Fans face travel hitch as rail line closes

CORK and Kerry supporters face an uphill struggle to get to Croke Park, if the replayed All-Ireland semi-final, as seems certain, is fixed for next Sunday.

The rail lines out of Cork, Kerry and Limerick are closed from midnight on Friday night due to engineering works which have been scheduled for months.

Cork and Kerry are likely to play next Sunday at 4pm, following the All-Ireland SFC semi-final between Tyrone and Wexford, but as Andrew Roche of Iarnród Éireann outlined yesterday, supporters will find it difficult to make it to Dublin:

“Major engineering works have been planned for several months, and the lines will be closed from near midnight Friday, all day Saturday and Sunday morning. “The Cork and Kerry lines which meet at Mallow will be closed, and people from north Kerry travelling out of Limerick will be affected as that line is also closing. Roche said he had informed the Cork and Kerry County Boards of the situation. Bus transfers will be in operation on many routes next weekend. Contact Iarnrod Eireann on 1850366222 for details.

The minor replay between Kerry and Mayo is likely to be played in Thurles next weekend, along with the All-Ireland B U21 hurling final and the final of the intermediate hurling championship.