Cusack Park capacity increased for Clare vs Limerick Munster hurling clash

In both football and hurling, referees have been given a checklist to factor in when considering sending off a player for a head-high tackle.

Gearóid Hegarty of Limerick wins possession ahead of David McInerney of Clare during the 2022 Munster SHC game at Cusack Park in Ennis. Picture: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Cusack Park’s capacity has been increased to just over 20,000 for this Sunday’s Munster SHC opener between Clare and Limerick.

The Clare Echo report the Ennis venue’s crowd limit has jumped from 18,800 to 20,100 following an engineer’s inspection.

For the previous provincial SHC clash between the counties in 2022, an attendance of 18,129 was recorded. The additional tickets will be distributed to clubs.

Nemo Rangers’ Colm Lyons will take charge of the game in Cusack Park (2pm throw-in).

Referee for the 2022 All-Ireland final between Limerick and Kilkenny, it is the third consecutive year Lyons has been the man in the middle for the provincial round-robin meeting of the neighbours.

He was chief match official for Clare’s narrow win over Limerick in Round 2 in TUS Gaelic Grounds last April as he was for the draw in their Round 4 clash the year before in Ennis when he sent off Gearóid Hegarty for a second yellow card offence Lyons also refereed their 2015 Munster quarter-final and issued a red card to Limerick forward Seánie Tobin and Clare joint-captain Patrick Donnellan.

Later this Sunday afternoon (4pm), Tipperary’s Michael Kennedy will officiate the other Munster SHC Round 1 game between Waterford and Cork in Walsh Park. Newcastle man Kennedy was appointed to last year’s U20 All-Ireland final.

Limerick’s Johnny Ryan will be in charge of the Wexford-Dublin meeting in Chadwicks Wexford Park, while last year’s All-Ireland SFC final referee David Gough has been given the role of officiating the Derry-Donegal Ulster quarter-final in Celtic Park on Saturday.

Hurling referees have been advised to be mindful of players ducking into tackles in an attempt to win frees. Examples of recent league games were provided to officials of decisions going in favour of those who were simulating the fouls.

Across both codes, referees have been given the following checklist to factor in when considering to send off a player for a head-high tackle: if a contact is made to opponent’s head, if the opponent has no opportunity to protect himself, if contact/impact is excessive or causes injury, if the elbow/forearm/shoulder is part of the contact, if the player making contact jumps or has been two feet off the ground, if the player making contact had a realistic alternative by way of challenging opponent and to the direction and distance covered by the player who makes contact.

This weekend’s fixture details.

Saturday, April 20.

Munster SFC semi-finals.

Kerry v Cork, Fitzgerald Stadium 4pm (N. Mooney, Cavan) Live GAAGO.

Waterford v Clare, Fraher Field 6pm (D. Murnane, Cork).

Connacht SFC semi-final.

Sligo v Galway, Markievicz Park 3.30pm (B. Tiernan, Dublin).

Ulster SFC quarter-final.

Derry v Donegal, Celtic Park 6.15pm (D. Coldrick, Meath) Live RTÉ.

Joe McDonagh Cup, Round 1.

Down v Meath, Ballycran 2pm (C. McDonald, Antrim).

Christy Ring Cup, Round 2.

Derry v Tyrone, Owenbeg 1pm (J. Connors, Donegal).

London v Sligo, McGovern Park, Ruislip 1pm (TBC).

Nickey Rackard, Round 2.

Donegal v Mayo, O’Donnell Park 2pm (J. Clarke, Cavan).

Monaghan v Roscommon, Inniskeen 2pm (E. Furlong, Wexford).

Lory Meagher, Round 2.

Lancashire v Leitrim, St Joseph’s, Glenavy 2pm (K. Parke, Antrim).

Fermanagh v Cavan, Brewster Park 2pm (K. Brady, Louth).

Sunday, April 21

Munster SHC, Round 1.

Clare v Limerick, Cusack Park 2pm (C. Lyons, Cork) Live RTÉ.

Waterford v Cork, Walsh Park 4pm (M. Kennedy, Tipperary) Live RTÉ.

Leinster SHC, Round 1.

Wexford v Dublin, Chadwicks Wexford Park 2pm (J. Murphy, Limerick).

Galway v Carlow, Pearse Stadium 2pm (S. Stack, Dublin).

Kilkenny v Antrim, UPMC Nowlan Park 2.30pm (S. Hynes, Galway).

Joe McDonagh Cup, Round 1.

Laois v Offaly, Laois Hire O’Moore Park 2pm (C. Cunning, Antrim).

Westmeath v Kerry, TEG Cusack Park 2pm (S. Cleere, Kilkenny).

Christy Ring Cup, Round 2.

Kildare v Wicklow, Manguard Park 2pm (B. Keon, Galway).

Nickey Rackard Cup, Round 2.

Louth v Armagh, Páirc Naomh Bríd, Dowdallshill 2pm (N. O’Toole, Waterford).

Lory Meagher Cup, Round 2.

Warwickshire v Longford, Páirc nah Éireann 1pm (A. McAleer, Donegal).

Connacht SFC semi-final.

Roscommon v Mayo, Dr Hyde Park 4pm (S. Hurson, Tyrone) Live RTÉ.

Ulster SFC quarter-final.

Cavan v Tyrone, Kingspan Breffni 4pm (D. Coldrick, Meath) Live BBC.