Leinster Championship 2020

[seafoid]

On the Cross note I found the same in Antrim. When St Galls were very good I went to a few of their games against Cargin as they were the next biggest rivals. I stopped going as they were winning pretty easily and it just wasn't interesting. I am sure this will trigger MR (more than he is already triggered for whatever reason ) but I would say I am far from alone in feeling like that. Kilcoo in Down are (or have) probably moved in that direction. It was great to see Galway have a different winner this year but I am sure in for example Cork with Nemo the same held true as well.

Triggered to the point that it changes, these things come in cycles and while Dublin will never be as bad as they were during that lean period, they can't keep it up forever, teams come and go, there was a few games that Dublin could have lost, they were in the melting pot, one quick handpass or an interception and the game was lost to them, would we still be having this conversation?

While Cross Kilcoo, ourselves dominated, we did it with no money, just sheer determination, a bit of luck and as much as we would have wanted it to continue they pool dried up, we had won 5 odd minor and under 21 championships in a row and lost a serious amount of players that we couldn't keep, you can only do it for so long and Dublin will be the same.

Teams need to raise the bar, Did Cargin throw the towel in? No they have went on to win 4 out of 5 championships ..while the comparison with club and county is very different to a point (smaller pool) history has shown that maintaining that dominance isn't easy

They are on their third team.
They will keep on winning All Irelands until the system is changed
For that to happen the public have to turn away from gaelic football.

[imtommygunn]

On the Cross note I found the same in Antrim. When St Galls were very good I went to a few of their games against Cargin as they were the next biggest rivals. I stopped going as they were winning pretty easily and it just wasn't interesting. I am sure this will trigger MR (more than he is already triggered for whatever reason ) but I would say I am far from alone in feeling like that. Kilcoo in Down are (or have) probably moved in that direction. It was great to see Galway have a different winner this year but I am sure in for example Cork with Nemo the same held true as well.

Triggered to the point that it changes, these things come in cycles and while Dublin will never be as bad as they were during that lean period, they can't keep it up forever, teams come and go, there was a few games that Dublin could have lost, they were in the melting pot, one quick handpass or an interception and the game was lost to them, would we still be having this conversation?

While Cross Kilcoo, ourselves dominated, we did it with no money, just sheer determination, a bit of luck and as much as we would have wanted it to continue they pool dried up, we had won 5 odd minor and under 21 championships in a row and lost a serious amount of players that we couldn't keep, you can only do it for so long and Dublin will be the same.

Teams need to raise the bar, Did Cargin throw the towel in? No they have went on to win 4 out of 5 championships ..while the comparison with club and county is very different to a point (smaller pool) history has shown that maintaining that dominance isn't easy

No one is throwing the towel in though.

There is some bitterness in here to be honest which doesn't make the conversation fully objective. You have a point with regard to a few games though. Kerry could have pipped them the first game though Dublin bucked up on the replay and on another day some of those Mayo games could have went differently.

I am not sure this thing will be in as much of a cycle as the club thing is though.

The croke park thing reading this I am not even sure the dubs want themselves half the time. I would definitely rather see them play more outside croke park and the neutral super 8 game definitely shouldn't be there but in the grand scheme of things I don't think that would change that much. I do think the GAA need to do something about this as it is rubbing a lot of people up the wrong way.

[BennyCake]

On the Cross note I found the same in Antrim. When St Galls were very good I went to a few of their games against Cargin as they were the next biggest rivals. I stopped going as they were winning pretty easily and it just wasn't interesting. I am sure this will trigger MR (more than he is already triggered for whatever reason ) but I would say I am far from alone in feeling like that. Kilcoo in Down are (or have) probably moved in that direction. It was great to see Galway have a different winner this year but I am sure in for example Cork with Nemo the same held true as well.

Triggered to the point that it changes, these things come in cycles and while Dublin will never be as bad as they were during that lean period, they can't keep it up forever, teams come and go, there was a few games that Dublin could have lost, they were in the melting pot, one quick handpass or an interception and the game was lost to them, would we still be having this conversation?

While Cross Kilcoo, ourselves dominated, we did it with no money, just sheer determination, a bit of luck and as much as we would have wanted it to continue they pool dried up, we had won 5 odd minor and under 21 championships in a row and lost a serious amount of players that we couldn't keep, you can only do it for so long and Dublin will be the same.

Teams need to raise the bar, Did Cargin throw the towel in? No they have went on to win 4 out of 5 championships ..while the comparison with club and county is very different to a point (smaller pool) history has shown that maintaining that dominance isn't easy

They are on their third team.
They will keep on winning All Irelands until the system is changed
For that to happen the public have to turn away from gaelic football.

The system won't change, as that would be the GAA admitting they got it wrong when they threw millions at Dublin, creating a monster that ruined the game.

Nope, Dublin are just s great team. The rest of you just need to buck up your ideas like them.

Nothing to see here.

[Lar Naparka]

The issue of Dublin and money comes up regularly.

My opinion is that this is a one off talented group of players who have come along at the right time.  Problem is now that they are at the top, all they need is one or two new players to stay there, at thst high level. 

Regards the money and funding re: the footballers, the question that I have is why are their hurlers, with the same "benefits" not wining Leinster with their B team and winning 5 in a row Liam Mc Carthys?

I think it's time people stop whinging about Dublin get this and that etc. and get their own county into a bit of shape. No excuses - put the work in at club level.

I'm not a Dub btw.

Where are u from?

As stated, not from Dublin.

The present Dublin players are the best footballing team I have ever seen - fabulous to watch and I really enjoy their style.  However, his can make some others very jealous.  Dublin have won 59 provincial titles.  Kerry have won 81 - not much complaint about that - until Dublin started to dominate Leinster!  Up to the rest to reach the standard - tough going, but that is the way it has always been.  Fermanagh have never won Ulster but by Jaysus they try hard every year.  Kerry won 7 All-Irelands in 9 years in the 70/80s and were getting funding from advertisements - no complaints.  They won 28 Munsters inside 36 years, in living memory, and no complaints.  Dublin players deserve more appreciation not jealousy.  I'm not a Dub, btw!!!!

This is important - nobody ever complained about Kerry's dominance in Munster or Kilkenny's dominance in Leinster and All-Ireland hurling or Crossmaglen's dominance in Armagh and suggested they be split

Everyone in Armagh complained about it!

It ruined club football in the county. The standard fell through the floor. Crowds got smaller. Fellas walked away from football altogether - lost to the GAA forever. A full recovery will take years, decades probably, even now that the cycle has been broken.

If the same is to be allowed happen at intercounty level we may just shut the whole show down immediately.

Should've just split the c***ts back into the Red Hands and Creggan Rovers after they'd done 10 in a row!

As Mick O'Dwyer once said, there were thirty one and a half counties against Kerry when they were going for the four in a row! I think he just about summed up the general feeling as Kerry kept powering on.

When Seamus Darby put a halt to their gallop, he became a national hero overnight.
There were only 19,000 spectators at the semi final vs Armagh that year. Attendances were dropping off at all games throughout the country and general interest in the game had reached an all time low by the time the final arrived.
The present Dublin side is the best I have seen and are, by a considerable distance, better than any other county at present and for the foreseeable future. Dublin can't be blamed for being so far ahead of the rest that the opposition is irrelevant- the result will be inevitable.
I would imagine that every other county would love to swap places with the Dubs- that's human nature but there can only be one county with the resources and personnel to reach and maintain Dublin's standards of excellence.
Mayo tried hard and almost succeeded once or twice bbut the odds were alwaqys against them. Dublin had superior numbers and fitness.
I'm thinking here of the 2015 semi final- and the replay in particular.
Both teams went  at it hammer and tongs right up to the last 15 minutes and then Mayo wilted and the Dubs ran out easy winners. It had been an extremely hot, clammy day and the Dubs' aero dynamic fitness saw them through.
Mayo, with half the panel living in Dublin couldn't possibly be  at the same level of fitness. The idea that all many other counties need only  try a bit harder to get to Dublin's standards is appealing but at the same time, nonsensical.
Mayo will come again and will keep on coming but the odds will always be against them. There are other counties with more natural advantages but expecting their players to compete at Dublin's level is an insult to  their intelligence.
They are amateurs after all and  have lives to lead away from the  intercounty scene. In the decade before the  Bertie/Bailey pact a total of six counties won the Leinster title. Today the leinster championship is as dead as a dodo.
There is no point in blaming Dublin for this- they are only playing by the rules of the game.

[sid waddell]

The issue of Dublin and money comes up regularly.

My opinion is that this is a one off talented group of players who have come along at the right time.  Problem is now that they are at the top, all they need is one or two new players to stay there, at thst high level. 

Regards the money and funding re: the footballers, the question that I have is why are their hurlers, with the same "benefits" not wining Leinster with their B team and winning 5 in a row Liam Mc Carthys?

I think it's time people stop whinging about Dublin get this and that etc. and get their own county into a bit of shape. No excuses - put the work in at club level.

I'm not a Dub btw.

Where are u from?

As stated, not from Dublin.

The present Dublin players are the best footballing team I have ever seen - fabulous to watch and I really enjoy their style.  However, his can make some others very jealous.  Dublin have won 59 provincial titles.  Kerry have won 81 - not much complaint about that - until Dublin started to dominate Leinster!  Up to the rest to reach the standard - tough going, but that is the way it has always been.  Fermanagh have never won Ulster but by Jaysus they try hard every year.  Kerry won 7 All-Irelands in 9 years in the 70/80s and were getting funding from advertisements - no complaints.  They won 28 Munsters inside 36 years, in living memory, and no complaints.  Dublin players deserve more appreciation not jealousy.  I'm not a Dub, btw!!!!

This is important - nobody ever complained about Kerry's dominance in Munster or Kilkenny's dominance in Leinster and All-Ireland hurling or Crossmaglen's dominance in Armagh and suggested they be split

Everyone in Armagh complained about it!

It ruined club football in the county. The standard fell through the floor. Crowds got smaller. Fellas walked away from football altogether - lost to the GAA forever. A full recovery will take years, decades probably, even now that the cycle has been broken.

If the same is to be allowed happen at intercounty level we may just shut the whole show down immediately.

Should've just split the c***ts back into the Red Hands and Creggan Rovers after they'd done 10 in a row!

I don't recall any moves to split Crossmaglen Rangers

But I do recall Drumintee putting out a few oul' lads in jeans to avoid a fine for not fielding a team - in a county quarter-final

Club matters

[Milltown Row2]

I think back in the day of Kerry's dominance they had a squad that lived/studied/worked  in Dublin, they trained in Dublin during the week and played their games at the weekend.

Obviously the standards and expectations are completely different, the need for full panels at training need to be matched, and there is no doubting the handiness of living and working in Dublin will suit the Dubs, same as ones from Cork if the majority of their players live and work in Cork. In fact there are many areas that have that going on but are not meeting Dublin's standards..

Dublin will only raise their standards as success breeds success, it will also raise the standards of the rest.. Mayo, Donegal (barring that blip) Kerry and at times Tyrone (in the league) are improving..

[brokencrossbar1]

Point of order in the Cross issue....Creggan Rovers were an excellent soccer team and we lorded it over Carnally and Drumbally and Fortress Riverside Park was where heroes and villains were created. Don't bring them into this chat!

Anyway Dublin get too much money and that's that. There is as many people live within a 30 minute commute of Croke Park than live in the 6 Counties therefore they are going to have a much greater pick. But it was always like that. They just have their shit in order. Maybe people should stop being moaning bitches and get their own houses in order. When they have that done then deal with the Dublin problem.

[sid waddell]

The issue of Dublin and money comes up regularly.

My opinion is that this is a one off talented group of players who have come along at the right time.  Problem is now that they are at the top, all they need is one or two new players to stay there, at thst high level. 

Regards the money and funding re: the footballers, the question that I have is why are their hurlers, with the same "benefits" not wining Leinster with their B team and winning 5 in a row Liam Mc Carthys?

I think it's time people stop whinging about Dublin get this and that etc. and get their own county into a bit of shape. No excuses - put the work in at club level.

I'm not a Dub btw.

Where are u from?

As stated, not from Dublin.

The present Dublin players are the best footballing team I have ever seen - fabulous to watch and I really enjoy their style.  However, his can make some others very jealous.  Dublin have won 59 provincial titles.  Kerry have won 81 - not much complaint about that - until Dublin started to dominate Leinster!  Up to the rest to reach the standard - tough going, but that is the way it has always been.  Fermanagh have never won Ulster but by Jaysus they try hard every year.  Kerry won 7 All-Irelands in 9 years in the 70/80s and were getting funding from advertisements - no complaints.  They won 28 Munsters inside 36 years, in living memory, and no complaints.  Dublin players deserve more appreciation not jealousy.  I'm not a Dub, btw!!!!

This is important - nobody ever complained about Kerry's dominance in Munster or Kilkenny's dominance in Leinster and All-Ireland hurling or Crossmaglen's dominance in Armagh and suggested they be split

Everyone in Armagh complained about it!

It ruined club football in the county. The standard fell through the floor. Crowds got smaller. Fellas walked away from football altogether - lost to the GAA forever. A full recovery will take years, decades probably, even now that the cycle has been broken.

If the same is to be allowed happen at intercounty level we may just shut the whole show down immediately.

Should've just split the c***ts back into the Red Hands and Creggan Rovers after they'd done 10 in a row!

As Mick O'Dwyer once said, there were thirty one and a half counties against Kerry when they were going for the four in a row! I think he just about summed up the general feeling as Kerry kept powering on.

When Seamus Darby put a halt to their gallop, he became a national hero overnight.
There were only 19,000 spectators at the semi final vs Armagh that year. Attendances were dropping off at all games throughout the country and general interest in the game had reached an all time low by the time the final arrived.
The present Dublin side is the best I have seen and are, by a considerable distance, better than any other county at present and for the foreseeable future. Dublin can't be blamed for being so far ahead of the rest that the opposition is irrelevant- the result will be inevitable.
I would imagine that every other county would love to swap places with the Dubs- that's human nature but there can only be one county with the resources and personnel to reach and maintain Dublin's standards of excellence.
Mayo tried hard and almost succeeded once or twice bbut the odds were alwaqys against them. Dublin had superior numbers and fitness.
I'm thinking here of the 2015 semi final- and the replay in particular.
Both teams went  at it hammer and tongs right up to the last 15 minutes and then Mayo wilted and the Dubs ran out easy winners. It had been an extremely hot, clammy day and the Dubs' aero dynamic fitness saw them through.
Mayo, with half the panel living in Dublin couldn't possibly be  at the same level of fitness. The idea that all many other counties need only  try a bit harder to get to Dublin's standards is appealing but at the same time, nonsensical.
Mayo will come again and will keep on coming but the odds will always be against them. There are other counties with more natural advantages but expecting their players to compete at Dublin's level is an insult to  their intelligence.
They are amateurs after all and  have lives to lead away from the  intercounty scene. In the decade before the  Bertie/Bailey pact a total of six counties won the Leinster title. Today the leinster championship is as dead as a dodo.
There is no point in blaming Dublin for this- they are only playing by the rules of the game.

Yet in the drawn 2015 semi-final Mayo completely dominated the last 12 minutes including injury time and really should have won

Dublin were hanging onto a draw for grim death

I don't think that was because Mayo were fitter - games sometimes go like that - but they were as fit

Dublin didn't win the replay because of fitness - they won because two goalkeeping mistakes at a crucial time completely changed the dynamics of the match and after the second goal Mayo's heads went completely

Again in 2016, the key event was a goalkeeping mistake - and in the drawn final, the key events had been two freak own goals

In the drawn final, Mayo came from three points down late on to get a draw - that wasn't a lack of fitness

Where Dublin undoubtedly had an advantage over Mayo was in the ability of their substitutes - and I said years ago that a move back to three substitutes rather than five or six as it is now is one common sense move that could be looked at

Dublin players are amateurs too and also have lives to live away from the inter county scene, this is an inconvenient fact and claiming otherwise really does undermine people's arguments

In representative sport, the odds will generally be against one team because representative sport has inherent unfairness built into it

When England played Croatia in 2016, the odds were stacked against Croatia with their population of 3 or 4 million people against England's 55 million - in the the quarter-final they overcame Russia, population 144 million

This fact about representative sport being inherently unfair seems lost on people - it always was unfair, it always will be

If you want fairness, the logical outcome is 10 or 12 regional teams based on roughly equal population - but that would mean the end of most county teams and a glorious new era of the BMW Bandits franchise, representing Westmeath, Longford, Roscommon, Leitrim and Cavan, and the West Coast Spreadeagles franchise, representing Galway, Mayo and Clare

[Baile Brigín 2]

There's a contention from some on here on here that Dublin's access to greater funding compared to other counties contributes to Dublin's dominance. And there are others who dispute this - for those that dispute this point, do you dispute it on the grounds that 1) Dublin don't get greater funding? 2) the additional funding doesn't improve team preparation? or 3) some other reason?

2 is in dispute. The funding goes to games development, not the senior team.

[Angelo]

The greed of the Dublin GAA fans is something else though.

They already have all the natural advantages they could hope for, they already have all these big corporations happy to hand out no show ambassadorial jobs to their players, playing nearly all their Championship games at their nominated home ground, their players all living and working within their county, huge funding advantages, population, registered players. But they want all the money from HQ to go along with their big corporate pot to maximise all those huge natural advantages they already have.

Sadly the GAA has become immersed in a culture of capitalist greed and Dublin GAA are its monster and they do not want to give up anything that might level the playing field, even just a tiny bit.

[Milltown Row2]

The greed of the Dublin GAA fans is something else though.

They already have all the natural advantages they could hope for, they already have all these big corporations happy to hand out no show ambassadorial jobs to their players, playing nearly all their Championship games at their nominated home ground, their players all living and working within their county, huge funding advantages, population, registered players. But they want all the money from HQ to go along with their big corporate pot to maximise all those huge natural advantages they already have.

Sadly the GAA has become immersed in a culture of capitalist greed and Dublin GAA are its monster and they do not want to give up anything that might level the playing field, even just a tiny bit.

You keep saying that, doesn't make any more true...

[Angelo]

The greed of the Dublin GAA fans is something else though.

They already have all the natural advantages they could hope for, they already have all these big corporations happy to hand out no show ambassadorial jobs to their players, playing nearly all their Championship games at their nominated home ground, their players all living and working within their county, huge funding advantages, population, registered players. But they want all the money from HQ to go along with their big corporate pot to maximise all those huge natural advantages they already have.

Sadly the GAA has become immersed in a culture of capitalist greed and Dublin GAA are its monster and they do not want to give up anything that might level the playing field, even just a tiny bit.

You keep saying that, doesn't make any more true...

And you constantly denying it doesn't make it any less true.

I see that the lads have exposed your bias here. Obviously it's a St Galls thing for you so. You want to create super teams and do all you can to sustain them, we know for a fact you're not being objective here.

[Lar Naparka]

The issue of Dublin and money comes up regularly.

My opinion is that this is a one off talented group of players who have come along at the right time.  Problem is now that they are at the top, all they need is one or two new players to stay there, at thst high level. 

Regards the money and funding re: the footballers, the question that I have is why are their hurlers, with the same "benefits" not wining Leinster with their B team and winning 5 in a row Liam Mc Carthys?

I think it's time people stop whinging about Dublin get this and that etc. and get their own county into a bit of shape. No excuses - put the work in at club level.

I'm not a Dub btw.

Where are u from?

As stated, not from Dublin.

The present Dublin players are the best footballing team I have ever seen - fabulous to watch and I really enjoy their style.  However, his can make some others very jealous.  Dublin have won 59 provincial titles.  Kerry have won 81 - not much complaint about that - until Dublin started to dominate Leinster!  Up to the rest to reach the standard - tough going, but that is the way it has always been.  Fermanagh have never won Ulster but by Jaysus they try hard every year.  Kerry won 7 All-Irelands in 9 years in the 70/80s and were getting funding from advertisements - no complaints.  They won 28 Munsters inside 36 years, in living memory, and no complaints.  Dublin players deserve more appreciation not jealousy.  I'm not a Dub, btw!!!!

This is important - nobody ever complained about Kerry's dominance in Munster or Kilkenny's dominance in Leinster and All-Ireland hurling or Crossmaglen's dominance in Armagh and suggested they be split

Everyone in Armagh complained about it!

It ruined club football in the county. The standard fell through the floor. Crowds got smaller. Fellas walked away from football altogether - lost to the GAA forever. A full recovery will take years, decades probably, even now that the cycle has been broken.

If the same is to be allowed happen at intercounty level we may just shut the whole show down immediately.

Should've just split the c***ts back into the Red Hands and Creggan Rovers after they'd done 10 in a row!

As Mick O'Dwyer once said, there were thirty one and a half counties against Kerry when they were going for the four in a row! I think he just about summed up the general feeling as Kerry kept powering on.

When Seamus Darby put a halt to their gallop, he became a national hero overnight.
There were only 19,000 spectators at the semi final vs Armagh that year. Attendances were dropping off at all games throughout the country and general interest in the game had reached an all time low by the time the final arrived.
The present Dublin side is the best I have seen and are, by a considerable distance, better than any other county at present and for the foreseeable future. Dublin can't be blamed for being so far ahead of the rest that the opposition is irrelevant- the result will be inevitable.
I would imagine that every other county would love to swap places with the Dubs- that's human nature but there can only be one county with the resources and personnel to reach and maintain Dublin's standards of excellence.
Mayo tried hard and almost succeeded once or twice bbut the odds were alwaqys against them. Dublin had superior numbers and fitness.
I'm thinking here of the 2015 semi final- and the replay in particular.
Both teams went  at it hammer and tongs right up to the last 15 minutes and then Mayo wilted and the Dubs ran out easy winners. It had been an extremely hot, clammy day and the Dubs' aero dynamic fitness saw them through.
Mayo, with half the panel living in Dublin couldn't possibly be  at the same level of fitness. The idea that all many other counties need only  try a bit harder to get to Dublin's standards is appealing but at the same time, nonsensical.
Mayo will come again and will keep on coming but the odds will always be against them. There are other counties with more natural advantages but expecting their players to compete at Dublin's level is an insult to  their intelligence.
They are amateurs after all and  have lives to lead away from the  intercounty scene. In the decade before the  Bertie/Bailey pact a total of six counties won the Leinster title. Today the leinster championship is as dead as a dodo.
There is no point in blaming Dublin for this- they are only playing by the rules of the game.

Yet in the drawn 2015 semi-final Mayo completely dominated the last 12 minutes including injury time and really should have won

Dublin were hanging onto a draw for grim death

I don't think that was because Mayo were fitter - games sometimes go like that - but they were as fit

Dublin didn't win the replay because of fitness - they won because two goalkeeping mistakes at a crucial time completely changed the dynamics of the match and after the second goal Mayo's heads went completely

Again in 2016, the key event was a goalkeeping mistake - and in the drawn final, the key events had been two freak own goals

In the drawn final, Mayo came from three points down late on to get a draw - that wasn't a lack of fitness

Where Dublin undoubtedly had an advantage over Mayo was in the ability of their substitutes - and I said years ago that a move back to three substitutes rather than five or six as it is now is one common sense move that could be looked at

Dublin players are amateurs too and also have lives to live away from the inter county scene, this is an inconvenient fact and claiming otherwise really does undermine people's arguments

In representative sport, the odds will generally be against one team because representative sport has inherent unfairness built into it

When England played Croatia in 2016, the odds were stacked against Croatia with their population of 3 or 4 million people against England's 55 million - in the the quarter-final they overcame Russia, population 144 million

This fact about representative sport being inherently unfair seems lost on people - it always was unfair, it always will be

If you want fairness, the logical outcome is 10 or 12 regional teams based on roughly equal population - but that would mean the end of most county teams and a glorious new era of the BMW Bandits franchise, representing Westmeath, Longford, Roscommon, Leitrim and Cavan, and the West Coast Spreadeagles franchise, representing Galway, Mayo and Clare

Fair enough, Sid. I don't disagree with any of that.
However, my memory is getting flaky I know but in that replay Dublin pulled ahead in the last quarter or so. Mayo players were out on their feet at the end. I'd say the same happened in last year's final replay also. C!ifford in particular was dragged all over the place by his marker and failed to score in the last 20 minutes. Dublin may may have had a lucky escape in the drawn game but we're well-prepared for the next one and they can't be blamed for that.
Throughout the years when Mayo were serious contenders, Dublin got the lucky breaks more than once but Mayo never complained. That is what to expect at the business end in intercounty football. Moaning about Dublin's advantages will lead nowhere. At the same time, things cannot continue as they are.
If neither Kerry nor Mayo could slug it out to the end with Dublin, then I can't see any other team in the land being able to do so either.
In a proverbial nutshell, the pride in the parish and the loyalty to one's county has been the GAA's greatest strength down the years but there comes a time to let go and, imo, that time has arrived.

There's a right conundrum here: Dublin cannot survive if the county is divided- there aren't enough clubs in some of the new counties to allow them to stay viable and yet, if things continue as they are, the GAA will face financial meltdown.
A rock and a hard place comes to mind.

[Ed Ricketts]

In representative sport, the odds will generally be against one team because representative sport has inherent unfairness built into it

When England played Croatia in 2016, the odds were stacked against Croatia with their population of 3 or 4 million people against England's 55 million - in the the quarter-final they overcame Russia, population 144 million

This fact about representative sport being inherently unfair seems lost on people - it always was unfair, it always will be

If you want fairness, the logical outcome is 10 or 12 regional teams based on roughly equal population - but that would mean the end of most county teams and a glorious new era of the BMW Bandits franchise, representing Westmeath, Longford, Roscommon, Leitrim and Cavan, and the West Coast Spreadeagles franchise, representing Galway, Mayo and Clare

Ah here, we're not thick.

Everyone accepted the consequences of the imbalances in the county structure. Dublin averaged an AI every 5 or 6 years for the first 120 years of the GAA. That was fine, because other counties could still have their odd day in the sun.

But 7 out of 9, soon to be 8 from 10, is a problem. The consequence of this sort of dominance is hopelessness.

Smaller teams don't need to match the output of the big boys, we all know the demographics won't allow it. But it's important to feel that there is real hope of catching them out every once in a while. That hope is now dead across most of the country. Dublin have set the bar far beyond what will ever be possible for most counties, and people in those counties know it.

[twohands!!!]

Dublin U21/U20 have won 9 Leinster titles in the last 12 years compared to 7 in the previous 45 years.

They've gone on to win 5 All-Irelands [and are in the final again this year] in those 12 years, having won 1 All-Ireland in the previous 45 years of the competition.

Anyone who goes on about a golden generation of players is talking absolute codswallop, unless they can explain how one golden generation managed to win 5[and possibly 6] U21/U20 over the span of 12 years.