Today saw Clare and Wexford contest the first of this weekend's two All-Ireland hurling quarter-finals. With the recent good weather restored to its beautiful best, Cork's Páirc Uí Chaoimh looked the perfect venue for what was sure to be a memorable tie.
The trouble was, Páirc Uí Chaoimh was at times all you could see. Despite the magnitude of today's game, it appears that fans of both sides were not overly keen on making the journey.
In stark contrast to the 45,000 Páirc Uí Chaoimh can hold, it has been reported that slightly more than 10,000 fans of both sides turned up in Cork this afternoon.
10,225 people in Pairc ui Chaoimh. There’d be more at a good county final. #GAA
— Derrick Lynch (@DLynchSport) July 14, 2018
10,000 🙊
— Michael McCarthy (@McCarthyMick) July 14, 2018
For context, 10749 attended a Cork Premier Intermediate Championship match between Blarney and Valley Rovers a year ago. Midweek. #Clare #bestsupportersintheworld #narrative #Wexford #fairweatherfans #gaa #gaaqualifiers #CLAvWEX #WEXvCLA 28567 & 31753 at last year’s Q-Finals https://t.co/9Jdpzmqf7Q
— Rob O'Farrell (@bprob) July 14, 2018
In what turned out to be an incredibly tight affair that went the way of Clare after a strong Wexford finish, the sheer vacancy of Páirc Uí Chaoimh left it all looking a little drab.
Plenty of open spaces in Cork as neither Clare or Wexford supporters have travelled in numbers #gaa pic.twitter.com/IaNxqx1TtN
— The Clare Champion (@ClareChampion) July 14, 2018
YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!! #ROADTOCROKER 💛💙 pic.twitter.com/OXds6tc3pj
— Clare FM (@ClareFM) July 14, 2018
Amid such disheartening scenes, many watching were left confused as to why this match had been scheduled for Cork's Páirc Uí Chaoimh at all.
With many suspecting Thurles may have been a more suitable venue, this scarcely halted the frustration many felt watching such an entertaining game played out in these bare surroundings.
Ridiculous decision to host the game in Cork reflected by the crowd, or lack thereof. https://t.co/bahSv2lpqx
— Derrick Lynch (@DLynchSport) July 14, 2018
Cyril on @TheSundayGame is bang on calling out the staging of this game in Cork as lunacy. Without match traffic, it would be a 5 hour round trip for fans to Páirc Uí Chaoimh. After 5 Munster championship games, it's a huge ask on Clare fans. Same for Wexford. #GAA
— Eoin Neylon (@eoinneylon) July 14, 2018
One the best atmospheres I've been at was when Wexford beat Clare at home in 2014. Amazing stuff at the right venue. Cork looks empty today so could be a flat one
— Shane Stapleton (@ShaneSaint) July 14, 2018
Not everyone is working today if you're a true fan you be there like the first day in Cork nobody from Clare there either that day win today bandwagon supporters be out again
— Darren McGregor (@supermc2018) July 14, 2018
Bringing Wexford and Clare fans to cork is ludicrous Thurles would been more central and its home of hurling
— Vinny Grennan (@vinnygrennan) July 14, 2018
Haha fair enough it is frustrating to be fair like and im disusted to see attendance down in cork. Wed have drove to donegal if was on a sunday. Bandwagoners will always follow success do but the team deserve supporters. Cmon CLARE
— garykeane (@garykeane1) July 14, 2018
What genius put Clare and Wexford in Cork? Shiny new stadium but it looks like only 16 people showed up. Nonsense
— Billbo Byrne (@Billbo_j_byrne) July 14, 2018
By the looks of it, the GAA shot themselves in the foot putting the wexford Clare game in cork. Should have been in thurles
— Sean O' Shea (@SeaniieOShea) July 14, 2018
With this win, Clare will now take on Galway in an All-Ireland semi-final in two weeks. As for the winners of tomorrow's tie between Kilkenny and Limerick, they will face Cork on Sunday 29 July.
