Railway cup returns!

[rrhf]

Theres a real chance that a best of Ulster team would include a man not allowed to play for his county. 

[Sky Blue Gael]

Think the railway cup is a far better idea in theory than the international rules. Don't have much love for the rules to be honest. Seem though that the railway cup has never really attracted much attention for some reason. It's almost like it has the aura of a pre-season challenge match surrounding it

[mountainboii]

Think the railway cup is a far better idea in theory than the international rules. Don't have much love for the rules to be honest. Seem though that the railway cup has never really attracted much attention for some reason. It's almost like it has the aura of a pre-season challenge match surrounding it

For a very obvious reason: no one really gives a shit about winning it. Should have been left in it's grave.

[Ball Hopper]

How about having Railway Cup tied in with the AI Semi-finals?  Obviously, semi-finalists won't contribute any players, but the rest of the province in most cases will field a reasonable team (if Kerry and Cork both in the AI semis might weaken Munster a lot).

Hold an RC semi-final the day before each AI semi-final.

Do the same with hurling Railway Cup semi-finals and hold both hurling and football finals as a double-header the day before the hurling final.

[Zulu]

You could play it at halftime of the All Ireland final and still nobody would watch it!! The thing I can't understand is we have all these people saying it should be retained yet most of them haven't been at a Railway cup game in years, if ever. So why should we bend over backwards to play a competition [not sure if I can call it such] that......

Nobody goes to watch.

Nobody cares who wins.

Will never get the best players to play (due to the lunacy that is the GAA season).

Serves no real purpose.

And has been a non-entity for years?

[Eamonnca1]

International rules draws massive crowds, generates plenty of interest, and gives the GAA a bit of international exposure at a high level. Reaction...?  "Kill it."

Railway cup draws three men and a dog to watch it and nobody gives a toss about it. Reaction...? "Och sure it's a nice wee competition, we should try to keep it going."

Boggles the mind.

[Orangemac]

Whatever the reasons for the failure of the Railway cup, moving it to Feb is not going to work.

Is Jim McGuinness/Mickey Harte etc going to be happy with Michael Murphy/Sean Cavanagh dogging it out on a frozen pitch at the start of the National league?

[imtommygunn]

Give the players something to play for. e.g. a holiday or the like.

If I were good enough I'd love to play railway cup...

Make it worthwhile for the players to get the competitive edge on it. The more competitive the better a spectacle so, not to encourage professionalism, incentivise it.

Close off the national league for a week or two in the middle to play if off.(could start earlier or even wait until semi / final time though maybe close to championship).

The railway cup can be a success if the GAA really want it to be in my view. All about marketing / timing etc.

[Zulu]

Lack of patrons is only one of the issues. The problem with the railway cup is that it doesn't tick any box other than getting a pick n mix group of IC players to have a kick around. We have fellas suggesting all sorts to jazz it up but why use up two weekends that could be free for club games or use a sponsors money to fund it when we could use that money better?  Sure most lads wanting it back won't even see any of it so why not let it just fade away and use the free time and extra money for something worthwhile?

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

Yes, its good to have it back, but only if its given a bit of effort & respect by players and supporters. In theory it should be a worthy spectacle, but its at the mercy of other competitions and other things. Its just one competition too much for a lot of players in their off season.
Anyway, this thread will be no fun without a few arguments over team selection. I'll make an attempt at a theoretical Munster team. This won't be the team of course.
1. Brendan Kealy (Kerry)
2. Eoin Cadogan (Cork)
3. Johnny McCarthy (Limerick)
4. Tom O'Sullivan (Kerry)
5. Tomás O'Sé (Kerry)
6. Michael Shields (Cork)
7. Marc O'Sé (Kerry)
8. Aidan Walsh (Cork)
9. Bryan Sheehan (Kerry)
10. Darran O'Sullivan (Kerry)
11. Patrick Kelly (Cork)
12. Paul Kerrigan (Cork)
13. Gary Hurney (Waterford)
14. Kieran Donaghy (Kerry)
15. Donnacha O'Connor (Cork)

Gooch and Declan O'Sullivan are excluded as I'm certain they will be unavailable due to club commitments, as is Paul Galvin as I think there's an Armani show in the RDS that weekend.
John Galvin (Limerick) and Ciarán Sheehan (Cork) would have made the team if fit I think.
Apologies to Clare and Tipp fans! The likes of Clare's  David Tubridy, Ger Quinlan and Tipp's Barry Grogan and few more could definitely be included.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

How about having Railway Cup tied in with the AI Semi-finals?  Obviously, semi-finalists won't contribute any players, but the rest of the province in most cases will field a reasonable team (if Kerry and Cork both in the AI semis might weaken Munster a lot).

Hold an RC semi-final the day before each AI semi-final.

Do the same with hurling Railway Cup semi-finals and hold both hurling and football finals as a double-header the day before the hurling final.

I would be absolutely livid if club championships were held up to participate in this sort of meaningless farce in the middle of Summer.

[Dinny Breen]

Possible Leinster Team

1. Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)
2. Cian O'Sullivan (Dublin)
3. Mick Foley (Kildare)
4. Hugh McGrillen (Kildare)
5. Kevin Nolan (Dublin),
6. Aidan Flynn (Wexford)
7. Emmet Bolton (Kildare)
8. Brendan Murphy (Carlow)
9. Paddy Keenan  (Louth)
10. Ben Brosnan (Wexford)
11. Alan Brogan (Dublin)
12.  Bryan Cullen (Dublin)
13. John Doyle (Kildare)
14. Bernard Brogan (Dublin)
15. Leighton Glynn (Wicklow)

[Gold]

Ulster:

1. Paul Hearty (Armagh)
2. Karl Lacey (Donegal)
3. Neil Magee (Donegal)
4. Justin McMahon (Tyrone)
5. James Loughrey (Antrim)
6. Ryan McCluskey (Fermanagh)
7. Aaron Kernan (Armagh)
8. Eoin Lennon (Monaghan)
9. Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone)
10. Joe McMahon (Tyrone)
11. Marty Clarke (Down)
12. Seanie Johnstone(Cavan)
13. Eoin Bradley (Derry)
14. Michael Murphy (Donegal)
15. Stevie McDonnell (Armagh)

Maybe Skinner could swap with Seanie

Obv Marty may be away.

Ryan McCluskey remains a class act, havent seen many better on the ball

Paddy Bradley if fit would be in contention as would Steven O'Neill

[GalwayBayBoy]

No interest in this at all so will leave it to others to do a Connacht team.

[muppet]

No interest in this at all so will leave it to others to do a Connacht team.

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2. Bucko
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5. Muppet
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8. Ludermor
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