Soccer At Casement? More Chance of Antrim Winning Liam
Talking Balls
Media friendly and ever talkative Antrim chairman Dr John McSparran has said it is unlikely that Casement Park will host a glamourous soccer tie between West Belfast outfit Donegal Celtic and Glasgow Celtic later this month.
The Glasgow team were originally pencilled in to play against East Belfast side Glentoran but apparently after some feedback from fans on the ground in Belfast (ahem) this was considered not the brightest idea. So instead the Hoops will play the local Celtic side - maybe the hotels, ferries and so were already booked - we dunno.
Problem is Donegal Celtic’s ground of Suffolk Road can only hold about 2000 spectators - roughly the attendance of last week’s hurling qualifier between Antrim and Galway which was played at Casement. Apparently officials of the Belfast club haven’t completely given up on the idea of Casement Park being made available to them. They must be breeding flying pigs, riding about on Shergar or maybe they’ve found a consignment of hen’s teeth because this ain’t happenin’ lads.
The good doctor, McSparran, isn’t personally against soccer being played in Casement but he quoted Rule 42 and the fact the rule change only related to Croke Park.
He said: “The matter would have to be referred to Congress or Special Congress, so I think Glasgow Celtic playing at Casement Park would be a non-starter. It’s ironic that Casement Park could hold a concert tomorrow, but not a soccer match. That’s just the way things are.” It’s also ironic that it was used a couple of years back to hold a political event that raised a few eyebrows but sure that’s just the way things are.
Talking Balls has the solution as usual. Donegal Celtic could offer Suffolk Road to the Antrim Co Board for their Championship matches - they would just about fill it no bother. In return, Donegal Celtic would have the use of Casement - they would lift massive gate receipts and in a double whammy that would really annoy the pea brains and bigots that had them ejected from the Irish League, they would instantly have the best stadium in pathetic Irish League soccer. Now that would say ‘up yours’ in no uncertain terms. In fact in a way that the great Sir Roger Casement himself would be proud of.