All-Ireland finals will be played in an empty Croke Park this year.
Spectators will not be allowed back watching live sporting events under the new Level 3 lockdown rules.
It will come as a devastating blow to sports fans who were hoping the recent falling Covid numbers could see them back in the stands in time for this year’s All-Irelands next month.
This week saw great news for soccer supporters in the UK with the Government announcing that up to 4,000 spectators could be allowed back at Premier League grounds soon - and it was hoped that the authorities here would follow suit in relation to the GAA Championship.
But it is sad news for Irish sports fans as a review from the Department of Sport will announce it is not yet safe to allow mass gatherings at sports events.
The Expert Group on Return to Sport has returned its findings to Catherine Martin’s Department of Sport and they don’t make for happy reading for sports nuts.
The draft guidelines recommend a slow return to beginning having spectators back.
It suggests “test events which would most likely take place in the early part of next year.”
And it adds that “test levels can be held only at Levels 1 and 2” of the lockdown scale.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin is only expected to move the country to Level 3 on Thursday or Friday.
This means that unless he makes a very special exception for the All-Ireland finals, they will now be played in an empty Croke Park.
