Doesn’t bode well for attendances.
There are loads of die-hard Liverpool fans in Ireland. Something about the Merseyside club has captured us and on Saturday evening, their eyes will be glued on Kiev for the Champions League final, the Pool’s biggest game since they beat AC Milan at the same stage more than 13 years ago.
There are three Championship games throwing in at 7.00 on Saturday, therefore directly clashing with the Champions League final.
Supporters of Jurgen Klopp’s side are generally a passionate sort, and even if they are only sunshine followers, they’ll still be faced with a tough decision this weekend as to whether they’ll forsake the football for the GAA.
The following clashes will surely see their attendances impinged upon as a result.
- Offaly V Wexford, Leinster SHC in Tullamore.
- Tipperary V Cork, Munster SFC in Thurles.
- Down V Antrim, Ulster SFC in Newry.
That’s another blow the Tipperary Cork game for one, will struggle to cope with. That’s because the counties are meeting at the same grounds on the following day in the hurling championship. It’s hard to see fans, from either county, making the trip to Thurles twice in two days, especially with the Champions League showpiece another excuse not to hit the road.
"That's disgraceful" https://t.co/pRWhRwdSkl
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 23, 2018
Meanwhile, two games will begin earlier on Saturday evening, but should extra-time be required, supporters will have a decision to make.
- Leitrim V Roscommon, Connacht SFC semi-final in Carrick-on-Shannon at 5.30.
- Westmeath and Laois, Leinster SFC Quarter final in Tullamore at 5.00.
Aside from those Saturday evening games, there are some quality clashes across hurling and football taking place on Sunday.
With an increased number of games taking place this year as a result of the round-robin set-ups, it’s meant that a number of these games aren’t making it to terrestrial television.
This weekend, as was the case last weekend, hurling rules the roost.
There will be no football game on television for a second week in a row as RTÉ has opted instead to broadcast the meeting of the Tipperary and Cork hurlers in Munster at 2.00 on Sunday , and Kilkenny and Galway in Leinster at 4.00.
These are the two best games of the weekend with Pearse and Semple Stadium both set to be lit up by the competitiveness of it all.
It means that for once, A Dublin game won’t be televised, along with many others.
Games taking place on Sunday that won’t be televised
Leinster SFC quarter-final
- Carlow V Kildare, O’Connor Park, 2.00.
- Longford V Meath, Pearse Park, 3.00.
- Wicklow V Dublin, O’Moore Park, 4.00.
Ulster SFC quarter-final
- Derry V Donegal, Celtic Park, 4.00.
Munster SHC
- Clare V Waterford, Cusack Park, 3.30.
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