GAA president Christy Cooney is confident that O'Connor Park in Tullamore will be able to cater for the crowd expected at Saturday's Leinster SHC semi-final between Kilkenny and Tullamore. The glamour tie is an all-ticket affair and will be showed live on RTE2, but such is the interest in it that there have been calls for it to be switched to a venue with a capacity larger than Tullamore's (20,000). Media pundits Tony Considine and Michael 'Babs' Keating have urged the GAA to play the tie as part of a Thurles double-header along with the Munster SHC semi-final replay between Waterford and Limerick, but that would have effectively taken the game out of the Leinster Council's hands. Cooney explained that the venues for all such provincial games were determined by the provincial councils - in this case Leinster - who agreed several months ago that the semi-final pairings would be played in separate venues. "It was the Leinster Council who made that decision," he said. "It was their judgement call, that there wouldn't be any more than 20,000 there, and they're certainly in the best position to do that. So I'm not going to prejudge any situation arising. "Hopefully it will be the case that we won't have any difficulties, but I expect they have done their research, spoken to the counties, and it won't reach any more than 20,000. It should be a packed stadium and a wonderful occasion and that's important because hurling does need those type of games. "It's also interesting that the Féile is on this weekend as well, between Birr and Tullamore, and that should add some more spice to the occasion." The other semi-final involving Dublin and Wexford goes ahead on Sunday in Nowlan Park. Cooney expects Galway to put it up to the All-Ireland champions. "I think it will be cracker - Galway are well capable of putting it up to anyone, but Saturday is an important day, and I hope they perform well. "Overall I don't think we can judge the inclusion of Galway and Antrim just yet. It has to be judged over the three-year trial period, but I would hope it not only enhances the game of hurling itself, but also the Leinster championship." Tweet

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