 80 per cent of the expected attendance figure, have nominated Páírc Tailteann in Navan as their home venue for the All-Ireland SFC round-robin.
Mickey Harte’s men will host Cork in Navan on Saturday, May 27th with a throw-in time still to be decided. Louth beat Cork when the sides met in Ardee during the league.
On the back of last Sunday’s Leinster and Ulster finals, two other fixtures have now also been confirmed for May 27th.
Back-to-back Anglo Celt winners Derry will host Monaghan in Celtic Park at 7pm, while beaten Ulster finalists Armagh will be at home to Westmeath in the Athletic Grounds at 4.45. Both of those games will be shown live on GAAGO.
