All-Ireland hurling quarter-finals to remain at neutral venues

NEUTRAL: A view of the TUS Gaelic Grounds. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho

This year’s All-Ireland senior hurling quarter-finals will continue to be played at neutral venues.

The Hurling Development Committee had looked for provincial runners-up to be awarded home advantage, but a lobby of counties including Waterford and Wexford convinced Central Council on Saturday to retain the neutral staging.

Last year’s Dublin-Limerick and Tipperary-Galway quarter-finals were staged in Croke Park and TUS Gaelic Grounds. The year before, the Cork-Dublin and Clare-Wexford matches formed a double-header in FBD Semple Stadium.

It remains to be seen if the quarter-finals will be played on Sunday having been staged on a Saturday the last number of years. Currently, they are scheduled for the weekend of June 20/21 along with the Tailteann Cup semi-finals, which have had the Sunday slot since the competition was established in 2022.

Meanwhile, at Saturday’s meeting in Croke Park Cork chairman Pat Horgan hit out at the decision to stage both Division 1A and 1B finals on the same bill in Limerick tomorrow week.

Horgan highlighted the intense ticket pressure placed on Cork by the Clare-Dublin 1B decider as the undercard to the county’s 1A final with Limerick.

Last year Tipp and Galway played their All-Ireland quarter final at Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Earlier this week, Cork clubs were informed each hurling unit would receive two stand tickets with premier senior and senior A clubs entitled to 24 terrace tickets. Premier intermediate, intermediate A and premier junior clubs would pick up four less while junior A outfits would receive 12 and 10 for junior B and C clubs.

Central Council have also recommended future GAA presidential and trustee elections take place by postal vote. The next election for trustees takes place next year.

The practice of withdrawing motions from the floor of Congress after they have been debated is also to be reviewed. Recently, a Clontarf motion was removed from the Clár following a debate for the second time in 12 months.

Also at Congress last month, GAA president Jarlath Burns chose not to put to a vote a proposal to extend the inter-county window by two weeks while disbanding the pre-season competitions. The motion had faced strong opposition from the floor.

Ard Chomhairle also agreed that academy squads can only stage challenge games from February 1 to August 15, while trials can only take place from October 24 to December 5.

Former Offaly hurler and barrister Rory Hanniffy, Edward Dooley, John Hogan, Caoimhe Clancy and Dick Butler (GAA Panel) were all ratified as additional members of the Disputes Resolution Authority.