Final round of Munster hurling championship set to hit attendance record

A total of close to 74,000 are likely to watch the games in Cork and Limerick on Sunday.

Thu, 22 May, 2025 - 11:14

John Fogarty

This Sunday’s Munster senior hurling championship final round is expected to be the competition’s largest attendance total for a day with close to 74,000 set to watch the games in Cork and Limerick.

As of Thursday, almost 41,000 tickets have been sold for the do-or-die clash between Cork and Waterford in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. A win for Cork will earn them a Munster final place, while a draw would be enough to send the hosts into the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals. Victory for The Déise and it's they who will go through the backdoor.

Although it’s a dead rubber barring a 26-point loss for Limerick and a Cork win, the reigning provincial champions' meeting with Clare in TUS Gaelic Grounds with the same 4pm throw-in time is set to attract approximately 31,000 as home supporters cheer on their team before an anticipated seventh consecutive Munster final appearance on Saturday, June 7.

Last Sunday's games had been the highest single day draw with 71,235 (42,477 in Limerick and 28,758 in Thurles). Previously, the Munster SHC’s best match-day for ticket sales was recorded in April of last year when a total of 70,316 people took in the Cork-Clare (36,841) and Limerick-Tipperary (33,475) Round 2 meetings.

Whether next month’s Munster final is in Limerick (Limerick v Cork), FBD Semple Stadium (Tipperary v Limerick) or Cork (Cork v Tipperary), the provincial council is in line to report another year of record-breaking attendances and possibly reach €8 million in gate receipts for the competition.

This year’s crowd figures for the 10 round fixtures are expected to exceed last year’s combined figure of 270,750 by over 12,000.

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