Venue problem in event of draw

The GAA will be faced with a dilemma if Sunday's All-Ireland hurling semi-final between Clare and Kilkenny ends in a draw

The GAA will be faced with a dilemma if Sunday's All-Ireland hurling semi-final between Clare and Kilkenny ends in a draw. Should a replay be needed, it has been fixed for the following Sunday, August 17th, which is also the date for second semi-final between Wexford and Tipperary.

One of the matches would then have to be moved out of Croke Park because the expected crowd for such an attractive double-header could not be accommodated there. The GAA expects a crowd in excess of 50,000 on Sunday for the Clare-Kilkenny match and the other semi-final between Wexford and Tipperary could be expected to match that attendance.

If a replay of Sunday's match is needed the likelihood is that the replay would be switched to Thurles, although this would involve another major problem this time in regard to traffic with Tipperary followers travelling to Croke Park and Kilkenny and Clare supporters pouring into Thurles at the same time.

Other venues which might come into line for the match would be Limerick or Pairc Ui Chaoimh, but both would mean, all-ticket matches with attendances reduced to around 40,000.

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One other possible solution to the problem would be to play both matches at Croke Park - one on Saturday and the other on Sunday.