GAELIC GAMES:Low attendances at floodlit hurling league matches is causing some concern, SEAN MORANreports

THE GAA are to review the appeal of floodlit hurling fixtures at the end of the league campaigns. Association president Christy Cooney said yesterday that whereas he thought it was too early to draw conclusions attendances would have to be analysed.

He was speaking, at yesterday’s AIB Provincial Players Awards lunch in Dublin’s RDS, in the aftermath of some disappointing attendances at the weekend’s hurling league matches. The greatest scrutiny will centre on whether the Saturday night throw-ins command the same appeal as those staged traditionally on a Sunday afternoon.

“When we look at attendances this year and compare how they are for Saturday and Sunday nights this year, CCCC will then have a look at it. In some respects, it’s the counties themselves that may look for a Saturday evening game so their clubs can play on a Sunday. Also we have a number of television games that we need to show on a Saturday night and we’re contracted to do so. That’s important too.

“But let’s review it at the end of the Allianz League and see where we are. When we assess the crowds compared to last year we’ll be in a better position to make a decision. I think it would be very premature to make a judgment call now after three rounds of the Allianz League. I think it would be too soon, to be honest.”

At present the evidence certainly supports the view that floodlit fixtures aren’t as popular in hurling as they are in football. All-Ireland champions Tipperary have played all of their league matches under lights, two at home and one in Croke Park, as part of a double bill with the Dublin footballers, but the crowds in Thurles have been disappointing.

The season’s curtain raiser last month was a re-run of last September’s monumental All-Ireland final but, on an admittedly awful night, the attendance was just 9,495. That compared with the two previous Sunday afternoon meetings between the counties in Thurles: 20,254 last year and 17,098 the year before. There are caveats with both of those figures, as there was no admission charge 12 months ago in recognition of the two evenings on which the fixture had been called off at short notice because of weather and in 2009 the match was that season’s league final.

Last weekend’s match against Waterford was attended by 4,947, compared to last year when 6,665 went through the turnstiles on a Sunday afternoon. Tipperary PRO Ger Ryan agreed evening throw-ins were potentially an issue. “We would have a sense that they’re not as popular,” he said, “although it can be difficult to make accurate comparisons. In terms of trying to promote a big match like Tipperary and Kilkenny, maybe the middle of March would be better than the first weekend of the season.

“This has been discussed at Munster Council and the point was made that whereas floodlit matches are popular in Dublin, Cork and urban centres where there are pubs and restaurants nearby and public transport is available, for people in more rural areas getting home can take a while. We’re also doing our best to promote matches for families with under-16s admitted free of charge. But some nights are just too cold and the games over too late for young children.”

According to Cooney, next season’s hurling league will be tweaked to accommodate an extra round. “The intention is that we would hope to have semi-finals in hurling and football,” he said. “We haven’t gone beyond that yet. We haven’t any massive suggestions about a 14-team Division One and changes in the structure of the divisions.

“After congress we will be coming forward with a fairly significant hurling plan and the development of hurling. We have to finalise it yet, it has to go back to Coiste Bainistí­ again for approval at Central Council. Pat Daly, Liam O’Neill and the committee are doing some more work on it for us and will come back to us probably at April Congress meeting.”

Another issue under review is third-level competition, although Cooney said that there were no plans to move the Fitzgibbon and Sigerson to before Christmas in order to ease fixture congestion in January and February.

“It is not practical to play it before Christmas. It is just not possible, in my view, to run the competition any earlier than it is. We have asked Third Level to carry out a significant review of their structure. We have a draft report now – Nickey Brennan chaired that group for me. We would expect a report and recommendation to come before Coiste Bainistí­ probably after Congress.”