Breffni Park

Breffni Park, known for sponsorship reasons as Kingspan Breffni,[2] is a GAA stadium in Cavan, Ireland. It is the home of Cavan GAA. The ground has an overall capacity of about 25,030 with a 5,030 seated capacity.[1] Breffni is the historic name for the area of counties Cavan and Leitrim. Cavan is often referred to as the Breffni County.[3] Kingspan Breffni is located on Park Lane to the south of Cavan town.[4] Breffni Park hosted the first test in the 2006 Ladies' International Rules Series between Ireland and Australia. It also hosted the first test during the 2013 International Rules Series.

Kingspan Breffni
Páirc Bhreifne
Kingspan Breffni is located in Ireland
Kingspan Breffni
Kingspan Breffni
Location within Ireland
AddressCreighan, Cavan, County Cavan, H12 HX02
LocationIreland
Coordinates53°58′55″N 7°21′33″W
Public transitTractamotors Bus Stop; Cavan Bus Station
OwnerCavan GAA
Capacity25,030[1]
Field size143 x 86 m
SurfaceGrass
ScoreboardYes
Opened1923
Website
cavangaa.ie

History
Memorial to Willie Doonan outside Breffni Park

Breffni Park was opened in 1923. The opening was attended by Eoin O'Duffy who gave a speech calling on the GAA to "bring together all sections of the Irish people" to "save the youth of Ireland from the sea of moral degradation into which they were travelling".[5]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Breffni Park was used as a drive-through test centre.[6]

Athletics

In June 2009, the world record for the twelve-hour continuous relay race was broken by 1,868 participants.[7]

Camogie

The 2009 Cavan Camogie Development Fun Day to promote the development of camogie at underage levels was held at Breffni Park on 7 June 2009.[8]

Gaelic football

Breffni Park regularly hosts matches in the Ulster Senior Football Championship. In the Ulster Senior Football Championship 2009, it hosted Cavan's unexpected 0–13 to 1–09 quarter-final defeat of Fermanagh.[9][10][11][12] Critics had beforehand doubted Cavan's ability to win the match.[13] The Belfast Telegraph described it as Fermanagh's "most inept championship performance for some time", saying Fermanagh were "gunned down".[14]

Breffni Park has also hosted several matches at national level.

All-Ireland qualifying matches

Breffni Park has hosted a number of qualifiers for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.

The stadium hosted one game involving Cavan when they progressed to round four of the qualifiers for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2005. The team entered the qualifiers in the second round where they beat Donegal by a score of 1–11 to 1–10 at the ground.[15] Breffni Park also hosted the third round qualifying game between Monaghan and Louth which Monaghan won by 1–12 to 0–14.[16][17]

The round three qualifier for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2007 between Derry and Laois was played at Kingspan Breffni Park. Derry won by 1–18 to 2–11 to go through to the quarter-finals.[18]

In the 2011 Football Championship it hosted 25 June round 1 qualifier between Louth and Meath, and Cavan versus Longford.

Allianz National League

In 2004, Breffni Park hosted a Division 1B match between Cavan and Armagh which Cavan won convincingly by a scoreline of 3–12 to 0–8.[19] Armagh were winners of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2002 and runners-up in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2003.[20][21]

Breffni Park was chosen to host the 2006 Division Two Final of the Allianz National League between Donegal and Louth. There was controversy when Donegal's manager Brian McIver was upset as he thought the game should have been played at Croke Park in Dublin.[22] McIver said: "It defies logic and I think the sponsors might have something to say about it as well. It's very strange that the finals can suddenly be moved from Croke Park. [...] The National League is the second biggest competition in the GAA and the finals should be staged at Croke Park".[22] The GAA claimed it was due to "the geographic considerations in respect of the four Division One semi-finalists".[22] Donegal's semi-final defeat of Westmeath had also taken place at Breffni Park.[23]

Hurling

National Hurling League

Two of the National Hurling League Finals were played at Kingspan Breffni Park on 2 May 2009. These were the Division Three A Final between Meath versus Kildare and the Division Four Final between Monaghan versus Sligo.[24]

International rules football

Breffni Park hosted the first test in the 2006 Ladies' International Rules Series between Ireland and Australia. This was the first test between the two teams. Ireland beat Australia by 134–15.[25][26][27][28] It also hosted the first test during the 2013 International Rules Series.[29][30][31]

See also

References
  1. "Special report shows huge effect one-metre rule would have on GAA crowds". irish mirror. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  2. Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh (2006). From Borroloola to Mangerton Mountain. p. 21. ISBN 9781844881215. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
  3. "Eu will have to Erne the victory". The Belfast Telegraph. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  4. see Map
  5. Fearghal McGarry (22 September 2005). Eoin O'Duffy: a self-made hero. p. 151. ISBN 9780199276554. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
  6. "Covid-19 testing in Cavan to move from Ballyhaise to Kingspan Breffni tomorrow". Northern Sound. 26 March 2020. Archived from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  7. "Cavan: Record broken at Breffni Park". The Irish Emigrant. 1 July 2009. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  8. "'The Clash of the Ash' in Kingspan Breffni Park". Ulster Camogie. 1 July 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  9. Donnchadh Boyle (6 June 2009). "Glory days long gone, insists Carr". Irish Independent. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  10. "Cavan 0–13 Fermanagh 1-09". RTÉ. 6 June 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  11. "Carr delight after Cavan victory". BBC. 6 June 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  12. "Johnston inspires Cavan win". The Irish Times. 6 June 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  13. Julie Anne Sheridan (8 June 2009). "Johnston reins in expectations". Setanta Sports. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  14. "Breffni blues in the pink". The Belfast Telegraph. 7 June 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  15. "Cavan thank Reillys for victory". RTÉ. 3 July 2005. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  16. "Monaghan survive late Louth scare". RTÉ. 16 July 2005. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  17. "Monaghan survive late burst to beat Louth". breakingnews.ie. 16 July 2005. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  18. "Laois 2–11 1–18 Derry". BBC. 28 July 2007. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  19. "Cavan hammer Armagh". BBC. 7 March 2004. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  20. "Armagh stun Kerry to claim first All-Ireland". RTÉ. 22 September 2003. Archived from the original on 11 March 2005. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  21. "Result: Armagh 0–9 Tyrone 0–12". BBC. 28 September 2003. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  22. "McIver: Finals should be at Croke". BBC. 17 April 2007. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  23. "Donegal delay naming side". RTÉ. 12 April 2006. Archived from the original on 16 February 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  24. "National Hurling League Finals". The Irish Times. 2 May 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  25. "TG4 International Rules Series 1st Test". ladiesgaelic.ie. 1 November 2006. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  26. "Ireland v Australia – Ladies International Rules Series 1st Test Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  27. "Ireland v Australia International Rules game in Kingspan Breffni Park". ladiesgaelic.ie. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  28. "Breffni Park hosts first-ever women's International Rules tie". www.irishexaminer.com. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  29. "International Rules: Kingspan Breffni Park confirmed for Series opener". www.the42.ie. 23 February 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  30. "Cavan's Breffni Park to stage International Rules match". www.bbc.co.uk. 23 February 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  31. "GAA and AFL meet with future of International Rules series on the line". www.irishtimes.com. 22 October 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
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