5,000 capacity cap to affect rugby, GAA, and horse racing events

The delayed implementation will mean Munster's Champions Cup clash on Saturday may proceed as planned but over 20,000 ticket holders are set to miss out on the sold-out Leinster derby

Munster's Champions Cup clash against Castres on Saturday will be one of the highest attended for some time ahead, with over 20,000 tickets sold for Thomond Park. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Crowds at Champions Cup and United Rugby Championship games, GAA provincial club finals, All-Ireland semi-finals, and the start of the Allianz Football League are among those outdoor sports events that will be impacted by the new Covid crowd limits.

Coming into operation from Monday until possibly January 30, capacities will be restricted to 50% or 5,000 spectators, whichever is lower. Organisers of the Christmas racing festivals at Leopardstown and Limerick will also have to plan for a reduced capacity.

While tomorrow’s Munster-Castres Champions Cup game, which has over 20,000 tickets sold, and the slew of this weekend's GAA club fixtures including three Leinster senior games in Croke Park are to be left untouched, forthcoming United Rugby Championship games will be affected. 

Munster's sell-out St Stephen's Day clash with Leinster will be hit by the restrictions, with over 20,000 ticket holders set to miss out under the 5,000 cap, while on New Year’s Day Johann van Graan’s side travel to face Connacht.

Munster are then at home to Ulster on January 8, the same weekend as Leinster and Connacht were due to face South African opposition in the competition. Following two rounds of the Champions Cup, Connacht have a United Championship home game against Glasgow Warriors on January 29.

In Round 3 of the Champions Cup, Connacht face Leicester Tigers in Galway on January 15 while Leinster host Montpelier the following day. Munster welcome Wasps to Thomond Park on January 23.

The GAA’s 2022 season commences with pre-season fixtures followed by provincial finals at the beginning of January. The All-Ireland senior club hurling semi-finals are pencilled in for January 22/23 with the football last four matches taking place a week later.

Round 1 of the Allianz Football League is due to take place on January 29/30 including fixtures such as the meeting of Kildare and Kerry in Newbridge, Mayo entertaining Donegal at a neutral venue, as Castlebar is unavailable, and Dublin at home to Armagh.

Dublin did not have a home league game this past season as they lost the advantage for the clash with Kerry as punishment for their illegal training session and the game was played in Semple Stadium. Since 2011, they have played their home league games in Croke Park but that may change for at least the opener if crowd restrictions are in place.

Indoor sporting events will also be capped at 50% capacity up to a maximum of 1,000 people, with an 8pm curfew applying.

The first-ever inter-county game to be played indoors in Ireland sees Leitrim and Sligo face off in the FBD Connacht League at Connacht GAA's Air Dome in Bekan, Mayo, on January 4. Galway and Mayo also clash there in the competition on January 7. It had already been anticipated crowds at the games there could be cut to as little as 300.