Mayo V Sligo - Connaught senior final - July 15th

[moysider]

It's common knowledge the Mayo county board fast-tracked rebuilding and expansion of McHale Park to nix the plan to make the Hyde the home for all Connacht finals.

It s been all trotted out. Wasn t going to happen. The idea that finals between Mayo and Galway would be held in the Jykell and Hyde beyond laughable.

That Roscommon would get to play every final there too a joke. It was never going to happen.

Neither Pearse or Hyde suitable for geographical reasons, even leaving out the politics.

One is almost in Leinster the other almost in Munster. Castlebar or Tuam were the best option for a central venue.

[criostlinn]

It's common knowledge the Mayo county board fast-tracked rebuilding and expansion of McHale Park to nix the plan to make the Hyde the home for all Connacht finals.

Its common knowledge is it. Hyde Park received the grants about 10 years ago to develop it as a provincial ground. They built a big bus shelter down one side of the pitch. Mayo and Galway saw this for the nonsense it was and carried on as usual.

Fast tracked, good man. McHale park only officially opened on Sunday.

[IolarCoisCuain]

Actually what happened was the Mayo board got more than a little spiteful about the idea of the beautiful, wonderful Hyde hosting all Connacht finals and ran up huge debts making McHale Park the whitest of white elephants west of the Shannon.

No offense, like 

You're crediting our Board with a level of cunning that's beyond them Syferus. I'm not sure those lads could do a whip around for a carryout without buying the Eiffel Tower or something.

Hyde is grand for the Connacht Final IMO.

[ross4life]

Neither Pearse or Hyde suitable for geographical reasons, even leaving out the politics.

One is almost in Leinster the other almost in Munster. Castlebar or Tuam were the best option for a central venue.

A bit rusty with on geography Moy? one look at the above map & you can see Roscommon is the best option for central Connacht final.

[From the Bunker]

Actually what happened was the Mayo board got more than a little spiteful about the idea of the beautiful, wonderful Hyde hosting all Connacht finals and ran up huge debts making McHale Park the whitest of white elephants west of the Shannon.

No offense, like 

Totally agree, pure waste of money on an oversized stand that is empty bar a championship game v Galway every second year (if you are lucky)!

[Cosmo Kramer]

How on earth does that map show that? Roscommon town is about 8 miles from the Leinster border and isn't on any national primary routes. The centre of Connacht is somewhere around Claremorris/Ballyhaunis (or Bekan!) but as there is no stadium there you have to look elsewhere. With Tuam now falling to wreck and ruin, Castlebar is the most central of those that remain.

By the way, it's a shame that the Hyde has been let go the way it has in the last few years. The whole place just seemed so run down last year at the Connacht Final compared to Pearse or McHale.

[Farrandeelin]

This is gas craic altogether. All the Rossies getting hot and bothered about the Connacht final and their own seniors not even in it.

PS, Cosmo is correct with regards the map. ross4life, you could dust up on locating the centre of the province yourself!

[moysider]

Neither Pearse or Hyde suitable for geographical reasons, even leaving out the politics.

One is almost in Leinster the other almost in Munster. Castlebar or Tuam were the best option for a central venue.

A bit rusty with on geography Moy? one look at the above map & you can see Roscommon is the best option for central Connacht final.

Nothing wrong with my geo ross4life. I suggest you look at that map again. We re talking about Roscommon town - it s closer to the westmeath border than it is to the Galway border ffs! It s only about 15 miles from Athlone which is the centre of Ireland  . And that is because you go south a bit to get to Athlone. The border in the middle of the lake a lot closer. The Hyde is put to bed anyway. That is why let the Pearse Park hare loose earlier for the crack. But for many people in Mayo Pearse park would be handier!

For people in north mayo or west galway it s a bollix of a location and anything but central. And factor in that these folks are required to attend more finals than people closer to the Hyde

[macdanger2]

This is some going, 6 pages and we haven't even started on the football yet!! I'd like to see the Uladh bucks beat this for arguing!!

[moysider]

This is some going, 6 pages and we haven't even started on the football yet!! I'd like to see the Uladh bucks beat this for arguing!!

We haven t seen nothing yet. There ll be a decision on Thursday night and if it is not the Hyde there ll be hell to pay.
Remember Sligonian hasn t waded in yet. He must be away.

[ross4life]

Roscommon borders every county in Connacht it's more central location than Pearse or Castlebar. For the people of north Mayo they can stay at home like you Moy & watch in on telly if they think it's too much hassle to travel.

Farrandeelin, certainly not hot and bothered if our minors don't reach the final i honestly don't care where the final is staged i'll probably go to the Munster hurling final instead.

Cosmo, Yes it's a shame that the Hyde has been let go the way it has in the last few years when it was redeveloped in the mid 90s it was one of the finest stadiums in Connacht but nothing has been done on it since because as we have no money.

Criostlinn, The buckets collections are not for ground development merely to pay off the huge debts that accrued from been poorly run over the years for example Castlerea business John Murphy helped out by giving a million in order that it's paid back to him.

[Syferus]

I just wish they'd done away with the stone bleachers on the stand end. Even if it meant an overall reduction in capacity there had to have been a better way to stay over the Connacht final threshold.

It feels like you're the president when you're sitting in the new stand, surveying the poor peons bellow.

This is gas craic altogether. All the Rossies getting hot and bothered about the Connacht final and their own seniors not even in it.

PS, Cosmo is correct with regards the map. ross4life, you could dust up on locating the centre of the province yourself!

We need all those big spending yokes west of Ballagh to come in and start tipping 50's, of course.

[Blowitupref]

The centre of Connacht is somewhere around Claremorris/Ballyhaunis (or Bekan!) but as there is no stadium there you have to look elsewhere.

I reckon Castlerea would be the centre of Connacht about 15,20 miles from Hyde park & didn't they host Connacht finals in 20s or 30s there?

[Syferus]

The centre of Connacht is somewhere around Claremorris/Ballyhaunis (or Bekan!) but as there is no stadium there you have to look elsewhere.

I reckon Castlerea would be the centre of Connacht about 15,20 miles from Hyde park & didn't they host Connacht finals in 20s or 30s there?

Arrah now yer talkin'.

Could get to the games at a brisk walking pace. Can we do one of those moving jobs like they did with that house in Germany?

[moysider]

Roscommon borders every county in Connacht it's more central location than Pearse or Castlebar. For the people of north Mayo they can stay at home like you Moy & watch in on telly if they think it's too much hassle to travel.
Farrandeelin, certainly not hot and bothered if our minors don't reach the final i honestly don't care where the final is staged i'll probably go to the Munster hurling final instead.

Cosmo, Yes it's a shame that the Hyde has been let go the way it has in the last few years when it was redeveloped in the mid 90s it was one of the finest stadiums in Connacht but nothing has been done on it since because as we have no money.

Criostlinn, The buckets collections are not for ground development merely to pay off the huge debts that accrued from been poorly run over the years for example Castlerea business John Murphy helped out by giving a million in order that it's paid back to him.

So you re attitude is to tell people to stay at home if they don t want to go to the Hyde? Nice. I dunno what part of Ros you are in but try driving to Belmullet ( by the time you are in Strokestown more than half way to Dublin - time wise anyway)  or Clifden sometime.

As regards watchin it on the telly it is only something I resorted to once before for a Connacht final but it will be an option for a lot of people. Why is so important to you that finals would be held in the Hyde. The idea that Ros is central because it borders the rest is laughable - look at the size of Mayo and Galway, how far Leitrim goes north. Now if anything Roscommon people are spoiled by being very close to Castlebar, Carrick, Sligo and Tuam. You obviously have never had to travel much and Hyde is a handy spot.  The hurling crowd in South Galway are closer to the Hyde than most of the football province. I still dont understand why ye think finals should be there but to tell people to stay home and watch it on the telly if they don t like the arrangement is some arrogance.