O’Moore Park capacity increased to 1,400 for All Ireland U-20 football semi-final as big games continue

There are hopes that the capacity of O’Moore Park could be increased to 1,400 ahead of a number of big games to be held at the Laois GAA grounds.

Currently only 500 people are allowed to attend but that is being almost tripled for this Saturday’s All Ireland U-20 football semi-final between Offaly and Cork.

The Department of Health has listed the capacity of O’Moore Park as 1,400 and it’s hoped locally that that could stay in place for the outstanding 2020 championship games that are fixed for the venue over the following two weekends.

The 2020 Laois senior football semi-finals and final as well as the senior and premier intermediate hurling finals have yet to be played and are all scheduled as individual fixtures.

It would mean that more supporters from the clubs would be able to attend – as well as providing a timely financial boost for Laois GAA.

The number of seats a ground has dictates its capacity in the current climate – with Croke Park allowed to host 18,000, Pairc ui Chaoimh 7,000 and Semple Stadium 4,400.

However, at the moment the regulations are only event-specific rather than venue-specific meaning that O’Moore Park’s capacity could be 1,400 this weekend but back to 500 for the following week.

O’Moore Park’s lower seating capacity has been a factor in it losing out on potential All Ireland hurling games – though it has hosted a number of big games in recent weeks and last week TG4 broadcast live from the grounds three days in a row.

Offaly’s shock win over Dublin in the Leinster U-20 final was there on Thursday night, Tipperary and Meath played in the ladies All Ireland senior football championship on Friday and the Laois-Westmeath Division 1 hurling relegation game was there on Saturday.

And the big games continue this week with the Leinster U-20 hurling final between Dublin and Galway on Tuesday night and the Cork-Offaly U-20 football on Saturday.

It also hosts two club hurling league finals this weekend – the Division 1B final between Clough-Ballacolla and Rathdowney-Errill on Friday night and the 1A final between Borris-Kilcotton and Clough-Ballacolla on Sunday.

SEE ALSO – WATCH: Lions rugby star sends best wishes and congratulations to Laois hurlers and Matthew Whelan

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source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/07/26/omoore-park-capacity-increased-to-1400-for-all-ireland-u-20-football-semi-final-as-big-games-continue/