'Massive and magic': Bumper weekend in store for Cork businesses as hurlers line up for league final

With more than 40,000 spectators set to attend tomorrow’s Allianz National Hurling League final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, businesses across the city are gearing up for an electric start to the summer season.

Local fans are hoping to see Cork beat Tipperary to claim a first league title since 1998 and give themselves the ideal confidence boost ahead of the Championship opener later this month.

The global economy might be in turmoil, with Ireland facing uncertain times thanks to US tariffs, but Taoiseach Micheál Martin reckons Cork GAA might give the country a boost.

“If Cork does well, the national economy will do well, because the number of Cork hurling fans that follow Cork all over the country is extraordinary,” he told The Echo.

Ahead of the sell-out event, Rob O’Driscoll, manager at Longboats in Ballintemple, said he is expecting huge numbers through the door.

“This’ll be a massive [event]; so far this year, for all the hurling league games, it’s been crazy,” said Mr O’Driscoll.

Mr O'Driscoll said he finds GAA supporters "very pleasant and easy to deal with - they’re great craic and they’re probably easier than the concert goers, depending on the concert.

“It’s nice to see that there’s a bit of a buzz around SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh again.

“It would be nice to see more things on there [too], everything seems to go to Dublin, whether it be concerts or matches, so it would be great to see this go well on Sunday.

“Cork will be playing Tipperary again in three weeks' time [at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh] for the Munster Senior Hurling Championship, [so] it would be lovely to have one event down there a month, but it would probably take a while to get that right.

“I know it’s not the Aviva [stadium] or the 3Arena, but I do think that its the transport and maybe the accommodation that lets us down around here – but we'd love to have something regular.” 

Speaking after the official opening of Cork’s Marina Promenade, Mr Martin said he was looking forward to today’s football match against Limerick and Sunday’s hurling league final against Tipperary at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Páirc Uí Chaoimh, he said, “probably must be one of the best located grounds in terms of the amenities around it, it’s a very pleasant experience to come into the grounds.”

Doing a creditable impression, the Taoiseach recounted a conversation with the late Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, who had said of Páirc Uí Chaoimh: “This is a beautiful stadium, because you can ease yourself out of it, you’re not being propelled out or ushered out, you walk with your ease out of the grounds and you can talk about the match”.

Ernest Cantillon, owner of Sober Lane on Sullivan’s Quay, said he is keeping his fingers crossed for a home win for Cork but looking forward to welcoming away fans. 

“Thankfully, most pubs are quite busy on a Friday and Saturday, but to have this on a Sunday, to get this extra day out of the weekend, it’s magic,” he said.

Mr Cantillon added: “Long before my time, going back forty-fifty years, an ex-Kerry player actually owned Sober Lane – it was called the Office Bar – so ever since then, whenever there’s games down in the park, particularly away teams' fans, will always meet here.

“We’ve always had a very strong GAA connection, which is nice to have.

“There’s always fierce fun with the GAA crowd," he added.

“There's never any hassle with rivalry; you’d never be concerned about people from the two sides meeting [so] there'll be lots of fun.

“Town will have a really nice atmosphere for the evening [and] games down in the park always bring a good boost [for businesses] - we're booked out for Sunday.

“We have plenty of TVs, so we absolutely will be screening the match, [and] we will be launching a new brunch menu this weekend as well, which is a nice coincidence, because we know we’ll be busy for it.

“Hopefully this will get the [sporting] season off to a good run, and playing at home is always a good advantage - so fingers crossed!” Licensee of The Venue in Ballintemple, Con Dennehy said he is also looking forward to welcoming match-goers, but hopes that there will be “sufficient” services to accommodate their transport needs.

“Every match or function that sells out in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a boost for the area – it's a great facility,” said Mr Dennehy.

“We are expecting large crowds - we’re used to dealing with [them] because of where we are, [and] the GAA crowd are lovely people, there’s never any bother or trouble.

“As for Sunday, we’re looking forward to it, it’s great to see people coming into the area [and] assuming the weather is good, it’s going to be an absolutely lovely day.

“One aspect though is that after the match ends, I hope there will be sufficient buses coming up to take people into town – this has been an issue for us in [Ballintemple] village with queues upon queues of people waiting around with no buses to take them.”

Cork sports retailer Cummins Sport, a family owned business, say they have seen the excitement in their stores across Cork city and county in Ballincollig, Bandon, Blackpool, Douglas, Fermoy, Midleton, and North Main St.

Áine Cummins told The Echo that the anticipation ahead of the match was palpable: “There’s huge excitement at the moment, we always say that Cork have huge support whether they’re winning or losing but when they’re in a league final, it goes to another level.

“The jerseys are selling as fast as we can get them on the shelves, so it’s a huge boost for retail but also for the city as a whole, there’s a great buzz around the place when Cork are doing well.”

She said that the Cork team are an inspiration for young people in particular, explaining: “When Cork are doing well, it’s massively inspirational. Straight away there’s children in looking for new hurleys, or they might see someone on the pitch with a specific colour of grip tape and they come in looking for it — the small things the players do have a huge influence.” Ms Cummins added that she was optimistic of the verdict, saying: “Fingers crossed - they’re doing well at the moment, playing well and they have a home advantage, it’s going to be a gorgeous sunny day by the Lee.

“I have a feeling in my bones that we can do it.”