Bosses bidding to solve provincial conundrum

Despite half of those who played in last September’s All-Ireland final playing in the semi-final of the Martin Donnelly Interprovincial Championship between Munster and Leinster, a crowd of less than 2,000 turned up at Nowlan Park on Sunday to watch.

What gives? What can be done to bring the colour and glamour and the big crowds back to what was the Railway Cup? Leinster manager Joe Dooley has an idea.

“It needs a regular place on the calendar — the final should be played before the All-Ireland Club hurling final on St Patrick’s Day, the football provincial final should be played before the All-Ireland football club final.”

Munster manager Liam Sheedy agrees: “I’m not sure the people that watch football would have much of an interest in the hurling final.

“You could look at Paddy’s weekend, maybe the Saturday being a hurling day and the Sunday being a football day, or vice versa. I think it’s a great competition — the lads love to play.”

Whatever about the merits or otherwise of the above suggestion, or of the possibility of the GAA decision-makers taking it on board, the players love this competition, their attitude epitomised by Offaly’s Joe Bergin.

“It’s a great chance to meet and play with fellas from other counties, from Kilkenny, Wexford, Dublin, to see how they do things, check out their approach to the game.”

Bergin was impressed by the commitment of the Kilkenny lads, 11 of whom started for Leinster and all of whom gave a full-blooded performance. Impressed, but not surprised.

“I don’t think it ever matters to the lads from Kilkenny whether they’re wearing the black-and-amber of Kilkenny or the green of Leinster, they put in the same commitment. And it’s the same for the rest of us; it’s a personal challenge, you’re trying to hurl as well as you can.

“Everyone that was asked to come and was able to do so, came, and we came to win.”