Barriers to keep the dubs in.

[upmonaghansayswe]

I can't understand why they would fence in the Hill and leave the rest - it doesn't seem to make any sense. If anything, the Hill should be the last place fenced as it's the most likely part of the ground to have a crowd surge / crush.

Exactly.. What happens when the other 3 stands go for the pitch and the Hill are left looking at them?..

Also i never realised til i was on it, how steep it is compared to other terraces..

[Coddler]

The stadium director (McKenna?) was on RTE radio this morning citing the attack on Sludden as a main reason for the new fencing in front of the Hill.
The RTE reporter missed the fairly obvious question. Did the people who attacked Sludden invade the pitch from the Hill or did they come from the stands?
From what I saw on the T.V that day it looked like they came from the stands. This looks like a pretty brainless kneejerk reaction from the GAA.

[AZOffaly]

I can't believe this, and I can't believe it will be allowed to actually happen.

1) This actually raises the risk of a serious incident. Stadia around europe are getting rid of fences, not building them.
2) It's not only the hill that people invade from, or is this some sort of statement from the GAA that those on the cheaper tickets are less civilised than those in the stands?

It's a disgraceful stance in my view.

[DoireGael]

Dinasour attitude am thinking, 'Them young folk causing bother in the hill again'

Ridiculus if this happens

[Hardy]

I can't believe this, and I can't believe it will be allowed to actually happen.

1) This actually raises the risk of a serious incident. Stadia around europe are getting rid of fences, not building them.
2) It's not only the hill that people invade from, or is this some sort of statement from the GAA that those on the cheaper tickets are less civilised than those in the stands?

It's a disgraceful stance in my view.

McKenna addressed those points in the interview this morning. How convincingly? Decide for yourself.

He said the barrriers will meet all Health and Safety requirements and will have gates, etc. that can be opened in emergencies.

He said the strategy for the stands was to keep the first few rows empty. He was a bit vague on this and didn't (as far as I recall) mention the plastic crowd-control netting  . This seemed to be his rebuttal of the suggestion that the Hill customers were being singled out. He also said that the front rows empty strategy wouldn't apply for the finals, but that these seats would be sold in non-competing counties! It seems the thinking is that pitch invaders come only from the front rows.

[Canalman]

Sabre Rattling only at the minute. Need Planning Permission first to put  up the fences. They won't get it either imo............ they will be told to either pay for more Gardaí or hire more stewards.

[Hardy]

Sabre Rattling only at the minute. Need Planning Permission first to put  up the fences. They won't get it either imo............ they will be told to either pay for more Gardaí or hire more stewards.

McKenna says they'll be up for the Down-Kildare game.

[AZOffaly]

I can't believe this, and I can't believe it will be allowed to actually happen.

1) This actually raises the risk of a serious incident. Stadia around europe are getting rid of fences, not building them.
2) It's not only the hill that people invade from, or is this some sort of statement from the GAA that those on the cheaper tickets are less civilised than those in the stands?

It's a disgraceful stance in my view.

McKenna addressed those points in the interview this morning. How convincingly? Decide for yourself.

He said the barrriers will meet all Health and Safety requirements and will have gates, etc. that can be opened in emergencies.

He said the strategy for the stands was to keep the first few rows empty. He was a bit vague on this and didn't (as far as I recall) mention the plastic crowd-control netting  . This seemed to be his rebuttal of the suggestion that the Hill customers were being singled out. He also said that the front rows empty strategy wouldn't apply for the finals, but that these seats would be sold in non-competing counties! It seems the thinking is that pitch invaders come only from the front rows.

I didn't hear him this morning, but if his second point was as you've summarised, then you really do have to wonder what goes on in their heads.

And the fences will have gates? I remember the days, as I'm sure you will too Hardy, when fellas would throw their jacket onto the top of barbed wire fences so they could climb over them, all around the stadium. A big fence will not stop lads trying to climb it, and when they do, and the crowd start pushing down from behind screaming for the gates to be opened so they can get out onto the pitch, what will happen?

I just can't understand why they don't do a bit of lateral thinking here.

[blanketattack]

The only way they're going to stop pitch invasions is to arm the stewards with machine guns.

[Jinxy]

I'm honestly worried about this barrier.
Far more worried than I would be about people going on the pitch.

[omagh_gael]

You have to wonder do these people ever watch videos of previous pitch invasions. The vast majority of 'invaders' come from the steps leading down the stand not from over the advertising hordings. No amount of red plastic/tape over the first few rows of seats will prevent an invasion.

Where has this idea come from to fence in the hill, most of the gombeens who attacked Sludden came from the stands!

A disaster in waiting as all counties left going for Sam haven't won it in a long long time so there will be a major scram to get on the pitch as soon as the final whistle goes on the third Sunday in September.

[fearglasmor]

A genuine question AZ, do you have any lateral thoughts on the issue yourself.
Personally I think supporters have no place on the pitch for all sorts of reasons and just because it is tradition doesnt mean its good. I dont think additional stewards or Gardai will stop a mass invasion any more than fences will.
Whats to be done ?

[ballinaman]

What a bollox that McKenna truly is. This will be a disaster.

[orangeman]

Talking to a lot of supporters, their view is that the erection of the fences is an absolute disaster waiting to happen as soon as Down, Kildare, Dublin or Cork win this year's football All Ireland or if Waterford / Tipp win the hurling.


It seems that Peter Mc Kenna reckons he'll be able to "deal" with the supporters in the other parts of the stadium apart from the Hill by bringing in a few more bouncers.

AZ had put forward a good suggestion. I'd back that one.

[Hardy]

I remember the days, as I'm sure you will too Hardy, when fellas would throw their jacket onto the top of barbed wire fences so they could climb over them, all around the stadium.

Sure I even remember the days when there would be a line of lads sitting all the way along the top of the wall at the back of Hill 16. The lads out at the end must have had at least 50 feet of nothing between them and the concrete below. They would climb up at the low end and then they'd have to shift along as more joined and then arse their way back along again when the match was over. With my life-long phobia about heights it used to spoil my enjoyment of the match looking at them.

Sorry - nothing to do with fences - just reminiscing.