GAA explain decision to call off Donegal's Kerry trip

The GAA have confirmed they made the decision to pull Sunday’s Kerry-Donegal Allianz Division 1 game in Fitzgerald Stadium following snow across the north-west of the country on Saturday morning.

That call followed speculation in Donegal on Friday night that the game had already been postponed, which the county board were prompted to deny on their social media channels.

While Donegal’s hurlers travelled on Friday night to face Meath in Trim on Saturday as did Naomh Pádraig, Muff for their All-Ireland junior football final against An Cheathrú Rua in Croke Park, the footballers were due to head for Kerry on Saturday and stay overnight in Tralee.

“The north-west was covered in snow yesterday morning,” said GAA director of club, player and games administration Feargal McGill on Sunday. “Train and bus services were all cancelled, so we made a judgement call in the interests of safety.”

The game is expected to be rescheduled for Killarney on February 8 or 9, the same weekend as the Sigerson Cup final, along with the other two postponed league games, Leitrim v Laois in Division 3 and Wicklow v Waterford in Division 4. The hurling fixtures that fell foul of the weather could be reorganised for the weekend of February 15/16.

It's the second fixture issue for Kerry in the space of a number of days. Last week, their Round 2 game against Derry in Celtic Park next Sunday was brought forward to 12.30pm from 1.45pm.

The change came following a request from Derry GAA as the 2025 commemoration for Bloody Sunday has been scheduled for 2:30pm in the city. On a Bank Holiday weekend in the 26 counties, Kerry were amendable to a Saturday evening or late afternoon fixture.

When it was clear that Sunday lunchtime was Derry’s preference, Kerry were happy to go with a 1pm start before a 12.30pm throw-in was later confirmed.

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