Qualifier - Cork v Laois

[Hoof Hearted]

When is the last time a team scored 10 goals in a championship match?

some teams wouldnt score it in 5-10 years of cship matches, hurling or football

[Reillers]

That was ridiculous. Plain and simple. Cork were good, but Laois were shocking. Good performance from a young team, but there's really not much to take from it.

[Shamrock Shore]

When is the last time a team scored 10 goals in a championship match?

1963 or so when Dublin knocked in 10 against Longford in the (football) Leinster championship. That said we scored 3!

[horse]

Another and maybe the final nail in Laois hurling.
The current format is certainly making the gap between the elite counties and the rest larger every year and the GAA will not react until it is far too late. 15/20 years ago Laois could compete with most teams in the leinster championship now they are just whipping boys other counties are in the same situation (Westmeath, Carlow, Wexford)
then we have counties that are currently just hanging in there (Offaly, Clare, Galway) hurling will suffer in these counties over the next couple of years if the current system is persisted with.

[magpie seanie]

Laois hurling was well ahead of Dublin hurling 10-15 years ago. The format hasn't sopped Dublin's progress.

I don't think its fair to class Wexford in the same category as Carlow and Westmeath either.

[Dinny Breen]

Laois hurling was well ahead of Dublin hurling 10-15 years ago. The format hasn't sopped Dublin's progress.

I don't think its fair to class Wexford in the same category as Carlow and Westmeath either.

How much money has been invested in Dublin hurling in that period to get it to this level? Did Laois even get a fraction of that investment? How can Laois compete on the pitch when it's not a level playing field off it.

[AZOffaly]

Laois hurling was well ahead of Dublin hurling 10-15 years ago. The format hasn't sopped Dublin's progress.

I don't think its fair to class Wexford in the same category as Carlow and Westmeath either.

How much money has been invested in Dublin hurling in that period to get it to this level? Did Laois even get a fraction of that investment? How can Laois compete on the pitch when it's not a level playing field off it.

Is there an applause emoticon? 100% agree Dinny. It's great to see the Dubs using their investment wisely, and now it's time for the GAA to extend that template to other counties.

That said, counties like Offaly, Laois, Limerick etc are not making the best of what they have. Westmeath and Wexford are doing much better jobs with similar or smaller resources.

[heffo]

Laois hurling was well ahead of Dublin hurling 10-15 years ago. The format hasn't sopped Dublin's progress.

I don't think its fair to class Wexford in the same category as Carlow and Westmeath either.

How much money has been invested in Dublin hurling in that period to get it to this level? Did Laois even get a fraction of that investment? How can Laois compete on the pitch when it's not a level playing field off it.

If the money was there for Micko & Kearns it was there equally for setting up proper structures, development squads and GPO's - the Laois county board made their decision of what direction they wanted to go in.

[Dinny Breen]

Laois hurling was well ahead of Dublin hurling 10-15 years ago. The format hasn't sopped Dublin's progress.

I don't think its fair to class Wexford in the same category as Carlow and Westmeath either.

How much money has been invested in Dublin hurling in that period to get it to this level? Did Laois even get a fraction of that investment? How can Laois compete on the pitch when it's not a level playing field off it.

If the money was there for Micko & Kearns it was there equally for setting up proper structures, development squads and GPO's - the Laois county board made their decision of what direction they wanted to go in.

Can you answer the question? Nearly all the financing of Laois football came from private backers and nearly of the hurling investment in Dublin came from the GAA, it is not like for like.

[INDIANA]

Laois hurling was well ahead of Dublin hurling 10-15 years ago. The format hasn't sopped Dublin's progress.

I don't think its fair to class Wexford in the same category as Carlow and Westmeath either.

How much money has been invested in Dublin hurling in that period to get it to this level? Did Laois even get a fraction of that investment? How can Laois compete on the pitch when it's not a level playing field off it.

If the money was there for Micko & Kearns it was there equally for setting up proper structures, development squads and GPO's - the Laois county board made their decision of what direction they wanted to go in.

Can you answer the question? Nearly all the financing of Laois football came from private backers and nearly of the hurling investment in Dublin came from the GAA, it is not like for like.

The fact of the matter is the DCB expressed an interest in developing hurling and went to the GAA and asked for assistance. They put the blueprint for the next 10 years in front of them and said we can win a National Title in 10 years. Most of the Heads laughed at them. But gave them the money- all be it laughing.

The money largely came from the rentals of stadium for special events. Most of the monies from this fund goes to counties who want funding for special projects.

Its not Dublin's fault other county boards have zero interest in promoting hurling. I've spoken to hurling people in Laois - so I know why they are struggling. The likes of Pat Critchley are doing huge work there with limited county board interest. If he was appointed as Laoi's Director of Hurling with county board support I've no doubt laois could be very competitive.

Its amazing the conspiracy theorists come out in force once finance and Dublin are mentioned together. Like most things in the GAA its politics thats prevents progress. And its  County Board politics that has Westmeath and Laois hurling where it is.

[Dinny Breen]

Its amazing the conspiracy theorists come out in force once finance and Dublin are mentioned together. Like most things in the GAA its politics thats prevents progress. And its  County Board politics that has Westmeath and Laois hurling where it is.

What planet are you living on? Who is talking about conspiracy theories?

The Dublin model is to be admired and I genuinely want to see them do well but it has the full backing of the GAA, no other project would have got such support. It has been almost 15 years in the making.

Westmeath and Laois is where it is because football gets the majority of the funding they are too small to be dual counties on their own accord, they simply don't have the population base to sustain investment in two codes.

Since you know the all the finance details, exactly how much have The GAA spent in getting Dublin to this level?

Amazing what one can find on the internet, while this obviously doesn't tell the whole story it shows that with finance and a vision what can be achieved.

Address by John O'Donoghue, TD,
Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
at the launch of the National Hurling Development Plan
at Croke Park, Dublin
on Tuesday 13th December 2005 at 2pm

A Uachtaráin agus a dhaoine uaisle,

Tá ana-áthas orm a bheith anso inniu i bPáirc an Chrócaigh, Ceanncheathrú an Chumainn Lúthchleas Gael chun Plean Forbartha Náisiúnta don Iomáint a sheoladh. Is breá go bhfuil a oiread sin daoine i láthair don ócáid thábhachtach so.

Tá ana-cheangal ag an iomáint le saol laethúil mhuintir na hÉireann. Is í an iomáint an cluiche páirce is sine san Eoraip agus tá siad ann a deir gurb í an spórt pháirce is breátha agus is mó scil ar domhan.

The Government recognises the unique place that hurling holds in this country and is anxious to foster the growth and development of the game. In this context, a Special Budget Measure of €1.25m was announced for 2005 for the development of hurling, in addition to €1m to support Gaelic Games in Dublin and €1.34m towards the cost of the GAA Grassroots to National Programme.

http://www.gaa.ie/content/documents/publications/annual_reports/Accounts-Central-Council.pdf

                                                               

3. State Funding      

Irish Sports Council Grants - Dublin Games Development 950,000 (2009) and  1,000,000 (2009)

Bottom line when it come to financial investment in Grass Roots hurling, Dublin are way out on their own. The proof is there that it works now lets hope other counties get the opportunity in future to follow suit.

Ans just to add this isn't about conspiracy or even begrudgary  it's actually about admiration and what a county can do with the proper support and structures in place.

[Bud Wiser]

Good man Dinny.  In fairness I think about ten years ago Laois got money and I remember posting about it on the board,  They were selecting a panel of 25 players and interviewing them to be assured they would make a commitment and a full schedule of training was laid out and there was a big launch announced in the Leinster Express, but shur after a while the lads just went off on the drink again and I never heard anymore about it.

[magpie seanie]

Of course Dublin got huge investment but unlike a lot of what is done in the GAA it is money well spent. All counties should get support if they put a solid plan in place and can deliver it.

My point was that the ills of Laois hurling have feck all to do with the championship structure.

[INDIANA]

Its amazing in your piece you completely missed the point Dinny.

Ie. Dublin went to the Govt with a coherent blueprint in place and that is why they got the money. It wasn't going down the drain. The door was open for any other county to do that. But they chose not to. The idea that we were simply handed a freebie of 1m quid to do what we wanted to do is the stuff of fantasy.

Its amazing how Magpie grasped the point exactly in one sentence.

Would Dublin get that sort of funding in the currrent economic climate now? No. They grasped the opportunity and took full advantage of it. And considering former county board men are quoted on the record in the last decade as wanting to burn every hurl in Dublin - its to those indivdiual's  who put the blueprint together that Dublin hurling owes a debt that it can never repay.

And I dont buy this small pools of players rubbish. If you can get kids in Dalkey and Blackrock playing hurling - you could sell hurling in any county in Ireland- tradition or no tradition.

[Dinny Breen]

Eh! It was me making the point.

Seanie said the format hasn't held Dublin back, I qualified it by stating that it was the investment in grassroots hurling that has progressed Dublin not championship formats.

Heffo seems to think Laois squandered any money they had which isn't a like for like for comparison as highlighted by the additional government funding that Dublin has received over the last 6 years.

So just to qualify it yourself, myself, Seanie and AZ all recognise the fantastic work be done by the Dublin board and the friends of Dublin hurling.

It has taken a lot of effort, planning and financial investment to get this far, no county will get that support for the feasible future but the template is there now and we know it works.