Cork-Kerry Munster SFC clash switched to Fitzgerald Stadium
March 31, 2022
Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney will host the Munster SFC semi-final clash on May 7th
Munster Council has decided to move the Munster senior football championship semi-final clash between Kerry and Cork from Páirc Uí Rinn to Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney.
The move comes after uncertainty over the venue for the May 7th clash, which had originally been fixed for Pairc Ui Rinn with the larger capacity Pairc Ui Chaoimh unavailable due to an Ed Sheeran concert at the latter.
Munster Council released a statement yesterday to confirm that Fitzgerald Stadium will now host the provincial semi-final because of its higher capacity.
The same statement also outlined that the game will be part of a double-header with Munster LGFA.
“At a meeting of the Munster CCC held this evening [Wednesday 30 March], the venue for the Munster Senior Football Semi-Final between Cork and Kerry was discussed. The game was originally fixed for Páirc Uí Rinn given the unavailability of Páirc Uí Chaoimh, in the expectation that Páirc Uí Rinn would hold 15,000 spectators,” the statement read.
“Following an independent statutory annual health and safety inspection which identified a number of issues at the ground, the capacity was reduced to 9,200 and even if all of the required works are completed on time, the maximum capacity that can be achieved at the venue is 11,000.
“Given the average attendance of the last 3 Cork v Kerry matches in the Munster Senior Football Championship held at Páirc Uí Chaoimh is in excess of 22,000, [not including the Covid restricted match in 2020] Munster Council decided to move the 2022 Munster Semi-Final between the teams to Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney on Saturday 7 May at the earlier start time of 6pm.
“It is also expected that this game will form a double header with Munster LFGA (further details to follow).
“Based on the long-standing home and away agreement between Kerry and Cork, following on from this year’s game in Killarney, the next two meetings of the counties in the Munster Senior Football Championship will take place at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. A similar arrangement was successfully used during the recent redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh.”
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