Next Saturday week’s All-Ireland senior football championship semi-final between Dublin and Cavan should not be played at Croke Park, according to Tyrone great Peter Canavan.

Cavan tore up the script against Donegal yesterday to set-up an unlikely date with the Dubs, with the winners in 12 days’ time set to take on either Mayo or Tipperary for the Sam Maguire Cup on December 19th.

Speaking to BBC Sport NI, Canavan feels that the clash between the Leinster and Ulster champions should be staged at a neutral venue rather than in the capital.

“I think, being the year that it is, absolutely I think Cavan should be playing Dublin in a neutral venue,” said the two-time All-Ireland winner.

“Croke Park’s going to be empty anyway so there’s no reason why the game needs to be played in Croke Park. I’d imagine that powers that be in Cavan would be making that point.

“There’s no doubt about it that Dublin perform much better in Croke Park. Even this year, the three games they’ve played; two was in Croke Park and they won both games by what, 20 points? Whereas the game in Portlaoise wasn’t the same.

“It makes it a more level playing field and a belief that Cavan would be well within their rights to ask for a neutral venue.”

He added: “Be it Mullingar, Pairc Esler in Newry, absolutely. I think it gives them more of a fighting chance and wouldn’t it be great to see?”

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