Final turnout may hit record low

The Munster Council are bracing themselves for one of the lowest crowds for a provincial senior football final in the last 50 years.

With Cork and Clare’s hurlers both in action tomorrow evening, Munster deputy chief-executive Enda McGuane admitted the counties’ football decider in the Gaelic Grounds will be affected.

Indeed, Clare PRO Syl O’Connor fully expects the crowd in Cusack Park for their SHC qualifier against Dublin to be bigger than the total number that turn up at the Gaelic Grounds.

McGuane appreciates the Munster Council can’t anticipate Cork and Clare GAA supporters will go to their respective hurling qualifiers as well as the Munster football final.

“There’s no doubt it will have an impact,” he said.

“Cork and Clare have hurling qualifiers on Saturday evening and with our game at two o’clock the next afternoon people have a decision to make. In the current climate, not everybody can be expected to attend both games.”

McGuane said it was too early to put an estimate on the attendance for Sunday but pointed out that Cork-Clare Munster SFC games have a history of low attendances.

“The weather will also be a factor but the reality is a crowd of 4,186 were in Páirc Uí Chaoimh for last year’s game between Cork and Clare. That game had a 4pm throw-in and there were no competing fixtures against it.”

McGuane wouldn’t be drawn on the clash of fixtures between the phase two qualifiers and the Munster final. However, he said: “The qualifiers are fixed and if there is something to say I have no doubt the Munster Council will release a statement on it.

“There have also been some incorrect comments about the pricing of tickets. We have dropped all adult ticket prices by €5. When all things are considered next week, I hope people look at the fixtures this weekend and not just the price.”

Clare PRO O’Connor knows there is plenty of attraction in the county for tomorrow evening’s hurling qualifier even if Sunday’s decider is the Banner’s first Munster SFC final in 12 years. He said there is little question the fare in Cusack Park will offer more attraction than Sunday’s game.

“I’ve little doubt about it. There will be 10,000-plus in Cusack Park. There are two Clare managers involved and it so happens the Dublin manager is living closer to Cusack Park than the Clare one.

“Going to Thurles for the Munster semi-final and you’re out for the day but heading to Cusack Park is an evening and a golden opportunity to watch the hurling team in championship action.

“There’s no question a lot of people will be making a choice of to go to one or the other but now both. But we’ve only reached 17 Munster senior football finals in the 128 years of the GAA. Forget about the mountain we have to climb against Cork. That’s enormous but we’re in final and it’s a huge occasion.”

Cork vice-chairman Ger Lane played down the difficulties faced by Cork supporters with both their senior teams in action this weekend.

“I wouldn’t see it as unfortunate. The fixtures were laid out at the start of the year. This situation has happened in the past and so it has again now. That’s the way the cookie crumbles and we just have to get on with it.”

However, O’Connor believes Croke Park should have teamed up with the Munster Council to make it more financially attractive to Clare supporters to attend both their teams’ matches.

“The GAA could have come up with an operation whereby a person could come to Cusack Park, pay €40 and be entitled to gain access there and the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday.

“It would have been an excellent PR exercise. Croke Park give out 83% to grants for counties and clubs, scholarships, club development etc but now you have to question what will be the value of 83% if the number of that percentage is lower.

“83% of 100 is not the same as 83% of 50. I prefer to talk in monetary terms than percentages.

“Somewhere along the line it has to be acknowledged that the number one reason why people can’t go matches is that they don’t have the money.

“There’s blame being put on TV but I’m just saying the GAA has survived through thick and thin by adjusting to the environment it’s in. It’s a lot easier holding onto something — and I mean the supporters — then try to go and get them back.”