Martin McHugh has rowed in to the Mayo-Kerry replay venue controversy, insisting that it is another own goal on the GAA's part.

The replay has been fixed for the Gaelic Grounds next Saturday evening because Croke Park will instead be hosting an American football college game and McHugh sees Croker's unavailability for one of the biggest GAA games of the season as another embarrassing episode for the Association.

"The mess over the Garth Brooks fiasco was bad enough," the former Donegal star writes in the Irish Daily Star.

"But this is even worse because it's affecting the All-Ireland championship.

"The decision-makers in Croke Park need to take a long hard look in the mirror this morning. It is simply disgraceful that the GAA's flagship stadium isn't available for an All-Ireland semi-final because of an American football game between two colleges.

"I believe colleges' American football is a big deal in the USA. But here's a message for GAA chiefs - this is not America.

"Did the powers-that-be not think a replay was possible at this stage of the season? Did they think that no All-Ireland semi-final had ever ended in a draw before?

"I wonder what would have happened if Donegal / Dublin had been played yesterday, and ended in a draw? I would bet my mortgage that a replay, in those circumstances, wouldn't be taken out of Croke Park.

"There's just no way the GAA would take the financial hit of 30,000 less Dublin fans coming through their turnstiles."

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