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GAA Discussion / Mayo V Monaghan Qualifier

« on: May 23, 2022, 03:17:51 PM »

A tough test for Mayo, especially given the current injury situation and our continued inability to score points outside of 30-35 yards.
Monaghan had Twelve plus wides and Four shots dropped into goalkeepers hands V Derry, unlikely to repeat this.
Granted Monaghan were opened up Two or Three times for goals, however they are a hardened outfit that have been on the road for a while.
Donie Buckley could also be a factor.
Other than Mayo, I always like to see them win, as I have seen them losing too many big games to Tyrone in Croke Park in the last decade. I also have enormous respect for Conor McManus and a few others on that team.

Just looked the odds for this game, Monaghan +3 at 5/6 jumps off the screen.

 

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GAA Discussion / GAA attendance 2021

« on: June 09, 2021, 03:34:07 PM »

With the 2021 Championship about to get underway in both codes, wanted to open the discussion about potential attendances. As of now the “powers to be “ are saying that All-Ireland at the end of August may have 25k in attendance.

Don’t really want to turn this blog into a pissing contest about shabby vaccine rollout, which looks like it is as much an EU issue as much as an Ireland issue.
However, can somebody explain, that as it stands now, you will be able to go to Castlebar on July 24th, (assuming Mayo are in it) and be able to watch the game in a hotel, restaurant or a pub while having a pint, but you may not be able walk up the town and watch the Connaught final in an outdoor stadium, even though you have been vaccinated.

Has anybody questioned the GAA hierarchy in Croke park, the civil servants/ Govt who are deciding on attendance policies, and more importantly what science are they basing their allowed attendance on.

Not sure of % attendance of UK events.
Current examples of attendances in US. Btw, no masks whatsoever required at in bars and restaurants.
There were 135k at the Indianapolis 500 two weeks ago. Outdoor event.
NBA indoor attendance as of this week.
https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/which-nba-teams-allow-fans-this-season-covid/

Back to Ireland. Just got this info on line.
As of a few days ago, there were three million vaccines administered, (2MM first doses)one could safely assume that in six weeks’ time there will be at least another million plus vaccinated.
Most experts agree .It is pretty much impossible to get the virus if you are vaccinated and in an outdoor environment.

 A little more analysis,
Population of Ireland is 5MM
Excluding 1MM under age of 14= 4MM
Right now 2MM have gotten one dose. If in six weeks another Million get a first shot, that would bring total to at least 3MM.
4MM divided by 3MM is = to 75% of population over 14 that will have received one dose.

All puzzling to say the least. Hoping common sense will prevail and let folks who are vaccinated and want to attend games to do so. I have no problem going onto a GAA website and providing proof of same and wearing a mask if that is required also.

3

GAA Discussion / Rural Ireland's football future

« on: August 21, 2019, 01:33:44 PM »

"Ireland West Airport receives less State funding than Kerry or Donegal airports in recent years
 Published: Wednesday, 21 August 2019 11:26


A Mayo Councillor has repeated his call for State funding of €100 million for Ireland West Airport Knock, to kick-start development at the airport.

Sinn Fein Councillor Gerry Murray made the call, as figures were released this week which show that Ireland West Airport received significantly less direct state funding in recent years than Kerry or Donegal airports - despite outperforming them in terms of passenger numbers.

Figures from the Department of Transport show that, since 2012, Kerry Airport received a total of €37 million in State funding followed by €29.5 million for Donegal Airport.

Ireland West Airport Knock received €17.9 million over the 7 year period.

Councillor Gerry Murray said Knock should receive the lion's share of the funding, given the airport's passenger numbers, and its potential for further development."


This may be a digression from normal GAA and maybe it belongs on another forum. It just hits home with me.
I was walking into the Dublin V Mayo semi-final two weeks ago, Michael Ring who I have never met in my life was walking in ahead of me with his family, I was going to say to him, "the only way Mayo will win an All-Ireland in the next twenty years is if you push decentralization and invest in Ireland west Airport" . Given the situation, I decided to leave the guy alone going into a football game. However when you read the above, you have to wonder, what if ?.

In addition to Mayo, The development of this airport would benefit, Sligo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Longford, Donegal, and maybe a few more, i.e. counties that have have experienced decades of folks leaving to go to cities like Dublin.

I have no political affiliation, but believe that a large part of Dublin's prolonged success is population growth + or (money by the Government). Not brain surgery.
But when you see decentralization opportunities blown, by short sightedness, then you just shake your head.
What is even more frustration is that the last Taoiseach was from Mayo, mind you he inherited a bucket of sh*t, so he deserves a pass on on at least the first few years in office for sure but........
I feel the current guy in office, will most likely provide lip service on the same.

It truly is pathetic when you see these numbers, meanwhile a lot of people who live in Dublin, now cannot afford to, or have significantly altered their spending habits due to increased cost of housing up there.

A chance blown, and one that will most likely still possibly impact another generation of potential rural county footballers.

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GAA Discussion / League Final 2019 attendance

« on: March 19, 2019, 12:51:58 PM »

Not sure if this needs a thread of its own.

However, I wonder will the GAA and or Croke Park, market this game given that the estimated attendance will most likely be no more than 30k.

What would I do, I would distribute 1,000 tickets to bord na nog of each county board in Division 3 and 4.

Positives;
You will promote Gaelic games in the weaker counties, (no insult intended).
Generate interest among underage players in same counties, who hopefully will be inspired to represent their county someday in Croke park.
Help create an atmosphere in Croke Park, it is after all a national final, nothing feels worse than watching a game there in a 2/3 empty stadium, and behind both goals empty, just seems so unnatural.

Negative;

Someone in the GAA or Croke Park will have to get off their arse and organize. In this day and age with all the paid officials at national and provincial levels, it cannot be that difficult. They could figure it out in seven days if it was a championship replay in the summer.


 

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GAA Discussion / Who can stop "Mayo are magic" starting another new subject

« on: June 16, 2017, 08:15:15 PM »

 

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GAA Discussion / August Bank Holiday weekend

« on: July 20, 2016, 02:20:27 PM »

Judging by latest market effort, “bring a friend promotion” somebody in Croke Park has finally figured it out. I would say they are already anticipating a record low crowd for this coming August bank holiday weekend. As they say “It may be a day late and a dollar short”.

Good God, four or five years ago they marketed August Bank Holiday as "a feast of football" and I have to say did a really good job at it, and had the flexibility to mix and match games depending on potential match ups. It had unofficially become the real starting point of the All-Ireland series. Now come this Bank Holiday weekend and they will be lucky to get 50-60k combined over two days. Talk about dropping the proverbial ball. Would love to hear the GAA's response to this. Please don't give me the six day turnaround, as that is a crock of sh*t. Tell the Provincial secretaries to have their respective finals finished two weeks before that weekend. End of story. It is total amateur hour again by GAA fixture committees.

One more example of this and the inconsistencies that prevail, Kerry play their q/final on July 31st and have a four week break to their semi-final on August 28th.  Tyrone play their q/final on August 6th and have a two week break to their semi-final on August 21st. God forbid they have a draw, they will be up three weeks in a row.

August Bank Holiday schedule.

Saturday July 30th
Mayo V Westmeath
Donegal V Cork

Sunday July 31st
Galway V Qualifier winner
Kerry V Qualifier winner

As I mentioned lucky to be 30k at each, where am I going with this, the GAA knew for past six months that Dublin would not be playing this weekend, why didn't they just give tickets away to underage footballers of weaker footballing counties for a day out in croke park. Go so far as saying Division 3 and 4 teams and counties who got relegated from Division 2 who may be struggling.

It would serve two purposes.

1. Create an atmosphere in Croke Park. It is a crappy place to be when two thirds empty, and is completely devoid of an atmosphere.
2. Promote the games in counties where the gap is for the most part is getting bigger and bigger.

Somehow I get the feeling that the GAA in Croke Park are measuring themselves on their financial results year over year, which appears to be driven more by sponsorship and TV rights and not on promoting the actual games themselves.

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GAA Discussion / What would you do to attract 30k people to Croke park on Sat Aug 1st.

« on: July 21, 2015, 12:44:21 AM »

I have always felt that the GAA do a poor job of marketing their games despite the incredible potential they have.
Although, I will be there regardless, with the place most likely to be three quarters empty, it could turn out to be the ultimate damp squib. As somebody on a related thread mentioned, the atmosphere at a stadium with this many empty seats will be crappy at best.

What could Croke Park have done to avoid this;

Anticipate this a month ago and tell the prospective counties involved that they would be given 2,500 tickets each to distribute to national schools players, even reward divisional finalists of u8,u10, u12, u14, u16.
Do same as above for all Division 4 teams. Generate interest for potential next generation of footballers from weaker counties.
Provide giveaways,vouchers for GAA gear at the GAA stores in Croke Park.
Have the finals of a skills competition.
A decent band between the games.
A celebrity race between people like Pat Spillane, Joe Brolly and Colm o Rourke, while the band is setting up. I am sure somebody would sponsor it and in-turn a charity would benefit from it.
A charity boxing match at both half-times between whomever, same concept as above.
There must be twenty ways that this could have been accomplished.



 

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GAA Discussion / New format for 2014 football championship

« on: November 29, 2013, 06:58:50 PM »

Just saw schedule for 2014, posted below, pretty significant changes, if I am not mistaken, it means that Ulster runner up and Leinster runner up cannot meet Connacht or Munster winners in Q/Final. Similarly, it means that Connacht and Munster runner ups cannot meet Ulster or Leinster winners in Q/Final.

Also significant in my mind, is that four Q/Finals are not on August Bank holiday weekend. That is annoying as I always viewed that weekend as the real beginning of the championship. It was always a great weekend of football.

26 Iúil
GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Round 4a
(Connacht finalists v Rd3a Winner; Munster Finalists v Rd 3a Winner)

2/3/4 Lúnasa (Sat/Sun/Mon)
GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Round 4a
(Ulster finalists v Rd3b Winner; Leinster Finalists v Rd 3b Winner)
GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Quarter Finals
(Connacht v Round 4a Winner, Munster v Round 4a Winner)

9 Lúnasa
GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Quarter Finals
(Ulster v Round 4b Winner, Leinster v Round 4b Winner)

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GAA Discussion / Connacht Club Final Charlestown V Corofin

« on: November 17, 2009, 02:56:08 PM »

Should be a truly momentous occasion Sunday in Charlestown, A small club that has a great history, one that was absolutely ravaged by emigration in the mid 80's, resulting in their primary team being a poor junior one. The seeds of the current success were probably sown in 1988, when the club won the County minor and junior titles. The County and Connacht championship victories in  2001 were incredible. This years County title was the icing on the cake for a lot of veterans.

Victory on Sunday will be difficult against a very experienced Corofin team. Ginger Teirnan will be a huge loss, impossible to measure. I feel gutted for him, he has been such a key part of this team for almost a decade. Charlestown have a very strong panel, competition for places has been fierce, and this has in my mind has been key to their success. They may be lacking that gamebreaker in the forwards, but hopefully the home advantage will swing it for us.