A WEEKS-LONG SAGA is at an end, as the CCC of the Munster Council tonight ratified Páirc Uí Rinn as the venue for the Munster Senior Football Semi Final between Cork and Kerry on Saturday, 7 May. The game throws in at 6pm will be preceded by the Munster Ladies Gaelic Football Championship clash of Kerry and Tipperary, which throws in at 3:30pm.
With Páirc Uí Chaoimh unavailable to host the game owing to an Ed Sheeran concert, the Munster Council initially switched the game to Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney rather than to the smaller-capacity Páirc Uí Rinn.
The Cork footballers, however, refused to stage the game anywhere other than Páirc Uí Rinn, releasing a statement to The42 saying they believed the switch to Killarney was “driven by the financial benefits resulting from a larger crowd’, and that it created “a bad precedent” and was “wrong.”
The issue rumbled for another three weeks, with the significant moment in the standoff coming last week, when Kerry announced they were willing to play the game at Páirc Uí Rinn. Their compromise was still subject to the formal ratification of the Munster Council, which has now arrived.
“Tonight, the CCC of the Munster Council ratified Páirc Uí Rinn as the venue for the Munster Senior Football Semi Final between Cork and Kerry”, read a statement issued by the Munster Council. “The game will throw in at 6pm on May 7th and will be preceded by the Munster Ladies Gaelic Football Championship clash of Kerry and Tipperary, which throws in at 3:30pm.
“This decision follows the agreement of Kerry County Board to Cork’s request to set aside their longstanding home and away arrangement involving the venues of Fitzgerald Stadium and Páirc Uí Chaoimh for 2022 and to play this fixture in Páirc Uí Rinn.
“The home and away arrangement will resume with the next game between the two counties in the Munster Football Championship taking place at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney and will alternate with Páirc Uí Chaoimh from then on.
“Tickets for the May 7th clash will only be on sale through the County Boards. All Cork and Kerry Season Ticket holders will be entitled to a ticket.”
