Inter-Provincial championship

[magickingdom]

im very saddened by this, what some people here dont get is that in future without the inter pros 'munster' will mean 'munster rugby' same with the other 3. thats a big mistake by the gaa. i saw in the times last wed week (i think) that the munster v connaght rugby inter pro in 1986 drew 300 people, look at it now. its important to promote gaa at all levels, club, county, province and internationally. the boys on here worried about the drip of players going to the afl need to realise rugby is the greatest threat to gaa at the moment. good luck to rugby and the great work they do but the gaa needs to respond with marketing what i think is a better product. if the gaa inter pros drew 3 or 4 thousand they would pay for themselves and that would be easily achievable if they were given a set place in the calender (all star weekend) and a decent holiday or something for the winners

[Zulu]

im very saddened by this, what some people here dont get is that in future without the inter pros 'munster' will mean 'munster rugby' same with the other 3.

The inter provincials wouldn't change that because they only involve two games that nobody cares about anyway.

i saw in the times last wed week (i think) that the munster v connaght rugby inter pro in 1986 drew 300 people, look at it now.

And that is because they are doing well in an international competition, so people who pay good money in to se them get to see two well prepared teams playing full strength teams trying to win games.

its important to promote gaa at all levels, club, county, province and internationally.

No we don't we need to focus on areas where we are strong, club and county and not waste money on provincial level and to a lesser degree international level.

he boys on here worried about the drip of players going to the afl need to realise rugby is the greatest threat to gaa at the moment. good luck to rugby and the great work they do but the gaa needs to respond with marketing what i think is a better product.

I agree but what we need to do is change our IC season and deliver more proper games to a country that wants it.

f the gaa inter pros drew 3 or 4 thousand they would pay for themselves and that would be easily achievable if they were given a set place in the calender (all star weekend) and a decent holiday or something for the winners

And how is 3 or 4,000 at a game promoting the GAA, it only becomes an embarrassment to us.

[magickingdom]

im very saddened by this, what some people here dont get is that in future without the inter pros 'munster' will mean 'munster rugby' same with the other 3.

The inter provincials wouldn't change that because they only involve two games that nobody cares about anyway.

i saw in the times last wed week (i think) that the munster v connaght rugby inter pro in 1986 drew 300 people, look at it now.

And that is because they are doing well in an international competition, so people who pay good money in to se them get to see two well prepared teams playing full strength teams trying to win games.

its important to promote gaa at all levels, club, county, province and internationally.

No we don't we need to focus on areas where we are strong, club and county and not waste money on provincial level and to a lesser degree international level.

he boys on here worried about the drip of players going to the afl need to realise rugby is the greatest threat to gaa at the moment. good luck to rugby and the great work they do but the gaa needs to respond with marketing what i think is a better product.

I agree but what we need to do is change our IC season and deliver more proper games to a country that wants it.

f the gaa inter pros drew 3 or 4 thousand they would pay for themselves and that would be easily achievable if they were given a set place in the calender (all star weekend) and a decent holiday or something for the winners

And how is 3 or 4,000 at a game promoting the GAA, it only becomes an embarrassment to us.

zulu, if the games were highly valued you would get the best players, this could be achieved by organising an all star w/e with the all stars presented the same w/e (even if you dont win an all star you might win a railway cup medal and i'd love one of them) - i would go to any game paddy bradley or joe canning were playing in. there will never be huge crowds at the games again but it wouldnt be hard to get 3, 4 or 5 thousand to turn up and the thing wouldnt cost anything.

[Zulu]

It costs at least two weekends MK, which you might argue isn't much to ask but I think it is when clubs are already hard pressed. And you'll never get the best players because of injuries, club, university games or lack of interest. So why continue with a competition like it, when you talk about promotion and battling rugby and soccer for hearts and minds it is the national league we should be talking about. Top games like Kerry/Tyrone, Kerry/Cork, Kerry/Dublin on your doorstep every weekend and yet we regard 8-10,000 as great gates, they should be getting 25,000. And they would if people knew they would see two well prepared teams, at full strength going 100% for the 2 points. There's your promotion and there's your opportunity to get people to relate to the team and feel it is theirs. I'd scrap the inter provincials and the provincial championships tomorrow if I had my way and make the league central to our calender.

[magickingdom]

some good points there zulu but imo the inter prov and promoting gaa are not mutually exclusive! also it should be just 1 weekend with s finals on sat and final on sunday again built around an all star w/e in oct/nov to mark the end of the season

[The Forfeit Point]

No. Rugby's popularity isn't simply down to promotion but the fact that we are strong at the moment, it is international and the games matter. The inter provincials don't matter and never will again so we are better off without them. I do agree we should promote some of other competitions better though.

cant understand how you can be "delighted", apathetic yes, but delighted? sure if you didnt like them how would it affect you, how could you be delighted that people who did enjoy them cant anymore?

A bit harsh i admit but I'm delighted because the GAA are finally making some tough decisions and getting rid of the drift wood. Don't get me wrong I always watched them and enjoyed them but they just have no place in the calender and are only challenge matches which serve no purpose.

so something you "enjoyed" you dont mind seeing the end of? that makes little sense. as magic kingdom said, it would not take much for them to pay for themselves and anyway talking about money wasting, the railway cup is hardly a huge drain. the gaa and county boards should be looking at the the white elephant grounds that have been developed and "mangerial exppenses" for true wastage.

what an opportunity it is for great footballers from clare and waterford and tipp (and there are plenty) to mix in with the cork and kerry lads. and from my own county to show what they can do besides being limited by a useless county team year in year out.
i hope it returns.

i truly think tourists would lap this up during st.patricks week

[Zulu]

I enjoy any football match but if I think getting rid of certain competitions is good for the GAA as a whole then I've no problem with it. It serves little purpose and tourist or no tourist, people don't want to pay for sporting competitions where players are going through the motions. Anyway if were to get tourists in to watch it we'd have to play it in CP and promote it and that costs money so you either play it in small grounds and hope a decent local crowd go to it or you play it in CP and promote the hell out of it. The first option is just keeping the damn thing on life support and the second option involves far to much expense to be justified.

[antoinse]

Maybe it is the best thing that it is put aside for one year. It may, and I hope it does, bring the people that want it to continue and succeed together and form a group that want to run the Railway Cup not as we have had for the past years.
We had a President throw money at it to appease those that wanted it to continue. If he had an interest then he would have spent the money at the development rather than just throwing money at it for the sake of it. Although not an Ulster man I believe that the correct and proper leadership for the Railway Cup going forward come from that provience. I think rather than the "them nordies think they know it all and I am not going to support them in whatever they do" the mantra should be " how can we work with them in promoting the best footballers in Ireland to represent their provience" It is now time to take on this challange and prove that there is a life for the Railway Cup. Finally, Martin Donnelly is a true gael, his dedication and generosity should not go unheralded. 

[Any craic]

http://www.anpocfada.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85&Itemid=106// fair play Martin Donnelly, the Railway Cup and the Poc Fada. Where would the GAA be without him. He gives a rare interview comment here about why he does it.