Kieran Donaghy calls for increased attendances at GAA club games

There is currently a maximum of 200 people allowed at games, regardless of the capacity of the venue

Kieran Donaghy has called for an easing of restrictions to allow more than 200 people attend GAA matches.

The Irish government's decision to push back phase four of the roadmap to lift the country's Covid-19 restrictions hit the GAA hard, with the association's president John Horan describing it as a 'hammer blow'.

At present in Ireland, there's a maximum of 200 attendees at outdoor gatherings, which includes players, officials and management in the case of GAA matches. Whereas north of the border, the limit is 400.

Many have argued that more supporters could be safely accommodated in bigger venues, with social distancing being maintained.

"We're all delighted to be back on the pitch," said Austin Stacks footballer and former Kerry star Donaghy.

"I think more people from the club would be delighted to be able to get to the games. If we could open that up to 400 or 500, I'm sure there'd be a lot of club officials very happy that they don't have to be deciding what parent gets to see their young fella playing, and what parent doesn't get to see their young fella playing.

"We've squads now, we have 35 or 36 training, but we can only tog 24. We've 12 guys that can only go in in tracksuits and stuff. Look, it's strange times."

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I think there's no problem maintaining social distancing in the big stadiums.

Donaghy feels county grounds could safely hold more fans

The four-time All-Ireland winner feels there can be logical steps taken to safely maintain social distancing with greater crowds.

"I think there's no problem maintaining social distancing in the big stadiums," argued Donaghy.

"I think the problem is people going in and out to the pitch. How people patrol that is obviously tricky, unless they did something like cones, two-metres apart, as you come to the game you have to stand by the cone and you can't be behind somebody.

"I listened to the [Kilmallock] manager the last day in Limerick inside in the Gaelic Grounds with 200 people [calling for greater crowds].

"But we don't want thousands either, because that brings its own headache. If you get 500 into most club games, you'd have the loyal fans, the family members and the subs that aren't on the squads getting in comfortably. I think that's really where we're at now."

Some supporters have taken extreme steps to watch matches

He hopes the way can be paved for bigger crowds once the intercounty championships return.

"Obviously the club game is on first because the GAA wanted to see, come October 17, can we start getting big crowds into Croke Park? 10,000 or 20,000?" Said Donaghy.

"I'm sure they want to get some people into the county games down the line, because I don't know how much of an appetite there is for watching games behind closed doors with nobody there. Any number of fans will still bring an atmosphere. It mightn't be as great as the packed houses, but it's something that everybody would like to see.

"500 maybe would be acceptable for most venues, bar county grounds obviously."

Kieran Donaghy was speaking at the launch of the 2020 Volunteers in Sports Awards by EBS and the Federation of Irish Sport.