Although Dublin aren’t mentioned in the motion, it is intended to affect them as Donegal last year took issue with having to face Dublin in Croke Park, which was deemed a neutral venue and Shanley remarked:

“They’d think we were paranoid if we thought that (it was about Dublin). I don’t know what they’re getting at, Donegal. Do they think that one extra game in Croke Park is helping Dublin or do they think it wouldn’t help the team to play another game in Croke Park?

“I can’t see any team wanting to play Dublin in Parnell Park rather than Croke Park. The motion came in last year and it was accepted and again to give eight counties at least a game in Croke Park. Teams would certainly want to play Dublin there (Croke Park) than in Parnell Park.

“The motion was passed with a home, away and a Croke Park deal but maybe they should have said a home, away and a neutral game.”

However, Shanley isn’t keen either on the alternative of Dublin playing their opening Super 8 game in Croke Park as the designated home ground while facing other provincial champions outside of GAA HQ in Round 2.

“No, the motion was passed and they are the rules so I don’t see how they can change them halfway through. They’re there for now..”

As they prepare to speak against the motion today, Shanley said he hadn’t taken soundings from Gavin although he knows the manager’s view is “to obey the rules and the team will play wherever they’re told to play by the Central Competitions Control Committee and Jim has always said that. He doesn’t get into the politics of it and he will go along with the county board.”

Shanley continued: “We have never named Croke Park as a home ground. Parnell Park is our home ground full stop and the only one we have. It’s unfortunate that it only holds 8,500 and less than 3,500 is seated so it’s not suitable. That’s the difficult part of it. It’s obvious Croke Park (officials) moves us into Croke Park because of that.

“Our senior hurlers play there in the Leinster championship and Wexford and Carlow will come to Parnell Park this summer. There’s no doubt where our home ground is and that’s it full stop. If they say it’s not suitable for health and safety reasons and depending on who we’re playing and what’s at stake… if it’s a dead rubber then there would be no problem playing in Parnell Park.”

Last year, GAA president John Horan said Dublin’s two Super 8 games in Croke Park only became an issue because of their success. “Dublin have been playing in Croke Park for a long number of years now and all of a sudden one issue over the Super 8s has kicked all of this off,” he said in July 2018.

Shanley couldn’t agree more, highlighting the county went 16 years without an All-Ireland SFC title.

“It’s a very good team at the moment but people forget very quickly that there was a long time when we weren’t winning anything. They’re looking for ways to take away the perceived advantages Dublin have. We happen to live in the capital city and there was no point in us developing another stadium when it was only going to reach capacity three or four times a year when there’s a perfectly good, you could say the best stadium in Europe, on our doorstep.

“That’s why Dublin didn’t build a stadium because it would have left Croke Park idle on more days. There was absolutely no point and central funds weren’t going to go into another stadium in Dublin. They’re spread all over the country. We’d be happy to have what every other county in Ireland has, a decent stadium with capacity.”

Donegal have raised the point that it’s difficult on supporters from other counties to travel to two venues outside their own county when Dublin’s following has to do so only once in the Super 8. It’s an argument Shanley understands but he added: “There are fors and againsts living anywhere in Ireland.”

Extending that point, Shanley raises the issue of the price of land in Dublin.

“Parnell Park is big enough for our domestic game, the club championship, and there was a time when we played some of those games in Croke Park in the 1950s when you had 20,000 and 30,000. Maybe the day will come when we have to move to Croke Park for a club final but not at the moment, we don’t need it.

“It’s not a saving for us playing games in Croke Park because it’s actually saving the central GAA body from giving us (capital) grants and the money in Dublin has gone to clubs.

“There’s over 90 clubs and the majority of them have their own grounds, which is a huge thing.

“You compare the price of five acres in Dublin to five acres in Louth, Leitrim or Donegal — there’s no comparison.”