Semple Stadium and its Economic Impact, Put a Cork in it- O’Connor might be right about soccer; Newport’s- new drive.
Thurles is used to the roar of summer — to packed terraces, flying sliotars, and the pulse of the GAA world beating out from FBD Semple Stadium. But last week, the noise was different. Quieter. Sharper. Just as important.
A few yards from the famous ground, inside a council chamber instead of a stand, the business of Gaelic games was laid bare in cold, hard numbers. The Tipperary Strategic Policy Committee on Economic Development and Enterprise had summoned a GAA delegation. The question was simple: what is the Munster Hurling Final really worth to Thurles?
The answer landed like a hammer blow. €3.2 million for the town. €4.5 million for the county. From one game. One day.
The figures came from a major study — The Economic and Social Value of the Gaelic Games on the Island of Ireland — commissioned by the GAA and carried out by Sheffield Hallam University, global leaders in sports impact research. Their wider conclusion was staggering: Gaelic games drive €1.6 billion in economic activity every year.
Dr Peter Horgan and Cian Murphy set out the case. For years, locals had known the final was big business. Now there was proof. Nearly 1,100 supporters and 89 businesses were surveyed during the 2024 Munster final between Limerick and Clare, watched by 45,148 fans. What they found went beyond belief. On match day alone, €2.8 million was spent directly in Thurles. €3.3 million across Tipperary. Factor in the knock-on effects — extra stock, suppliers, staffing — and the total impact surged to €3.2 million for the town and €4.5 million countywide. The streets weren’t just busy. They were booming.
Seventy-four percent of local businesses reported increased trade. Bars surged by 76%. Cafés by 70%. Restaurants 64%.
Convenience stores by 61%. Fast-food outlets? Every single one saw a rise.
For some, Murphy said, the match was worth three months of business in a single day. This wasn’t folklore or pride talking-it was data. Murphy, also the association’s cultural historian, reminded the room that Thurles is no ordinary town. This is where it began — the first inter-county match played back in 1886. The championships were born here. The history runs deep. Now, he argued, the opportunity is bigger still: sports tourism, heritage trails, education tours. The home of the GAA could be working year-round.
Around the table, councillors nodded. Praise flowed. Semple Stadium, they said, wasn’t just a venue — it was an economic engine. A heartbeat at the centre of Thurles. But, a sting.
Tipp GAA CEO Murtagh Brennan acknowledged the stadium needs investment. Despite generating millions for the local economy, the County Board sees little of that spend.
The message was blunt: the numbers prove the value. Now the support must follow. Because in Thurles, a hurling final isn’t just a game. It’s an industry.
O’Connor puts a Cork in it.
Ben O’Connor is right about one thing — soccer-style behaviour is creeping into the GAA, and the booing of Tipperary’s Darragh McCarthy proved it. From a county known for its fierce yet respectful rivalry with Tipp, the jeering at Páirc Uí Chaoimh felt jarring and out of place. It crossed a line. McCarthy answered the only way that matters, coolly splitting the posts from two tough frees as the noise rained down. Cork supporters are better than that. It felt like an ugly blip on a tense night. O’Connor’s post-match remarks will resonate with many who fear the game is being softened and sanitised too much.
Maybe so — but the chaos before half-time helped no one. All thirty players piled in, tempers flaring, though most tried to calm it. Two saw red as the officials scrambled to regain control. Others who escaped the referees sanctions were perhaps more fortunate than the two players red carded – linesman Johnny Murphy seemed to have as much influence on the big decisions as the man in the middle Liam Gordon. To be fair to Murphy- and that’s not often an easy task considering his officiating history where Tipp is concerned- he was the man on the spot while the referee and most in the stadium had followed the play.
In truth, this wasn’t a defining defeat for Tipperary on an attendance record breaking evening. It had the feel of shadow boxing, Tipp never fully firing, physically or mentally. There are bigger fish to fry. One thing Tipperary supporters must ensure is that when the tickets for the Munster championship first round in FBD Semple Stadium come available, every single one must be secured by Premier people. Cork have monopolised ‘The Park’ and good luck to them – Tipp must do the same with Semple.
Newpost to host Hurling Champions Challenge.
Newport GAA Club will host the Munster Intermediate Hurling Club Champions Challenge this February, creating a special opportunity for county intermediate champions to represent their communities on a provincial stage. In recent years, changes to competition structures meant these winners could no longer progress beyond county level.
Recognising this gap, Newport worked closely with Munster GAA Council and the participating clubs to establish a meaningful and inclusive competition. While many teams had demanding seasons that stretched into late winter, February offered the earliest practical window for this inaugural year. The club is grateful for the commitment and goodwill shown by all involved and looks forward to making the tournament an annual event, with plans for an earlier schedule next season and the potential for an All-Ireland final.
The Safety Direct Champions Challenge will feature two semi-finals and a final across three weekends at Lacken Park, Newport, celebrating the spirit, pride, and camaraderie that define club hurling. • Sat Feb 14th 2pm: Semi Final A: Murroe-Boher (Limerick) v An Rinn (Waterford) ; Sat Feb 21st 2pm: Semi Final B: Smith O’Briens Killaloe (Clare) v Knockavilla Kickhams (Tipperary) ; Sat Feb 28th: Safety Direct Munster Final: Winners A v Winners B All games will be played in Lacken Park, Newport. Do get along to see some great action and to support Newport GAA club in their brilliant initiative.