Antrim Gaelic Football team are prepared to boycott their Ulster Championship quarter-final against Armagh unless they are allowed to play at home in Corrigan Park. The GAA is considering moving the game due to concerns over capacity for Armagh's season ticket holders.
Antrim 's player, Paddy McBride, has declared that his team will refuse to play their Ulster Championship quarter-final against Armagh unless they are granted home advantage at Corrigan Park . The dispute arose after Antrim were initially scheduled to host the All-Ireland champions at their home ground in early October. However, the GAA 's commitment to accommodating season ticket holders threatens to relocate the game due to Corrigan Park 's limited capacity.
This capacity is insufficient to accommodate both Armagh's sizable fanbase and local Antrim supporters. McBride expressed his frustration to BBC Sport NI, stating, 'We're being told as usual that we're going somewhere else,' noting potential venue changes to Celtic Park or Newry, as Casement Park remains unavailable. McBride highlighted that Corrigan Park, with a 3,700 seating capacity, successfully hosted an Ulster Championship match in 2022, despite initial objections from Cavan. This was the first championship game at the ground since 2013. Speaking about the team's resolute stance, McBride continued, 'It sounds so simple - you have a home match you play at home. We spoke as players already,' indicating the unified decision within the squad, according to Belfast Live. He emphasized, 'We said we sacrifice too much to lie down. If it's not going to be where it's meant to be, then we'll not play it.' McBride's unwavering determination reflects the Saffrons' commitment to playing at their designated home ground. He concluded, 'It's one we all agreed with. It wasn't deliberated on, it wasn't debated, we just said this is what we're standing for and we're sticking with it.' Antrim manager Andy McEntee fully supports his players and dismisses the controversy surrounding season ticket holder numbers. McEntee stated, 'It's irrelevant how many season tickets were sold to the opposition,' adding, 'That's not our issue.' 'The draw was made on the 12 October. All season tickets weren't sold before the 12 October. So everybody knew that we had home advantage. I don't see a problem.' Despite the venue debate, Antrim faces a challenging match against a formidable Armagh team, regardless of the location. After their second All-Ireland victory this year, Armagh achieved promotion back to Division One and has dominated their recent Championship encounters with Antrim. In a 2021 showdown, Armagh secured a commanding 4-15 to 0-14 victory, while last year saw Antrim trail by nine points in another Ulster SFC clash.
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