IN A SHOCK development, Limerick will have home advantage against Clare in Sunday week’s Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final at the Gaelic Grounds.
It’s the first Limerick/Clare decider at the venue since Dermot Kelly scored 1-12 in Limerick’s famous defeat of their next-door neighbours.
In a statement, Munster GAA explained: “This decision follows a request from Clare to the Munster Council CCC on Monday to postpone making a decision on the venue to allow Clare time to explore the possibility of playing the game at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.
“Earlier, Clare had proposed Semple Stadium, while Limerick had proposed Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The Munster Council CCC agreed to postpone making their decision, and today Clare and Limerick have confirmed that they had reached agreement to play the game at the TUS Gaelic Grounds. “
The GAA also confirmed there will no public sale of stand tickets, with distribution solely through County Boards. Terrace tickets, however, will go on sale to the general public on Thursday (12 noon). There’s no question but that the glamour fixture will be a complete sell-out.
The 1:45 pm throw in time is to facilitate live TV and the possibility of extra time. The Leinster Final throws in at 4 pm.
Limerick’s staging of the final is a massive financial windfall to the local economy, with restaurants, public houses and the like to benefit enormously with the influx of 45,000 into the city and its environs.
In anticipation that the final would be held in either Thurles or Cork, train tickets to both venues on June 11 had sold out at the start of the week. It’s understood that those purchases are non-refundable.
