Heineken Cup casts long shadow on GAC decisions
It has resulted in the Allianz National League finals being fixed for separate venues, with the Division One decider between Kerry and Galway fixed for 5.30pm in Limerick and the Donegal/Louth Division Two decider going ahead in Kingspan Breffni Park.
The second of the NHL semi-finals in Thurles, involving Tipperary and Kilkenny, will go ahead at around the same time as the televised Munster/Leinster game (3pm).
The GAC, in one of their last gatherings before they disband after the weekend Congress, had to face up to something of a logistical nightmare and it's not surprising that some of their decisions have been criticised.
While the Kerry chairman Sean Walsh was angered by the decision to opt for an evening fixture for the League final, both the Tipperary and Kilkenny County Boards had suggested a 6.15pm start for their semi. And, while Tipperary had indicated a willingness to play the game in Nowlan Park, the GAC decided instead to play both semi-finals in Thurles.
With the Gaelic Grounds being chosen for the NFL final, the GAC then fixed Limerick's semi-final against Clare for 1.30pm to give officials time to get back home to assist in the organisation of the game.
Of all the teams in action on Sunday including the four semi-finalists in the All-Ireland U-21 football championship and the Kerry hurlers who play Mayo in Cusack Park the Limerick hurlers will have arguably the greatest interest in the game in Lansdowne Road. The team attended the game against Perpignan en route to their NHL tie with Antrim in Belfast.
Limerick selector Liam Lenihan, who is also the vice-chairman of the county board, agreed that their fixture arrangement was 'far from ideal'. However, he said they had no choice but to fall in line with the decision.
Wearing his other hat, he said that the board was indebted to the GAC for fixing such a high-profile fixture for the Gaelic Grounds.
The Tipperary chairman John Costigan revealed that after consultation with the Kilkenny Board it was agreed to recommend to the GAC to fix their game for 6.15pm on Sunday.
Saying that there would be strong support for rugby in the northern part of the county, he commented: "I am surprised by the number of true-blue GAA people who expressed the view that it would be a disaster to play our game in opposition to the rugby."
Playing the game on Saturday was never an option because of Congress being held (in Killarney) and a deferment was out of the question because it would push the final back to May 7 just seven days before Tipp play Limerick in the first round of the championship.
Meanwhile, the Galway chairman Frank Burke said he didn't believe the late start would seriously reduce the attendance at the League final. "At the same time, taking account of all the games that are on, with the hurling and the rugby, it would be hard to expect a bumper crowd,'' he added.
And, he has no problem with the final not going ahead in Croke Park, pointing out that when Galway played Mayo there in the 2001 final, the attendance was quite low (22,623).
