Topics

Was down for both the senior games yesterday. Not a bad day out and enjoyed the occassion. For the second half of the Donegal game we moved round to the hogan stand to get back to the car in decent time. Ended up in a Kildare section. Was very surprised how strong some of their fans were supporting Kerry.

At the start the two men behind were shouting finish them off Kerry (strange comment given they were getting beat) and shouting support for all the Kerry players by name. I initially assumed they were Kerry men but doubted it from their accent and when I turned around realised they were in Kildare colours. Loads of other Kildare fans were doing the same and getting annoyed with the referee and strongly supporting Kerry. Like to the point were they were getting physically worked up. I also witnessed Dublin men getting cross leaving the ground and getting in arguments with Donegal fans.

I know we get abuse in Ulster for supporting our own teams but I found it very strange how people who should have been totally neutral were so fired up supporting a team from another province. I was clapping for Donegal scores but would never have got so worked up over another county team. Its also strange to see so many neutrals supporting a team with 36 All Irelands against a big underdog with 1. I know I'd have been supporting Kildare against Kerry as the underdog or even the Dubs last year. Its always good to see new teams come through.

Is the Kerry support due to Donegal tactics? If it is I still don't fully understand. Can anyone honestly say they preferred the second half of the Kildare Cork game compared to Donegal Kerry? I found the Kildare second half extremely boring and could have went for a nap. I didn't see any neutrals around me getting worked up over this. The second half of the Donegal game was very interesting and we witnessed some wonderful Donegal defending and great counter attacking football (just wish they'd attack a bit more).

I think its an insult to players and managers intelligance if we want teams to play in a way that doesn't work to their strengths and involves them getting hammered. Two years ago Donegal played nice football and got hammered out of Crossmaglen and a year or 2 before that got destroyed by Cork in croke park. I absolutely hated watching both games - they were terrible as a spectacle. Yet there was no outcry over it. Donegal should be praised for how they've turned things round and become competitive at the top level given their limitations. I'd rather see more teams compete than get hammered.

I can see why there's a worry that all teams will follow their trend and change football. I hope this won't happen but no doubt someone is going to come along with a better way of playing and defeat Donegal's system. I'm looking forward to seeing Cork attempt it and have no doubt we'll get a more interesting semi final than some others in recent years.

Huge weekend in the gaa championship ahead, can't wait for it. As a Tyrone fan the Tyrone Kerry game is obviously the pick of them but the leinster final on Sunday has the potential to be a cracker to. Throw in the Ulster final and a few other qualifiers including a huge day for Leitrim and its undoubtly one of the best weekends of the year which should attract 130k + fans. Hopefully we get some good matches and can really show off all that is good about the gaa.

I cannot believe the gaa are sitting back and letting RTE drag the name of the game through the muck. They say they're worried about attendances, well its hard not to believe the constant attacks from Brolly and Spillane for self gain are doing the games image significant harm. Both of them know exactly what they want to say before every game and throw it out no matter how good or bad the game is. This was evidenced by there attack on the Longford Wexford game which given the standings off both teams was a decent game.

I don't think there is another sport in the world analysed by the pundits in a similar way to gaelic football. No match is analysed on its own merit instead a series of generalisations about the game and comparisons to 30 given years ago are made. Its ridiculous that these guys get paid for it.

For the last few months Brolly has had it in for Tyrone as evidenced by his attack on the team for being a bunch of divers in a recent newspaper article. I'm not sure where is current hate for Tyrone has come from considering during the period in which all his examples came from he was a huge fan of the team and constantly sung their praises in the media. On Sunday he was determined to continue with the attack no matter what happened during the game.

As it happened it turned out to be a very good game of football but Brolly didn't care as he was more interested in point scoring on who can be the most controversial negative pundit. At half time he said Colm Cavanagh made the most wonderful of dive that his brother would have been proud off. Having been at the game and watched it since I'm still not sure what he was talking about. At full time he was again on about Tyrone diving to win 2 frees to win the game. He was more interested in this than the wonderful points scored by Harte and O'Neill. As it happens neither free was a dive - Gormley was took down round the neck and there was no question it was a free and Donnellys was a clear cut free to. He also accused Mark Donnelly of wasting time with cramp. I'm no expert with cramp and I'm not sure if Brolly is but to me the lad didn't look like someone that was acting. Maybe Joe knows better though.

He also said it was a typical boring boring Tyrone performance and compared it to George Grahams Arsenal who liked to defend 1 - 0 leads. Given that the final score was 0-19 to 1-13 this makes no sense what so ever. Instead of focusing on the fact that Tyrone scored 12 or 13 points from play including some brilliant scores spread across 8 players he tried to make snide remarks. I was actually shocked on Sunday how open Tyrone were at the back. This allowed Jamie Clarke to pull off some wonderful scores which Brolly would have been safer focusing on.

I know I've defended Tyrone here but it is more an example of the nonsense these guys are coming out with every week against various counties and there insistence in finding negatives in every game even when they are far outweighed by the positives. The gaa has to act now and tackle this issue head on. The games and the players deserve better, especially coming from their so called own.

[The All Blacks match was ranked third on the average list of viewing figures behind the 709,000 who watched the hurling final between Kilkenny and Waterford, which peaked at 840,000, and the 703,000 who watched the football final between Tyrone and Kerry, which peaked at 886,000.]

RTE announced Munster v All Blacks was most watched sports programme 2008 at the sports awards. The Irish Times (posted below) said Munster draw in viewers like no others. However, when you actually read the Irish Times Article it was the All Ireland finals that  had the highest average viewing figures for 2008. Munster had the peak with about 10 mins to go when people obviously realised they were close to beating the All Blacks. In terms of people actually watching the games it looks like the All Ireland Finals were the most watched sports programmes of 08'. Slightly suprsied that the hurling had a higher average viewing figures than football considering how one sided it was but I suppose if you added BBC's viewing figures the football had more.

Irish Times Article:

SPORT ON TELEVISION/RTÉ'S MOST POPULAR EVENTS: THE SEEMINGLY never-ending achievements of Munster on the rugby field, not to mention as a brand, are reflected by the RTÉ sports viewing figures for 2008.

A peak figure of 1.033 million was recorded for that cold November Tuesday (18th) when Munster, shorn of 10 international players and losing Denis Leamy to injury early on, came agonisingly close to repeating the 1978 defeat of the All Blacks - the only Irish side ever to do so - and in turn ruining the title of the long running John Breen play, Alone It Stands.

The peak was reached at 9.16pm when word clearly spread like wild fire that they were on the verge of beating New Zealand. That is until Joe Rokocoko's late try shattered the dream.

"The most impressive figure was the 689,000 that tuned in from start to finish," noted Ryle Nugent, deputy head of RTÉ TV sport and commentator on the night. "The fixture grabbed the public's attention from the outset. The choreographing of the 20-minute build-up was delivered efficiently and respectfully, including the unveiling of the plaque by the Taoiseach. The pomp and ceremony was followed by the Munster, then New Zealand haka and then the first five minutes of the match itself were played at a million miles an hour. All the ingredients were there.

"The uniqueness of the occasion made it hard to compare with the other great days at Thomond Park in recent seasons," Nugent continued. "It was an unbelievable experience. I've been at all the big Munster games at Thomond Park in the past few years but this can't be compared. It was a totally unique event. Just very different from other big games, like a European match when they are doing whatever is necessary to get out of the pool.

"It was recognition of who they are and what they are about; showing they have come full circle since 1978. As soon as people walked in the door or sat down in front of the television they knew they were in for a special, unforgettable night."

The All Blacks' trip to Limerick was a genuine departure from the norm and touring squads will not be bringing the numbers to facilitate a repeat fixture any time soon.

"It has to be an advantage that it was a Tuesday evening in November and the recession had just kicked in. Also, there was no direct competition on TV like the Champions League. It was talked up in the media at length due to the history of the fixture, so the curiosity value was there as well."

That an event organised to celebrate a 30th anniversary and open a new stadium held par with two hugely significant All-Ireland finals and outdid all other events in a significant sporting 12 months merely emphasises the growth in popularity of rugby in this country.

"Rugby is a substantially growing audience over the past five years, no doubt about it," said Nugent. "It can be measured with the success of the national team, Munster and, to a lesser extent, Leinster. It is down to the accessibility of the audience to the players, who they can potentially see walking down the street."

Rugby viewing figures were significantly down the pecking order in 2003 with the Grand Slam- deciding Six Nations encounter at Lansdowne Road against England averaging only 504,000 and placing sixth on RTÉ sports' list behind Gaelic games and soccer internationals. Munster's defeat to Toulouse in the Heineken European Cup semi-final that year attracted only 264,000.

The All Blacks match was ranked third on the average list of viewing figures behind the 709,000 who watched the hurling final between Kilkenny and Waterford, which peaked at 840,000, and the 703,000 who watched the football final between Tyrone and Kerry, which peaked at 886,000.
The Champions League final in Moscow between Manchester United and Chelsea was watched by 653,000 on RTÉ, with a peak just shy of a million viewers.

That the Irish rugby match against England at Twickenham came fifth with 553,000, peaking at 655,000, is further evidence of the growth of rugby's popularity.

The Munster viewing figures were made apparent at RTÉ's sports awards in UCD on Sunday evening, when the province was also named team of the year.

Unsurprisingly, the main individual prize on the night went to two-time Major champion in 2008 Pádraig Harrington after he regained the British Open and captured the USPGA championship.

Former former Irish Olympic athlete and Ireland hockey international Maeve Kyle was inducted into the RTÉ Hall of Fame.

Interesting article in the Belfast Tele:

GAA victims of double standards

By Martin Breheny
Wednesday, 26 November 2008


Notice anything about the Croke Park pitch for the recent rugby internationals?


As part of the sponsorship arrangement with the IRFU, the Guinness name was emblazoned boldly on half-way and behind the posts.

Now consider this. Imagine if the GAA applied a similar arrangement for an All-Ireland hurling final, when Guinness were sole sponsors.

If you thought the torrents which poured down during the Galway-Kerry game last August were heavy, they would be a mere drizzle compared to the new deluge.

Only this time, the clouds would unload themselves of odium and outrage. And who would open the taps? Some within the GAA itself, but there would be outside help too from various medical personnel and other lobbies, who emerge on an annual basis on news programmes, phone-ins and in newspaper letters to castigate the GAA for the Guinness sponsorship.

Where have those critics been over the past few weeks? Silent as mute lambs. So it's okay for anther sporting organisation to brand the Croke Park surface with alcohol advertising, but if the GAA have any links, however tasteful and discreet, with the same company they are depicted as social delinquents.

Now there's the essence of hypocrisy. Perhaps the more vocal medical elements, who regularly make demands on the GAA that don't seem to apply to other sports regarding alcohol sponsorship, might address their inconsistencies the next time they meet at a European rugby, sorry Heineken Cup, game.

Incidentally, former GAA President Dr Mick Loftus, a long-time critic of sponsorship by alcoholic drink companies, is exempt from criticism because he has remained consistent at all times.

Not so for many others in his profession who, in a blatant example of double standards, treat the GAA differently to other sporting organisations.

The gaa announced some time ago that both football and hurling finals would be played as a double header under lights in croke park in the autumn. Can anyone confirm that the date set is October 20th? If this is right I think the choice of dates by the organsiers is terrible for a good competition that needs to be revived. The problem is it clashes directly with the rugby world cup final. Im no huge rugby fan but I cant see the logic in this clash. Any chance of getting a decent crowd back to this competition may be gone if that date is used.

Anyone else sick of these guys blatant ignorance towards the GAA? Firstly BBC announced an end to their gaa coverage (which was half an hour a week for a few weeks during the summer). They cited lack of viewers which I find hard to believe considering RTE's success. The same guys can show 4 hours of live milk cup coverage this Friday night as well as interactive games all week. They can show the Irish cup final live between Dungannon Swifts and Linfield. They could (not can!) show most Northen Ireland home games live. They showed the u19 rugby world cup games live as well as Ireland interantionals. The only gaa game they have left is the mccrory cup final and they feel they have to show it cause the rugby school final is on that day to. Who do they think theyre kidding - would the orange orfer parades which they show on the 12th get more viewers than Doengal Monaghan for example would have got last week? If they had the right gaa coverage it would get twice the viewers of the Irish Cup final.

Moving on to UTV who also ignore the gaa. I watched their news coverage regularly at 6 in the evening. In the run up to Northern Ireland or Ulster games they have build up all week and these games dont attract 15000. This Saturday Tyrone will play in front of 50000 but there has barely been a mention of the game. Tonight their sport coverage started with 2 phone calls to here what was happening in the Swifts game in Lithuania and build up to the Glentoran game who were 5 0 down from the 1st leg. They then showed coverage of the Milk Cup. After this they moved on the WAKEBOARDING (think thats what its called) - theyre reall taking the micky now! After that we has the result of the competition for the man u glentoran game and finally news of a death in the Linfield club. I can ignore there lack of coverage during the winter but in the height of the gaa season this is disgusting. Adrian Logan hang your head in shame!

Rant over.

I think that the GAA have to be very careful about their use of video evidence. From what I can see they mainly seem to use it for high profile cases brought on from a media outcry. These bans seem to come as a result of pressure from Sunday Game pundits. This is not the way our games should be governed. If video evidence is to be used there must be camera's at every championship match and clear procedures must be in place to ensure that each game is treated equally. Every game has to be watched and reviewed by the panel or its not a fair process. Why should high profile players be more at risk to suspension by video evidence than other players from weaker counties. If a study is carried out into which county players have been suspended from video evidence I think you'll find theyre nearly all high profle players. I think you'll find very few players with a low profile from weaker counties being suspended by video. Imo Geraghty shouldnt be suspended as many players have done as bad and not a word said.

I think the championship and national league format has become outdated and its time for change. How about combining the league and championship into one competition played in a more condensed time frame freeing up more time for clubs. The ulster, leinster championships etc could be played of as a warm up to the main competition. There's currently to much time of relative inactivity in county football and to many parts of the season without enough meaningful games. Im afraid due to the gulf in class in counties the championship would have to be split in 2 seperate competitions of 16 (New York would have to go). Each championship would then be split in 2 again to leave groups of 8. In both competitions the top four would qualify for the qnockout, with the top division teams competiting for Sam. 1st would play 4th,2nd v 3rd etc. Int the top division the bottom two in each group would become involved in relegation playoffs, with 2 teams emerging as going down. The playoffs in the bottom division would also decide who go's up. This competition would provide much more meaningful matches for all and if marketed right could potentially lead to the use of much more county grounds. Teams would have 3 home games and 3 away depending on the quality of their ground (otherwise they could nominate their home venue). 1 match would then be played at a neutral venue, possibly croke park.
What does any1 think? (and saying im crazy aint an option)

On a seperate note the black tick should be banned as its being overused by referees who are wasting far to much time over them. When the opposition now fouls they are basically being given the advantage because the referees are wasting a load of time and allowing them to get all their players behind the ball. Refs must learn that slowing the game down only penalises the attacking team.

Rant over.