Munster GAA’s money-spinning bonanza as Cork and Kerry replay
Cognisant of traffic issues around the town, both the council and the Gardai were keen to arrange an evening start at Fitzgerald Stadium to ensure supporters have as much time as possible to arrive at the venue.
The match is also expected to be televised by RTÉ. Sky Sports are set to broadcast two Round 3B football qualifiers the same day but it is understood an arrangement has been reached.
Cork had suggested the game could take place on Sunday week. However, that day has to be kept free for the possibility of a hurling final replay as the All-Ireland quarter-finals take place the following weekend.
There were also concerns that if the game was to take place on July 19, the losers of the football replay would then have just six days to recover for a fourth round qualifier.
Should they then win that backdoor game, they would likely face Dublin in an All-Ireland quarter-final the following weekend.
The drawn final was watched by over 35,000 people on Sunday and the replay is expected to attract a similarly large crowd in what will be a major financial boost to the Munster Council, who are also expecting big numbers at this Sunday’s provincial senior and minor hurling finals in Thurles.
Years in which Kerry-Cork Killarney finals have taken place have been particularly lucrative for Munster GAA. Although the council enjoyed a €500,000-plus increase in gate receipts last year, largely because of an attractive senior hurling championship, the football competition suffered a dip of €281,639 primarily because the Cork-Kerry final took place in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
The 21,028 attendance was over 14,000 less than this year’s total in Killarney and more than 15,000 worse than when it took place in Kerry in 2013.
Meanwhile, Thurles will stage five games in the space of two days this weekend after the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee organised a triple-header of qualifier games for this Saturday.
Ahead of hosting the provincial senior and minor hurling deciders, Cork and Clare will renew acquaintances for the fifth time in three seasons when they top the bill in their Round 2 qualifier in Semple Stadium. The game will be shown live on Sky Sports with a 7pm throw-in.
Dublin and Limerick meet in the other hurling backdoor match at 5pm, which will be televised by RTÉ, while Tipperary and Louth’s footballers will open proceedings at 2.45pm with their Round 2B qualifier.
After beating Wexford on Saturday, Cork’s hurlers were greeted with further good news with confirmation that defender Shane O’Neill last night returned to training in advance of the Clare clash. Jimmy Barry-Murphy confirmed the Bishopstown man has recovered from his ankle problem.
“His injury has cleared up - he got the all clear and will be back training with the squad tonight (Monday).”
Laois manager Seamus “Cheddar” Plunkett believes Cork could still be contenders for an All-Ireland title should they get over Clare. Although they were troubled by Wexford in the second-half, Plunkett saw enough of an improvement from the defeat by Waterford to be convinced Cork remain a force.
“I thought Cork were very impressive,” he told RTÉ’s weekly GAA podcast. “It’s very difficult to go down to Wexford Park and win down there. The current Wexford side are a very good, competitive team and it was a good result for Cork. Their team setup has steadied itself.
“They were in one of the best All-Ireland finals just a couple of years ago and they have incredible talent. All of their players are real natural hurlers.
“I certainly wouldn’t rule them out. The old adage that a Cork team could come any time and win an All-Ireland may not be as true as it was in previous years but that will always be there.
“They have such a natural level of talent in the team that once they get going, with momentum behind them, they’re going to be very difficult to stop.”
Elsewhere, the times and venues for this weekend’s football qualifiers were confirmed. On the B side of the draw, Derry will face Wexford in Owenbeg at 2pm on Saturday.
An hour later, Tyrone and Meath’s game in Healy Park throws in.
The other Round 2B qualifier between Armagh and Galway takes place in the Athletic Grounds on Sunday (3pm).
The round 3A backdoor matches are on separate days, the Longford-Kildare game arranged for Mullingar on Saturday at 7pm as Glennon Brothers Pearse Park is currently under reconstruction. Fermanagh and Roscommon face off in Brewster Park at 3.30pm on Sunday.
Leinster U21HC final: Kilkenny v Wexford, Wexford Park, 7.30pm, (J Keenan, Wicklow); Munster IHC final: Cork v Limerick, Páirc Uí Rinn, 7.30pm, (D Fox, Clare).
All-Ireland SHC Round 2: Dublin v Limerick, Semple Stadium, 5pm (RTÉ Two); Clare v Cork, Semple Stadium, 7pm (Sky Sports).
All-Ireland SFC Round 2B: Derry v Wexford, Owenbeg, 2pm; Tipperary v Louth, Semple Stadium, 2.45pm;
Tyrone v Meath, Omagh, 3pm; Round 3A: Longford v Kildare, Cusack Park, Mullingar, 7pm; All-Ireland U21 ‘C’ Championship semi-final: Tyrone v Louth, Healy Park, Omagh, 1pm.
Leinster SFC final: Dublin v Westmeath, Croke Park, 2pm, (J McQuillan, Cavan) (RTÉ Two); Munster SHC final: Tipperary v Waterford, Semple Stadium, 4pm, (J Owens, Wexford) (RTÉ Two); Ulster SHC final: Antrim v Down, Owenbeg, 3.30pm; All-Ireland SFC Round 2B: Armagh v Galway, Athletic Grounds, 3pm; Fermanagh v Roscommon, Brewster Park, 3.30pm; Leinster Minor football final: Kildare v Longford, Croke Park, 12.00 (F Smyth, Offaly); Munster Minor hurling final: Tipperary v Limerick, Semple Stadium, 2pm.
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