Interpro finals to be held in Portlaoise

Portlaoise's O'Moore Park will stage both the 2008 GAA Interprovincial Hurling and Football Championship finals as a double header on Saturday, November 1, the GAA have confirmed.

The finals returned to Croke Park last year but a poor attendance of 10,127 meant a move back away from GAA headquarters was always on the cards.

Nonetheless, the appetite for the championships, formerly known as the Railway Cup competitions, is still there amongst players, officials and supporters.

The 2007 Interpro deciders, helped by an improved marketing campaign, were watched by a peak audience of 245,000 on RTE Two and GAA chiefs will be hoping for a similar figure for this year's floodlit finale.

The semi-finals in both competitions will take place on Saturday, October 25 with Dungarvan's Fraher Field staging the Munster v Ulster games in both codes.

Kiltoom in Roscommon has been chosen as the venue for the Connacht v Leinster ties in both football and hurling.

Seven days later, the finals will be played out under the floodlights at O'Moore Park in Portlaoise.

The current holders are Ulster (football) and Munster (hurling).

2008 GAA INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES:

Saturday, October 25:

GAA Interprovincial Hurling Championship Semi-Finals:

Munster v Ulster, Fraher Field, 2pm

Connacht v Leinster, Kiltoom, 3.30pm

GAA Interprovincial Football Championship Semi-Finals:

Munster v Ulster, Fraher Field, 3.30pm

Connacht v Leinster, Kiltoom, 5pm

Saturday, November 1:

GAA Interprovincial Hurling Championship Final:

Munster or Ulster v Connacht or Leinster, O'Moore Park, 6pm

GAA Interprovincial Football Championship Final:

Munster or Ulster v Connacht or Leinster, O'Moore Park, 7.45pm