McEneaney unhappy over reduced capacity

July 16, 2008

Louth manager Eamonn McEneaney
Louth manager Eamonn McEneaney has hit out at the fact that the capacity for Saturday's All-Ireland football qualifier against Tyrone at Drogheda has been set for just 4,500. It means that the Wee County, who have had to play their 'home' championship matches at Navan and Parnell Park in the recent past, will have less than 2,000 supporters at the eagerly-awaited tie which is a repeat of the 2006 clash that Tyrone won after a replay. "I strongly feel that the various agencies have gone overboard on the health and safety issue," he said. "If this match was played 13 or 14 years ago, the capacity would have been set at 13,000 or 14,000. In fact, when Louth played Kildare in the championship in 1991, there were 14,000 people at the game. "Louth football people are very excited about the fact that we have home advantage on this occasion. But only about 1,900 will be able to get tickets for the game because Tyrone are entitled to a similar allocation and the rest will go to Croke Park." McEneaney, who must once again plan without full back Colin Goss but will welcome back Peter McGinnity and David Reid from injury, went on to say: "I think the provision of an all-seater ground with a capacity of 10,000 or 15,000 should be a major priority for the Louth county board. "If this became a reality, it would mean that we could host Leinster championship games against the likes of Dublin and Meath, and not have to concede home advantage."

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