May 3 could be a 'Super Sunday' in Thurles with a little joined up thinking

Here’s an idea. Some will say it’s a mad one. Some will say its beyond mad, but to me and I am sure a large number of GAA Supporters, it is one that should be given some consideration tomorrow morning at G.A.A. Headquarters and Croke Park.

How often have we heard in recent years when there is a number of big soccer games to be played on the one day have it referred to as ‘Super Sunday’.

How about a G.A.A. Super Sunday and have it on May 3.

Today the Division One Semi Finals of the Allianz National Hurling League were played at Kilkenny. Also today the semi finals of the Irish Daily Star National Camogie Leagues were held at different venues.

Both the G.A.A. and the Camogie Association have their finals penciled in for May 3, and results today mean that it is possible that we can have a Super Sunday and Geography allows it to happen as well.

While it happens a few times each year, we do not get to see Inter County Camogie or Ladies Football be played on the same programme of games as major hurling or football games be at a local level or a national level.

There is some that tell us that it can’t happen, but can it. Of course it can and the G.A.A. and the Camogie Association have an opportunity to make it happen.

Results in the Hurling today means that Cork and Waterford will meet in this years league final, the first time it has happen since 1998 when Cork won at Thurles.

In Camogie Galway beat Kilkenny 5-7 to 2-9 in one of today’s Division One semi finals. Cork beat Limerick 1-12 to 0-10 in the other semi final.

In Division Two, Laois beat Kilkenny 1-10 to 0-9 in the first of today’s semi finals and in the second semi final Waterford proved too strong for Kildare winning 1-15 to 1-7 at Nenagh.

Would it not be great to see the two camogie semi finals played as a curtain raiser to this years League semi final at Thurles.

The Division two final between Waterford and Laois could be first up, say having a 12 Noon or a 12-15pm start. The Division one final between Cork and Kilkenny could follow at 2pm with the hurling final taking centre stage at 4pm.

Their may be some that will say that it’s not possible because of gate receipts etc. But would that be a real issue. It is surely something that could be sorted rather easily.

The game is likely to be an all ticket affair. The G.A.A. could prove that G.A.A. that it does not stand for Grab All Association. The Camogie Association could argue that they would loose out on a gate but would they.

It could be agreed before hand that the Camogie Association would get between ten and fifteen percent of every ticket sold for the game. Maybe such a figure from each person going to the games would be less than what would be charged if the two camogie games were played as a double header at say Limerick or Nenagh, but with the greater number of people going to Thurles for a treble header would be greater than what would go to a camogie double header, so the Camogie Association would be “quid’s in” as ticket prices would be the same if you went to one game or all three.

Playing the game as a treble header would also get more people watching the camogie and maybe back to more games, which in itself would be worth taking a gamble on receiving between €2 and €3 for every ticket sold presuming that tickets would be sold for somewhere between €20 and €30.

As pointed out, some may think playing a treble header at Thurles on May 3 might come across as a mad idea, but it has to be at least given some consideration by both associations.