Hurling final set for Croke Park

Next Monday's National Hurling League final will played in Croke Park. Despite suggestions that either Kilkenny or Tipperary might agree to play at the other's venue, the decision, ironically, was brought about by renovation work to both counties' home grounds, writes Seán Moran

Kilkenny county secretary Pat Dunphy said that his county was willing to travel to Thurles rather than see the match staged in Dublin on a bank holiday Monday.

"We wrote to GAC (Games Administration Committee) last week and faxed the letter to them before their meeting and asked for Nowlan Park to be considered as a venue for the final.

"That wasn't accepted and on reflection we wouldn't have had the capacity because the work on the ground has cut it back to about 20,000.

"Then we were prepared to concede home venue and go to Thurles but Tipperary said that Semple Stadium wasn't ready either and that they had accepted to go to Croke Park for the final."

According to Liz Howard the Tipperary PRO, Thurles narrowly missed being available.

"Originally the improvements were to have finished by the end of April but there has been a slight delay, enough to push the completion back by a week or so," she said.

"The work on the Old Stand means that there would be just 11,000 seats available for the final plus the two terraces and people expect stand accommodation for this sort of match."

Suggestions that Portlaoise would have provided a neutral venue nearer to both counties wouldn't have satisfied such a seating requirement and anyway, Laois hurlers will open their championship campaign against Wicklow at the venue on the same afternoon.

Questioned on the subject at Croke Park yesterday GAA president Seán Kelly spelled out the official thinking.

"My understanding is that the GAC wished to play it in either Nowlan Park or Thurles, which would be the most economic and practical thing to do. But both venues are not available to them and Croke Park is a venue that the players would like to play.

"There was a decision taken a couple of years ago when the football league final was played down in Cork that future finals would be played in Croke Park or Thurles where practicable. With the two other venues not being available Croke Park is the venue selected by the GAC."

Crowd projections will, however, be low given that bank holiday weekends always depress the size of attendance. It also seems likely that the competing counties will be somewhat reluctant to travel on the Monday despite having the advantage of moving against the traffic in both directions.

Antrim and Kerry will contest the Division Two final.

Both Tipperary and Kilkenny will delay their selections until Thursday evening at the earliest.

On foot of the counties' recent league meeting earlier this month three players have been summoned to the GAC in respect of a video review of the match.

Depending on the outcome Tipperary could be short full forward Ger O'Grady whereas Kilkenny will be very anxiously awaiting word on Philip Larkin and hurler of the year Henry Shefflin.