Diarmuid O’Flynn
YOU know that old cliché, you wait all day for a bus then here they come, all in a row?
Hardly a competitive hurling game for months, then next weekend four games. The two All-Ireland club hurling semi-finals at junior and intermediate levels, all on the same day but – and here’s the rub - at four different venues.
A pity, because there are many of us who would like to have seen a couple of those games. The games involving Charleville and Effin in particular stand out. It probably wasn’t known by those in Croke Park who decide on venues but while these clubs are from two different counties, they are in fact adjoining parishes. Indeed many players from both sides have soldiered together over the years with Charleville CBS in the Harty Cup.
They have followed each other’s fortunes through their respective Munster campaigns, supported each other in person whenever possible, and had massive joint celebrations over the Christmas period in Gough’s famous hostelry in Charleville.
Next Saturday, however, Charleville will be in Waterford to face Fullen Gaels of Warwickshire in the junior semi-final, while Effin head to the midlands to take on Middletown Na Fianna. Outside of those from the two parishes who would like to have gone to each other’s games, there is also sizeable support for both clubs from the surrounding parishes. In places such as Kilmallock, Bruff, Bruree, Ballyagran and Blackrock (Ardpatrick/Kilfinane) on the Limerick side of the border, in Ballyhea, Newtownshandrum, Dromina on the Cork side, there are many people who would like to support both Charleville and Effin in their endeavours but we (and yes, this is personal, I’m one of the many) are now left with a choice – who do we follow?
It doesn’t stop there. A few weeks hence, on Saturday February 11, the junior and intermediate finals will take place, a double-header in Croke Park – on the same day the two All-Ireland club senior hurling semi-finals will be taking place, but at two separate venues. If Effin happen to make the All-Ireland final, who does the Limerick hurling supporter from other clubs follow, Effin or Na Piarsaigh, who face Gort in the senior game?
Too often in hurling the same thing happens, big games on at the same time but in different venues, conflicting events in a sport where big games are at a premium.
Surely this sort of conflict can be avoided? It’s not about money – those games aren’t massively supported; it’s simply about facilitating the diehard supporters, those who will travel anywhere to see a good game of hurling. If the will is there – and I'm sure it is – couldn't these fixture clashes be avoided, those followers facilitated?
It’s probably too late now for the fans of Effin and Charleville, though with Athy – the original choice of venue for the intermediate semi-final – now unavailable, the new venue for the Effin/Middletown game is still undecided. While officials from both clubs would be pleased to see a double header, at this stage their full focus has shifted to the games themselves, and rightly so, so there will be no joint approach to Croke Park. Is it too late though for Croke Park to take the initiative here?
Even if it is, then for future reference, and starting with those clashes on February 11, could an effort be made to avoid having everything on at the same time but spread all over the place? Small ask, big return.
Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/lT3ragymXbo/post.aspx
Regulators North-west Democrats Food and drink Newspapers & magazines Aston villa
No comments:
Post a Comment