“Is there an anti-Munster feeling in Cork? Yes.”
We knew, as soon as Donal Lenihan uttered the words, that there would be a backlash.
The former Munster and Ireland legend gave Second Captains his heartfelt opinion that Cork natives were turning away from Munster Rugby in their droves.
Donal Lenihan is as Cork rugby as they come and he is despairing https://t.co/t21FFaPnfJ
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 14, 2016
True, attendances for the southern province are down but much of that could be down to the team’s diminishing returns in Europe and the PRO12. The financial pinch has not helped either and scheduling of certain home games always causes some harrumphing.
However, many Munster fans from Cork reacted to our piece that highlighted Lenihan’s claim of the county abandoning the province.
The top Facebook comment about the story came from Cliona Hurley. It read:
‘If they upgraded the Cork/Limerick road so that it doesn’t take all day to get to a ‘home’ match more people from Cork would travel.’
Max Savage and his family are not giving up on Munster, or rugby. He wrote:
‘One man doesn’t represent a county. I’m from Cork and all my sons play rugby. Munster being based in Limerick was never an issue for us. Feel [Lenihan] has another reason for such a silly statement.’
Perhaps the strongest response we received arrived courtesy of Darren Whitty. He declared:
‘You’ve got some nerve publishing that [story]… It’s not true not even a little bit! This post by yourselves is unacceptable!
‘Munster supporters in Cork are the finest rugby supporters in the country what they are saying is completely false! What is Donal Linehan thinking saying such nonsense? It’s completely not true.
‘No Cork supporter ever begrudged Limerick for being the home of Munster Rugby. Thomond Park is and always will be the spiritual home of Munster Rugby? Why is he saying it?
‘The main two reasons for support dwindling is (A.) the match times and (B.) the road to Limerick from Cork city is a f**king nightmare. The fact that the two biggest cities in the south aren’t connected by a straight road is ludicrous! You can’t even get a train into Limerick city direct? It’s a shambles!!!’
Passionate words from a passionate Munster supporter.
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