List of non-Gaelic games played in Croke Park explained

The following is a list of non-Gaelic games played at Croke Park (formerly Jones's Road). The Gaelic Athletic Association formerly prohibited the playing of foreign sports at GAA-owned stadiums under Rule 42 of its rule book.

While this wording remains as the current Rule 5.1(b), a footnote now reads:

In practice the rule was only applied to the sports of football and rugby, which were perceived to be rivals to the playing of Gaelic games.[1] Cricket was also banned, but Croke Park is too small for a cricket field. As such, several games of American football have been played with rule 42 in force, as well as a boxing match and a baseball game. The rule was officially relaxed in 2005 for the duration of the reconstruction of Lansdowne Road, to allow for the playing of Republic of Ireland football and Irish rugby internationals.[2] The Republic of Ireland football and Ireland rugby internationals moved into the new Aviva Stadium on the former Lansdowne Road site upon its opening in May 2010; the last international in either sport at Croke Park was the rugby team's 2010 Six Nations home fixture with Scotland on 20 March.

On 17 June 2010 the Australia national cricket team had a training session in Croke Park ahead of their One Day International against Ireland.[3]

American football

Date Competition Teams Score Notes Attendance Ref
1946 American servicemen returning from World War II
21 November 1953 US Air Force League Burtonwood Bullets vs. Wethersfield Raiders 27–0 USAFE teams based in the UK, playing to raise funds for the Irish Red Cross. est. 40,000 [4] [5]
2 November 1996 54–27 38,651[6] [7]
27 July 1997 30–17 30,269 [8] [9] [10]
30 August 2014 26–24 53,304 [11]

Association football (soccer)

Date Competition Teams Score Attendance Notes Ref
24 March 2007 vs. 1–0 72,539 First international goal scored at Croke Park by Stephen Ireland.[12]
28 March 2007 European Championship Qualifier vs. 1–0 71,297 [13]
13 October 2007 European Championship Qualifier vs. 0–0 67,495 [14]
17 October 2007 European Championship Qualifier vs. 1–1 45,500 [15]
6 February 2008 Friendly vs. 0–1 70,000 [16]
24 May 2008 Friendly vs. 1–1 42,500 [17]
15 October 2008 vs. 1–0 55,833 [18]
19 November 2008 Friendly vs. 2–3 61,000 [19]
11 February 2009 World Cup Qualifier vs. 2–1 65,000 [20]
28 March 2009 World Cup Qualifier vs. 1–1 60,002 [21]
10 October 2009 World Cup Qualifier vs. 2–2 70,640 [22]
14 October 2009 World Cup Qualifier vs. 0–050,212 [23]
14 November 2009 World Cup Qualifier vs. 74,103 Only Irish competitive defeat at Croke Park.[24]
Ireland's Record at Croke Park
CompetitionPlayedWonDrawnLost% Won% Lost
European Championship Qualifier 4 2 2 0 % %
International Friendly 3 0 1 2 % %
World Cup Qualifiers 6 2 3 1 % %
Total 13 4 6 3 % %
Updated 2 June 2021

Baseball

Date Competition Teams Score Notes Attendance Ref
1946 Exhibition game Burtonwood Dodgers vs. Mildenhall Yankees 3–4 Teams of American servicemen based in England. [25] [26]
25 April 1948 Exhibition game USS Fresno vs. USS Johnston & USS Rush 20–5 Two teams from US Navy played a game of softball 21,617 [27]

Boxing

Date Fight Result Notes
19 July 1972 / Joe Bugner vs Paul Nielsen Bugner wins by TKO in Round 6 [28]
19 July 1972 A documentary film was made about the fight, When Ali Came to Ireland (2012)[29]

Rugby union

Date Competition Teams Score Attendance Notes Ref
11 February 2007 vs. 17–20 81,572 First try scored by Raphaël Ibañez. First Irish try by Ronan O'Gara. [30]
24 February 2007 2007 Six Nations Championship vs. 43–13 81,611 [31]
2 February 2008 vs. 16–11 75,387 [32]
23 February 2008 2008 Six Nations Championship vs. 34–13 74,234 [33]
8 March 2008 2008 Six Nations Championship vs. 12–16 75,000 [34]
15 November 2008 vs. 3–22 77,500 [35]
22 November 2008 2008 Autumn internationals vs. 17–3 68,352 [36]
7 February 2009 vs. 30–21 82,000 [37]
28 February 2009 2009 Six Nations Championship vs. 14–13 82,000 [38]
2 May 2009 2008-09 Heineken Cup Semi-Final 6–25 82,208 At the time a World record attendance in club rugby union.[39]
15 November 2009 vs. 20–20 69,886 [40]
28 November 2009 2009 Autumn internationals vs. 15–10 74,950 [41]
6 February 2010 vs. 29–11 77,686 [42]
13 March 2010 2010 Six Nations Championship vs. 27–12 81,314 [43]
20 March 2010 2010 Six Nations Championship vs. 20–23 80,313 Last try scored by Tommy Bowe. Last points by Dan Parks (78th min penalty) [44]
4 May 2024 20–17 82,300 Record attendance for a Champions Cup fixture [45]
Ireland's Record at Croke Park
CompetitionPlayedWonDrawnLost% Won
4 2 1 1 %
10 7 0 3 %
Total 14 9 1 4 %
Updated 26 May 2021

Special Olympics

Year Dates Competition Type Season
  1. of Sports
Notes
2003 21–29 June Summer 23 [46] [47]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/the-odd-couple-soccer-and-gaa-remain-bitter-enemies-51143.html The odd couple: Soccer and GAA remain bitter enemies
  2. http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0416/gaa.html GAA Congress Rule 42 decision welcomed
  3. http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2010/0520/265330-crokepark_australia/ RTÉ report of Australian cricket visit
  4. Web site: Canal End redevelopment and American Football . www.crokepark.ie . 27 July 2018 . en.
  5. Web site: David . Toms . Andrew McGregor . 'It Was Strange, But Tough!': American Football's debut in Ireland, 1953 . Sport in American History . 27 July 2018 . 16 March 2015.
  6. News: No. 19 Notre Dame 54, Navy 27 . The Washington Post . 22 March 2023.
  7. Web site: Games Played in Ireland . College Football Data Warehouse . 2007-10-04 . 17 February 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100217120523/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/bowls/special_game_results.php?country=Ireland . dead .
  8. News: STEWART FINE FOR STARTERS . The Washington Post . 22 March 2023.
  9. Web site: Irish see Steelers defeat Bears, 30-17 . Deseret News . 22 March 2023.
  10. Web site: 23 Years Ago, The NFL Invaded Croke Park On A Sunday Evening . Balls . 22 March 2023.
  11. Web site: Penn State stuns UCF, wins opener on Sam Ficken's game-winning FG . ESPN . 21 March 2023.
  12. News: Rep of Ire 1-0 Wales. 24 March 2007.
  13. Web site: Republic of Ireland 1-0 Slovakia . BBC Sport . 23 March 2023.
  14. http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2007/1013/ireland3.html RTÉ Sport: Republic of Ireland 0-0 Germany
  15. Web site: All results | Football. TheGuardian.com.
  16. Web site: Skysports.
  17. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7189798.stm
  18. Web site: ROBBIE KEANE HEADS WINNER AGAINST CYPRUS . FAI . 23 March 2023.
  19. Web site: Poles survive pulsating finish . Sky Sports . 23 March 2023.
  20. Web site: Keane at the double for Irish . Sky Sports . 23 March 2023.
  21. Web site: Republic of Ireland 1-1 Bulgaria . Extra Time . 23 March 2023.
  22. Web site: ITALY STUN IRELAND WITH LAST MINUTE EQUALISER . FAI . 23 March 2023.
  23. Web site: Republic of Ireland vs. Montenegro Match Report – Wednesday October 14, 2009 . FBREF . 23 March 2023.
  24. Web site: RTE. RTÉ.ie. 14 November 2009.
  25. http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/this-is-no-time-for-the-gaa-to-circle-its-wagons-264144.html This is no time for the GAA to circle its wagons
  26. Web site: O'Malley's baseball seed flourishing in auld sod . Irish Examiner . 21 March 2023.
  27. Web site: International Softball – USS Fresno 20 USS Johnston & USS Rush 5 – Croke Park Dublin 1948 . EIR Ball . 22 March 2023.
  28. Web site: Joe Bugner : Boxer . boxrec.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130120205845/http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=924&cat=boxer . 2013-01-20.
  29. Web site: When Ali took his show to Dublin. 17 July 2008.
  30. Web site: SIX NATIONS - Croke Park, 11 February 2007, 15:00 local, 15:00 GMT . espnscrum . 21 March 2023.
  31. Web site: Six Nations 2007 . espnscrum . 21 March 2023.
  32. Web site: Match report: Ireland edge to narrow win over Italy . espnscrum . 21 March 2023.
  33. Web site: Match report: Ireland heap woe on Scots . espnscrum . 21 March 2023.
  34. Web site: Wales keep Grand Slam dream alive . espnscrum . 21 March 2023.
  35. Web site: All Blacks on course after turgid victory. espnscrum . 22 March 2023.
  36. Web site: Ireland prevail over ill-tempered Pumas . espnscrum . 21 March 2023.
  37. Web site: Ireland open with victory over France . espnscrum . 22 March 2023.
  38. Web site: Ireland down England to keep dream alive . espnscrum . 22 March 2023.
  39. Web site: Leinster 25-6 Munster . BBC Sport . 21 March 2023.
  40. Web site: Late heroics earn Ireland a draw at Croke Park . Irish Times . 1 November 2022.
  41. Web site: South Africa tour in England/France/Ireland/Italy 2009 2009 . espnscrum . 26 May 2021.
  42. Web site: Ireland labour to opening win . espnscrum . 21 March 2023.
  43. Web site: Clinical Ireland carve Wales apart . espnscrum . 21 March 2023.
  44. Web site: Gutsy Scotland deny Ireland a Triple Crown . espnscrum . 21 March 2023.
  45. Web site: Lowe hat-trick sees Leinster survive late Northampton surge at Croke Park . the42 . 4 May 2024.
  46. Watterson, Johnny (1 April 1999). "Games expected to attract 30,000". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  47. O'Connor, Wayne (6 June 2016). "'He made the Special Olympics a success'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 November 2021.

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