19-05-2025
Munster SHC attendance could surpass last year's record total
A combined crowd of 60,000 at this weekend's final round games in the Munster senior hurling championship in Cork and Limerick will see it surpass last year's record total for the round stages.
A total of 270,750 took in the 10 round fixtures last year before another 45,148 attended the Limerick-Clare Munster final.
There is a possibility that overall 315,898 figure, up over 5,000 from 2023, may not be surpassed this year.
TUS Gaelic Grounds, which will host the Munster final should the pairing be Limerick and Cork as part of their home-away deal, was at capacity for their counties's fourth round game on Sunday when 42,477 were in attendance.
Thus far, a total of 211,103 have taken in the eight Munster SHC matches with another large crowd anticipated for the Cork-Waterford knock-out clash in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday at 4pm.
Although Clare are out of the championship, a good Limerick crowd is expected to attend their meeting in TUS Gaelic Grounds, which throws in at the same time.
Munster officials remain extremely happy that numbers have held up from last year when they recorded €6.794 million in gate receipts for the competition, especially as ticket prices were increased for the second year running.
Admission prices to the final on Saturday, June 7 are also set to jump from their 2024 points when a stand ticket for an adult cost €45 and it was €35 for the terraces. There was a €5 concession to both for students and old age pensioners.
Only a 26-point defeat to Clare on Sunday will deny Limerick a berth in a seventh straight Munster final. With that in mind, it is already believed John Kiely will use the game to rotate part of his team.
Cork must defeat The Déise to make a first provincial senior final in seven years. A draw will send them into an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final against the Joe McDonagh Cup runners-up on June 14 and Tipperary will qualify for a first Munster senior decider in four seasons.
Lose to Waterford and Peter Queally's side will go through the backdoor and it will be Tipperary who provide the opposition to Limerick in a final in FBD Semple Stadium as part of the counties's home-away agreement.
Meanwhile, Limerick's Johnny Murphy has been appointed to referee the Cork-Waterford game on Sunday. Thomas Walsh of Waterford is the man in the middle for the Limerick-Clare game.
In Leinster, Colm Lyons (Cork) takes charge of the de facto semi-final between Dublin and Galway in Parnell Park. Michael Kennedy (Tipperary) officiates the Offaly-Antrim relegation play-off in Glenisk O'Connor Park and Seán Stack (Dublin) the dead rubber involving Wexford and Kilkenny in Chadwicks Wexford Park.
A draw in Donnycarney will be enough for Galway to advance to a Leinster final clash with Kilkenny on score difference. Kilkenny have qualified for an eighth straight decider where they will be aiming to claim the Bob O'Keeffe Cup for a sixth consecutive time in Croke Park on Sunday, June 8. Antrim must beat Offaly to avoid the drop at the expense of their opponents to the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2025.
