Call for more Tipperary club games to be played in Semple Stadium

A motion to the Tipperary County Convention on Monday, December 17th from the Moneygall club sought to have Semple Stadium, Thurles made more available for club games especially floodlit ones has been taken as a recommendation following discussion in The Dome at Semple Stadium, Thurles last week.
Pat Sheedy spoke on the matter before the County Convention and said that every club in the county has been involved in fundraising for Semple Stadium at some stage or another and that it is regarded as the best pitch in the land.
However, not one floodlit club game was played there during 2018, he said, and there were only six club championship games played there - all in October.“I believe we are not getting a good return for what the people of Tipperary put into Semple Stadium,” the Moneygall delegate explained.
Chairman of the County Board John Devane said there were not too many games played in Semple Stadium, but added that the Feile Classical resulted in the county quarter-finals being removed from the stadium. And, people were raving about the great atmosphere for the quarter finals, he said, adding that he believes the stadium is over-used as it is.
Con Hogan, the chairman of the Semple Stadium Management Committee, said that he was not aware of any game being refused by Semple Stadium except in circumstances where weather conditions made it impossible to host games.
“The decision on where games are to be played lies with the CCC and there is no conflict between us. We always work together and that's the way it should be. But we had thirty-two inter -county games in the stadium this year as well as the likes of post primary and primary school finals, Cumann na mBunscoil, Camogie and club finals, teams training two to three times a week and so so. We spent €36,000 on pitch maintenance this year and there is a huge job each year to keep the sod up to standard,” he said.
The County Convention heard that operating costs in Semple Stadium run to €8,000 per week and €100,000 has to be raised outside of game income in order for the stadium to protect against game related uncertainty. The Feile Classical comes in under this category and the funds raised from this venture will be used to pay for a proposed up-grade to Ardán Úi Cuinneain. It is estimated that it contributed between €7-10million to the local economy while annually the stadium spends €1.4million annually on wages, goods and services.
An average 280,000 attend sporting events at Semple Stadium, Thurles each year bringing a spending power of €20million to the town.The proposed new development at Semple Stadium, Thurles will include corporate area, bar and function room, a new VIP area, lifts and stairways, gym, changing rooms, toilets, physio rooms and stats room. The estimated cost is €4-5million, convention delegates were informed. It is hoped that funding will be forthcoming from Munster Council, Croke Park, capital funding as a regional centre and also the Feile Classical.
Another motion to the County Convention, which sought to have all hurling championship finals played at Semple Stadium, was ruled out of order.