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Hurling Championship 2026

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "Even a 7-7:30pm throw in only works if its a derby. The distance between the Leinster counties and Galway makes it just not work no matter when the match is played.
A better option would be to move Galway into Munster and Waterford in to Leinster from a geographic perspective but the sun wouldn't rise tomorrow morning if anything tampered with the Munster Championship! Could they be renamed "East" and "West" championships? But that would involve innovation and a bit of clear thinking.
Galway is bordering Clare and Tipp and a motorway drive links to Limerick. Waterford borders Kilkenny and Wexford and is a motorway drive away from Dublin, Kildare and Carlow."
7 on a Saturday is perfect for a local derby like us and Kilkenny but a Sunday always drags a better attendance. Although the last ten years has seen brilliant games between us and Kilkenny I would be surprised if there was any more than 11 or `12k there on Saturday which is very poor compared to the Munster games.

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 980 - 22/04/2026 12:43:16    2667881

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "7 on a Saturday is perfect for a local derby like us and Kilkenny but a Sunday always drags a better attendance. Although the last ten years has seen brilliant games between us and Kilkenny I would be surprised if there was any more than 11 or `12k there on Saturday which is very poor compared to the Munster games."
I always enjoyed a Saturday evening game but less so in the last couple of years. The main reason is it's too late for my youngest. If it was Sunday afternoon the 4 of us would be going but because it's away on a Saturday evening it's just me and my daughter. I'd imagine there are others in a similar position. With the fixtures the way they are the Galway game is the only one my son will see which is a shame.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4457 - 22/04/2026 13:15:44    2667886

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Yeah. Even if not making any stops on the way and not held up by any delays -
- Wexford Park to Salthill: four hours. To Tullamore: two and a half hours. To Parnell Park: two hours if you go the M50 way and aren't caught in traffic there. Much more if you have to go at a busy M50 time or through the city.

And when they're in the championship: Corrigan Park, three and a half hours or more. Mullingar, two and a half hours. Portlaoise, two hours.

On the other hand, very longest travelling time in Munster under the same circumstances is two hours (e.g. Ennis to Waterford, or vice versa). Most would come in under 90 minutes.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3507 - 22/04/2026 13:21:54    2667888

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On another note - it's great to see such crowds and colour at Munster Championship matches these days. It really is. But just to show it wasn't always thus, and these crowds are also being boosted by "let the good times roll" merchants -

Turn the clock back ten years, to when Kilkenny had been the dominant side for the previous decade, and Munster teams had only won two All-Irelands during that time (Tipperary 2010, Clare 2013). Attendances from 2016:
Semi-final in Thurles, Tipp v Limerick: 25,500
Other semi-final in Thurles, Clare v Waterford: 19,700
Final in Limerick, Tipp v Waterford: 26,500
Leinster Final that year, Kilkenny v Galway: a "disappointing" 29,400

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3507 - 22/04/2026 13:46:12    2667895

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I guess its circumstantial then, Saturday evening is alway good for those of us at the age for a night out. We used to often make a weekend of it in Galway but yes that is for a certain age group. When I move home later this year things might be a bit different.
And I am with you Pikeman, everything is cyclical and big attendances will peter out if even 1 team in Munster becomes less competitive.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1998 - 22/04/2026 15:08:28    2667912

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "I guess its circumstantial then, Saturday evening is alway good for those of us at the age for a night out. We used to often make a weekend of it in Galway but yes that is for a certain age group. When I move home later this year things might be a bit different.
And I am with you Pikeman, everything is cyclical and big attendances will peter out if even 1 team in Munster becomes less competitive."
Im hoping the Leinster championship sees a revival in attendances given Offaly are now really back on contention and it looks like Kilkenny may not dominant in Leinster any more. Between ourselves, Kilkenny, Dublin , Galway and Offally we should see a lot of tight games over the next few years and Im hoping the quality then improves aswell as attendances

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 980 - 22/04/2026 16:33:09    2667926

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