Double bill causes concern

GAELIC GAMES: The Waterford County Board last night decided to send a formal letter to Croke Park, expressing concern over the choice of Dr Cullen Park in Carlow as a venue for Waterford's hurling qualifier against Offaly. The fixture was scheduled yesterday by the GAA as part of a double bill along with the football qualifier between Carlow and Offaly.

"Delegates at the board meeting expressed their concern that the venue would not have sufficient capacity for the crowd likely to attend," said Waterford PRO John Jackson.

"We were told that Dr Cullen Park can hold 20,000 but the Offaly footballers have good support and with Carlow playing at home the attendance for one match will be significant before you take into account the crowd that we might bring. We will be writing to Croke Park to convey our views."

Waterford believed the fixture was originally fixed as a home match for Offaly in Birr but was moved to accommodate those who wanted to support both teams from the county. On the same day the footballers of Waterford must travel to Drogheda for their qualifier against Louth.

Both counties are "designated", in other words entitled to a home draw, so as first out of the hat Louth were given the venue advantage.

"The football game was initially set for 2 o'clock - probably so supporters could also attend the hurling - but that would have meant that followers in the west of the county would have had to get up at around 7.30 in the morning. We are happy that the start has been put back to 3.30."

Meanwhile RTÉ have announced the replay of the Ulster first-round match between Armagh and Donegal, which takes place at Clones on Saturday at 5.30, will be televised. The drawn match wasn't broadcast live, a decision that caused controversy in Ulster, particularly given the decision to cover instead the disastrous Kilkenny-Offaly Leinster hurling semi-final.

The Clones replay will not be all-ticket. Only the Gerry Arthurs stand needs to be booked in advance.

Seven of the eight matches in the football qualifiers will take place on Saturday, with extra time being played where necessary.

The meeting of Wicklow and the losers of the Donegal-Armagh replay will take place at a later date as will the hurling qualifier between Antrim and Limerick, whose match has been postponed because of the latter's dual-player issue and Sunday's Munster football semi-final against Kerry.

Saturday

ALL-IRELAND FOOTBALL QUALIFIERS

Monaghan v London ... Clones, 3.30

Tipperary v Westmeath ... Thurles, 7.0

Down v Fermanagh ... Newry, 7.0

Louth v Waterford ... Drogheda, 3.30

(double bill with Rackard Cup: ... Louth v Leitrim, 3.30)

Carlow v Offaly ... Dr Cullen Park, 5.30

(double bill with hurling qualifier Group A:

... Offaly v Waterford, 7.15)

Antrim v Meath ... Casement Park, 3.0

Sligo v Longford ... Markievicz Park, 4.0

(double bill with Rackard Cup: ... Sligo v Donegal, 2.15)

ALL-IRELAND HURLING QUALIFIERS

GROUP A: Laois v Galway ... Portlaoise, 7.0

GROUP B: Dublin v Clare ... Parnell Park, 6.30

Offaly v Waterford ... Dr Cullen Park, 7.15