Leinster to avoid clash with cup final

NEWS ROUND-UP:LEINSTER COUNCIL have decided to switch the Offaly-Wexford football championship match on Saturday, May 28th, from an evening throw-in to a 5pm start.

This means the fixture won’t clash with the Uefa Champions League final between Manchester United and Barcelona, which will be televised live from Wembley.

The decision, taken at last night’s provincial council meeting, differs from that of the Ulster Council, which has decided to allow the Armagh-Down match to go ahead in opposition to the soccer.

Further broadcast competition on what is a busy day for sport sees rugby’s Magner’s League final, which is certain to feature an Irish team and possible a Munster-Leinster pairing, going out on the same Saturday afternoon.

In another move to maximise attendance, the Leinster Council chairman Martin Skelly yesterday announced a range of ticket promotions:

Students and senior citizens will benefit from rebates of up to 50 per cent on the full ticket price.

Family tickets can also represent up to 50 per cent savings for a family group with under-16 family members paying just €5.

Under-16s can take advantage of the club group rate which is applied for through the club and carries a rate of €3 per head. Accompanying adults – one for every 10 under-16s – are free.

This summer an Adult Club Group offering is also available. Applied for through the club, it allows groups (minimum 15, maximum 50) to avail of a discounted ticket price. These will apply at all Leinster championship matches.

“Our ticket prices have remained static for five years now, which has been a deliberate policy of Leinster Council GAA to make our games as accessible as possible for our supporters,” according to Skelly. “We also have a positive policy of encouraging young people to attend our games, with €3 and €5 options for under-16s.”

The GAA’s oldest sponsorship has come to an end with the announcement that Coca-Cola will be replaced for this year’s Féile competitions by Bus Éireann.

The soft drinks manufacturer has been a partner of the under-14 football (Féile na nÓg) and hurling (Féile na nGael) tournaments since their inception 40 years ago.

According to a GAA spokesperson, Coca-Cola had indicated they would not be continuing around four weeks ago and news of the company’s withdrawal had been delayed until a replacement had been found.

Finally Newstalk launched its programme of live radio championship coverage – the first time RTÉ has had to share its hitherto exclusive right to broadcast live national commentary.

Among those signed up as analysts are former Meath captain Liam Hayes, former Mayo player and current Clare selector Liam McHale, former Down All-Ireland winner Conor Deegan, Mayo’s David Brady, and Kildare’s Dermot Earley, and, in hurling, Derek Lyng (Kilkenny), Daithi Regan (Offaly), Jamesie O’Connor (Clare) and Ollie Canning (Galway).

Coincidentally, all but the last two played centrefield.