GAA Says No Rift With FAI

GAA President Nicky Brennan has moved to dismiss reports of a rift with the FAI after the GAA refused an application from Stephen Staunton to allow his squad to train on the Croke Park pitch in February.

Brennan said, “The first game in relation to the soccer is not until March. The FAI had a request in for the 5th of February, but there were logistical problems there -– we play our National League game, the first game under lights, between Dublin and Tyrone on Saturday the 3rd. The following weekend, the Ireland-France game is the first game in the home nations international rugby championship.

“We have quite a lot of work to do in the field, we have to take down one set of goalposts and put up another set of goalposts, realign all the advertising signage, mark the field -- there’s various signage to be put on the field.

“So there’s a lot of logistical work to be done by our ground staff in the week leading up to the first game, and because it’s the first game, we’re very conscious that things are done right. It just wasn’t practical to accommodate it.

“We were disappointed with the reaction of the FAI last weekend. We made a big call to allow other sports here, we were magnanimous about it and we are working with the two bodies and I’m disappointed that people continue to push the bloody issue.”

The GAA, meanwhile, is to spend upwards of *17,000 per week on special lighting machines geared to help stimulate grass growth at the Canal End of the ground ahead of the soccer and rugby internationals.