'It was a pity' - Munster final drama prompts GAA rethink

Extra.ie​

2 days ago

GAA president Jarlath Burns said replays will be considered in light of the drama-packed Munster hurling final between Cork and Limerick that was decided on penalties.
After the match ended level following extra time, Cork won the first provincial hurling final to go to a shoot-out 3-2 – and with it a first Munster title since 2018.
But with various calls for the compressed inter-county calendar to be changed to allow for provincial final replays, Burns yesterday opened the door to such an option – especially after the former Armagh captain witnessed his own county losing back-to-back Ulster football titles on penalties. And he also suggested All-Ireland finals could return to August rather than July. Uachtarán Tofa Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Jarlath Burns during the GAA Congress at Canal Court Hotel. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
'You don't have to talk to me above anybody else about replays and provincial finals. We've lost three now, two quarter-finals, on penalties. I would be very much in favour of replays where at all possible.'
He was speaking at the official launch of the All-Ireland hurling series at Offaly's Centre of Excellence, The Faithful Fields. Asked if he thinks it might be revisited, he replied: 'These things are always revisited. At the end of this championship, because it's a three-year phase, we're going to review all aspects of it.
'I agree with the split-season for all of the reasons that I've given before, but I definitely think that any review should consider the possibility of replays, particularly in provincial finals. I just think that was such a game of drama, it was just a pity the way it ended. The Armagh-Donegal game could have gone the same way for the third year in a row, so I'm totally in favour of replays.'
A motion relating to replays was actually brought forward and debated at the GAA's Annual Congress back in February but was ultimately withdrawn after significant opposition and the fear it would impact negatively on the club window.
'Well, we did bring a motion to Congress this year,' added Burns. 'Ironically, it was Munster GAA who stymied it.'
His words will feed into the possibility of a motion being brought to the Special Congress that is taking place in early October.
On the question as to whether penalties is a fair way to decide a championship game, he said there are pros and cons. Cork won the first provincial hurling final to go to a shoot-out 3-2 – and with it a first Munster title since 2018.
'Well, that's what's in the rules and that's what we have at the moment. There are those who would say that winner on the day means winner on the day. And whatever that comes to, it has to come to. It's not too often that you have penalties in a hurling match for obvious reasons. We had it on Saturday evening.
'There are many people who say it adds to the drama as well, and that it can assist in the narrative of the game, that there was a winner on the day, there was a cup presented. Whenever we used to have replays, people gave off to the GAA that we were just doing it for the financial gain. And remember, the 83 per cent goes back. We need every penny we can get for all those good reasons.
'And now we have stopped replays to allow for the club season, which obviously in the dual counties, and that's what we're trying to promote, dual counties, and we're getting, not criticism, but debate over it.
'So there are all of these points that you have to consider. The GAA do not take these decisions lightly. They are all voted on. We're a very democratic organisation and if people want to change it, we'll be in favour of that.'
Burns too opened the door on the possibility of the All-Ireland finals returning to August rather than July. Uachtaran CLG Jarlath Burns. Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane
'You might have heard me saying that this isn't going to happen during my presidency. The decision might be made during my presidency, but it might not actually occur during my presidency. But I am certainly open to first and third weeks in August from 2027 on. At the end of the day, we are a games organisation.'
With the Munster Council raising the price of a stand ticket to €50 for last weekend's Munster final while the Leinster Council offered up 20,000 free tickets for under-14s to the Leinster hurling final, Burns admitted that Croke Park are looking at dynamic pricing for big Croke Park days.
'We do have a ticketing workgroup set up under Declan Woods from Cavan. They are coming up with all sorts of ideas around dynamic structures, dynamic pricing.
'If you look at the URC final on Saturday, they have a dynamic structure. Even the corners of the stands, it's cheaper to get into them than the main part of the stand. It's interesting what they're charging to get into Ard Comhairle as well, if any of you have seen that.
'So, I think the future of that is if we could get, I think it was 10,000 this year, why could we not get 20,000 young people to come this year and create that culture, where the more empty seats you have in the stand, the more we have to fill with young people who we want to come into our games.'