Former Donegal manager Jim McGuinness has criticised the decision to grant Dublin two games in Croke Park for the Super 8s this summer and suggested they could ask for one of those ties to be in a neutral venue.
Donegal's Ulster final success last Sunday secured them a place in the 'Super 8s' next month. They will join Dublin in Group 2, with those sides confirmed to meet in Croke Park on July 14/15. Last Sunday the GAA website confirmed that Dublin's last game, against Roscommon or the team that beats them in the fourth round qualifier, will also be a home game for Jim Gavin's side. McGuinness is affirmative that the prospect of two games in Croke Park for Dublin is unfair and still holds hope that it won't be the case.
"I think that's a mistake definitely. I do. I really believe that's a mistake. I think a lot of the talk about the restructures of the championship was because it was all leaning towards Dublin and gave Dublin an unfair advantage with all the games in Croke Park. Then you've this new dynamic in the Super 8s."
Donegal won in 2014 - that's four years ago. They haven't lost a game in four years. They're a top, top, top, top team which means that, are we seriously trying to suggest they're going to lose two games now in a month if they haven't lost one in Croke Park in four years? If they've two home games in the Super 8s, then Dublin are through. This isn't even a conversation. I think it would be good for Dublin, good for their legacy and good for Jim Gavin's legacy to just say, 'We don't want to play in Croke Park. We'll play in a neutral venue, wherever that game is we'll put our hand up and play it.' And they're good enough to go and beat anybody anyway.
I think it would take that negativity away from that dynamic and will create this...Okay, that's fine let's do that and we will see them in Clones, Castlebar, Breffni or wherever it is.
In a week of great upheaval with the CCCC/Kildare fixture saga, the All-Ireland winning manager believes the venue can still be changed.
'I think even if they have said it there's still room to change that if Dublin put their hand up and say, 'No, we want to go with what all the other teams are experiencing. We want to experience that as well and when we win the All-Ireland this year nobody can say anything about it.'
As it currently stands, Croke Park will host five of the 12 matches including Dublin's first and last game. The remaining four spots will be decided in round four of the qualifiers when the provincial losers play the round three qualifier winners.
Jim McGuinness will join the Sky Sports analysis team for this weekend’s games between Cavan vs Tyrone and Kildare vs Mayo live on streaming service NOW TV and Sky Sports Arena. Only NOW TV lets you watch live pay TV, on-demand shows, Box Sets as well as the latest movies and exclusive live sports without a contract through a selection of NOW TV Passes. For more information and to sign up for a free 14-day trial, go to NOWTV.com
