Railway cup returns!

[Jinxy]

Had they any highlights from this on League Sunday?

[emainmacha]

Didn't see any TV cameras on top of the Drumarg side stand where they usually are, so unless they hidden away somewhere game may not have been videoed at all.

Someone remarked to me that it was "a (expletive deleted) discrace that there wasn't any TV cameras there". Hopefully it was recorded by someone.

[Jinxy]

The more I see that Christy Cooney wants this gone, the more I want it kept.

[donelli]

Fantastic game. Really enjoyed it.
disgrace the way croke park is treating this competition.
not even any highlights on the league Sunday. All the debate on the show last week but no footage!!!!

bomb the international rules and promote this. a joy to watch.

good crowd at it. great variety of county supporters gear on show!!!!

[Orchardman]

sicken christy cooney as right, his time is near up anyway. Although i am an international rules fan, i would love and prefer if this thing was a big draw at a full croke park in october or whatever.

I remember about 10 years ago they tried running it a few times as a sigerson wkend, semi finals on sat and finals on the sunday. What about making armagh as the permanent home, maybe the crowds will build as it goes on. I know they were fair few heads from down, armagh, tyrone, and monaghan there today anyway. I was there with my tyrone mates and it was good to support the same team together for a change, before giving them a trimming this summer!

[under the bar]

Why not take the Railway cup on tour instead of the allstars?   You'd expect they'd play to huge crowds of ex-pats in US, Oz etc and would tribalize the ex pats to give it an edge, unlike the allstars

On the plus side it's great to see Peter Harte's brilliance coming to the fore.  I fully expect him to be considered in the same category as Canavan, McGuigan and O'Neill in the years to come.


 

[ck]

Did RTE cover the game today?

[orangeman]

Play the semi finals Friday night before Patrick's day and then play the finals on 17th March before the club finals.

Big crowds guaranteed.

[Orchardman]

Why not take the Railway cup on tour instead of the allstars?   You'd expect they'd play to huge crowds of ex-pats in US, Oz etc and would tribalize the ex pats to give it an edge, unlike the allstars

On the plus side it's great to see Peter Harte's brilliance coming to the fore.  I fully expect him to be considered in the same category as Canavan, McGuigan and O'Neill in the years to come.

Was a good enough idea but they have went to london, paris, rome, boston, dubai, etc the last 8 years or so. Think they got decent crowd in boston, was dam all at the others places. Rome and paris was a strange idea when ya think about it, armagh is much nicer place to visit

[ck]

Play the semi finals Friday night before Patrick's day and then play the finals on 17th March before the club finals.

Big crowds guaranteed.

Jesus 2 games inside 18hrs?! Sure just play semi and final on the same day while youre at it.

[armaghniac]

Armagh is the Rome of Ireland!

The teams would only have to play within 18 hours, if Paddy's day is on a Saturday.

[Jinxy]

What about the Saturday of the All-Ireland final weekends?
Play the final in Parnell Park.
Railway Cup, Kilmacud Sevens and the All-Ireland final all on the Saturday and Sunday.
A feast of hurling and football that targets fans of each code on separate weekends.
The city has a big influx of die-hard neutral supporters as well as the finalists supporters who'd probably jump at the chance to go to a quality game Saturday evening before hitting the town.
All the participating players are put up in a hotel for the weekend and given a few tickets for the final on Sunday.
Obviously the all ireland finalists won't be contributing players so this presents a significant opportunity for lesser known players to see their name in lights a la David Tubridy and Gary Hurney for Munster.
They should seriously change the name as well though because the brand is toxic at this stage.

[BerfArmagh]

I was at the game yesterday, there was a guy videoing it beside me, looked formal enough.

I have to say, I really enjoyed the game, it was a joy to watch, some great scores & pieces of sublime skill, i remarked to my mate, how good gaelic football is to watch and what it can be when you take the cynical side of the chamionship out of it. Peter Harte is some player, that fella is going to be a great, i don't know how we are going to mark him in the first round, he is a joy to watch. Cooney made a tit of himself yesterday, Darren Hughes got a great dig back at him during his acceptance speech. Good crowd and entertainment all round

[haranguerer]

What did cooney say/do?

[rrhf]

Seen the interview last night on bbc.  I felt there was a touch of Comical Ali about it.  He was standing in front of a crowd of 2000 who had entered the field without permission to get autographs etc. (im sure he wasnt happy about that) and insisting that patrons were not supporting the game and the thing needs done away with.  It was crazy dig in the heels stuff considering the feast of football we had just been treated to, from a position who should be above that.   
Sadly I think he'll be remembered as the man who put the fences up and let a salaried GPA staff office space in Croke Park.    Did the GAA make progress, stay the same or regress under his tenure?