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EXCLUSIVE

By Sean Moriarty

Kerry footballers in action in Fitzgerald Stadium in either the Munster or All-Ireland championships are unlikely to happen this year - Kerry GAA Chairman Tim Murphy said this week.

The Kerry GAA county board are monitoring the national health situation but as each week passes there is less time available on the calendar to host a full summer season of intercounty action.

The Government announced recently that all major events involving more than five thousand people would not be permitted to run until September 1 at the earliest.

GAA officials in Croke Park have said that localised club championships would be first to get up and running once any restrictions are lifted.

That means time is running out for any meaningful intercounty championship and rather than run a championship-style season which includes the Super 8 format, this year’s provincial and All-Ireland series will run in the old-style knock-out format with the winner of each province going straight to an All-Ireland semi-final.

The Kerry V Cork Munster semi-final fixture, regardless of a date, is set in stone to be played in Pairc Ui Caoimhe in Cork City and with the Super 8s championship kicked to touch, the net result is Killarney will not host a major intercounty game this season.

“It [Super 8] will not happen,” Tim Murphy, Kerry GAA Chairman, told the Killarney Advertiser. “The first thing is club activity will be eased back once restrictions are lifted and this will allow some format of club activity. Once we are in a position that intercounty could resume, it would go to a straight knock-out. All of this depends on what the HSE tells us in relation to running events.”

There is some glimmer of hope but that depends on other results within the Munster series. Assuming Kerry beat Cork and either Limerick or Tipperary qualify for the Munster final, then that game would be played in Killarney. If Clare make it through, it would have to be played at a neutral venue and there is no precedence with sharing alternate venues with Waterford. Regardless, none of these counties would bring a travelling army of fans like the number of Cork fans who would descend on the town at any time.

"The longer this goes on, the likelihood there won't be any games," added Murphy. "There is a possibility and some hope of a game but it all depends on how this evolves (in terms of other results) first and then there are possibilities."

The Super 8 championship format was introduced during the 2018 season and last year Kerry hosted Mayo in Fitzgerald Stadium. A glorious summer’s day, a stadium packed to capacity and a Kerry victory made it one of the most memorable occasions in the town.

Murphy said fans will have plenty to look forward to in 2021, the home and away arrangement with Cork will swing in Killarney’s favour next season and a good run in the Munster Championship will ensure at least one Super 8 fixture on home ground.

“The Mayo match last year, there wasn’t an occasion like it anywhere in the world,” he added. “It is devastating for our players and supporters and there will be financial implications too, but that is for Croke Park to manage. Things might improve in the next six or eight weeks but the only viable solution is that the Super 8 are, most likely, gone.”

Murphy added that all decisions regarding match fixtures and spectator numbers at each ground will only be taken after speaking to senior HSE officials.