Cork GAA authorities are unhappy about the decision of the Munster Council to retain professional event security firm Frontline to supervise Sunday's Munster football final between in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
The Cork venue is due for demolition this year and its last big match will be next weekend’s Munster hurling final.
There were complaints some of the security had been heavy handed, for instance in the post-match sweep of the pitch to remove lingering spectators, and county chair Bob Ryan said yesterday he believed the deployment of the company to have been excessive.
"We have no control over anything like that; it's a matter for the Munster Council but I thought the thing was totally over the top. I've never seen it in Thurles or in Limerick or Killarney nor have I ever see the need for it. We were just told that they would be there.
“It was so different from what we’re used to. I believe someone from Frontline was on the local media in Cork saying that they considered it a dry run for next Sunday. The only reason we were given was that it was a template for fixtures into the future.”
Crowd management at the venue would normally have been provided by voluntary stewards. Sunday’s Cork-Kerry match drew a modest attendance of 21,028 but the hurling final will be a sell-out. At present the capacity is 32,138.
The Munster Council declined to speak about the matter yesterday but it is believed that with health and safety regulations chipping away at the permitted capacity – there was controversy in Limerick at the number of supporters who would lose out on the opportunity to attend the final because of the contrast between the Cork venue and those in Limerick and Thurles, which can hold at least around 50,000 – officials have been trying to tick all boxes with a view to accommodating as many spectators as possible.
Part of this involves the retention of a professional security firm.
New stadium
The proposed new stadium on the same site would have a capacity of 45,000 and is intended to feature greater comfort for spectators as well as premium facilities such as are available at Croke Park and Lansdowne Road.
“We’re waiting on the finalisation of planning and the Bórd Pleanála appeal,” according to Ryan, “but we’d be hoping we can begin construction by the end of this year or the beginning of next year. We’d be hopeful that matches will be played there in the spring of 2017.”
Although the county’s second ground, Páirc Uí Rinn, will be capable of accommodating national league matches and club fixtures, major championship occasions such as this month’s won’t be able to take place in the city until the redevelopment is complete.
Consequently in the next two years Cork will play away fixtures and accumulate home credits for when their new venue is available in three years’ time.
Qualifier fixtures
Meanwhile details of next weekend’s qualifier fixtures have been released by the GAA. In the round two hurling Tipperary face Offaly in Portlaoise on Saturday evening in a match that will be televised by Sky.
The broadcaster may have preferred to cover the other match in the round, between Waterford and the winners of the Wexford-Clare replay but that has had to be put back a week until the replay produces a winner.
In the meantime the latter fixture will be televised by RTÉ live from Wexford Park with a 5pm throw-in.
The winners will play Waterford a week later either in Kilkenny or Thurles.
Armagh's footballers are quickly back into action after Sunday's defeat by Monaghan and have a daunting trip to Omagh to take on Tyrone next Sunday.
