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If the Rugby World Cup is to be Co-hosted in Ireland it will make f**k all difference in terms of promotion if the Games are held in Croker, LR,thomond park,or the RDS

I agree, I just don't think the GAA should allow CP be part of the SRU/IRFU bid as it would be a great promotional tool for our competitors. If they can get it on their own backs then good luck to them.

Those who are arguing to keep CP open seem to be debating a seperate issue, I'm involved in underage coaching and I see how hard it can be to keep kids playing GAA if their county team isn't doing well. Look at Limerick for example, the GAA is very much on the back foot there and a rugby WC wouldn't help the cause in any way. I don't care whether the rugby WC is played here or not but I don't think the GAA should be part of that bid. If it continues to allow soccer qualifiers and 6 nations games in CP that's one thing but being actually part of the bid to bring it here is something entirely different.

If this is to go ahead I really doubt that Croke Park will be part of the plan as the decision on who hosts the games will be made nect year i think and there is noway the GAA will have made it their minds by that stage. Also I am unsure if the IRFU would want to use Croker as they would want Ireland to play in LR and the venue is too big to hold another game.

With that in mind i don't think the games will be won or lost due to the availability of Croke Park but it will just mean that the GAA will get nothing out of these games that will be played in the country regardless.

That's not what you said or at least implied before and if what you say now is true then this discussion is pointless.

And don't tell me it's promoting soccer and rugby. That's only true if these games wouldn't take place anyway.

If Croke Park wasn't part of the package then they might not occur on these shores. We all know the sky won't fall in but there is a battle going on for the next generation of players and bringing a WC to these shores won't help the GAA's fight.

Not allowing other games in Croker won't stop them happening. And the kids will still see them on TV regardless. At least if they are in Croker, the GAA can take the money and promote our games.

I'd agree if we were talking about the previous opening of CP while LR was closed but now we are talking about adding our facilities to the list of those available to hold major competitions for our sporting rivals. In other words we help our sporting rivals to secure their biggest promotional tools and then showcase them in our stadiums. (Co-) Hosting the rugby or soccer WC may insipire many kids to play those games, kids who otherwise might have primarily played GAA, now it may happen anyway but why should the GAA partake in that process?

Those trying to advocate the 70's should bear in mind that the pace of the game has increased significantly I'd wager most of the players of the 70's would struggle with the pace at which skills must be executed today. While I certainly hope the physicality of football is once again allowed flourish, football players are now far more skillful IMO.

Champions League Final..Heiniken Cup Final and all the rest..I would only love to see these games played in Croke Park..

I wouldn't like to see those games played there, it was built for GAA not as a multi-purpose stadium and I don't see anything wrong that.

I see you didn't comment on the Gaa not helping themselves as i pointed out, are you another who doesn't see the obvious problems the Gaa have created by their own means and the fact that its not all because of letting rugby and soccer into Croke Park?

I was commenting on your inaccurate portrayl of 'no' posters as backward, I see CP as a GAA stadium, you obviously see it as a gift from the GAA to the nation to be used for whatever sport needs to use it. But for the record I don't blame any other sport for any of the GAA's problems, they are promoting their sports to the best of their ability and the best of luck to them.

Also here's a thought...Is it not possible that a youngster might want to play two are maybe 3 sports,Would you rather the youth of Ireland be denied the chance to play soccer,rugby etc? Would you really just want them playing Gaa and nothing else?Thats hardly a healthy attitude to have
I played for Gaa clubs and soccer clubs when i was younger,I would be as happy at a Premiership match as i would at a Gaa one..I love both sports..The way you are talking its one or the other you can't have both..Is it really that black and white

You see this is where you are falling down, you think that any 'no' voter has this attitude and in my case at least you couldn't be more wrong. I think kids should play as many sports as possible and I did so myself however I believe the GAA should promote itself not other sports. Where is the quid pro quo here? The GAA can assist the promotion of other sports but they can't do likewise for us, so I think we should leave them paddle their own canoe.

I enjoy watching all sports at the highest level but we are competing for players, supporters, sponsors, TV air time, etc. with some of these sports so I don't think we should necessarily help them bring massive promotional occasions to Ireland. That doesn't make me small minded or anti other sports rather it makes me pro-GAA, like I said if any other sport can promote itself in Ireland fair dues I just don't think the GAA should be assisting, you obviously do.

I must try and see the Armagh/Tyrone semi again but I have watched the Mayo/Dublin game a few times since and it was probably the best game I have ever seen. Repeated viewing doesn't dim the quality of the game.

So tell me this Laoislad, where does it stop in your opinion or should it stop at all? Soccer WC and EC, champions league finals, Man U V Liverpool in a premership game, Rugby WC, Rugby League WC, Heino cup final, cricket, etc. should they all be future options? Like I said I supported the GAA helping out this countries national teams when they had nowhere else to go but this is different. We are a small sport, played only in Ireland and we must compete with other sports who offer the possibility of a professional career and are hyped up and promoted by Sky (amongst others) each and every day off the year. Why do you think FIFA and the IRB want to hold these competitions in countries like Korea and Japan? They want to because they are massive promotional tools for these sports, so I ask you why should the GAA help facilitate this? If the FAI of the IRFU can part host these events on the back of their own facilities fair enough but why should we assist them?

I disagree, the best 15 current footballers would beat a best of the 70's team with a bit to spare IMO. They are faster, stronger, fitter, use the ball better, are generally better footballers, tackle better and are tacticly astute, it would be no contest I'd say.

Well it seems like a big Mayo crowd will be attending, I have heard of quite a few today that are going and they normally never bother with it. Any idea what the galway attendance will be like?
Should be a cracker, I am hoping that some bar in Paris will show it or else its mad wesht and my imagination.

The James Joyce pub in Porte Maillot shows all the GAA games as far as I know.

I don't think this will ever get off the ground because of the problems with a team made up of and marketed as a culturally seperate team.

I voted no and I strongly resent the tone and implication of the 'yes' posters when referencing 'no' posters. I wanted Croke Park opened while LR was closed but once it re-opens then CP should revert to a GAA stadium only IMO, and what is wrong with that?

Dublin +10 are evens on PP, not sure I'll have a go off that though.

Have to agrre with the Dub lads here and go for Cork to win comfortably, some of the Dublin team wouldn't make the Cork panel, game on in Cork, Cork keen to set down a marker and with a big do or die game the following week they'll want to get things right.

Yeah it's a low key build up alright and it isn't a game that has captured the imagination of the neutral even though it is a novel enough pairing. As for who'll win it, I'll go for Tipp with a bit to spare, I've been at both the Clare games and I thought they were poor enough in both (esp. V Limerick). I also don't rate Limerick highly and Waterford had injuries and a poor focus so with that in mind I'll go for Tipp.

I reckon Limerick will put it up to Meath, they're not a bad team but lack scoring forwards. In saying that Ian Ryan is a brilliant young forward and they have one or two more coming through so that may not be a weakness in a 2 or 3 years. As for places to go Nacy Blakes is a fine spot and Flannery's and Myles Breens are also go spots (though very different). I'd avoid Clohessy's like the plague and their club the sin bin is one of the worst I've ever been to.