Money, Dublin and the GAA

[dublin7]

Question for the Dublin posters.

What will you do if Dublin easily win the next 5 Leinster and AI titles? Do you think you still go to games? Do you think will you still care? Do you think your Kids will care?

Will you miss the away supporters not going to games in numbers anymore? Who is going to go to these games?

No county is going to catch up. You can talk all you like about them getting their act together but they don't have the numbers or the financial clout. And they never will.

We have reached a point of no return.

For me going to the games isn't just about the games, it's catching up with lads, having a laugh and enjoying pre and post match pints and my group has no intention of stopping anytime soon. We've been in Omagh for league games when Jayo got sent off and got awful racial abuse, Castlebar when Tommy Lyons was manager and they only scored 4 points not to mention humiliating qtr final defeats to Kerry/Tyrone amongst others

Unlike some here we don't think this run of Dublin wins will last forever, but we are enjoying it and are in no rush to see it end. I find we appreciate the good times more having had such embarrassing defeats along the way to this.

In terms of fans of other teams I really couldn't care less if opposition teams fans do or don't go to the games. That's up to them. We go to the games to watch the dubs and if we meet some fans of the other team in the ground or in the pub before or afterwards it really doesn't matter.

[macker15]

Not to intrude, but at least in Connacht we've had three different champions within the past four years. Sligo, starved and all as they are of success, at least can go back less than 15 years for their last one (we were on 19 years when McGuinness took over).

Dublin have won 15 of the last 16 Leinsters, and except for Meath smashing them for 5 goals on a freak day, they'd have 16/16.

The overall inequity of the county-based intercounty senior competition is a fair point, but until the last decade, it was at least competitive. And at times when a single county dominated the AI series, it wasn't based on their ludicrously large pick being harnessed. An eventual end to that dominance could always be seen, whether through simple aging or other teams rising to the challenge.

There's no such end in sight with this Dublin team.

I don't know how long it will take for the wider GAA to see the light. They might never.

But personally, I couldn't be arsed watching Dublin games anymore. I guess I'd tune in to watch Donegal put up a "brave" fight, but that's about it. And its no disrespect to the Dublin players or management themselves. I'm just not interested in non-competitive games where the outcome (and even the way the game plays out) is as predictable as the sun rising and setting. I won't be sitting down to watch Manchester City toy with Southampton or Fulham next week either, and there is far more of a chance of City dropping points in those than there is of Dublin not winning Leinster and the AI this year and next.

Outside of mayo how Connacht teams have won a championship game in Croke park in last 20 years? Connacht is poor standard.  If mayo had concentrated on peaking for later of championship 2016-19. You had poor outfits like ros peaking in June/July.

The Dubs peak for late in the Championship too, and no one in Leinster has laid a glove on them or caused them to break sweat in more than ten years.

In recent years, no else outside of Mayo and Kerry has made them even sweat, and even then, they ALWAYS come through, with the comfort level mostly only increasing as time passes.

Kerry have that advantage later in championship for last 50 years. Mayo should have won 2015-17 games but for players picking the team and Cillian O'Connor missing vital frees. Kerry should have closed out 2019 game the first day.

[From the Bunker]

Not to intrude, but at least in Connacht we've had three different champions within the past four years. Sligo, starved and all as they are of success, at least can go back less than 15 years for their last one (we were on 19 years when McGuinness took over).

Dublin have won 15 of the last 16 Leinsters, and except for Meath smashing them for 5 goals on a freak day, they'd have 16/16.

The overall inequity of the county-based intercounty senior competition is a fair point, but until the last decade, it was at least competitive. And at times when a single county dominated the AI series, it wasn't based on their ludicrously large pick being harnessed. An eventual end to that dominance could always be seen, whether through simple aging or other teams rising to the challenge.

There's no such end in sight with this Dublin team.

I don't know how long it will take for the wider GAA to see the light. They might never.

But personally, I couldn't be arsed watching Dublin games anymore. I guess I'd tune in to watch Donegal put up a "brave" fight, but that's about it. And its no disrespect to the Dublin players or management themselves. I'm just not interested in non-competitive games where the outcome (and even the way the game plays out) is as predictable as the sun rising and setting. I won't be sitting down to watch Manchester City toy with Southampton or Fulham next week either, and there is far more of a chance of City dropping points in those than there is of Dublin not winning Leinster and the AI this year and next.

Outside of mayo how Connacht teams have won a championship game in Croke park in last 20 years? Connacht is poor standard.  If mayo had concentrated on peaking for later of championship 2016-19. You had poor outfits like ros peaking in June/July.

The Dubs peak for late in the Championship too, and no one in Leinster has laid a glove on them or caused them to break sweat in more than ten years.

In recent years, no else outside of Mayo and Kerry has made them even sweat, and even then, they ALWAYS come through, with the comfort level mostly only increasing as time passes.

Kerry have that advantage later in championship for last 50 years. Mayo should have won 2015-17 games but for players picking the team and Cillian O'Connor missing vital frees. Kerry should have closed out 2019 game the first day.

Did you know that Mayo won Connacht for the first time last year since 2015? Did you know that Mayo have not beaten Dublin in Championship or League since 2012? What makes you think that Mayo should have beaten Dublin when they could not beat average teams in their own Province? We ran ye close but there was never a time Dublin were chasing a game going into the final minutes!

Did you know that scoreable chances were missed by two Dublin players after Cillian O'Connor missed his free and Rock scored his winning free? But nobody talks of the Dublin player bottling those misses? And nobody remembers Cillians last minute equaliser in 2016! You see the winners discrepancies are forgotten.

We are gone now and it is almost a relief. We are so far behind now, we can't be even labelled chokers anymore! 

[From the Bunker]

Question for the Dublin posters.

What will you do if Dublin easily win the next 5 Leinster and AI titles? Do you think you still go to games? Do you think will you still care? Do you think your Kids will care?

Will you miss the away supporters not going to games in numbers anymore? Who is going to go to these games?

No county is going to catch up. You can talk all you like about them getting their act together but they don't have the numbers or the financial clout. And they never will.

We have reached a point of no return.

For me going to the games isn't just about the games, it's catching up with lads, having a laugh and enjoying pre and post match pints and my group has no intention of stopping anytime soon. We've been in Omagh for league games when Jayo got sent off and got awful racial abuse, Castlebar when Tommy Lyons was manager and they only scored 4 points not to mention humiliating qtr final defeats to Kerry/Tyrone amongst others

Unlike some here we don't think this run of Dublin wins will last forever, but we are enjoying it and are in no rush to see it end. I find we appreciate the good times more having had such embarrassing defeats along the way to this.

In terms of fans of other teams I really couldn't care less if opposition teams fans do or don't go to the games. That's up to them. We go to the games to watch the dubs and if we meet some fans of the other team in the ground or in the pub before or afterwards it really doesn't matter.

Lucky you! You wont be missing out on much then!

[sid waddell]

Question for the Dublin posters.

What will you do if Dublin easily win the next 5 Leinster and AI titles? Do you think you still go to games? Do you think will you still care? Do you think your Kids will care?

Will you miss the away supporters not going to games in numbers anymore? Who is going to go to these games?

No county is going to catch up. You can talk all you like about them getting their act together but they don't have the numbers or the financial clout. And they never will.

We have reached a point of no return.

For me going to the games isn't just about the games, it's catching up with lads, having a laugh and enjoying pre and post match pints and my group has no intention of stopping anytime soon. We've been in Omagh for league games when Jayo got sent off and got awful racial abuse, Castlebar when Tommy Lyons was manager and they only scored 4 points not to mention humiliating qtr final defeats to Kerry/Tyrone amongst others

Unlike some here we don't think this run of Dublin wins will last forever, but we are enjoying it and are in no rush to see it end. I find we appreciate the good times more having had such embarrassing defeats along the way to this.

In terms of fans of other teams I really couldn't care less if opposition teams fans do or don't go to the games. That's up to them. We go to the games to watch the dubs and if we meet some fans of the other team in the ground or in the pub before or afterwards it really doesn't matter.

Luckily most Mayo people don't think like him

I know the boycott was invented in Mayo, but imagine a Mayo person boycotting that Mayo team over the last decade, a group of players who lit up the sport and gave such pride and pleasure to their people, all the great days out he'd have missed

Not sure even the religious loony Burke family of Castlebar embrace cynicism, spite and self-hatred to that extent

[Lar Naparka]

Question for the Dublin posters.

What will you do if Dublin easily win the next 5 Leinster and AI titles? Do you think you still go to games? Do you think will you still care? Do you think your Kids will care?

Will you miss the away supporters not going to games in numbers anymore? Who is going to go to these games?

No county is going to catch up. You can talk all you like about them getting their act together but they don't have the numbers or the financial clout. And they never will.

We have reached a point of no return.

For me going to the games isn't just about the games, it's catching up with lads, having a laugh and enjoying pre and post match pints and my group has no intention of stopping anytime soon. We've been in Omagh for league games when Jayo got sent off and got awful racial abuse, Castlebar when Tommy Lyons was manager and they only scored 4 points not to mention humiliating qtr final defeats to Kerry/Tyrone amongst others

Unlike some here we don't think this run of Dublin wins will last forever, but we are enjoying it and are in no rush to see it end. I find we appreciate the good times more having had such embarrassing defeats along the way to this.

In terms of fans of other teams I really couldn't care less if opposition teams fans do or don't go to the games. That's up to them. We go to the games to watch the dubs and if we meet some fans of the other team in the ground or in the pub before or afterwards it really doesn't matter.

That's kinda fair enough; I guess any dedicated follower of any other team would feel more or less the same. But Dublin isn't just any team- it stands apart from and above all other teams in the country.
You talk about you and your mates travelling the country for away games and having a bit of craic along the way. There was a time not so long ago when coach loads of Dubs would head off from Parnell Square or Mount Argus and be sure of a genuine welcome wherever they went.
The Dubs won some and lost some but they never lost their good humour and always held their ground in the sing songs in every pub in every town they visited.
But the age of innocence has long since disappeared.
Would you and your mates really travel to Cork or Galway or Armagh just to meet up and have a chat and a few pints when you know there will only be one result? If you do, you'll find the locals won't be too arsed either.
There'd be more craic at an undertakers' AGM.
I don't know why you and your mates expect Dublin's dominance to end at any time soon. There is no logical reason to assume so. The gap is widening all the time.
Rural Ireland is dying on its feet.
People are leaving rural Ireland in droves, businesses are closing and rural clubs are having to amalgamate in order to stay solvent. To exacerbate the gap between Dublin and the rest, the majority leaving the countryside and moving to Dublin are GAA activists or at the very least supporters.
Without the input from those moving in, Dublin football would be in serious trouble- assloads of Alll Irelands notwithstanding.
Enjoy the good times because they are not going to last.

[dublin7]

We've followed some bad Dublin sides in the 90s and 00s but we still went to the games. I remember losing a league final to cork in Pairc Ui Caoimh in the pissing rain when there were more dubs fans there than cork fans. It's a sad state of affairs when people will only go to games they know their team will win. That's so childish it's actually funny.

[imtommygunn]

That makes me laugh/ a little sad reading about bad Dublin sides. Some of us can only dream of being as good as a "bad" Dublin side. (P.s. not in any way a dig at Dublin - same with other big hitting teams too for people from "lesser" counties.

Being from Antrim I have never been to a game I know my team will win!

[Tubberman]

We've followed some bad Dublin sides in the 90s and 00s but we still went to the games. I remember losing a league final to cork in Pairc Ui Caoimh in the pissing rain when there were more dubs fans there than cork fans. It's a sad state of affairs when people will only go to games they know their team will win. That's so childish it's actually funny.

Yeah and i was at league games in Parnell Park.

[Ed Ricketts]

We've followed some bad Dublin sides in the 90s and 00s but we still went to the games. I remember losing a league final to cork in Pairc Ui Caoimh in the pissing rain when there were more dubs fans there than cork fans. It's a sad state of affairs when people will only go to games they know their team will win. That's so childish it's actually funny.

Dublin won every other Leinster title during those two decades ffs.

It's a mark of the lack of perspective many Dubs have that they would consider the teams that produced that sort of return as 'bad'.

Perhaps also explains why many of those same Dubs don't seem to understand the problem with 15/16.

[dublin7]

We've followed some bad Dublin sides in the 90s and 00s but we still went to the games. I remember losing a league final to cork in Pairc Ui Caoimh in the pissing rain when there were more dubs fans there than cork fans. It's a sad state of affairs when people will only go to games they know their team will win. That's so childish it's actually funny.

Yeah and i was at league games in Parnell Park.

Lucky you.

I wish all the dubs home League games were in parnell park. There were some cracking matches there over the years. I remember a Meath supporter throwing a cup of tea at Whelo and Whelo having to be held back from going up into stand after the person.

[dublin7]

We've followed some bad Dublin sides in the 90s and 00s but we still went to the games. I remember losing a league final to cork in Pairc Ui Caoimh in the pissing rain when there were more dubs fans there than cork fans. It's a sad state of affairs when people will only go to games they know their team will win. That's so childish it's actually funny.

Dublin won every other Leinster title during those two decades ffs.

It's a mark of the lack of perspective many Dubs have that they would consider the teams that produced that sort of return as 'bad'.

Perhaps also explains why many of those same Dubs don't seem to understand the problem with 15/16.

Dubs won Leinster in 1995 and didn't win it again until 2002.  It was only really from 2006 they started dominating in Leinster and even then they were getting battered in All Ireland quarter finals and/semi finals.

While that dubs side of the late noughties was a decent side, but no world beaters the rest of Leinster was pretty much rubbish. I'm not sure what the reasons are for that, but I'm sure someone can find a way to blame the dubs

[From the Bunker]

We've followed some bad Dublin sides in the 90s and 00s but we still went to the games. I remember losing a league final to cork in Pairc Ui Caoimh in the pissing rain when there were more dubs fans there than cork fans. It's a sad state of affairs when people will only go to games they know their team will win. That's so childish it's actually funny.

Dublin won every other Leinster title during those two decades ffs.

It's a mark of the lack of perspective many Dubs have that they would consider the teams that produced that sort of return as 'bad'.

Perhaps also explains why many of those same Dubs don't seem to understand the problem with 15/16.

Dubs won Leinster in 1995 and didn't win it again until 2002.  It was only really from 2006 they started dominating in Leinster and even then they were getting battered in All Ireland quarter finals and/semi finals.

While that dubs side of the late noughties was a decent side, but no world beaters the rest of Leinster was pretty much rubbish. I'm not sure what the reasons are for that, but I'm sure someone can find a way to blame the dubs

All examples or comparisons pre-2011 are irrelevant. You can say Dublin suffered this or Dublin lost that. That was a different Dublin. A Dublin without finances.

I will be cheering on Dublin again this year. The only way for this to stop is for Dublin to keep winning. The only problem is how long the GAA decide to go on with this fiasco. They have already let Leinster drift into the quagmire for nearly 2 decades! God only knows how long this fiasco can go on before someone shouts stop!

[Lar Naparka]

We've followed some bad Dublin sides in the 90s and 00s but we still went to the games. I remember losing a league final to cork in Pairc Ui Caoimh in the pissing rain when there were more dubs fans there than cork fans. It's a sad state of affairs when people will only go to games they know their team will win. That's so childish it's actually funny.

Yeah and i was at league games in Parnell Park.

Lucky you.

I wish all the dubs home League games were in parnell park. There were some cracking matches there over the years. I remember a Meath supporter throwing a cup of tea at Whelo and Whelo having to be held back from going up into stand after the person.

I remember the time James Nallen lost the rag with Whelo and followed him about 30 yards up the field to give him a good box on the lug. I didn't see what Whelo did to annoy Jimmy but he had floored one of the Mayo backs.
I was told by the guy next to me that it was a clumsy tackle rather than a dirty one but Nallen must have thought otherwise.

[Never beat the deeler]

We've followed some bad Dublin sides in the 90s and 00s but we still went to the games. I remember losing a league final to cork in Pairc Ui Caoimh in the pissing rain when there were more dubs fans there than cork fans. It's a sad state of affairs when people will only go to games they know their team will win. That's so childish it's actually funny.

Yeah and i was at league games in Parnell Park.

Lucky you.

I wish all the dubs home League games were in parnell park. There were some cracking matches there over the years. I remember a Meath supporter throwing a cup of tea at Whelo and Whelo having to be held back from going up into stand after the person.

I remember the time James Nallen lost the rag with Whelo and followed him about 30 yards up the field to give him a good box on the lug. I didn't see what Whelo did to annoy Jimmy but he had floored one of the Mayo backs.
I was told by the guy next to me that it was a clumsy tackle rather than a dirty one but Nallen must have thought otherwise.

When was this? Doesn't sound like Jimmy Nallen and I'd say your memory is playing tricks.

I remember in the 2006 semi, Whelo taking McGarrity out of it with a box in the side of the face. McGarrity got replaced by Barry Big Bird. I believe Brady put Whelan on his arse when he came on.