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Nice motors for sale, you can now be as driven as the Dubs!

For sale 2017 (171) Subaru Forester €5000 off EX DUBLIN GAA FLEET, XC

https://www.carsireland.ie/1810027

https://www.carsireland.ie/1809984

GAA gaining ground in Adelaide tho.

Adelaide Crows Eddie's Betts playing sevens in South Australia, dont know if he will be giving up the
$650,000 a year contract tho!

Jinxy on rugby in Meath, I would be interested in what you thought about Conor Nash who said he did have an academy contract on the table with Leinster before he left for Oz and Cillian O'Sullivan for Meath who's brother Hugh is on the Ireland U20 Rugby team.

Navan Rugby club made the U20 All Ireland Rugby final last year and their captain McKeever said
"It's unheard of for a Navan U20 team to go up and be in an All-Ireland final, it's usually for the likes of Lansdowne, Clontarf, Cork Con, Munsters and all those,"

Ashbourne has jumped to the top of the Leinster League Division 1A for the first time in the club's history (Oct 2017)
North Meath Rugby club was founded in 2007 too, I wonder should all of this cause a concern for Meath GAA county board?! What will it be like in 5 years' time?! looks like a competition, a battleground for sports?

http://www.the42.ie/navan-rugby-club-promotion-3325055-Apr2017/
https://www.sportsjoe.ie/rugby/looks-though-meath-gaa-lost-real-talent-rugby-138839
https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/leinster-rugby/leinster-club-rugby-meath-boys-top-of-table-36265382.html

Looks to be and Old Merc arriving to the game at 3.59 for the late arrivals,
Do you's think it could be the late Albert Reynolds?!

[€1,470,249 million]

Fair comment Itchy about harnessing the population,
If you compare to Mayo,

Meath Population 194,942
Mayo Population 130,425

Year Ended 2017,

Meath : Commercial Income + Fund Raising 
€399,654 + €329093 = €728,747

Mayo : Commercial Income + Fund Raising
€549,000 + €921,249 = €1,470,249 million

Interestingly Mayo's total income was €3,333,824 for the year!
I can't seem to find any of Meath's full financial statements online.
Anyone have a link?

Sources –
http://hoganstand.com/Meath/Article/Index/278849
http://mayogaa.com/content_page/18068/

Is there a Commerical Manager for Meath similar to that of Tomas Quinn of Dublin GAA?
I see Wexford were advertising for one, a lot of talk of one for Mayo etc,
http://www.wexfordgaa.ie/2017/12/exciting-job-opportunity-wexford-gaa-new-post-commercial-manager/

Great Article from Colm in the independent this week on the Meath team to tour Oz in 1967 fifty years this week,

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/colm-orourke-meath-trip-of-a-lifetime-built-a-bridge-to-future-36666234.html

I found this footage on Youtube of the 1968 Tour by the Australians of Ireland

if you skip to 16.17 it appears to be Kerry vs Australia at Fitzgearld Stadium

and the Australian Team in Navan being led around the town by a band

and Down vs Australia in Croke Park later,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IWuzlfUgeY

the documentary on the Galah's is worth the watch (http://www.thegalahs.com/)

Jinxy spot on  - it was on J Duffy - http://www.rte.ie/radio1/liveline/

Premier Emperor you are right the GAA does pay for policing of events
- http://www.thejournal.ie/gaa-fai-irfu-gardai-paid-2441227-Nov2015/

Gearoid McKiernan - spectactular catch by the Cavan man which led to a goal.

https://twitter.com/GAA_2018_TG4/status/965623418614935552

https://www.balls.ie/gaa/watch-cavanman-makes-monster-mark-set-beautiful-goal-383599

any other contenders so far?

Good use of taxpayers money?!

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/garda-escort-brought-college-gaa-star-100km-so-he-could-play-in-two-matches-on-one-day-36618446.html

heres link to the bbc interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxPa8tbHkVE

AFLX concept was launched today.

Its played on a Soccer sized pitch

LED multi coloured goalposts that light up too (could we see this in Dr Hyde park in the far future perhaps?!)

Some elements of Gaelic Football - Sideline ball (last out of bounds) and Throw up/in (looks like will be introduced in AFL proper next year)

Few Irish Reps on some of the teams,

Colin O'Riordan Sydney/Tipperary
Conor McKenna Essendon/Tyrone
Conor Nash Hawthorn/Meath
Ray Connellan St Kilda/Westmeath

heres the link on Youtube -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6wvjhxX8XA&list=PL2BCi9Ra9P460RYg9PX4UtKWypYnkZVu9

Interesting interview on off the ball,

heres the link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diRaBfhdh9Q

I did a bit of digging. Total attendances are down every year (in football) since 2007 or so. There was a massive spike in 2001/2 after the qualifiers were introduced (as you'd expect).

Since the Leinster Championship has turned into a procession, the total numbers have slipped 28%.

Hurling is pretty steady, and of course this year, with the Super 8s and the Round Robin in munster, the GAA can point to the top level number and say 'See, people love the way we do stuff'.

The average attendances have largely been slumping since the qualifiers were brought in, which was one of my arguments against the qualifiers. The bank doesn't count averages though, it just wants to see the total revenue.

Even at that though, it's noticeable that the total figure has been declining steadily since about 2006, after the initial qualifier bounce, to the extent that the total figure in 2016 was 788,746, with 60 games, whereas in 2000, the final pre-qualifier year, the total was 686,553, with only 35 games.

The qualifiers in 01 brought the total to 1.08 million. The qualifier effect has disappeared..

I would love if the GAA built an ultra modern all seater Stadium for about 10-15K with floodlights and artificial pitch some where in the Midland. would get a lot of use as most midland pitches are dumps and rarely filled  newbridge, Mullingar  , longford  navan hyde park etc are not fit for purpose at the moment .
Im sure the LGFA would make great use of it as well as inter county club games

Have a look at the plans for Pairc Tailteann - intended capacity 20-22k
http://meath.gaa.ie/proposed-redevelopment-pairc-tailteann-public-consultation/

Surely if Dublin make the Top 8 this year the away/outside Croke park game would be a sell out.
I believe the group this year if Dublin won Leinster would involve the Ulster Champs,
Munster Runner up (or team that beats them in qualifiers) and Connacht Runners up (or
team that beats them)

Slippery Dodger - I like the video you made on the Dublin kick out against Tyrone, you should make some more!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDgdGseMs7Q