Clare chairman Kieran Keating says playing their Munster SHC final against Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds rather than Páirc Uí Chaoimh was the “logical option” for the Banner.
The showpiece event of Munster hurling has been fixed for the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday, June 11th, with a 1.45pm throw-in.
Páirc Uí Chaoimh was the preferred option of Munster officials, but Clare initially sought to have the match fixed for Semple Stadium instead.
However, with Cork eager to host the game and with Limerick onboard for a Leeside clash, Clare’s request for the game to take place in Thurles was likely to be unsuccessful if it went to a Munster CCC vote.
Malachy Clerkin: The GAA should make more of St Patrick’s Day - and more of its intercounty stars
Shefflin trying to devise a way for Galway to halt Limerick juggernaut
Munster CEO defends broadcast coverage of province’s hurling championship
Sports Review 2023: Murphy’s incredible reflex save showed hurling’s facility for the impossible
With that in mind, and after consulting with Brian Lohan and the senior hurling management team, Clare put forward a third option – Limerick.
“We had some feedback from interested parties, supporters, the management and so on,” said Keating. “We would have preferred Thurles, but Cork were keen to have it down there for understandable reasons.
“From our point of view, we considered the Gaelic Grounds and we spoke to Limerick about it. [The Clare management] were interested in that as an option too rather than Cork, the journey to and from Cork.
“We’re happy to go to the Gaelic Grounds. It was our instigation, Munster didn’t push us to it or anything like that. We just decided from our own supporters’ point of view and the preparation of our players that Limerick was the logical option.”
Confirmation on the venue was due on Monday but Clare requested it be delayed.
“We felt we’d end up going to Cork and once that was set we wouldn’t have any opportunity to go about changing it, so we asked them to hold off their decision until we finished negotiating with Limerick,” said Keating.
Clare beat John Kiely’s Limerick 1-24 to 2-20 when the sides met in the Gaelic Grounds at the end of April, but the Banner have never won a Munster final in Limerick.
On the venue choice, Munster GAA stated: “This decision follows a request from Clare to the Munster Council CCC on Monday evening of May 29th to postpone making a decision on the venue to allow Clare time to explore the possibility of playing the game at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.
“The Munster Council CCC agreed to postpone making their decision, and today [Tuesday] Clare and Limerick have confirmed that they had reached agreement to play the game at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.”
The showdown is a repeat of the 2022 provincial final, which took place at Semple Stadium and was won by Limerick, 1-29 to 0-29.
Limerick are aiming for a fifth consecutive Munster senior hurling crown, while Clare are still searching for a first provincial success since 1998.
The 1.45pm throw-in time is to facilitate live TV and the possibility of extra-time. The Leinster final between Kilkenny and Galway will start at 4pm on the same day.
There was a crowd of 43,112 at the 2022 final between the same counties at Semple Stadium. The last time a Munster senior hurling decider took place at the Gaelic Grounds was in 2019 when 44,052 turned up to watch Limerick beat Tipperary. Páirc Uí Chaoimh’s most recent Munster final was in 2021 when Covid restrictions limited attendance. The Leeside venue has a capacity of 45,000.
Stand tickets for the Munster decider will be distributed through participating county boards only, while terrace tickets will be going on sale to the general public on Thursday June 1st at 12pm for what is expected to a sell-out.
