GAA APPEARS TO RULE OUT OMAGH MATCH
GAA appears to rule out Omagh match
By Seamus McKinney
THE GAA last night appeared to rule out the possibility of Omagh's Healy Park being used to stage an all-star soccer game for the Omagh bomb fund.
Spokesman at the body's Dublin headquarters, Danny Lynch said any moves to permit a charity soccer game to take place on GAA grounds would require sanction from its annual congress.
The congress is not scheduled to take place until next April.
Management at Omagh Town soccer club asked permission from the GAA in County Tyrone to use the county's main stadium for a charity soccer match as it had a greater capacity than the town's soccer grounds.
Omagh Town manager, Roy McCreadie revealed that Liverpool, Manchester United, Rangers and Celtic had all expressed an interest in coming to the town to play a local select team.
While the GAA has permitted its grounds to be used for Australian rules football, American football and boxing in the past, it has traditionally banned the playing of soccer at its stadiums.
But the organisation is coming under increasing pressure to allow Healy Park in Omagh to be used for the charity soccer match which is scheduled to be played early next year.
Kevin Skelton, whose wife Philomena was killed in the Omagh bombing, gave his full backing to the planned match.
Mr Skelton, himself a prominent GAA referee, said every little helped relatives of the dead, the injured and the people of Omagh to come to terms with the atrocity.
When Omagh Town first revealed they had sought permission to use Healy Park a spokesman for the Tyrone GAA board said the matter would be given serious consideration.
But GAA spokesman Danny Lynch last night appeared to rule out the possibility of the ground being used.
Pointing out that the GAA had already donated a six figure sum to the Omagh Fund from the proceeds of the Clare-Offaly All-Ireland hurling semi-final, Mr Lynch revealed GAA clubs across Ireland had also been urged to contribute to the fund.
He also announced plans for a major GAA game to be played in Omagh to raise funds for victims of the bombing.
But, while he did not give a definitive answer to the soccer club's request, Mr Lynch appeared to rule out the possibility of Healy Park being used for soccer.
"Any decision to play a soccer game at a GAA ground requires a decision from congress and that would have to come through a motion," he said.
Should the GAA rule against the use of the Omagh ground, the charity fund could lose out by thousands of pounds because of the relative sizes of the respective grounds.
Last night, chairman of the Tyrone GAA board Paul Dorris confirmed a request had been received by the St Enda's GAA club which owns Healy Park.
But Mr Dorris warned that any decision on the request would be only be taken after full discussion with the GAA's headquarters' staff at Croke Park in Dublin.
He also revealed the Tyrone county board was unlikely to discuss the situation until its next scheduled meeting which will not take place until early next month.
By Seamus McKinney
THE GAA last night appeared to rule out the possibility of Omagh's Healy Park being used to stage an all-star soccer game for the Omagh bomb fund.
Spokesman at the body's Dublin headquarters, Danny Lynch said any moves to permit a charity soccer game to take place on GAA grounds would require sanction from its annual congress.
The congress is not scheduled to take place until next April.
Management at Omagh Town soccer club asked permission from the GAA in County Tyrone to use the county's main stadium for a charity soccer match as it had a greater capacity than the town's soccer grounds.
Omagh Town manager, Roy McCreadie revealed that Liverpool, Manchester United, Rangers and Celtic had all expressed an interest in coming to the town to play a local select team.
While the GAA has permitted its grounds to be used for Australian rules football, American football and boxing in the past, it has traditionally banned the playing of soccer at its stadiums.
But the organisation is coming under increasing pressure to allow Healy Park in Omagh to be used for the charity soccer match which is scheduled to be played early next year.
Kevin Skelton, whose wife Philomena was killed in the Omagh bombing, gave his full backing to the planned match.
Mr Skelton, himself a prominent GAA referee, said every little helped relatives of the dead, the injured and the people of Omagh to come to terms with the atrocity.
When Omagh Town first revealed they had sought permission to use Healy Park a spokesman for the Tyrone GAA board said the matter would be given serious consideration.
But GAA spokesman Danny Lynch last night appeared to rule out the possibility of the ground being used.
Pointing out that the GAA had already donated a six figure sum to the Omagh Fund from the proceeds of the Clare-Offaly All-Ireland hurling semi-final, Mr Lynch revealed GAA clubs across Ireland had also been urged to contribute to the fund.
He also announced plans for a major GAA game to be played in Omagh to raise funds for victims of the bombing.
But, while he did not give a definitive answer to the soccer club's request, Mr Lynch appeared to rule out the possibility of Healy Park being used for soccer.
"Any decision to play a soccer game at a GAA ground requires a decision from congress and that would have to come through a motion," he said.
Should the GAA rule against the use of the Omagh ground, the charity fund could lose out by thousands of pounds because of the relative sizes of the respective grounds.
Last night, chairman of the Tyrone GAA board Paul Dorris confirmed a request had been received by the St Enda's GAA club which owns Healy Park.
But Mr Dorris warned that any decision on the request would be only be taken after full discussion with the GAA's headquarters' staff at Croke Park in Dublin.
He also revealed the Tyrone county board was unlikely to discuss the situation until its next scheduled meeting which will not take place until early next month.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0380
Published Date: 09-Sep-98
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