Fire laws keep TV crews out

THE Munster Council is hopeful that the fire authorities will permit a live telecast of the second of the Guinness hurling semi-finals between Cork and Clare in Thurles next Sunday.

However, much will depend on a meeting tomorrow. A court order granted to the Fire Officer on Friday forced the cancellation of live coverage of yesterday’s Waterford/Limerick game, increasing attendance to over 34,000.

Council Chairman Christy Cooney expressed regret at the inability to televise the game, as well as the loss of promotion.

He said: "It’s in everybody’s interest to get it right. But we have to understand that the Fire Officer has a job to do, and he must be satisfied that everything meets the required standards. We respect that fully.”

Attempts were made to place cameras at different parts of the ground, in the other stand, he said, but the Fire Officer reportedly wasn’t happy with the camera positions.

Accordingly, he obtained a court order to ban all televisions cameras in any stand.

"It was a sad situation not having the match available for spectators. And for the first time in years we have no record of the game, which was truly outstanding, a real spectacle.”

He dismissed speculation that the Council had changed its mind about allowing a live telecast to counteract falling attendances, saying: “Our Association needs hurling to be promoted as strongly as possible. We realise the importance of TV, and the exposure of a quality game like this would do no end of good for its promotion of our game.”