Munster hurling final looks set to take place in Thurles

MUNSTER FINAL: Between the four counties remaining in the championship, there is a three in four chance the June 9 final will be staged in Semple Stadium in Thurles. Pic: ©INPHO/Ken Sutton

The venue for this year’s Munster senior hurling final as well as its participants will be confirmed this Sunday evening with Thurles the most likely venue.

Between the four counties remaining in the championship, there is a three in four chance the June 9 final will be staged in Thurles. There is a slim chance of a Cork-Limerick showdown and that would take place in Limerick as per their home-away agreement – their last final in 2014 was in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

In February, the council signed off on a rota of venues for finals involving Clare and/or Waterford. The first will take place in FBD Semple Stadium, followed by SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh and TUS Gaelic Grounds.

As part of their agreement with the Leinster Council whose SHC decider is scheduled for Saturday June 8 this year, the 2025 Munster final will be played on a Saturday evening. If either or both Clare and Waterford are involved, it will be staged at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Tipperary also owe Cork a home Munster final following the last one between the counties in Thurles in 2006.

Now that Tipperary have exited the championship, Thurles would also appear the most likely venue for the All-Ireland quarter-finals on June 22. The last quarter-final double-header in Semple Stadium was the Waterford-Wexford and Galway-Clare matches in 2016.

Again, as per a rota, the third placed team in Munster will face the Joe McDonagh Cup champions, Laois or Offaly, in Portlaoise or Tullamore in an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final on June 15 or 16. Leinster’s third placed team face the runners-up again at the home of the second-tier county.

Meanwhile, Roscommon’s Dr Hyde Park has emerged as a strong contender to host the Dublin-Mayo All-Ireland SFC Group 2 Round 3 game on June 15 or 16.