After the conclusion of this year’s round robin provincial matches in Leinster and Munster, the crowds for 2019 have exceeded those for last year.
The increase is driven by Munster, which has drawn some extraordinary attendances, such as Sunday’s 39,115 for the meeting of Tipperary and Limerick despite a sense that the match wouldn’t matter in the greater scheme of things and the counties will meet again in the provincial final in a fortnight.
The overall figure to date is 329,542 as opposed to 310,051 12 months ago. It includes a 14,000 drop in Leinster from 106,387 to 92,386, offset by an increase of more than 30,000 in Munster.
When provincial finals are taken into account the numbers may converge a little more, as last year saw Leinster benefit from the Galway-Kilkenny replay, with the two matches combining for a total of 65,806. The shortfall mightn’t be huge though, as the return to the final by Wexford promises a bigger first-day attendance.
The county’s final against Galway two years ago drew a record attendance for a Leinster final of over 60,000.
The Limerick-Tipperary final in the Gaelic Grounds will be expected to bring a figure comparable to last year’s crowd in Thurles for the Cork-Clare match, 45,363.
Hurling round robin attendances 2019
Total
2019: 329,542
2018: 310,051
Munster SHC
Total: 237,156
Average: 23,716
Final; Limerick v Tipperary, LIT Gaelic Grounds, 30th June
Leinster SHC
Total: 92,386
Average: 9,239
Final; Kilkenny v Wexford, Croke Park, 30th June
Hurling round robin attendances 2018
Munster SHC
Total: 203,664
Average: 20.366
Final: Cork v Clare, Thurles – 45,363
Leinster SHC
Total: 106,387
Average: 10,639
Final; Galway v Kilkenny, Croke Park – 40,704
Replay: Thurles – 25,102
