I think this deserves its own thread because I want as much input as possible and for outside of Connacht folk to see what's going on.
Sligo qualified for the Connacht u20 final beating Roscommon on Wednesday. The game was in Markievicz because we last played Roscommon last year at u20 in the Hyde. Connacht at underage has a home and away agreement and at senior but because of attendance issues we play our final at neutral venues at senior.
Mayo beat Leitrim in the other semi-final.
Mayo and Sligo last played in the u20 in 2019 in McHale Park.
So can someone explain to me why the final is fixed for the Centre Of Excellence in Mayo?
A few things -
Its clearly our home game
No player wants to play there in a final
From a health and safety perspective if a huge crowd shows up, how many can it hold?
It favors Mayo and gives them home advantage
They played there in the qtr final
The Connacht council in 2019 changed the rules on the minor after the league to favor Mayo when they were likely to finish 3rd in the group. 2nd place was supposed to get a home semi-final but they changed it back to the home/away agreement when mayo finished 3rd.
Sligo played Galway 3 times in a row away in the knockout part of the minor championship in the noughties when they were a league format.
The rules are always changed to suit certain counties but this blatant disregard for the agreements in place. I think it's scandalous and if I was Sligo I would say Markievicz or nowhere.
Does anyone know what the logic is here or what's going on?
Zero logic. This upcoming U20 final should be played in Markievicz Park. Bekan is not a suitable venue even if Mayo had home advantage, just 500 seated capacity.
Connacht Council out of control. At this time of year, no rhyme or reason to play in the Bubble plus Sligo should have their home advantage. Time for all the counties to speak up. Had Ros qualified, we'd have lost home advantage too.
Wasn't Sligo v Ros originally on Connacht website as being at Prentyvanity Park?
I'm guessing their site defaults to that place???
Quote from: Cunny Funt on April 15, 2022, 05:52:45 PM
Zero logic. This upcoming U20 final should be played in Markievicz Park. Bekan is not a suitable venue even if Mayo had home advantage, just 500 seated capacity.
I am old enough to remember a huge crowd from Sligo turning up in 99 to see Roscommon paste us. I'd expect a decent Sligo crowd at this and Mayo are always well supported so a couple of thousand at it for sure. Bizarre decision even in those parameters. Have the Connacht Council thought this through? Among my friends and family, there is a lot of anger at this.
Do any of the Sligo lads know if we are pushing back?
Quote from: Rossfan on April 15, 2022, 06:02:14 PM
Wasn't Sligo v Ros originally on Connacht website as being at Prentyvanity Park?
I'm guessing their site defaults to that place???
ConnachtGAA retweeted MayoGAA advertising it in COE. It's definitely looks like some Ballyhaunis shenanigans.
https://twitter.com/mayogaa/status/1514320605386006530?s=21&t=MfdRI3MPw8CJBxZ_9Eodpw
Makes zero sense, sure there's not even a stand or terrace there. What a stupid place to put a provincial final.
Surely Sligo, Ros and Leitrim don't support finals being played in bekan?
Quote from: manfromdelmonte on April 16, 2022, 09:23:30 AM
Surely Sligo, Ros and Leitrim don't support finals being played in bekan?
I hate the bloody place myself, no place for a Connacht final, not sure of the ins and outs of the home and away arrangement, but if Sligo are due a home venue, they should get it imo.
A final should be in a neutral venue. The home away venue, is a bit of a nonsense, like in Munster with Kerry and Cork
Would expect 3,000 plus to attend this final, does the Connacht COE have that amount of space for parking as you can't park outside on a busy road.
Quote from: rodney trotter on April 16, 2022, 12:22:15 PM
A final should be in a neutral venue. The home away venue, is a bit of a nonsense, like in Munster with Kerry and Cork
We Connacht people get on fine (most of the time) with our home and away arrangements thank you very much.
Quote from: Rossfan on April 16, 2022, 03:22:17 PM
Quote from: rodney trotter on April 16, 2022, 12:22:15 PM
A final should be in a neutral venue. The home away venue, is a bit of a nonsense, like in Munster with Kerry and Cork
We Connacht people get on fine (most of the time) with our home and away arrangements thank you very much.
Isn't this a thread complaining about such arrangements?
Quote from: Rossfan on April 16, 2022, 03:22:17 PM
Quote from: rodney trotter on April 16, 2022, 12:22:15 PM
A final should be in a neutral venue. The home away venue, is a bit of a nonsense, like in Munster with Kerry and Cork
We Connacht people get on fine (most of the time) with our home and away arrangements thank you very much.
Thanks..I'm sure you speak for all of Connacht
Sligo County Board Statement, the Connacht Council and TG4 come out of this disgracefully.
On Wednesday night last (13 April) we formally noted our objection to Connacht Council of the announcement that of the Connacht Centre of Excellence as the location for the Connacht U20 final for which we had qualified minutes earlier.
This communication was immediately dismissed. Since then we have attempted to communicate the depth of feeling in Sligo on this issue to the Connacht Council and to have the game confirmed to take place in Sligo as would be the norm under the longstanding rotation for intercounty championship games in Connacht including finals.
We sought to do so in a constructive manner without unnecessary conflict and without disturbing the preparation for that game by the U20 team and by our senior teams who are involved in hurling and football championship action this weekend.
Having achieved no movement on the issue by yesterday afternoon (Friday) we sent an email to Connacht Council which confirmed formally what had been conveyed by varied informal channels over the previous 24 hours. This email has not been acknowledged.
We now find ourselves in a position where the players and management involved and our supporters are questioning why we are not saying anything publicly. Accordingly we are sharing the text of that email so that there is no ambiguity as to where we stand.
"We have reflected on the email exchange of Wednesday evening last in respect of the staging of next week's U20 championship final and the issue has been fully discussed by the players, their management and the Management Committee of Sligo GAA.
Our U20's achievement in qualifying for a Connacht final is not just based on 60 minutes of endeavour but six years together as a group that has brought a lot of pleasure to all those that follow the games in the county.
For as long as anyone participating can recall, the hosting of championship games at all grades of football in Connacht, including finals, has rotated between the counties involved, something that we are sure will be acknowledged by officials and supporters in all the other counties, including our opponents next week, Mayo. On the last occasion when Sligo played Mayo at U20 level, in 2019, the game was played in Castlebar.
Immediately after Wednesday's semi-final game, it was announced through the media that next week's final would be played at the Connacht Centre of Excellence at Bekan. Sligo GAA is a big supporter of the Bekan project. It is a critical and far-sighted piece of infrastructure that has already brought, and will continue to bring, huge benefits to the development of Gaelic games in the province generally and in each of the counties, including our own.
Its purpose however is to support the development of the games and to add to what was there. It is not to replace the use of existing grounds for the hosting of major games that are a core part of the fabric of every season.
It is clear that this decision has been made to facilitate television. While we greatly appreciate the value of media coverage of our games and the distinct contribution of TG4 in particular, there is no basis on which we can accept that putting the needs of a television station before the opportunity for players and supporters to enjoy a provincial final on their home ground can be justified.
We are told this decision is being made because there are lights in Bekan and not in Markievicz Park. Are we seriously now scheduling one of the biggest games of the year in the province to suit the scheduling needs of a television station? We would respectfully suggest that TG4 rearrange its schedule for the evening to accommodate the match at an earlier time. If it is unwilling to do so, it says a lot more about its commitment to support the GAA than all of the marketing and promotion we see.
We have also been told that we have to accept Bekan as the venue because this was referred to in an email issued after the Mayo Galway quarter final late on the evening of Wednesday 6 April. It would have been utterly disingenuous of us to start discussing the location of a Connacht final when we hadn't even played the semi-final and the suggestion that we should accept the location of the final as Bekan because it was in that email is simply ridiculous.
If those charged with the administration of the GAA in Connacht insist on throwing in at Bekan at 7.30 on Wednesday next it is an event in which Sligo GAA will not be involved. This has been fully discussed by the players, their team management and the county committee. We are all at one on the point."
Well said Sligo.
Disgraceful Connacht Council.
Anyway game should be on Saturday 23rd.
PS Arnaghniac it's Sligo's turn to have a home game against the Rhubarbs.
Well done Sligo County Board. Shameful by Connacht Council. Seem to be addicted to the dopamine of getting pats on back for their COE from Pat Spillane and Colm O'Rourke. Game should be in Sligo. It's end of April. Play outside with supporters and atmosphere.
Quote from: weareros on April 16, 2022, 05:21:56 PM
Well done Sligo County Board. Shameful by Connacht Council. Seem to be addicted to the dopamine of getting pats on back for their COE from Pat Spillane and Colm O'Rourke. Game should be in Sligo. It's end of April. Play outside with supporters and atmosphere.
100% correct by Sligo. As idiot8c decisions by provincial Council go, this one takes the biscuit
Well done to the Sligo county board .Game should be in Sligo
Yes should be in a stadium, not in a field out in the middle of nowhere!
Ros weren't allowed use Kiltoom, capacity 3,500, in 2016 but this fkn waste of money is suitable.
Give the vain ones enough rope and they'll hang themselves as they have.
Quote from: maigheo on April 16, 2022, 06:18:28 PM
Well done to the Sligo county board .Game should be in Sligo
+1 and I am from Mayo. Total BS
Fair play to the Mayo lads acknowledging this.
The game is in Markievicz at 6pm. Just confirmed to me.
Fair play to our County Board.
Quote from: SLIGONIAN on April 16, 2022, 08:20:31 PM
Fair play to the Mayo lads acknowledging this.
The game is in Markievicz at 6pm. Just confirmed to me.
Fair play to our County Board.
Played where it should be played. Sligo proved right to stand their ground.
Good work by Sligo GAA - stood their ground.
Hard to beat a bit of common sense at times!
Fair play Sligo, absolutely right decision. As Sligonian said both TG4 and C Council look very bad in all of this.
Also agree with Rossfan, game should be on the Saturday to maximise attendance.
Fair play to Sligo. Unacceptable that a provincial final goes to a training ground to suit television. But it's my bollocks that a provincial final goes to one of the worst stadiums in the country because 'tradition' dictates the counties alternate.
That said, this whole broader thing is a mess. Teams dictating venues games because they traditionally alternate, games not in X there are no lights and it's an evening game on the box etc. Nonsense.
A provincial final is in X on date Y at Z o'clock and that is cast in stone 6 months before a ball is thrown in. End of.
All county grounds should get a rating and the scale of games you get to play at home is dictated by the quality and size of the venue.
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on April 16, 2022, 10:53:17 PM
Fair play to Sligo. Unacceptable that a provincial final goes to a training ground to suit television. But it's my bollocks that a provincial final goes to one of the worst stadiums in the country because 'tradition' dictates the counties alternate.
That said, this whole broader thing is a mess. Teams dictating venues games because they traditionally alternate, games not in X there are no lights and it's an evening game on the box etc. Nonsense.
A provincial final is in X on date Y at Z o'clock and that is cast in stone 6 months before a ball is thrown in. End of.
All county grounds should get a rating and the scale of games you get to play at home is dictated by the quality and size of the venue.
Markievicz is a totally adequate ground to host a u20 provincial final. Are you saying it is one of the worst stadiums?
Well done Sligo.
Quote from: Itchy on April 17, 2022, 09:50:55 AM
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on April 16, 2022, 10:53:17 PM
Fair play to Sligo. Unacceptable that a provincial final goes to a training ground to suit television. But it's my bollocks that a provincial final goes to one of the worst stadiums in the country because 'tradition' dictates the counties alternate.
That said, this whole broader thing is a mess. Teams dictating venues games because they traditionally alternate, games not in X there are no lights and it's an evening game on the box etc. Nonsense.
A provincial final is in X on date Y at Z o'clock and that is cast in stone 6 months before a ball is thrown in. End of.
All county grounds should get a rating and the scale of games you get to play at home is dictated by the quality and size of the venue.
Markievicz is a totally adequate ground to host a u20 provincial final. Are you saying it is one of the worst stadiums?
I'm sure it is. But did the authorities designate it the final venue in advance or just make it up as they go along? Sligo shouldn't have a say here beyond balloon park not being suitable
Long standing convention in Connacht of home and away arrangements at all grades. Don't know if there are any written by laws on the matter.
Exception being Connacht Senior Finals involving Sligo or Leitrim where a neutral venue is used.
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on April 17, 2022, 12:08:31 PM
Quote from: Itchy on April 17, 2022, 09:50:55 AM
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on April 16, 2022, 10:53:17 PM
Fair play to Sligo. Unacceptable that a provincial final goes to a training ground to suit television. But it's my bollocks that a provincial final goes to one of the worst stadiums in the country because 'tradition' dictates the counties alternate.
That said, this whole broader thing is a mess. Teams dictating venues games because they traditionally alternate, games not in X there are no lights and it's an evening game on the box etc. Nonsense.
A provincial final is in X on date Y at Z o'clock and that is cast in stone 6 months before a ball is thrown in. End of.
All county grounds should get a rating and the scale of games you get to play at home is dictated by the quality and size of the venue.
Markievicz is a totally adequate ground to host a u20 provincial final. Are you saying it is one of the worst stadiums?
I'm sure it is. But did the authorities designate it the final venue in advance or just make it up as they go along? Sligo shouldn't have a say here beyond balloon park not being suitable
No, the named the venue a week ago as I understand it so it wasn't named in advance. I don't believe any province is naming u20 final venues in advance until they see who is in the final.
Quote from: Itchy on April 17, 2022, 01:24:02 PM
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on April 17, 2022, 12:08:31 PM
Quote from: Itchy on April 17, 2022, 09:50:55 AM
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on April 16, 2022, 10:53:17 PM
Fair play to Sligo. Unacceptable that a provincial final goes to a training ground to suit television. But it's my bollocks that a provincial final goes to one of the worst stadiums in the country because 'tradition' dictates the counties alternate.
That said, this whole broader thing is a mess. Teams dictating venues games because they traditionally alternate, games not in X there are no lights and it's an evening game on the box etc. Nonsense.
A provincial final is in X on date Y at Z o'clock and that is cast in stone 6 months before a ball is thrown in. End of.
All county grounds should get a rating and the scale of games you get to play at home is dictated by the quality and size of the venue.
Markievicz is a totally adequate ground to host a u20 provincial final. Are you saying it is one of the worst stadiums?
I'm sure it is. But did the authorities designate it the final venue in advance or just make it up as they go along? Sligo shouldn't have a say here beyond balloon park not being suitable
No, the named the venue a week ago as I understand it so it wasn't named in advance. I don't believe any province is naming u20 final venues in advance until they see who is in the final.
And that's nonsense. Pick a venue. You can alternate them or whatever, but a team having a veto over a finals location, admittedly a wrong call, is nonsense.
Quote from: Rossfan on April 17, 2022, 12:14:32 PM
Long standing convention in Connacht of home and away arrangements at all grades. Don't know if there are any written by laws on the matter.
Exception being Connacht Senior Finals involving Sligo or Leitrim where a neutral venue is used.
Generally Hyde Park.
Likely it won't arise this year until we get some of the Hyde works done to increase the allowed capacity.
We're currently banned from having Finals.
I have watched 3 live games from Bekan Outdoors
Mayo v Sligo U17 2 years ago
Roscommon V Sligo in the U17 final 2 years ago
Mayo V Galway U20 this year
In every game the conditions were absolutely brutal, gale force winds, hailstones, rain etc.. The place must be on top of a mountain or something because it's very exposed.
We all know that Prunty and Co have pulled this stunt in the past and fair play to Sligo for sticking to their guns and fair play to the Mayo fans and everyone else for recognizing the fact that they tried to screw us and backing our stance.
May the best team win in the correct grounds - full stop..
Quote from: sligoman2 on April 18, 2022, 02:33:30 PM
I have watched 3 live games from Bekan Outdoors
Mayo v Sligo U17 2 years ago
Roscommon V Sligo in the U17 final 2 years ago
Mayo V Galway U20 this year
In every game the conditions were absolutely brutal, gale force winds, hailstones, rain etc.. The place must be on top of a mountain or something because it's very exposed.
We all know that Prunty and Co have pulled this stunt in the past and fair play to Sligo for sticking to their guns and fair play to the Mayo fans and everyone else for recognizing the fact that they tried to screw us and backing our stance.
May the best team win in the correct grounds - full stop..
Mayo fans are still bitter from the time of the Limerick debacle, so they fully back any other team who get shafted on a venue change
Quote from: whitey on April 18, 2022, 02:56:22 PM
Quote from: sligoman2 on April 18, 2022, 02:33:30 PM
I have watched 3 live games from Bekan Outdoors
Mayo v Sligo U17 2 years ago
Roscommon V Sligo in the U17 final 2 years ago
Mayo V Galway U20 this year
In every game the conditions were absolutely brutal, gale force winds, hailstones, rain etc.. The place must be on top of a mountain or something because it's very exposed.
We all know that Prunty and Co have pulled this stunt in the past and fair play to Sligo for sticking to their guns and fair play to the Mayo fans and everyone else for recognizing the fact that they tried to screw us and backing our stance.
May the best team win in the correct grounds - full stop..
Mayo fans are still bitter from the time of the Limerick debacle, so they fully back any other team who get shafted on a venue change
WhatBSwhat mayo poster backe beakan here?
Mind you everyone seems to have missed the point of it being in Bekan
the cause of all this is the 'MUST BE WON ON THE DAY RULE' The COE has flood lights Marky park does not. The game has been brought forward by an hour and a half to 6pm in order to allow the bastardization of the game ; Penalties shot out'
Now many people including Myself will either need a half day from work or to watch it on telly
Quote from: rosnarun on April 19, 2022, 12:55:05 PM
Quote from: whitey on April 18, 2022, 02:56:22 PM
Quote from: sligoman2 on April 18, 2022, 02:33:30 PM
I have watched 3 live games from Bekan Outdoors
Mayo v Sligo U17 2 years ago
Roscommon V Sligo in the U17 final 2 years ago
Mayo V Galway U20 this year
In every game the conditions were absolutely brutal, gale force winds, hailstones, rain etc.. The place must be on top of a mountain or something because it's very exposed.
We all know that Prunty and Co have pulled this stunt in the past and fair play to Sligo for sticking to their guns and fair play to the Mayo fans and everyone else for recognizing the fact that they tried to screw us and backing our stance.
May the best team win in the correct grounds - full stop..
Mayo fans are still bitter from the time of the Limerick debacle, so they fully back any other team who get shafted on a venue change
WhatBSwhat mayo poster backe beakan here?
Mind you everyone seems to have missed the point of it being in Bekan
the cause of all this is the 'MUST BE WON ON THE DAY RULE' The COE has flood lights Marky park does not. The game has been brought forward by an hour and a half to 6pm in order to allow the bastardization of the game ; Penalties shot out'
Now many people including Myself will either need a half day from work or to watch it on telly
That problem would be solved by playing this final on Saturday or Sunday. The All-Ireland semi finals aren't on until May 7th/8th a Saturday or Sunday.
Correct Cunny and the Semis last (4 day) weekend.
Quote from: Rossfan on April 19, 2022, 03:31:31 PM
Correct Cunny and the Semis last (4 day) weekend.
Except there is a cabal againt underage competitions being taken seriously in the GAA
Some thing to be Run off as quickly as possible with little of no fanfare of publicity yet surely Offaly winning the undr 20's last year was the best news Story the GAA had in years
Quote from: rosnarun on April 20, 2022, 08:54:13 AM
Quote from: Rossfan on April 19, 2022, 03:31:31 PM
Correct Cunny and the Semis last (4 day) weekend.
Except there is a cabal againt underage competitions being taken seriously in the GAA
Some thing to be Run off as quickly as possible with little of no fanfare of publicity yet surely Offaly winning the undr 20's last year was the best news Story the GAA had in years
Not in Roscommon!!
But yer point is valid.
The u20 and u21 before it gave us some wonderful games over the years, but few people get to see them.
They're "run off" in a 6 or 7 week blitz.
They call u20 a Development grade but then make it knock out meaning half the players get 1 game.
Quote from: Rossfan on April 20, 2022, 10:47:19 AM
Quote from: rosnarun on April 20, 2022, 08:54:13 AM
Quote from: Rossfan on April 19, 2022, 03:31:31 PM
Correct Cunny and the Semis last (4 day) weekend.
Except there is a cabal againt underage competitions being taken seriously in the GAA
Some thing to be Run off as quickly as possible with little of no fanfare of publicity yet surely Offaly winning the undr 20's last year was the best news Story the GAA had in years
Not in Roscommon!!
But yer point is valid.
The u20 and u21 before it gave us some wonderful games over the years, but few people get to see them.
They're "run off" in a 6 or 7 week blitz.
They call u20 a Development grade but then make it knock out meaning half the players get 1 game.
I think its at provincial level and Above that really dont seem to give a shit about maybe they have an attitude of if he was any good he'd be playing senior.
Really looking forward to the match today but with this sort of crap i can understand why half the county hardly know its on.
less if there wasnt a row
Quote from: rosnarun on April 20, 2022, 12:46:27 PM
Quote from: Rossfan on April 20, 2022, 10:47:19 AM
Quote from: rosnarun on April 20, 2022, 08:54:13 AM
Quote from: Rossfan on April 19, 2022, 03:31:31 PM
Correct Cunny and the Semis last (4 day) weekend.
Except there is a cabal againt underage competitions being taken seriously in the GAA
Some thing to be Run off as quickly as possible with little of no fanfare of publicity yet surely Offaly winning the undr 20's last year was the best news Story the GAA had in years
Not in Roscommon!!
But yer point is valid.
The u20 and u21 before it gave us some wonderful games over the years, but few people get to see them.
They're "run off" in a 6 or 7 week blitz.
They call u20 a Development grade but then make it knock out meaning half the players get 1 game.
I think its at provincial level and Above that really dont seem to give a shit about maybe they have an attitude of if he was any good he'd be playing senior.
Really looking forward to the match today but with this sort of crap i can understand why half the county hardly know its on.
less if there wasnt a row
comes from HQ mostly, was nothing wrong with the U21 grade and ideal step towards senior level for many players but they convinced enough delegates to scrap that grade for U20. Four years on they now want to scrap the U20 grade for U19.