Páirc Uí Chaoimh to host Munster's 'Clash of Champions' if approved by Central Council

SELLOUT: Dan du Preez wins possession in the lineout during the Munster v South Africa XV game at Páirc Ui Chaoimh last November. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Páirc Uí Chaoimh will host the Munster-Crusaders ‘Clash of Champions’ rugby game on February 3 next year, if one-off approval is given by the GAA's Central Council when they discuss the matter on Saturday week.

The Cork GAA executive have sent a submission to Croke Park for Páirc Uí Chaoimh to host the fixture between the URC champions Munster and the Super Rugby Pacific champions Crusaders.

If the necessary approval is given, it would be the second rugby game staged at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in a 16-month period. The event will be worth between €150,000-€200,000.

“The rationale is clear. It is the same as the rationale was for the South Africa rugby game, and that large-scale events represent a key component of stadium business,” Cork GAA CEO Kevin O’Donovan said at the July meeting of the county board.

“Current targets are based on securing at least three major events within each financial year, and while we had five concerts last year, we had none this year.

“The geographical location of the stadium makes it challenging to secure major GAA games here. Meeting the debt repayments is an arduous task and this event will be worth between €150,000-€200,000 to the stadium.

“If approval isn’t granted, then the game will take place elsewhere in the province. If it is granted, then the game will take place in Páirc Uí Chaoimh."

Elsewhere, Cork GAA have been accused of discriminating against pensioners by refusing to take cash at county championship games.

It was confirmed at Tuesday's board meeting that a cash gate will not be operated when county championship games throw-in later this month.

Credit cards will be accepted at Pairc Uí Chaoimh and Páirc Uí Rinn, and in a further attempt to reach out to patrons disenfranchised by the cashless ticketing policy, the county board are offering a discounted €100 season pass to those over the age of 66.

Bride Rovers delegate John Arnold said the discounted season pass is an “absolute insult” to pensioners whose cash will not be accepted on a game-by-game basis.

“I must say the idea of selling a €100 ticket to people over 66 is an absolute insult. You are saying to people my age, we don't want your cash but fork out €100 at the start of the year. That's actually discrimination,” said Arnold.

“I wouldn't recommend it to anybody. If you are 65 or any other age and if you have a card, you can pay your €10 or €15, but if you are 66, a pensioner, you [Cork GAA] want €100 euro off them.

“Lads, we've had some bad publicity from the GAA all this year, right from headquarters down. All I can say tonight is it is a sad night.”

Separately, the board executive defended the decision not to allow Cork supporters onto the Páirc Uí Chaoimh field following the county’s All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-final win over Roscommon the weekend before last.

Kevin O’Donovan said it was unfair that Páirc Uí Chaoimh stewards took “abuse” after the game for a policy that was not of their making.

To allow a pitch invasion at the final whistle, added O’Donovan, would have set a “precedent” that would endanger the €1.5m pitch investment of recent years.

Cork vice-chairman Pat Horgan said streaming of county championship games would continue in 2023, but with a “different partner”. 

The Irish Examiner was responsible for the streaming of Cork county championship games for the past three years.