Donal Lenihan Makes Bold Statement Regarding Munster Fans In Cork

Has Munster lost its Cork fan base?

Munster’s attendance has been dropping at an astronomical rate over the last few seasons. The once fabled Thomond Park used to sell out almost every week, slowly but surely however, over the last few years- those numbers have dropped.

Is it a direct result of Munster’s performances on the pitch? The once European giants have faded away to mere minnow’s in recent years, which for many is the reasoning behind the huge drop in following.

Donal Lenihan however doesn’t think this is the case.

The former Ireland and Munster lock made a bold statement regarding Cork fans on Second Captains tonight.

He believes Munster has become too focused on Limerick with the building of Thomond Park and the construction of it’s new training base at the University of Limerick- that Cork fans now feel aggrieved and hence have lost interest in the province.

“Is there an anti-Munster feeling in Cork? Yes.

“I get it all the time. There isn’t a week that goes by where someone doesn’t stop me in the street saying ‘I’ve stopped supporting Munster Rugby’.

“I say ‘Why?’ and they reply that the whole focus is Limerick. The stadium is Limerick, the centre is Limerick, they play in Limerick. There’s four PRO12 games a year in Cork – you get Zebre, Cardiff, Dragons and you may get a token [game like] Ospreys or Glasgow.

“It is a worry… the real worry is Munster played Edinburgh [in Limerick] at three o’clock in the afternoon and there were seven or eight thousand there.

In the old days, when I was driving back to Cork [after games], it would take you hours. Now? It’s not an issue.” 

Does Donal Lenihan have a point?