46 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS January 2006porting LogBy SeanSOg. O CeallachainMoney talks and the GAAare now looking forward toone of the biggest financialbonanzas in the h<strong>is</strong>tory ofthe Association when they rentout the GAA stadium, CrokePark, to the Ir<strong>is</strong>h Rugby Unionand the Football Association ofIreland for their soccer internationalsin the 2007 / 2008 /2009 seasons. As I have beenstressing in th<strong>is</strong> column forsome time now, the dec<strong>is</strong>ionto open up Croke Park forsoccer and rugby while therugby headquarters, LansdowneRoad, <strong>is</strong> being rebuilt will provea major step.GAA president SeanKelly, who relinqu<strong>is</strong>hes officein March 2006 can take allthe credit for mastermindingthe entire transaction. He sawthe w<strong>is</strong>dom of such a moveinspite of a lot of oppositionfrom several quarters withinthe Association. What does itall mean? The long and shortof it <strong>is</strong> quite simple. The GAAstands to earn 36 million euroin rent money from the IRFUand the FAI during the threeseasons thatLansdowne Road <strong>is</strong> closedfor re-development. and that’son four sell out games, in rugbyand soccer per year ( it couldbe more in some seasons inCroke Park.Negotiations are at presenttaking place between thethree Associations on the rentalfees that the GAA are seeking,and naturally the GAA will bedriving a very hard bargain. Itcan be supposed that the GAAwill be looking for 1.5 milliomeure pergame. That would give areturn of up to 1 2 millioneuro per year for the GAA.Despite the high rent, theIRFU and the FAI will standto benefit hugely from amove to the 83, 000- capacityCroke Park as the gross yieldwould be more than twicewhat Lansdowne Road canreal<strong>is</strong>e. Lansdowne Road’s totalcapacity for rugby games <strong>is</strong>49,000, but crucially, there areonly 24,000 seats, 45,000 fewerthan in Croke Park.Under UEFA and FIFAregulations, bucket seats haveto be installed in LansdowneRoad for European and WorldCup soccer qualifier games, restrictingthe capacity for soccerto 34,000 other than for friendlymatches. It can be said, thata sell-out rugby internationalat Lansdownw Road returns aticket gross around 2 millioneuro. However, the same gamein Croke Park would yield over4.5 million euro, while anotherone million would accrue fromthe rent of the corporate boxes,plus increased advert<strong>is</strong>ing revenue,ar<strong>is</strong>ing from the largersignage in Croke Park.Croke Park has 98corporate boxes on their saledate match against France inFebruary 2007, the gross takewill be 5.5 million euro, basedon last year’s ticket prices.That’s over 3 million morethan the IRFU would returnfrom Lansdowne Road soeven if they have to pay theGAA 1.5 million they wouldstill have 1.5 million more forthemselves, than if the gamewere in Lansdowne. Road.The GAA are in a very strongposition as they will be theonly stadium show in townonce the IRFU and the FAIbecome temporaraily homelessin early 2007.Live Sports in January from SetantaSetanta Sports channel <strong>is</strong> airingan unprecedented number oflive international football andrugby matches. The network <strong>is</strong>available on DIRECTV (Channel615) as a premium channel andwith GlobeCast WorldTV DTH.Check www.setanta.com/usa forupdated schedules.Week Of January 1-7Rugby - Celtic League (Live)The Celtic Cup <strong>is</strong> competedfor by the teams who fin<strong>is</strong>h inthe top eight in the Celtic League.Unlike the Guiness Premiershipplay-offs, it <strong>is</strong> a tournament inits own right.January 6 at 2:00 PM - NewportGwent Dragons v ConnachtJanuary 7 at 2:30 PM - EdinburghGunners v MunsterWeek Of January 8 - 14Football (Soccer)-Carling Cup(Live)The Carling Cup <strong>is</strong> the secondarycup competition in England. It<strong>is</strong> open only to professional SoccerClubs including the Engl<strong>is</strong>h PremierLeague. There are 7 knock outrounds in the competition, climaxingwith a final at the MillenniumStadium in Cardiff. The winnersof the competition automaticallyqualify for the U.E.F.A. Cup.Games are played on Wednesdaysand Thursdays. The favorites forth<strong>is</strong> year’s competition <strong>is</strong> sure tobe current holders Chelsea, withthe usual suspects ManchesterUnited, Arsenal and the winningestCarling Cup team (7) Liverpool inhot pursuit, though the real beautyof the competition <strong>is</strong> that there<strong>is</strong> always the possibility that oneChicago mourns deaths of two great gaelsChicago gaeldom mourned thedeaths of two well-known gaels recently,P.J Murphy, from Nountmellick,Co. Lao<strong>is</strong>, and James Hickey,proud native of Coolaclare, Co. dare.Both men were prominent playerson Chicago Gaa playing fields inthe 60’s and 70’s, and <strong>served</strong> theirrespective clubs, Shannon Rangershurling and St. Brendan’s football,with d<strong>is</strong>tinction.The untimely death of P.J Murphy,who was only 66 years oldbecame more poignant during h<strong>is</strong>wake at Gibbon’s Funeral Home,when it was d<strong>is</strong>covered that h<strong>is</strong> son,Brian, who was married, was founddead at h<strong>is</strong> home, after he failed toturn up for h<strong>is</strong> father’s wake. Thelarge attendance at P.J’s wake andfuneral testified to the great popularityof th<strong>is</strong> fine Lao<strong>is</strong> hurler, whohad thrilled so many Chicago gaelswith h<strong>is</strong> hurling art on so manyoccasions. We join with Chicagogaeldom in offering our deepestsympathy to the Murphy familyin Chicago and in Lao<strong>is</strong>. Ar dhe<strong>is</strong>De go raibhn an ainm• Our sincerecondolences also to the family ofBrian. May he rest in peace.The death of James Hickey wasalso another sad occasion for h<strong>is</strong>legion of Chicago Gaelic friendson and off the playing field. He wasa star performer when the mightySt, Brendan’s football club ruledthe arena in Chicago and the Midwestwith household names likeJim Barton, Jimmy Wade, PaddyScanlon, John and Francie Brennan,Tim Mulvey and others. The lateJim with h<strong>is</strong> brother J.J could holdtheir own with the best of thosedays. Whilst h<strong>is</strong> other brothers thelate Mike and Paddy watched fromof the Championship,League One or LeagueTwo teams can performa ‘giant killing’ andknock out a PremierLeague opponent. Thesemi finals are playedover two legs and theleader on aggregateadvances to the final.January 10 at2:30PM - Semi-FinalsFirst Leg - TeamsTBDJanuary 11 at2:30PM - Semi-FinalsFirst Leg - TeamsTBDRugby - CelticLeague (Live)January 8 at 10:30AM - Ulster v GlasgowWarriorsH e i n e k e n C u p(Live)The Heineken Cup started in1995 as a stepping stone betweendomestic rugby and the internationalstage. The Heineken Cup involvesclub rugby teams from Ireland,Wales, Scotland, England, Franceand Italy. The format <strong>is</strong> as follows:The six Pool winners and two bestplaced runners-up will qualify forthe Quarter-Finals and will be decidedby the following criteria: Fourpoints for a win, two points for adraw (match points). A bonus pointwill be earned by a team scoring fouror more tries and by a team losing byseven or less points. The Pool winnerwill be the Club with the highestnumber of match points earned ineach Pool. The runners up will bethe two second placed Clubs fromthe sidelines and always promotedthe games of the gael.The late Jim and h<strong>is</strong> belovedwife are the proud parents of theinternationally well-known U.SArmy, Lieut.Col. Jim Hickey, wholed the raid on Saddam Hussein’shideaway a few years ago, resultingin the live capture of the infamousIraq Dictator. Lieut. Co. Hickeyand h<strong>is</strong> brave men who madethe capture were honored laterby Mayor Richard M. Daley andindeed by all Chicagoans, and ofcourse all proud <strong>American</strong>s.Here again we offer our sincerecondolences to the Hickey familyin Chicago, Naperville and at homein Co. Clare. The large attendanceat the wakes in Orland Park andNaperville, testified to the popularityof th<strong>is</strong> fine Gael and well-knownand respected businessman. Ardhe<strong>is</strong> De go raibhn an ainm.DUBLIN, IRELAND - SEPTEMBER 7: RoyKeane of Ireland in action during the WorldCup Group 4 Qualifying match betweenRepublic of Ireland and France at LansdowneRoad on September 7, 2005 in Dublin, Ireland.(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)all six Pools with the next highestnumber of points. For the Quarter-Final round, the Pool winners will beranked 1 - 6 in terms of the numberof points earned. The runners-upwill be ranked 7 and 8.January 13 - TBD (Kick off14:30 PM)January 14 - TBD (Kick off 8:00AM)January 14 - TBD (Kick off at10 AM)January 14 - TBD (Kick off at12 PM)WEEK OF JANUARY 15 - 21Rugby - Heineken Cup (Live)January 15 - TBD (Kick off at8:00 AM)January 15 - TBD (Kick off10:00AM)January 20 - TBD (Kick off2:30 PM)January 20 - TBD (Kick off at8:00 AM)January 21 - TBD (Kick off at10 AM)January 21 - TBD (Kick off at12 PM)Week Of January 22 - 28Football (Soccer) - Carling Cup(Live)January 24 at 2:30PM - Semi-Finalssecond Leg - Teams TBDJanuary 25 at 2:30PM - Semi-Finalssecond Leg - Teams TBDRugby - Heineken Cup (Live)January 22 - TBD (Kick off at8:00 AM)January 22 - TBD (Kick off10:00AM)Celtic LeagueJanuary 27 at 9:00 PM (SameDay Coverage) - Cardiff Blues vEdinburgh GunnersJanuary 28 at 12:30 PM (LIVE) -Munster v Newport Gwent Dragons
Jan1IAMNEWS(3)5.75hx10 12/15/05 5:14 PM Page 1CARLING CUPTuesday, 10 JanuaryTuesday, 10 JanuaryWednesday, 11 JanuaryWednesday, 11 JanuaryTuesday, 24 JanuaryTuesday, 24 JanuaryWednesday, 25 JanuaryWednesday, 25 JanuaryMonday, 2 JanuaryMonday, 2 JanuaryCARLING CUP2:45pm-LIVE9:00pm2:45pm-LIVE9:00pm2:45pm-LIVE9:00pm2:45pm-LIVE9:00pmSEMI FINALS1st Semi-Final/1st Leg1st Semi-Final/1st Leg2nd Semi-Final/1st Leg2nd Semi-Final/1st Leg1st Semi-Final/2nd Leg1st Semi-Final/2nd Leg2nd Semi-Final/2nd Leg2nd Semi-Final/2nd LegCOCA-COLA CHAMPIONSHIP12:00pm-LIVE9:00pmPlymouth v. Leeds UnitedPlymouth v. Leeds UnitedTHE SETANTA SPORTS FOOTBALL LINE-UP INCLUDES: UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, COCA-COLACHAMPIONSHIP, BUNDESLIGA, SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE, MUTV & CHELSEA TVLIVE & EXCLUSIVEON SETANTA SPORTSSaturday, 7 JanuarySaturday, 7 JanuarySunday, 8 JanuarySunday, 8 JanuaryFriday, 27 JanuaryFriday, 13 JanuarySaturday, 14 JanuarySaturday, 14 JanuarySaturday, 14 JanuarySaturday, 14 JanuarySaturday, 14 JanuarySaturday, 14 JanuarySunday, 15 JanuarySunday, 15 JanuaryFriday, 20 JanuarySaturday, 21 JanuarySaturday, 21 JanuarySaturday, 21 JanuarySaturday, 21 JanuarySaturday, 21 JanuarySaturday, 21 JanuarySunday, 22 JanuarySunday, 22 JanuarySUBSCRIBE NOW On DIRECTV: 1-800-DIRECTV or v<strong>is</strong>it www.DIRECTV.comOn GlobeCast WorldTV 1-888-988-5288.GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP9:30am–LIVE7:00pm8:30am–LIVE2:00pm2:30pm-LIVEHEINEKEN CUP2:30pm-LIVE8:00am–LIVE10:00am–LIVE12:00pm-LIVE7:00pm9:00pm11:00pm8:00am-LIVE10:00am-LIVE2:30pm-LIVE8:00am–LIVE10:00am–LIVE12:00pm-LIVE7:00pm9:00pm11:00pm8:00am-LIVE10:00am-LIVEWorcester Warriors v. Northampton SaintsWorcester Warriors v. Northampton SaintsSaracens v. GloucesterSaracens v. GloucesterBr<strong>is</strong>tol v. Worcester WarriorsTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCTeams TBCCELTIC LEAGUEFriday, 6 January2:10pm–LIVE Newport Gwent Dragons v. ConnachtSaturday, 7 December 2:30pm–LIVE Edinburgh Gunners v. MunsterSaturday, 7 December7:00pm Edinburgh Gunners v. MunsterSunday, 8 January10:30am-LIVE Ulster v. Glasgow WarriorsSunday, 8 January11:00pm Ulster v. Glasgow WarriorsSaturday, 28 January 12:30pm-LIVE Munster v. Newport Gwent DragonsSaturday, 28 January9:00pm Munster v. Newport Gwent DragonsTHE SETANTA SPORTS RUGBY LINE-UP INCLUDES: HEINEKEN CUP, GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP,SIX-NATIONS, SUPER 14's, CELTIC LEAGUE, POWERGEN CUP and more...ALL TIMES ET. SCHEDULES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. LIVE SAME DAY COVERAGE 1ST AIRING For latest schedule updates and information, v<strong>is</strong>it www.setanta.com/usa or call 1-888-886-8572.
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