By Ade O'Connor
August 15 2002

Ireland may find that a crucial part of their stadia application is unavailable, after the GAA indicated that holding games at Croke Park may not be an option. The FAI and SFA had submitted Croke Park as part of their bid to hold the Euro 2008 tournament. Scotland and Ireland had come to an agreement about how many stadia each nation would provide, and the FAI had made it clear that together with Lansdowne Road and the to be constructed Stadium Ireland, Croke Park would be available for matches to take place on the GAA grounds.

At the moment, only Gaelic Games are authorised to take place on the grounds in Dublin. Previously, a vote had been held on whether to allow Rugby Union in to the stadium, but the results proved negative.

The news is a real blow for the SFA and FAI as Croke Park is indeed a world-class stadium, holding somewhere in the region of 85,000 spectators on the newly constructed facilities. It was in affect, the ace up the sleeve for the FAI, as Croke Park ranks alongside the best stadiums in Europe and it would be tough for opposition bidders to match.

Speaking on the matter, the President of the GAA, Sean McCague said ""Suggestions from unattributed sources in certain areas of the media that Croke Park will be made available in the next few years are unfounded and mischievous."

"If the bid was successful on the tenuous basis that Croke Park would be available, there could be serious disappointment and embarrassment for the FAI and the supporters of the bid at a later date," commented the GAA President.

The release of information comes as bad timing for the FAI, as next month UEFA officials will be visiting the capital, analysing the stadia and will report back with their findings to UEFA. If the bid is to continue the FAI must make an agreement with the GAA, given the history involved in this circumstance, it could be very difficult to attain.

The Republic of Ireland starts the trail to the European Championships in Portugal on September 7, when they face Russia in Moscow.