Cork GAA chair: Decision to play both hurling league finals in Limerick on Sunday 'a shambles'

Pat Horgan confirmed he asked Central Council on Saturday to consider making the county’s Division 1A hurling final against Limerick in TUS Gaelic Grounds a standalone game.

SHAMBLES: Cork GAA chairman Pat Horgan has described as “a shambles” the decision to stage both Division 1A and 1B hurling finals in Limerick this Sunday. Picture: Howard Crowdy

Cork chairman Pat Horgan has described as “a shambles” the decision to stage both Division 1A and 1B hurling finals in Limerick this Sunday.

Horgan confirmed he asked Central Council on Saturday to consider making the county’s Division 1A hurling final against Limerick in TUS Gaelic Grounds a standalone game.

The request, which would have meant reorganising the Division 1B decider between Clare and Dublin for the same venue the day before or a different venue on Sunday, was turned down by GAA president Jarlath Burns.

The double-header has put extreme pressure on the Cork executive to meet ticket demands and Horgan believes the GAA have landed a “self-inflicted” blow against themselves.

“I raised the issue at Central Council regarding our fixture, next weekend’s National Hurling League final, and the obvious mistake made in not having a standalone fixture,” Horgan told the Irish Examiner.

“I asked that Central Council recommend to the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) that they would have another look at it. Jarlath replied that it would be unprecedented for Central Council to ask the CCCC to revisit it.

“All I can say is the Association must be very cash-rich if they can afford to pass up a separate fixture where gate receipts would be expected to be six figures. Everyone in the room knew a mistake was made, and all I was asking was they be afforded an opportunity to correct it.”

With just two stand tickets going to each hurling club in Cork, the board executive are dealing with a loaves and fishes scenario that Horgan says is more acute than Cork’s All-Ireland final appearances these past two seasons.

“We as a county board have received unbelievable stick – and rightly so – from clubs officials and general public who have no chance now of attending this game due to this error.

“This mad scramble for tickets is much worse for us than an All-Ireland and the championship hasn’t even started yet.”

Last 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.

Although their final against Tipperary in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh last year formed part of a double-header with the 1B game between Waterford and Offaly, this year’s move has bewildered Cork officials.

An intense demand for tickets had been expected for the clash with Limerick, which will be the second of three meetings between the 2025 Munster SHC finalists in seven weeks.

Cork have also broken their attendance record for round league games this year. Their six fixtures attracted 112,257, up over 18,000 on 2025. A combined 71,027 attended Cork’s three home games, an increase of almost 5,422 from last season.

Earlier this month, the Munster Council announced there would be no public sale of tickets for the opening three rounds of the provincial SHC including Cork v Limerick on April 26 due to high demand.

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