Former Limerick hurler Niall Moran has said that the GAA have limited the appeal of this weekend's Allianz Hurling League Division 1 semi-finals as a result of their scheduling.
While Moran feels that a 4pm start for Sunday’s clash of Tipperary and Clare in Portlaoise isn’t perfect, his main ire was mostly reserved for Saturday’s 4.30pm throw-in between his own county and Kilkenny at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork, where the sides met in last year's final.
"The timing of both league semi-finals in the hurling, they’re kind of funny in terms of a promotional viewpoint," he told RTÉ 2fm’s Game On.
"Half four on a Saturday is not your stereotypical GAA throw-in time... I don’t think the GAA have covered themselves in glory in terms of promoting what are likely to be two great games.
"Below in Cork, and I know it’s pitch availability, part of me thinks Limerick would nearly be happy to go up to Nowlan Park and play it.
"For a lot of people it’s as easy to get up to Nowlan Park on a Saturday at that time than it is to get to Cork."
All-Star Kilkenny goalkeeper Eoin Murphy said last week that the condensed calendar means that teams are opting to use the league as a sort of pre-season competition, but Moran expects blood and thunder when the Cats come up against holders Limerick in the first of the two semi-finals this weekend.
"One of the things that was positive from a Limerick point of view was that it was the kind of game (v Galway) they’d have been forgiven for losing.
"They had a man sent off (Shane O'Brien), having to play 50 minutes in horrendous conditions... yet the competitive streak came out in them right the way to the very end.
"They just hate losing, they love winning and Limerick will love to be testing themselves against Kilkenny.
"Bear in mind, if it is championship that we’re focusing on, there’s a lot of guys in Limerick still trying to stake their claim for a place, and the same with Kilkenny.
"Kilkenny will love the challenge as well because they are the aristocracy of hurling and they’ll be sick in the teeth listening to people going on about Limerick this and Limerick that when Kilkenny’s own track record has been very, very good over the last few years."
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