Attendance figures give grounds for optimism

The dramatic slide in Munster senior hurling championship attendances appears to have been arrested with this year’s estimated figures showing only a small drop from 2011.

A fractional decrease of approximately less than 500 from 93,821 last year to 93,370 for the four games is expected to be recorded.

Over a five-season period from 2006 to 2011, the average Munster SHC attendance had fallen from 36,900 to 23,455.