Why not play the semi finals as stand alone fixtures. Jesus the GAA don't help themselves. Ballyhale - Ballygunner in Thurles on the Saturday evening around 6pm under lights. Rematch from a final with a last second winner. You could sell the **** out of that over the course of the next week and a half and get a good TV audience and a decent crowd in Thurles. No other sports to compete with.
But no let's throw it in a huge stadium in front of a couple of thousand supporters at the same time as the biggest event in world sport.
Idiots.
It's been well publicised at this stage that Thurles isn't available.
Seen Wexford Park suggested too but there doing works installing the floodlights at the moment, there's Junior and Intermediate Intermediate leinster finals there last Saturday and this Saturday with only the main stand open, would restrict capacity to 4,200.
Could have played it in Limerick of a Saturday night. 2 hour drive or abit longer but would have prevented the shambles thats just occurred
Portlaoise would have suited even better.
Could have played it in Dr Cullen either. The insistence on a double header is a bit baffling.
I would have loved to go to that match in Thurles or anywhere in the south east, but not a chance on the last Sunday before xmas day with the world cup final on, traffic in Dublin will be busy also
Ballyhale and Ballygunner should agree a venue for a Saturday fixture and let the GAA sort out the wedding issue of the St Thomas player. No need for a double bill on the Sunday.
Share if you can.
What's your point?
I think his point is how bizarre it is to even suggest limerick as a venue between these two. I know limerick has a new pitch and looks class but how in the name of jaysus could you ask anyone from Waterford to travel on bog roads to limerick. croker not much better distance wise but at least you have a motorway
Ballygunner seem happy with it anyway. Suppose it's a chance to prove how much of a fíor-geal you are by chosing it over the World Cup...
https://www.the42.ie/ballygunner-ballyhale-hurling-croke-park-5939993-Dec2022/
Is there a change next weekend? TG4 have a semi final down for next Saturday evening:
Wedding in galway gone back to the Thursday after .which would make Saturday a possibility but unfortunately common sense won't prevail.its a pity 4.30 and 7 would be lovely Saturday evening viewing
Camogie intermediate and seniors club finals on the Saturday in Croke Park so that wasn't an option, unless they were going to change the venue for the hurling, which wasn't going to happen
Anyone know why Ciaran Muldowney is stepping down as coaching officer ....seems late in the year for a change
I see that Tipperary and Cork are moving back to u18 competition for 2024. Why are Kilkenny so slow to act on this ? I have not come across anyone dealing with under age that wants to keep it at u17. The clubs and especially the parents and juvenile boards have spoken, most are getting frustrated with the lack of progress on this.
One theory I have heard is that the u17 was pushed by Croke Park and Kilkenny and Ned Quinn are afraid to ruffle the feathers. These "volunteers" need to listen to the real volunteers.
Anyone see the pic of a male with his bits hanging out while standing in with girls holding a trophy for camogie !?!
It must be fake ?? 😲😣 😫
heard Last week about Ciaran I hope there is nothing sinister about his departure,If that was the case he wouldn’t have getting much of a chance to implement his idea’s . By all accounts things are starting to happen.
I see the Saturday slot gone off TG4 schedule now. They must have been holding out hope for a late change too.
Are people happy with the changes at the top table of the Co Board.
Yes shocking, some underage girls on that team he should be behind bars if it's real.
I thought Ciaran Muldowney had started to make good changes with development squads ... can't have been easy to come in there because you'd have to fight for change .......I see Offaly Gaa have made a really good appointment with Damian Coleman of Galway coming in as a full time operations officer
Has anybody details of the motions passed at the AGM?
Looking forward to the big game Sunday....Will be very interesting to see how the shamrock's backs handle the likes of Patrick Fitzgerald, Dessie and Pauric Mahony. I'd imagine Darren Mullen might man mark hutchinson again like last year's final, but he has looked very vulnerable in 1st half against Eoin Guilfoyle in county final and more so in the last 2 games so he will be targeted out in isolated space for sure. They always have the option of bringing Brian Butler or Kevin Mullen in for Killian Corcoran also, even though he's more than holding his own he wouldn't have came up against the calibre of forwards he will on Sunday.
Further out the Field they'll hopefully have Ronan Corcoran back in midfield he was badly missed the last day, they'd also love to have Brian Cody available, his direct running at defenders has been really missed this year, but they've got this far without him.
If Colin Fennelly can get the upper hand on Coughlan and avoid getting into an arm wrestle he has the beatings of him all day long like he's proved in the past. Hard to go against Ballygunner though on recent form but Shamrocks will be there or thereabouts come final whistle, could well come down to the last puck of game again.
Darragh Joyce is going back to oz after Christmas so that probably finishes àny chance he had of playing inter County although club hurlers might be scratching their heads how the door was left open for him.
I'm also looking foward to the match Sunday.brian cody is a big loss and he's suppose to be going travelling next year.Ronan corcoran will be back for Sunday and he was a big loss the last day and the final last year. The shamrocks must of had nightmares of that goal and I'd be supriseď if corcoran ďiesnt take a card if a similar incident occurs. The drifting in and out of games has to be a concern but they were worse last year and had their best performance In the final apart from the last 30 seconds.Ballygunner look improved and Fitzgerald Is a big addition and takes the pressure off dessie. They're playing with much more confidence.
Shamrocks have homework to do about their match ups. Darren is struggling with form or injury and teams are going after him. Ballygunnner will not miss the chances naas or crokes missed.Shamrocks probably one of the strongest club teams around but Ballygunnner ran a fit na piarsiagh off the pitch in the last 20 mins . This match should have big hits and plenty of running. Paddy mullen needs to keep the head. It's a pity he mixes the very good with the very stupid,They'll know ìf he can ģet a early yellow he'll be walking a tightrope. Ballygunnner are rightly favourites but the shamrocks will surely lift it a good bit. Its the match they've wanted since February.
I can't be the only one who thinks Ballyhale are going to have a big win in this? They feel as if they were robbed in the final last year, and everything they have done since has just been preparing for a chance to have another crack at them. You can talk about poor performances, or lack of strength on the bench, or slumps here and there in games all you like, I think all of that will be out the window this weekend, and I fully expect a total performance from Shamrocks. No complacency, no lack of concentration, this is what they are geared up for, and they have their shot now. They'll never have it all their own way, but I expect a five point victory. At least.
This robbed narrative is some load of bollocks, did they rob Ryanaghs and Thomas's in those 2 games last year? that's sport sometimes you get sucker punched, sometimes your the other end of the coin, its 2 serious teams going head to head on Sunday and margins will probably be tight again and if any of them are complacent then there very foolish.
I think you are being kind to Ballygunner they are in for ‘a rude of wakening’ and 10 pt defeat at least…!
10 points? Hardly. I don't think there will be more than a Puck of a ball in this either way.
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