I am amazed there is such a low key build up to this. This is one of the biggest matches of the year in the hurling calendar. Yet again, the GAA/RTE have done an exceptional job in telling nobody the game is on this weekend. Clearly there is no effort being made to promote the game and put bums in seats. I'm not sure how any casual fan would know this game is on. Compare this to rugby where every 5 mins there is a radio ad for Leinster season tickets....yawn

Does anybody else think this is a joke? This match should be promoted as a huge game with serious consequences for whoever loses. When are the GAA going to set up a proper marketing strategy.

Anyway to the game itself, I think Clare might shade it but Limerick again are coming in under the radar and I think they like it that way. Either way it will be close!

the_post (USA) - Posts: 184 - 20/05/2015 09:37:34    1725905

Its the influence of the 'back door' system.Next Sunday's game will not be a blood and thunder championship game as the loser will still be in the championship and possibly better off than the winner.Fans know this.
We won't see a proper game till the quarter finals.

Barnowl94 (Galway) - Posts: 3150 - 20/05/2015 10:02:50    1725920

i blame the munster council
we had people on here whinging about dublin playing in croker in leinster
well here you had a brilliant oppurtunity to start the munster championship with a bang
the two counties play each other in football and hurling this weekend
but the powers that be have decided to fix the football for ennis saturday night
and the hurling for thurles sunday afternoon.
now you dont need to be a genius to work out that the perfect oppurtunity for a double header has gone a begging
the gaelic grounds is as easy for clare supporters as limerick supporters to travel to
surely a double header on sunday afternoon would have been a great prmotion for both games
and brought a really good crowd.
now your looking at 2-3 thousand for saturday
and maybe 15-20 thousand on sunday
you could have got 30 thousand in the gaelic grounds on sunday for a double header.
also the fact that the winners of clare v limerick will play tipp in the gaelic grounds in the semi final
would mean surely both sides would rather play in the gaelic grounds this weekend over thurles.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 20/05/2015 10:54:46    1725950

That happens regularly in Munster hill.The Munster powers that be just wont put on a hurling/football double between the same 2 counties.Think it happened with Limerick and Tipp last year.Doesnt make much sense.
The build up will start getting more intense from tomorrow.Like it usually does for GAA matches.With no help from the GAA though.There will be plenty of newspaper and radio coverage.Granted,id like more,but this is the normal routine.
As for the game itself,i dont agree with barnowl that it wont be at full intensity.Theres a lot at stake here for both teams.Davy is under pressure with just 1 competeive wins over last year.Clare badly need to win and go the direct route.Limerick were so close to getting to All Ire final last year.They will want to get back to Croke Park and go a step further.Going the direct route is the best option for both.I think it will be a serious game.I fancy Clare to shade it.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 20/05/2015 11:17:11    1725958

the_post

to further enforce your point I had no idea this game was on. I wouldn't be a massive hurling follower like you said probably a casual fan since I'd only ever watch the county games, but I would very much like to see this game and may well have completely missed seeing it had I not seen this forum.

Uncle_Fester (Meath) - Posts: 217 - 20/05/2015 11:21:47    1725961

The 'back door' probably accounts for a lot of the perceived lack of build up.

But .... the losing team will be under a serious amount of pressure on Sunday evening. You can't just assume the qualifier route will be a happy one so once Saturday comes I expect championship fever to be in full swing.

I think if Limerick take a direct route there are goals to be got in the Clare defence, but if both sides opt to play a short game I think Clare might have too much for us.

Looking forward to a good game.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 20/05/2015 11:25:27    1725963

I agree that the double header would have made sense. There is no reason why that shouldn't happen. GAA logic at its finest.

Also the back door is one thing, but I'm talking about promotion of the game. Where has this game been advertised re tickets? Maybe on twitter on the clare and limerick pages but I'm thinking of the casual fan who would go for the day out.

I think a crowd of 15-20k is accurate. A less than half full thurles for one of the biggest games of the summer.

the_post (USA) - Posts: 184 - 20/05/2015 11:26:04    1725967

Id be disappointed with a crowd of under 25000 0n Sunday.Id be hoping for 30000+.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 20/05/2015 11:33:29    1725973

More efforts should be made by the Munster council in what seems to be the toughest MHC to call in a long time. I think every team has a good shout this year and that competitiveness is what sells in any sport so an opportunity on the brink of being missed by the looks of it.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2385 - 20/05/2015 11:33:31    1725974

It's only the first round. The fair weather brigade won't get going until the Munster final.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7824 - 20/05/2015 11:42:31    1725979

This is as good as the munster hurling championship gets. All 5 teams can win it. If a bigger emphasis was made on promoting the matches, advertising the fact that the competition and rivalries have never been better, I believe attendances would increase substantially. I doubt there will be anywhere near 30k at the match. There should be that many but there won't be.

Clare and Limerick haven't played since the 2013 AI semi-final. This is a fascinating encounter to me. Davy Fitz can't afford to lose again, Limerick have been getting stronger each year in the AI's.Both teams want to avoid the qualifiers that will include either Galway or Dublin also. For me, this is win at all costs for both teams.

the_post (USA) - Posts: 184 - 20/05/2015 11:55:52    1725982

Its simply wrong blaming the Munster council for not having a double header in Thurles . The simple fact is that Clare footballers are due home advantage in Ennis and they are not going to throw that advantage away, and who could blame them.

clonjon (Dublin) - Posts: 665 - 20/05/2015 12:02:43    1725985

The fact that these 2 neighbouring counties havnt played each other too much over the years will lead to a bigger crowd than most people are predicting.This is a fierce rivalry.Any hurling fan from either county will not want to be missing this.Minimum 25000.I expect more.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 20/05/2015 12:06:43    1725989

Off the top of my head these are recent championship results:

2013 All Ireland Semi Final Clare 1-22 Limerick 0-18 (Croker)
2012 Qualifier Limerick 3-18 Clare 1-20 (Thurles)
2008 Munster Clare 4-12 Limerick 1-16 (Thurles)
2007 All Ireland 1/4 final Limerick 1-23 Clare 1-16 (Croker)
2006 Qualifier Clare 2-21 Limerick 0-10 (Ennis)
1996 Munster Limerick 1-13 Clare 0-15 (Limerick)
1995 Munster Final Clare 1-17 Limerick 0-11 (Thurles)
1994 Munster Final Limerick 0-25 Clare 2-10 (Thurles)
1993 Munster Clare 3-16 Limerick 3-12 (Ennis)
1991 Munster Limerick 0-21 Clare 1-15 (Limerick)
1990 Munster Limerick 2-16 Clare 1-5 (Ennis)

Might have missed a few, not sure.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 20/05/2015 12:08:42    1725991

Yes so this will be just the 3rd championship meeting between the 2 counties in 7 years.Make no mistake lads,this is a big,big rivalry.There is a lot at stake on Sunday.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 20/05/2015 12:17:17    1725995

Barnowl94

I must say I profoundly disagree with that. I don't think munster has lost much of it's competitive edge. Certainly not like leinster has but that's only due the dominance of Kilkenny.

I'm seriously looking forward to this. It's a great way for hurling to really get going. There's great rivalry there and I for one can't separate them. Clare have continued their relatively poor form but they have to be serious about this year and come out with all guns blazing. Limerick coming in under the radar after an awful league but with the potential to take it on another step this year for the ultimate prize. And as an above poster mentioned the back door is an absolute minefield with Galway/Dublin there then Wexford and Cork/Waterford. I know what route I'd prefer to take

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 2629 - 20/05/2015 12:24:32    1725998

Are there attendance figures for those matches out of interest?

the_post (USA) - Posts: 184 - 20/05/2015 12:31:12    1726005

Your entitled to that opinion DoylerWex but I disagree. In my opinion the MHC has lost a lot of its bite, its intensity. I know teams go out to win and players still regard it (correctly) as a huge honour to win a MHC but the reality is that pure championship is knock out, the winner wins and the loser is gone for another year.
the loser next Sunday will learn more about themselves I believe than the winners who advance to play Tipp in the semi.Nothing easy about that.

Barnowl94 (Galway) - Posts: 3150 - 20/05/2015 13:10:19    1726036

I agree, I was only think that both papers and RTE are not promoting this enough. This is huge game and I for one find it hard to separate either only for I have feeling about Clare this year as they are too good to have similar year to last year. Interesting article here. http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/off-the-ball/you-fear-for-the-loser-of-crunch-limerickbanner-showdown-31237391.html

BanagusGorm (Waterford) - Posts: 19 - 20/05/2015 13:17:24    1726043

2 massive games in both codes coming up (4 if you count inter and junior) all of which will be blood and thunder affairs- both senior games are 50/50 its akin to an all ireland final for footballers with a shot at cork and progress at least to round 2 of qualifiers. whoever wins hurling game will have massive momentum going into play tipp - more so if done via a replay - throw in munster v ospreys and its a big weekend down here - im already getting bervy about all 3 games

on the topic of promotion of games - its ironic that this very website has ads for munster v ospreys tickets

janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 20/05/2015 13:17:29    1726044