Kildare call for U-20 final to be staged at Croke Park

Kildare U-20 selector Emmet Bolton has called on the GAA to consider staging this weekend's EirGrid All-Ireland football final between the Lilywhites and Tyrone at Croke Park.

Bolton, the former attacking half-back, is currently a member of Brian Flanagan's U-20 set-up.

He feels the upcoming final is deserving of a platform at HQ.

On Sunday evening Tyrone GAA tweeted that the decider would take place at Kingspan Breffni Park.

As of yet, though, there has been no official confirmation of that fixture. Tyrone had an exciting win over Kerry at MW Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise

Meanwhile, Kildare had their own hard-fought win over Sligo at Kingspan Breffni in their semi.

And having secured a semi-final win at the Cavan venue, the Kildare camp feels the final is deserving of a Croke Park platform.

"It’s a national final between two really good teams who have worked hard to get through their provinces, and we are strongly of the belief that the final should be played at Croke Park," Bolton told RTE Sport.

"These players are going to be footballers of the future and they deserve the spectacle of a final at Croke Park next Saturday and I would say whoever tunes in to watch it would like the game played there too"

"The Tyrone camp and supporters could feel the same.

"Certainly, in Kildare, we believe in the U-20 grade, we believe in what it stands for, and we have worked hard at it.

"Playing the final at Croke Park, what it would represent and what it would mean would centre mostly around the development of players both mentally and physically.

"That experience would definitely help them as they bid to make the step up to the senior ranks.

"These players are going to be footballers of the future and they deserve the spectacle of a final at