Main pic: Donegal’s Mark Curran breaks out of defence during last year’s Ulster final in Clones. Photo Evan Logan
Next Month’s Ulster SFC final could take place in Croke Park if Armagh and Donegal qualify for the decider.
The Irish Examiner reported that, should the counties win their respective semi-finals against Tyrone and Down this weekend, their showdown is likely to be staged in GAA HQ on Saturday, May 10.
Any other combination of counties and the game is expected to go ahead in St Tiernach’s Park in Clones on Sunday, May 11 at 1.45pm. However, the strong following behind the current All-Ireland champions Armagh and Ulster holders Donegal could prompt the Ulster Council to take the game out of the province.
The last Ulster SFC final to take place in Croke Park was in 2021 when the Tyrone-Monaghan game was moved to Dublin to allow for a larger crowd to attend at a time of pandemic restrictions. A crowd of 18,000 was permitted.
Prior to that, Armagh and Donegal’s 2006 clash brought 50,715 to Croke Park.
The Clones venue holds less than 30,000 and last year 28,896 watched the Donegal-Armagh final. Armagh, who have not lifted the Anglo-Celt Cup since 2008, have lost the last two provincial finals on penalty shoot-outs. The title has not been decided in normal time since 2021.
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