Antrim could play no part in the 2025 Ulster Senior Football Championship should they follow through on their commitment not to play Armagh if the game is not fixed for Corrigan Park in Belfast.
Earlier today, Ulster’s Competition Controls Committee decided to fix the game for Páirc Esler in Newry on Saturday April 12 at 7pm.
Antrim were due to have home venue after being drawn first for their Quarter-Final but capacity concerns over Corrigan Park were expressed for a game of such magnitude.
Last month, Ulster GAA issued a statement that outlining that Corrigan Park had a 4,000 capacity and demand, when season ticket holders, player charter, match officials, multi sponsor and media provisions were factored in, would exceed capacity.
As All-Ireland champions, the number of season ticket holders from Armagh has grown.
Antrim players and management were steadfast that if the game did not go ahead in Corrigan Park they would not play it anywhere else.
And there was a sense that Ulster GAA would make the accommodation to play the game in Corrigan Park after all. Up to earlier this week that was still the anticipation in Antrim.
If Antrim don’t fulfil the fixture it will automatically preclude them from the Tailteann Cup that they are likely to find themselves in anyway on the back of their current League standing.
“In reaching this decision, the committee sympathised with Antrim GAA’s situation, which reiterates the need for Casement Park to be redeveloped as a matter of urgency,” Ulster GAA said in its latest statement confirming Newry as the alternative.
In 2018, Kildare famously dug in to keep St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge as a venue for their qualifier against Mayo when the GAA’s CCCC wanted to fix the game for Croke Park, again because of capacity concerns and health and safety issues. It went ahead in Newbridge when Kildare threatened not to play.
Cork also stood firm in retaining Páirc Ui Rinn as a venue for their 2023 Munster Semi-Final with Kerry when Páirc Uí Chaoimh wasn’t available due to a concert.