The exclusion of Croke Park in Ireland's joint bid to host Euro 2028 is down to the way the UEFA process works.
That's according to Minister of State for Sport, Thomas Byrne.
The Ireland-UK bid to host Euro 2028 was submitted to UEFA on Wednesday, with Croke Park excluded in favour of the Aviva Stadium.
Casement Park in Belfast is also listed as one of the venues for games to be held here.
Minister Byrne told The Hard Shoulder we are in it to win it.
"The main thing is that the bid has gone in, and it's a competitive process - so we wait to see when the decision is made, which will be later in the year," he said.
"I think it's a very exciting opportunity for the country in many ways".
Minister Byrne said a decision is expected in October, with Turkey also bidding for the tournament.
"I know that our bid is very well prepared - it's a very good bid, very attractive bid we hope," he said.
"We certainly are in it to win it".
'Our best shot'
Minister Byrne said Northern Ireland had to be represented in the bid.
"The bids steering board has put forward our best shot at it," he said.
"It's not just the south, it's an all-Ireland bid.
"So obviously there would have to be some representation from Northern Ireland, and Casement Park is deemed to be the best place to do it.
"Obviously there's substantial work to be done there, and the British government have given a guarantee in relation to that".
A general view of Croke Park in Dublin in September 2021. Picture by: Ben McShane/SportsfileAsked if Croke Park lost out to Casement Park, Minister Byrne said this was not the case.
"We wanted Croke Park and the Aviva, but actually from a UEFA point of view it's felt that two [stadiums] in a city the size of Dublin wouldn't be ideal for the bid," he said.
"We did push hard to go for the two in Dublin, but it was decided ultimately that we wouldn't proceed with Croke Park.
"That's simply to do with the way the UEFA process works, the way they look at it," he added.
Listen back below:
