Former Donegal manager Jim McGuinness believes that Dublin-Donegal should be played in a neutral venue such as Clones, rather than in Croke Park.
McGuinness told OTB AM that he thinks a lot of the issues in the wider GAA community stem from the belief that the Dubs are given favourable conditions to other counties, typified no more clearly than effectively having Croke Park as a home venue.
“I don’t think it is fair. A lot of the problems and issues that were raised over the last number of years was because Dublin had an unfair advantage if you like,” McGuinness said.
“We were the last team to beat them in 2014 in the championship. Are we seriously trying to suggest they’re going to get beaten twice in the space of the couple of weeks in Croke Park?
“It is almost inevitable that Dublin will progress from this group if they are given two home games at Croke Park."
To McGuinness' mind, there is a way for the Dubs to both mollify external criticism, but also to reiterate their standing as unopposed champions.
“I think the right thing to do would be to play the game in Donegal; to play the game in Dublin and then you have a neutral venue at Breffni Park [in Cavan] or in Clones.
“Can you imagine 40,000 people for Donegal against Dublin and what that would bring to the whole country? It would be a real spectacle.
“Jim Gavin has done an incredible job with Dublin and sometimes they don’t get the credit they deserve because people will say they have the money behind them - they have the juggernaut and they have the population base.
“And I think to for them to go to Clones or Breffni and play in the lion’s den in Ulster and come out the other side and show their absolute true colours in terms of the champions they are. I think that would be good for Dublin’s legacy and good for football.”
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