GAA must drop ticket prices

UNLIKE the recent election, where people turned out in their droves, people are voting with their feet in the current Allianz Hurling League, staying away in their droves.

I was at the Tipp/Waterford game in Thurles on Saturday night, a very disappointing crowd of less than 5,000 for a meeting of All-Ireland champions Tipperary and Munster champions Waterford, and I put it down to the fact that the game was played under lights, which – I still maintain – doesn’t suit hurling.

But hearing of the poor attendances all around the league yesterday, on another decent day for hurling, sets me thinking – just over 3,000 in Nowlan Park for a Kilkenny/Wexford game and just under 3,000 at Páirc Úí Chaoimh for Cork’s game against Galway? There’s something radically wrong, and it’s going to take something radical to fix it.

The problem isn’t the lights – as I’d thought, it’s the ticket prices.

It’s already costing the supporters so much now just to get to a game, with the rising fuel prices, and when you add in a bite to eat to that, then the price of the tickets, it’s making for an expensive day out.

I know the GAA knocked a couple of euro off prices already – they’ll have to do a lot more, because these small attendances aren’t just affecting their own income, they’re affecting the games, with no atmosphere.

Look, people like to go to games, and they went in bigger crowds than this in far harder times. The GAA have to have a real look at it now; they can come up with all the family packages they like but now they’re going to have to make it more affordable for every individual as well.

To the games, and as forecast, Dublin had a good win over Offaly – I’d be worried for them now, Offaly, not looking good at all.

Cork had a good win over Galway, and when you couple that with what should have happened in Nowlan Park two weeks ago, think where Cork could be now. Pa Cronin proved a success in midfield, Donal Óg brought off a great save – this puts Cork right back in the league mix, and to those who were writing them out of the championship equation, I say, take note.

Kilkenny, did they only stroll? Should have won by more, and Wexford will be happy with the damage limitation. Still, it’s between themselves and Offaly for the drop now.

To Saturday night, my focus this week.

Some fine skill in the first-half, but it was exhibition fare. Not ‘til six minutes into the second-half, when Waterford midfielder Shane O’Sullivan was sent off for a wild pull on Tipp’s Gearóid Ryan, did it become a game; Waterford dug deep after that, battled hard.

For that incident, however, I blame the lights. I wouldn’t be making excuses for any player who hits another man across the head and it did look terrible, but I know this – Shane O’Sullivan isn’t that type of player, and when he made contact with Ryan he put his hand up straight away, he was instantly remorseful.

It was accidental, pure and simple, and he said afterwards that he lost the ball in the lights, never saw Gearóid Ryan coming. I believe that’s exactly what happened, and Shane can count himself very unlucky — if he takes his case to the authorities, he should get a favourable hearing.

On the other sending-off, however, I have no doubt – what Clinton Hennessey did was dangerous, very dangerous, and he could have done serious damage to Patrick Maher.

With Waterford now down to 13 men you’d have thought Tipperary would coast home, and the game was indeed over, but fair dues to Waterford they made them battle all the way.

Two points for Tipp, which was what they wanted. I was impressed with their full-back line, with Paul Curran who did a good job on Seamus Prendergast, and the two speedy and tigerish corner-backs, Paddy Stapleton especially.

The man who really caught the eye in defence for Tipp, however, was Pádraic Maher, in what I have long considered to be his best position, centre-back; the wing-backs also did well, young O’Keeffe impressing.

Pádraic wasn’t man-of-the-match though, that honour fell to Noel McGrath – seven points from play.

A mention here too for Pa Bourke, who also got some brilliant points, for Eoin Kelly, again showed his class when he was brought on, and for Paul Kelly, took his goal well and worked hard. Tipp are getting there, and I’m sure Declan Ryan, Tommy Dunne and Michael Gleeson are happier now than they were a month ago, but they still have a way to go.

Waterford? You had to admire the way they fought, and kept fighting, and Richie Foley’s accuracy from play and frees kept them in the game.

Some strong performances from the youngsters, Pauric Mahony, Jerome Maher, who made a goal-saving hook towards the end, Eamonn Murphy, then subs Thomas Ryan, ‘keeper Adrian Power; good games also by several of the more established players.

With the likes of John Mullane, Kevin Moran, Tony Browne, Eoin Kelly, Eoin and Ken McGrath, Eoin Murphy, Liam Lawlor all still to come back, take it from now – Waterford won’t be easily beaten by anyone this year.