Cork and Galway fans counting the huge cost of success

IT’S going to be a costly exercise for supporters of Cork and Galway with their counties doubly involved in the concluding stages of the All-Ireland championships.

Galway hurling secretary John Fahy admits their footballers could lose out on support this weekend following the success of the hurlers on Sunday.

“There may be a tendency among supporters to hold on to their money for the hurling semi-final as the football against Cork is only a quarter-final. In the past support for both teams has been about even, but it all depends on how the teams are going. For last Sunday we sold close to 3,000 tickets, but I would see that increase substantially for the semi-final,” Fahy said.

“I can see the Galway hurling follower holding off going to the football game next Sunday because he has another big game coming up against Kilkenny in a fortnight’s time. It’s expensive travelling every week to Dublin for the matches particularly if you have family, and here in Galway you will find supporters will tend to opt for one code over the other.

“There has been a bigger following for football in the county in recent years but that’s all down to results. Our footballers won’t want for support against Cork on Sunday and if they win, the talk will then turn to a possible double, and I’m certain the followers of both won’t want to miss out on that.”

Cork are the only other county who can win the double, but it’s a case of one step at a time, according to chairman Jim Forbes.

“Because of the bank holiday, tickets for Sunday’s game only arrived yesterday, but I would expect there will be a big contingent of supporters travel to Croke Park for the quarter-final against Galway,” said Mr Forbes.

“Looking back on recent hurling games, we sold approximately 20,000 tickets for the Munster final against Tipperary and could have sold more if we had them.

“For the football final against Kerry, tickets sales were around 15,000, which was surprising given that we were playing the All-Ireland champions in Cork.

“Against Waterford in the All-Ireland quarter-final, we sold about 14,000 tickets here in Cork, but the authorities at headquarters tell us that there are approximately 15,000 Cork supporters living and working in Dublin and that swells our following when we get to Croke Park. I would estimate we had close to 25,000 supporters at that game.

“We are having a great season so far but it’s becoming very expensive for our supporters. Next Saturday we are in action in the All-Ireland IHC semi-final against Galway, the following day we play Galway in senior football, and the following Sunday, it’s the turn of our senior hurlers against Clare. The hurling semi-final against Clare is a huge game and I would predict we’ll sell anything up to 20,000 tickets for that match. Should the footballers win against Galway, then you have a possible double on the cards, but we take it one step at a time.”

Meanwhile Galway Hurling Board have come up with a novel way of rewarding those who travelled to Croke Park on Sunday by entering them in a draw for free tickets for the semi-final against Kilkenny on August 21.

The winner will receive a pair of Hogan Stand tickets, evening meal and B&B at the Crown Plaza Hotel Dublin airport. Two runners-up will each receive a pair of Hogan Stand tickets. To enter, fans should write their name and address on their quarter-final ticket stub and it send it to the Galway Hurling Board secretary at Pearse Stadium in Salthill. The closing date is Friday week, August 12th.