Leinster Council vice-chairman Martin Skelly has joined Westmeath chairman Tom Farrell in calling for Croke Park to be opened permanently to other sports. The current deal, which allows for the playing of rugby and soccer at GAA headquarters, is due to end at the end of next year when work on the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road should be completed. "I'd be very positive towards leaving it open to soccer and rugby. I think a lot of the fears pre-2005 have disappeared," the former Longford chairman said. "It has been a success in terms of revenue and it has been good PR. The rule allowing other sports into Croke Park only applies while Lansdowne Road is being redeveloped. Now I would like to see it changed so that it would remain open. "There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the money generated so far has been passed down and utilised to the benefit of the Association as a whole. "Secondly, Lansdowne Road will be able to cater for 50,000 and a lot of the rugby and soccer games would attract bigger crowds than that. "So I would think Croke Park would be a viable option for such future games." Westmeath chairman Farrell had urged GAA chiefs at last Saturday's county convention to keep Croke Park open to non-GAA sports beyond 2009. Tweet

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