Mayo V Sligo - Connaught senior final - July 15th

[Barney]

Lads can't believe ye are falling for the spin hook, line and sinker.

This decision isn't about venue capacity except for the fact that Sligo isn't accepted as a final venue.

Unfortunately we here in Mayo are in deep in the manure with our finances and this is about getting as much money as possible to throw into the debt. I'd prefer the game in Castlebar but everything here is about the pressure being put on Sligo. The Hyde capacity issue is a smokescreen to go to Galway or take the money and go to Castlebar. Big Kev would not agree to anything but the neutral venue.

So Sligo lads don't blame the Mayos. If we come out on top of this battle blame your county board. I'd be furious if our lads sold out if the shoe was on the other foot.

And whether the game is in Castlebar, Salthill or Ros the real supporters will be there. If you don't go to a match because you might be delayed in a traffic jam for a couple of hours how interested are you really?

[moysider]

Pearse stadium is not a suitable neutral venue in Connacht for anything

Going by the logic on this thread every Connacht final from now on will have to be played in Castlebar. Markievicz Park is too small, Tuam and Hyde are too run down, Salthill is too far to go to.

There were plenty of Sligo fans in Salthill for the semi-final. I doubt they would have too much problem traveling there for a Connacht final if they had to. It's not like they are in Connacht finals every year. And sure half of Mayo lives in Galway so there would be plenty of them there too. Now ideally this game would be in the Hyde but going to Salthill for a one-off game while not ideal is hardly like decamping to Afghanistan for a tour of duty.

There might be plenty but hardly enough. At the end of the day the CC will want to bring in as much revenue as they can from the event. That s the bottom line for them.

If it about fairness and honouring the 97 arrangement then ticket sales will be limited to Hyde capacity and play the game there. That would still mean more numbers than a Salthill venue imo. Would people be happy with the CC taking a hit? Or maybe hiking up prices to compensate. With Ros and Galway gone early I d expect attendances to be well down in Connacht this year anyway. Income is a serious consideration.

[Lar Naparka]

all agreement lapse at some point  and it definetly looks like event have overtaken this concord. if roscommona are no longer able to keep up their end of the deal then sligo have a choice , Hold on to the remnats of the agreement and go to salthill or cop themselves on and go to castlebar
Castlebar would be the handiest for both teams
it would attract the biggest crowd ,
it has the best facilities on and off the Pitch.
It would be the main event in the town for the day in salthill it would be an inconvience
your not taking your life in your hands going there

Facilites and ease of access don't come into it. The central point is having the game in Castlebar gives Mayo home advantage when it should be neutral as per the agreement.

I'd fully agree with you but for the fact that there appears to be no practical alternative to Castlebar.  Going to Salthill would be impractical and there's no sign that the Hyde will be ready in time.
All the conjecturing is likely to upset both teams as they get ready for the game and, all in all, you'd think we were watching a Fawlty Towers episode. If there's no place other than McHale Park that is suitable then the terms of the agreement have to be broken. I can see no other way out unless venues outside Connacht are looked at and I don't think that's a runner either.

[highorlow]

If it has to stay in Connaught it's probably too late to suggest London?

They could have played it in Wembley and it would have been a great advertisment for the game. The English lads and Irish lads who support English teams have a lull now between the soccer stuff; guranteed full house.

Mate!

[criostlinn]

What is the capacity of Markievicz park anyway?

Here are the figures for all 5 Connacht grounds quoted from that report late last year:

Pearse Stadium Galway 33,000 down to 26,197
Mc Hale Park Castlebar 36,764 down to 28,187
Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada Carrick on Shannon 15,000 down to 9,331
Markievicz Park Sligo 18,780 down to 13,801
Dr Hyde Park 33,612 down to 18,890

Now it's unclear which counties have rectified the issues raised and restored their capacities. Maybe we will be told this week. There are quotes from Roscommon officials from late last year saying that they could only afford to fix some of the issues raised in the report and would have to see if that would be sufficient to satisfy the Health and Safety crew.

This whole debate is priceless. The rossies up in arms about the location of a fixture which has nothing to do with them. Looking at the capacity of the hyde it cannot stage the fixture. Simple as that. The only grounds big enough to hold the game is castlebar or salthill. The only debate here is should sligo force themselves and mayo to salthill for the match. I don't mind either way as the agreement is in place but I do think it makes no sense dragging everyone to salthill.

This should have been looked at whenever these new ground capacity figures were released. Could the CC not see this arising back then. It time to examine the whole agreement again and to make the decision that all finals should be held in the one ground capable of holding them. Ie castlebar This arrangement is not a problem in leinster or ulster.

Its pointless wasting more money on the Hyde. Despite all that was spent on it over the years here we are 3 weeks before a connacht final not knowing where it stands.

Insanity. It effects all of Connacht, it effects businesses in Roscommon town and it could well force our minor team to wrongly have to play an away Connacht final in Castlebar against Mayo.

Way to show blinkered arrogance of the highest order.

Not blinkered arrogance. If Hyde park isn't big enough to stage the match it has noth ing to do with Roscommon. Simple as that. Same reason as the game can't be played in carrick or sligo.  Are you really trying to say now that because the minors might get to the final that we should limit the numbers at the senior game to facilitate them. Look if the Hyde is big enough the game will be played in roscommon and all this Is a non Issue.
If it ain't big enough and sligo insist, the game will be in galway and to hell with common sense. I think what we need to do in Mayo is declare Ballina as the county ground and castlebar as neutral. It works fine for the dubs.

The only real shame in all this is that roscommon weren't due to stage the final. Then we would see some real flapping from the rossies

[stephenite]

FFS lads-if the two main participating teams come to an arrangement that suits the suits, to coin a phrase, It'll be done without a thought to the teams or their managers never mind the supporters. It's not arrogance on anyone's part, just the way things are done.

Spare us the beal bocht about about businesses in Roscommon losing out, about as relevant as discussing the technicalities of a Greek bond default.

Any chance of a bit of football talk, I'm gearing up for a trip home and this will be my first Connacht final in 8 years (I think), caught Sligo against Galway on Setanta and they're in great nick, Mayo should demand this game is played at a neutral venue, all this crap is playing into the hands of a dangerous opposition.

[Syferus]

This is many times more pertinent than 'football' talk at this point and it's telling only Mayo supporters are the ones trying to shift the spotlight off the venue. It's one thing supporting your county, another to support them in what is appearing to be a purchase of a home Connacht final.

[stephenite]

This is many times more pertinent than 'football' talk at this point and it's telling only Mayo supporters are the ones trying to shift the spotlight off the venue. It's one thing supporting your county, another to support them in what is appearing to be a purchase of a home Connacht final.

I disagree. Sleevenism within the GAA is not confined within county borders, if the shoe was on the other foot it would be a similair argument in reverse.

The 'purchase' of a home county final seems pretty disingenuous, as above, revenues will be maximized by those who make the decisions, for one reason only, to maximize revenues. Conspiracy theories are only entertained by the ignorant.

[moysider]

Agree. While initially I would have liked to see the game played in Castlebar, not any more. Anything that might give the Sligo folk a sense of injustice and motivate the team to sew it into us is best avoided.

The fact that any decision will be nothing to do with players and supporters and will be done purely from a revenue perspective will not be factored in by Sligo people I would imagine. Here s hoping they limited ticket numbers and play it in the Hyde. They can limit the financial hit by doing away with concessionary, OAP and juvenile tickets for this one. 

[rosnarun]

I think what we need to do in Mayo is declare Ballina as the county ground and castlebar as neutral. It works fine for the dubs.

at last a bit of genius, how could we have been so blind.
what ever the decision after tonight . its gonna be an anticlimax i havent seen as long a thread of bickering on this board since way back when Armagh and Tyrone were relevant

[ross4life]

Hyde park selected for the final i'm hearing, the capacity will be 25,000.

[Sam2011]

Mayo GAA twitter confirm its the Hyde. Hope everyone is happy this saga is over and we can start talking about football!

[Syferus]

Great to see common sense and respect for the rules won out. The Hyde is the perfect size for the finals and if our minors make it to the Connacht final you can add an extra few thousand to the attendence. In that situation I could see the attendence verging on the capacity.

[Rossfan]

All we need now is for Sligo to win it  really piss off the Prenty Council.

[stephenite]

Good stuff - the Hyde far handier than Salthill.

I'm not spending a dime in Roscommon though