The Sunday Game

[macdanger2]

I don't need to look at the map. If your point is that the pitch should be exactly half way from everywhere in both counties then I'd be interested to hear where this geographical oddity is. The only real options would seem to be Limerick or Galway and Limerick is bigger and more accessible. The Kerry players wouldn't be overly familiar with the ground so I don't know what the problem is.

You said it was "a half way point" - my point is that's it's not, nothing else.

[magpie seanie]

I like American Football but the GAA took a huge risk when they scheduled that game for next Saturday. I would have expected that they would have a plan to allow for drawn semi finals but it seems they've been caught with their pants down. This is grossly unfair to both teams but especially to Mayo (and I'm no lover of Mayo).

The replay should have been fixed for Saturday week in Croke Park. If Dub/Don ended in a draw then just play a double header. Of course the real reason that couldn't happen is because you'd probably be able to sell 120,000 tickets for those games and you'd only have 83,000 seats.

[AZOffaly]

I agree with all this. I love the American Football, and I'm going on Saturday, but Croke Park in August is our peak season. Even the lines on the pitch on Sunday for the Dublin game will look odd I think, and that's without any replay issues. The replay should be in Croker next Saturday week.

[Zulu]

I don't need to look at the map. If your point is that the pitch should be exactly half way from everywhere in both counties then I'd be interested to hear where this geographical oddity is. The only real options would seem to be Limerick or Galway and Limerick is bigger and more accessible. The Kerry players wouldn't be overly familiar with the ground so I don't know what the problem is.

You said it was "a half way point" - my point is that's it's not, nothing else.

Fair enough, but the point I was making was that Limerick was the most suitable ground that is midway between both counties. If Croke Park can't be used then I think Limerick is the best alternative.

[macdanger2]

How long before a Rossie suggests using the Hyde?? 

[Jinxy]

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Two things:

1) GAA must include provision for replays in master fixture plan. (At least for quarter finals onwards)  Then when American Football, country and Western concerts etc.. are being scheduled we will see up front where clashes are.  Then people know what is being prioritized before it is too late.

2) What's on in Thurles next Saturday night?  Surely a better environment than Limerick?

/Jim.

[AZOffaly]

Thurles would be even further than Limerick for Mayo I'd have thought?

[macdanger2]

Yeah, semple would be a right trek for Mayo fans. Limk is the best option if Croker isn't available. Pearse probably not big enough.

[Sidney]

I agree with all this. I love the American Football, and I'm going on Saturday, but Croke Park in August is our peak season. Even the lines on the pitch on Sunday for the Dublin game will look odd I think, and that's without any replay issues. The replay should be in Croker next Saturday week.

The GAA would be stupid not to plan for the event of Dublin-Donegal replay. If Kerry-Mayo had been announced for Saturday week in Croke Park it's not just as simple as then switching it to Limerick to make way for a Dublin-Donegal replay in Croke Park that day instead. Thousands of tickets would have already been sold before it would be known Dublin-Donegal was also going to a replay and you could end up with a total mess of a situation.

Playing a Dublin-Donegal replay on September 13th would give only 8 days for the winner to prepare for the final.

Far from being caught with their pants down, the GAA had a contingency plan in place - hence the immediate announcement yesterday.

[macdanger2]

Could a Dublin v Donegal replay not be played outside Croke Park??

Croke Park should have been left empty to allow for a replay. Plenty of weekends earlier in the summer to have non-gaa events

[Armamike]

Disgraceful decision on the part of the GAA, really really bad.  The message going out is that the American football friendly takes priority over staging one of the biggest games on the GAA calendar.  The GAA might have made more bucks out of this decision but its lost a lot of goodwill.

[Sidney]

Could a Dublin v Donegal replay not be played outside Croke Park??

Croke Park should have been left empty to allow for a replay. Plenty of weekends earlier in the summer to have non-gaa events

No for the obvious reason it would attract 82,000 people for a replay whereas a Kerry-Mayo replay at Croke Park would have attracted 40-45k, which can be accommodated elsewhere at a venue more convenient to both counties.

There wasn't another weekend to have this college football match by the way. It was either have it this Saturday or not have it at all. The same with concerts. You either have them in the summer or don't have them at all. The GAA would be stupid to refuse all that money and let the IRFU have it instead. To promote Gaelic Games as effectively as possible, Croke Park has to be run as a business.

[macdanger2]

You're right, sure you couldn't be taking the dubs out of Croker 

A business?? Surely the prime aim of the GAA should be the hosting of its own games??

[Sidney]

You're right, sure you couldn't be taking the dubs out of Croker 

A business?? Surely the prime aim of the GAA should be the hosting of its own games??

The GAA has an obligation to run Croke Park as a business. Where do you think all the money comes from?

Where were all the people complaining now when the American football fixture was announced a year ago? Ii didn't hear anybody complaining about it before yesterday. That's a bit late.

Dublin aren't taken out of Croke Park because they bring in far more revenue for the GAA than anybody else.

As has been said numerous times, the vast majority of Dublin fans would like nothing better than for some of the Leinster championship matches to be played at provincial venues.