September Road

We are always reluctant to mention the "T" word. There are simply so many things that annoy us about the methods of distribution, the allocations and the general carve-up of tickets for big and small GAA matches that, well, once we start giving out, we're not sure when we'll stop.

Why are family tickets usually for a corner of the stand? Why are supporters who are out every weekend supporting their local teams not given preference when it comes to major, high-profile, intercounty clashes? Why do student and OAP tickets usually seem as scarce as a Kilkenny footballer?

Having got all that off our chest, September Road feels obliged to defend the GAA from another common charge - that tickets are always excessively priced.

Our eyes were opened yesterday after we discovered how much it would have cost us to secure a ticket for one of the other big sporting events being staged somewhere outside Ireland over the weekend.

A stand ticket with a superb side view of the action on the Croke Park pitch for all three of yesterday's games cost supporters a modest €30.

A similar ticket, with a decent view of the action, for the United States Grand Prix would have set you back $85 (€66.50).

If you decided it was worth the long queue on Saturday morning to secure a ticket for the third-round action on Centre Court at Wimbledon, you would have ended up £51 (€74) lighter in the wallet.

Also across the water in Derby, the British MotoGP was held yesterday, with a good stand ticket costing £60 (€87).

And for the fans that attended the snore-fest that was the England v Portugal World Cup quarter-final on Saturday (and how England could have done with Matty Forde taking a penalty), the face value of a decent stand ticket was €180.

Even Wexford supporters should feel a little better now.

Quote of the Week: "It was perhaps a combination of a number of factors - exhaustion, apprehension and the get-me-out-of-here syndrome." - John Maughan ponders Roscommon's defeat.

Compiled by Damian Cullen

dcullen@irish-times.ie