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Welcome along to Episode 1 of The Hurling Show on Off The Ball - Shane Stapleton and Michael Verney in the studio this afternoon, with Antrim hurler Neil McManus joining us on Skype!
We'll hear from Joe Canning and Kevin Martin later in the show, as we talk through the weekend's hurling - from the new round-robin systems to the Joe McDonagh.
The tactics board will be out before 1 pm as we take a look at how Dublin and Kilkenny will set-up this year, and whether Offaly will employ their two sweepers against the reigning All-Ireland champions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-t2oBVusSM

Attendance 3135 in Ennis for Limerick v Clare Munster U21 hurling championship

Nearly 17,000 in Wexford Park.

12,006 attendance at Semple Stadium last night

In fairness to Dublin this year they haven't had the marquee matchups in Croke Park with Monaghan and Kildare compared to a Mayo or Tyrone. They were unlucky with the Kerry game too as it was postponed and moved to a Sunday. Today's crowd will tell a lot on the attendances this year but again Galway won't bring out your average Dub like a Kerry or Mayo would. Roscommon and Cavan look to have brought a healthy crowd today which will help the figure.

Antrim having Carlow and Laois at home will be a big plus for them. Will the final be televised? I think that TG4 would be willing to cover one of these games a week if given the chance. You could have a weekly game at 3pm on a Saturday for example so as not to clash with any RTE or Sky Sports games. The players deserve a national spotlight and the GAA will want to push this comp more than the Christy Ring

If anybody wants to watch Kilkenny v Wexford find it here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62Z4Q2VWHpc

22,085 at the doubleheader in Croke Park
6,115 for Tyrone V Kerry

Donegal Mayo 11,250
Wexford Galway 7,500
6,500 at Cavan v Tipp yesterday. Looked like about 200 Tipp fans max.

Dublin v Kerry  Attendance 24,026
Tyrone v Donegal Attendance 5,850

Kilkenny v Wexford Attendance 9,793
Galway Doubleheader v Monaghan and Limerick Attendance 9,728
Tipperary Doubleheader v Louth and Cork Attendance 6,733

Does anyone have any more figures?

Kilkenny v Tipperary Attendance: 10,587
Wexford v Clare Attendance: 7,800
Cork v Waterford Attendance: 10,445

Donegal v Kildare Attendance: 4,262

2,604 at Limerick v Dublin tonight in the Gaelic Grounds. That is a very very poor attendance. How many Limerick fans will jump on the bandwagon if they string one or two wins together in the Munster Championship in June? I wonder did anyone travel from Dublin?

I heard a load of buzz about Bohemians vs. Shamrock rovers last night and how there was a huge crowd in Dalymount.
Some league of Ireland chap was on the radio this morning, and he said (with massive enthusiasm), "There must have been nearly 4000 there!"
Fair play to them, but I think sometimes we underestimate how well attended our own games are.

3,640 were at it but in fairness, it sold out two weeks ago. Could have certainly got 6,000 if they were had the capacity for it. Dalymount is currently restricted to using 2 stands.

It's one thing that I think everybody hates to see in soccer and it has been creeping into the GAA recently. The GAA should set an example of what happened today and that fullback should be given a 3/4 match ban. It's totally unacceptable and could well have cost Corofin a place in the final.
It's in the video below for anyone who didn't see it live.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E150d_zZVNM

Attendance of 4,287 for the McKenna Cup final With each attendee paying €10 + no wonder they wanted it played