Cork fail to get U-21 football semi-final deferred
Cork sought a postponement on the grounds that two of their players, John Gardiner and Setanta Ó hAilpín, will be involved in the All-Ireland SHC semi-final replay next Saturday.
However, Munster PRO Fr Seamus Gardiner confirmed that Cork have sought and been granted a meeting of the GAC of the Munster Council which will take place tonight at 8.30 p.m. in Adare.
He added Waterford are not in a position to accede to Cork’s request because of a number of players going on holidays.
“It would take a two-thirds majority of a meeting of the GAC to defer the fixture and the earliest that meeting could take place is tonight. At this point in time, the game is on in Waterford tomorrow night.”
Should the game go ahead tomorrow, Cork are likely to be without the two players in question. According to U21 coach Anthony Davis, he and his co-selectors would have little choice but to omit Gardiner and Ó hAilpín.
“It is after all an All-Ireland semi-final and while we had picked both to play, in the circumstances, we have no other choice but to release them,” said Davis. “In fairness to the county board, they will do everything in their power during the day to get the game deferred, but as of now we have to assume it is on and plan accordingly.
“There may be a view out there that Cork should be capable of beating Waterford without the two players in question, but that is foolish talk.”
In the event of the game ending level, the replay will be played in Pairc Uí Chaoimh on Friday, August 15, at 6.30pm
The second semi-final between defending champions Kerry and Tipperary has been fixed for Kilmallock on Friday. Throw-in is at 7pm with John Geaney (Cork) in charge. Both counties have agreed to play extra time.
Meanwhile, Cork County Board chairman Jim Forbes has expressed his amazement at the volume of support the senior hurlers enjoyed at Croke Park on Sunday.
“On behalf of the board I would like to thank the Cork followers for travelling in such large numbers to the game”, said Mr Forbes. “While a final count of the number of tickets we sold is not available at the moment, I would estimate that close to 35,000 Cork supporters were at the game and that is testament to the appeal of the team and the game of hurling.”
Meanwhile, the Cork County Board has announced that tickets for next Saturday’s replay will go on sale at Pairc Uí Rinn on Thursday next from 1pm to 9pm. There will also be a limited number of tickets for Sunday’s semi-finals on sale. Clubs are asked to contact their divisional secretaries for their requirements as soon as possible. No postal applications will be entertained, because of time constraints.
Mr Forbes appeals to the public to note there will be no sale of tickets from Páirc Uí Chaoimh and asks people to refrain from ringing that office.
Because of Saturday’s replay, the local championship programme is again badly hit. The Cork SHC replay between Erins Own and Sarsfields has been postponed, while the SHC quarter-final between Douglas and Cork IT goes ahead on Sunday at 7pm in Páirc Uí Rinn.
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