FORMER Republic of Ireland and Chelsea star Damien Duff has blasted the GAA authorities for their refusal to give permission for the staging of a charity event to raise money for the bereaved family of his former team-mate Liam Miller.
Duff is scheduled to play in the charity match which is due to held at Turners Cross in Cork in front of 7,000 people.
Over the last week, complaints have intensified at the refusal of the GAA to allow the game to be held at the 45,000 capacity Pairc Ui Chaoimh, home of Cork’s hurling and football teams.
Today, GAA officials will sit down with organisers of the event to discuss whether or not the venue will be changed.
According to Duff, even if the GAA relent at the 11th hour, the officials should still “hang their heads in shame”.
“They’ve come out of it looking horrific. To brush it aside and leave it for an AGM, it’s a load of rubbish. It’s people in suits who are absolute dinosaurs.
“It’s a disgrace. To say you can’t open your gates for an amazing occasion for people from all walks of life to help a family.
“It wouldn’t matter if it was baseball. If you strip it all back, a young man was taken away too early and this is to help a young bereft family.
“To deny them because of a rule at the bottom of a book really pisses me off. They should hang their heads in shame. And whatever they say now, they’ll still come out of it looking like f***ing dinosaurs.”
