Limerick hurling fan queues from 2am for coveted Munster final ticket
Queues form outside city store ahead of mouth-watering tie
ONE LIMERICK hurling fan began queuing at two o'clock this Thursday morning for a coveted ticket to next week's sold-out Munster Final against Clare.
Mike McNamara was one of scores of supporters who lined up outside Ryan's Centra at O'Connell Street in the city centre to get an all important ticket to the provincial decider on Sunday, June 9, throw in 4pm.
Mike of Kennedy Park and Dermot Caulfield of Garryowen - waiting since 7am - proudly declared: "We won the lotto! We won the Euromillions" once they emerged from Centra, tickets in hand.
With the public sale of tickets at the FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles limited to only terrace areas, a line formed outside Centra in O'Connell Street for a number of hours ahead of the start of sale at 11am.
Tickets had sold out within 20 minutes of going on sale this Thursday.
Staff at the retailer - one of the few which has a Ticketmaster sales counter - did a test run before they let supporters into the store in small groups so as not to overwhelm the system.
Michael, who got a Town End terrace ticket, said: "I'm delighted, I'm chuffed. I was over by the Augustinian Church at 2am. There was nobody else in the queue. But then I met Dermot just before 7am."
Dermot said he is running a bus to Thurles from Gerry Powers pub at William Street in the city centre.
"There will be 16 of us on the bus. We are all at various locations trying to get tickets to make sure we are all catered for," he said.
The pair said they preferred to wait in line, rather than try their luck online.
"You're not guaranteed them," said Mike. "That's why I came down early as I know I'd be guaranteed tickets."
Dermot added: "One of the lads just texted me and told me had logged onto the internet to try and get tickets and he was 3,000 in the queue. That's why I said I'd come down here and make sure I get them."
Both Michael and Dermot predict that Limerick will sweep aside the Banner to win a sixth straight Munster title, and then make it five Liam MacCarthy Cups in a row at Croker later this summer!
Based on past experience, Limerick supporters will make up the majority of the Town End Terrace in Semple Stadium while Clare supporters will be in the majority in the Killinan End Terrace.
Stand tickets are being distributed through the participating County Boards only.