Permanent Home Advantage

As I listened to the experts discuss the draw for the Heiniken Cup quarter finals my mind strayed in a different direction. They spoke of how important home advantage is. The term itself says it all; you have an advantage playing at your home ground. Transferring this theory to the GAA can only mean one thing; Croke Park as the unofficial home of the Dubs.

In 2011, Dublin played seven National League and six Championship games. In those thirteen games, ten were played in Croke Park. The three games played outside Croke Park were National League games. What can we take from the league fixtures? Croke Park is the home of the Dubs. Traditionalists will suggest that Dublin’s home venue is Parnell Park but it’s hard to argue that point seeing as the only action it saw last year was a couple of O’Byrne Cup games. How can a team have the fortune of playing in their home venue for an entire championship? It’s the equivalent of Dublin Senior club champions, St Brigids playing the entire Championship at their home venue. On a broader scale it’s like Ireland playing all their 6 Nations games at the Aviva. It wouldn’t happen.

Ask the GAA why the Dubs play all of their games in Croke Park and the answer may include; the size of their following and the marketability of their fixtures. The main reason is money. Dublin supporters will pay to watch Dublin play in Dublin, just like most counties; you get your greatest support at home.

So the GAA is not about making money? Really? If the GAA wasn’t about money, Dublin’s footballers would be on a bus to Carlow or Tullamore on a Sunday in June. The last time they played a Leinster Championship game outside of Croke Park was in June 2006 when they travelled to Longford. They came away from Pearse Park after scraping a one point victory. It’s no wonder they haven’t left their back yard since.

In view of last week’s debate on the future of the GAA and the payment of managers, you have to wonder how far apart the notions of amateurism and professionalism really are. The Association’s wage bill soars annually as managers, coaches, physios, caterers, games promotion officers, county board staff as well as Croke Park staff all take their cut. Pay for play is an argument for a different day but it is clear that those who advocate volunteerism within the Association are generally the ones who profit from it.  

I don’t begrudge Dublin their All Ireland title, they deserved it and it was good for football. I have played against Dublin in Croke Park and witnessed the noise from the Hill when their team are on top. It is a huge advantage to them. If we played Dublin in Wexford Park that advantage would swing in our favour which arguably might help us get the few points we have needed on the last two occasions. For example, if we play Offaly in the first round of the Leinster Championship, the first team out of the hat plays at home, if we draw Dublin and we come out first we still play at Croke Park. Does that make sense? I’m pretty sure Voltaire wasn’t speaking of the GAA when he said that ‘common sense isn’t all that common’. You might argue that the concept could be applied in some situations.