Football V Rugby - Which is better in Croke Park?

[ziggysego]

I'd sooner watch Gaelic football of any level or skill in Croke Park, before any other sport.

[haze]

Hugely enjoyable game last night i thought with some high quality scores and great energy throughout.

But for sheer tension its impossible to compare the two games, as the rugby game was the first step of perhaps a historic grand slam. The only people who can answer the question fairly is Dublin or Tyrone supporters who are also strong rugby supporters, though even at that the rugby should win out.

As a game i will always prefer football but the fact that i was on the edge of my sit the whole through the rugby game praying Ireland would scrape through means that at the weekend the rugby was superior..

[tayto]

The rugby was exciting because it was close, i didnt think the standard of play was all that great to be honest. Wales didnt score for the whole second half. This is a key annual fixture in international rugby, can't really compare it to a neutral first round NFL game. The english and french rugby games were dull as ditchwater apparently.

[realredhandfan]

I thought the cameras were better positioned on Saturday, the replays looked deadly.  There was an improved expertise to our coverage.   The actual camera coverage of the game was better than ever before. Setanta have obviously acquired more expertise than RTE in shooting GAA in a short space of time., and theres still lots of room for improvement. Our games are not quite edited to the same standard as Premierships etc, but last weekend was a step in the right direction.  I would not fear our games not standing up to soccor and Rugby but from a personal preference even those 2 games are incomparable with Rugby a far better watch than anything but the very odd top class game of soccor.   
Secondly
The around the clubs feature attached to sunday sport last night was enjoyable.  It lloks like RTE are finally going to improve their attitude and coverage of our national sports as opposed to just changing theme tunes..Keep pulling up the socks folks. 
thirdly.
If thae national league and championship season were run off around the same time / or combined etc.  Less games with bigger crowds - there would be more special occasions in the futurew.  theres always a danger of overexposure. 

[Bud Wiser]

Croke Park was made for hurling.  Any of the other three sports, football, soccer and rugby are a bastardization of each other.  Throw in International Rules and it more or less explains all three.

Only hurling should be allowed into Croke Park and I am thinking of forming an alliance with the bearded one who is spokesperson for Croke Park Residents Group to make it so.

Also, the music events are a disgrace.  Every Dolan from Mullingar and Westmeath must have played in Croke Park except Joe who on one occasion had to drift to Russia to earn a crust, or worse, struggle against the wave in the Galtymore in Cricklewood to get the price of a game of golf in City West.

Not that I want to stir the manure now or anything but the GAA's interest in getting real hurling into Croker can be judged from the treatment, or lack of it, of the Cannings from Galway.   Of course for years to come the stupid question will be; Who was the first man to play in a Galway jersey in Croke Park and the equally stupid answer will be the f**king drummer with the Sawdoctors

Ban every game in Croker except hurling and bring back Mairtin O'Conner and the squeeze box with the set dancers, thats what I say.

[haze]

Budwiser thank god you are not in charge of a Laois Hurling Revival..... with logic like that we can count ourselves lucky

[Bud Wiser]

Well thank God your not in charge of it or with an attuitude like that you would probably send all the players home.  We have been discussing the merits of hurling and football on this board for the last ten years, long before you came on it and most of us have learned one thing, how to take a joke which with your thick skull you obviously could not see.  Mind you, I wouldn't be trying too hard to get Clonaslee or Camross into Croke Park to hurl because they would probably make more of a show of Laois if as you say I would if I were in charge.   Lighten up, or are you from Camross and up for the row all the time?

[OirthearMhaigheo]

I think if you were to ask alot of Mayo and Kerry people who were in Castlebar they would have found the game entertaing and a bit nerve wracking (considering it's only the league), I found it at least as entertaining as the rugby because my team was involved. How can you expect neutrals to get as engrossed in a Feb league match between two unfit and rusty teams and then compare it to watching your national team on the trail of a grand slam? strange logic. As it goes, I think rugby is a much better game to watch on tv than to watch in person, I find there are far too many periods of inactivity, and it's pretty hard at times to know what's going on amidst the rucks unless you have the tv cameras to help you out. I'd go watch a top Gaelic match any day ahead of rugby, rugby is a great tv sport, but that's it as far as Im concerned.

[haze]

jaysus Budwiser relax, i was being a bit sarcastic rather than attacking your very funny "joke". I apologise for not being as experienced a poster as you, you are obviously alot "wiser"....

And look i'm not from Clonaslee and i dont particularily like Clonaslee but i dont see Darren Rooney or James Young doing anything but repersenting their area with distinction.

judging by your recent whingeing about Donie Brennan being dropped off Laois panel, well may i guess you were joking that time aswell???

[Bud Wiser]

Darren Rooney is a garda here in Tallaght and he got sent off against the Dubs in the (Christy) Brown Cup Final.  If he had'nt Laois would have won.  If Donie Brennan was playing yesterday even as an impact sub Laois were worth at least another two points.

I agree with you about James Young, he is out on his own - literally but hopefully this year we will have a few more alongside him.

I'm relaxed now.

[haze]

Budwiser don't want to start an argument but Darren Rooney getting two yellow cards in the O Byrne Cup final is hardly a hanging offence, he is one player who gives 100% for both hurlers and footballers and for that he does not deserve to be run down..

And look i highly rate Donie Brennan, for natural talent only Brian McDonald is his equal over the past 10 years but his form has totally dried up. I dont know if it is possible to check but i think if you go back and try to find out how much Donie scored in helping Arles/Killeen get to county final and also in Leinser Championship you be absolutely shocked to see how little it was... Jason Enright easily outscored both him and Beano and Entight was also dropped off Laois panel but there is very few championing his case.

I've no doubt he will make his mark for the seniors again but at underage level players like Colm Kelly were every much as pivotal yet knowone kicks up a fuss because he was also dropped. The reason being is that most people will acknowledge he is not in good form.

[tayto]

Darren Rooney is a garda here in Tallaght and he got sent off against the Dubs in the (Christy) Brown Cup Final.  If he had'nt Laois would have won.  If Donie Brennan was playing yesterday even as an impact sub Laois were worth at least another two points.

Lot of if's going on there. You might have won if he hadnt been sent off, we'll never know.

[Bud Wiser]

Jesus,   hold on, I stated that Darren Rooney was a garda in Tallaght and that he got sent of.  I am not "running him down" and in fact I have made several posts on this board about anyone making individual attacks on players.

What I am saying is that, it is my opinion,  if Darren had not been sent off at the precise time he was sent off, Laois may well have won the game. 

[tayto]

may well have indeed. sorry i was being pedantic this morning. did laois seem tired yesterday after extra time last week? [yes i'm desperately looking for excses for dublin poor second half on saturday]

[Farrandeelin]

I agree with ziggysego 100%. I mean, how could anyone think big men running after an over-sized eggshell is exciting.  Really, I just don't get it...