By Cian O'Connell

GAA Director of Player, Club, and Games Administration, Feargal McGill expects All Ireland semi-final fixtures in both codes to be played at Croke Park.

The 2020 Championship will be played with hugely reduced attendances, but McGill doesn't envisage that the closing stages will take place outside of the Jones Road venue.

"I wouldn’t rule anything in or out, but having said that, that would be an absolute last resort," McGill remarked on Friday afternoon. 

"I suppose playing in an All-Ireland semi-final, or winning your provincial championship or whatever, one of the rewards of it is you get to play in Croke Park. Whether it’s an empty Croke Park or not, there’s something magical about playing in Croke Park, we all know that. 

"So I think it would be an absolute last resort. The only way you would imagine that happening is if Dublin was in Level 5 lockdown. 

"And I think NPHET and everyone else would agree that’s a hell of a distance off just now. But I think that would be the only circumstance."

McGill also confirmed that the GAA is in discussion with the relevant authories about attendances at matches.

“There’s work going on in the background," McGill stated.

“You have to look at the asterix that is beside that, which if you read it is something like, depending on how the country is doing.

“I wouldn’t anticipate anything imminent on that, but as I say it’s being worked on in the background and time will tell on that.

“At the moment we are operating on the basis that we will have the numbers we have, north and south. 

“We just have to operate off that basis. If anything, if there is more fans allowed in, we will consider it a bonus.”