Hurling final a ‘sellout’ as Croker pledges pitch improvements

SUNDAY’S All-Ireland hurling final will be a sellout according to Croke Park ticket chiefs.

The nation’s economic woes has done little to dampen the demand for the clash of Tipperary and four-in-a-row chasing Kilkenny, the GAA Ticketing Manager Ronan Murphy confirmed last night

He said: “Sunday’s All-Ireland final is a sell out. In fact both Tipperary and Kilkenny have been back to us looking for more tickets. There is an ancient rivalry between Tipperary and Kilkenny and the fact that Kilkenny are going for the four in a row also adds to the interest.”

But it’s not just the two competing counties who are busy dialling Murphy’s office number.

“Throughout the country the demand for tickets has been very strong.”

He said that the GAA has been delighted with recent turnouts especially in the two All-Ireland football semi-finals.

Murphy revealed: “We had more people attending the two semi-finals than we had at the three equivalent games last year (with Kerry and Cork forced to replay their semi). Our ticket packages this year have been hugely successful and overall we are delighted with how tickets and attendances have gone in both hurling and football championships.”

Meanwhile Croke Park Stadium Director Peter McKenna is confident that concerns over the pitch at headquarters will be resolved before Sunday’s hurling showpiece. The surface was criticised after Kerry’s victory over Meath in the All-Ireland SFC semi-final with players on both sides struggling to stay upright.

McKenna said: “I would say so with a degree of confidence (that the pitch will be fine for Sunday). We have work to do and will get it done over the next few days. There is no getting away from it but there are issues there. We have got to look at thinning out the grass where the cover is exceptionally good.

“We will look at roughing it up in these areas where the stud will have greater chance of gripping. The advice we would give to players if their is light rain on the day is to wear six stud boots rather than the moulded or blade variety.”

Meanwhile former All-Ireland winning Armagh boss Joe Kernan looks set for a return to management with Galway.

Kernan yesterday confirmed his ‘strong interest in the position’ to RTÉ and is set to make a decision while on holiday this weekend.

Kernan, who led the Orchard County to their only All-Ireland in 2002, has been out of management since 2007. Liam Sammon stepped down in the wake of Galway’s shock defeat to Donegal. The county hasn’t reached the All-Ireland since their 2001 victory over Meath.