Tralee to host next Cork-Kerry Munster senior club football final

This year’s AIB Munster Club SFC final will take place at Austin Stack Park in Tralee if it is contested by the representatives of Cork and Kerry.

At August’s meeting of the Munster Council, the provincial competitions control committee (CCC) put forward a proposal that future deciders between teams from the counties would operate on a rotational basis.

The move was rooted in the difficulty in arranging suitable neutral venues, which had resulted in one or both of the clubs involved making arduous trips. Last December’s final, in which Dingle beat St Finbarr’s, took place in FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, which was a return journey of more than six hours for the west Kerry outfit.

In 2023, Dingle had lost to Castlehaven on penalties at TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick, which would have meant five and a half hours of travel time for those coming from Union Hall or Castletownshend. In January 2022, the Barrs got the better of Austin Stacks with Thurles also the venue.

With both Cork and Kerry giving their approval to the idea, a coin toss took place prior to the most recent meeting of the CCC, resulting in the Kingdom earning first hosting rights.

As Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney does not have floodlights, Tralee will be the site for the game in Kerry’s years, while the next decider after this year between teams from the Munster old firm will be in either SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh or Páirc Uí Rinn and that pattern will be in place thereafter.

In this year’s football championship, the Cork champions – either Carrigaline, Clonakilty, Nemo Rangers or St Finbarr’s will first meet a Tipperary team in a quarter-final on November 8, with the winners advancing to take on Limerick opposition in the semi-final a fortnight later.

Due to Kerry reaching the All-Ireland final, all three of their football representatives in Munster received quarter-final byes; at senior level, they face the winners of Clare and Waterford in the semis.

The final will take place on Sunday, December 6 at 1.30pm.