All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2023 ( Munster And Leinster Championships,Liam McCarthy Cup)

I think some people are still extremely hurting and bitter that Tipp absolutely ballsed up their chance at a Munster final 🙄

Give it time, the feeling will pass. Still in the competition like

Here's your main reason why Cork changed the fair home and away Munster rota for everyone and how Limerick were able to use Cork, and vice versa, to cheat Clare out of the neutral venue practice that has been in place for decades. Cork need every bit of coin they can muster.

TUE, 30 MAY, 2023 - 21:32

JOHN FOGARTY

The GAA has granted the Cork County Board a 12-month repayment break on its burdensome Páirc Uí Chaoimh debt.

In relation to its total stadium redevelopment overheads - which last September stood at over €30 million - Cork GAA will not have to make their annual €500,000 loan repayment to Croke Park this year, Examiner Sport understands.

A temporary moratorium on the sum owed to the GAA’s Central Council, which last September stood at €7,763,722, has been signed off by the association.

However, the interest of 1.9% will continue to accrue on the amount owed while the loan 'holiday' is subject to a six-month review. Contacted by the Irish Examiner last night, Cork GAA had no comment to make on the debt decision.

With no concerts at the venue this year, the county board’s revenue stream is significantly weaker than in 2022 when Ed Sheeran (twice), Elton John and Westlife played at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, along with hosting the sell-out Munster-South Africa rugby game last November.

As of the end of their 2022 financial year last September, Cork GAA owed just over €21m in stadium debt to the Bank of Ireland. This year, annual repayments to the bank increased from €1m to €1.5m.

In making their case to the GAA to stage the South Africa game, Cork explained that the large loans were “being financed within the broader context of the resolution of several legacy issues over the past two years relating to various legal, Revenue and local authority settlements, as well as the passing of a significant burden onto units through the introduction of the Rebels’ Bounty fundraising draw and the agreement of several new commercial arrangements with sponsors and partners.

“As a result, no further financing was sought from CLG throughout the Covid pandemic, when the stadium was largely closed. Also, the sale of lands at Kilbarry is expected to reduce the debt significantly within the next 12 months.” 

Last August, Cork City Council recommended against An Bord Pleanála granting planning permission to the board for the €75m construction project of 319 houses on Cork GAA’s 37-acre site on the northside of the city. The case was due to be decided by An Bord Pleanála last October, but is still pending.

Last year, the County Board draw, Rebels Bounty, brought in over €380,000 for the board. Páirc Uí Chaoimh hosted this year’s Division 1 hurling final between Limerick and Kilkenny, but despite support from the Munster Council, it will not stage Sunday week’s provincial hurling final between Clare and Limerick following a successful late request by Clare to fix the game for their opponents’ TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Cork GAA target three major events in Páirc Uí Chaoimh every year and while there were five concerts in 2022, it has not hosted a gig this year. 

“The geographical location of the stadium nationally makes it challenging to secure major GAA events on a regular basis,” advised Cork’s proposal to Central Council for Páirc Uí Chaoimh to stage the Munster rugby game. The South Africa game was worth over €150,000 to the Cork County Board, a figure which will be reflected in this year’s accounts.

Due to a clash between the Ed Sheeran concerts and Cork senior championship games last May, the hurlers’ Munster SHC round-robin game against Clare was played in Thurles and the senior footballers’ provincial semi-final rearranged for Páirc Uí Rinn. The condensed inter-county season has presented challenges in arranging concerts.

What the hell are you on about? A NEUTRAL venue is one that isn’t played in either of the participating counties. That was going to be Cork and Clare asked for it to be changed and now it’s no longer a neutral venue (that’s of their own doing). Why should it be on in Thurles again when it was on their last year. If it had been on in Thurles again would you have been saying Tipp were pulling a strike getting it played there 2 years in a row?

Cork was a neutral venue for Limerick versus Clare. What part of that fact do certain posters not understand. Tipperary people are not entitled to dictate where all Munster games must be played. Clare supporters are in general very supportive of playing the final in the Gaelic grounds. Meanwhile many Tipperary supporters are extremely agitated over the decision. Why, I wonder.

I don't think anyone in Limerick is hurting. 4 all Ireland in 5 years, thing couldn't be any better. As for Tipp it looks like their all Ireland was 2 weeks ago.