JUST weeks after the National League finals were shoehorned into Parnell Park due to the unavailability of Croke Park due to grounds maintainence, it has been announced this week that approval has been granted for another soccer friendly game to be played at the Jone's Road venue this autumn.

Gaelic games make their first visit of 2008 to Headquarters this weekend, but the venue has already hosted a series of Six Nations rugby internationals and an international soccer friendly against Brazil before being closed for running repairs to the playing surface.

This weeks announcement that a further friendly game, set to take place in November, will again raise eyebrows amongst those sceptical about the opening up of Croke Park to other codes, as the initial arrangement brokered with the IRFU and FAI did not include friendly fixtures.

The Republic of Ireland played Brazil at Croke Park in February and are set to host Serbia at the same venue on May 24 for new manager Giovanni Trapattoni's first game in charge. The additional game has been moved forward from 2009, when the FAI will also play their World Cup qualifying games.

Croke Park stadium director Peter McKenna moved to reassure the GAA fraternity this week as he announced that they were determined that the 2009 National League finals would return to the stadium as part of the GAA's 125th anniversary celebrations. However, the stadium boss also pointed out that a spring closure of Croke Park was unavoidable, and that they would again be making use of a closed window in April and May to carry out the repair work, which McKenna said would take around four weeks to complete.