Railway cup returns!

[BennyCake]

If 20,000 were there on Sunday the GAA would still want it scrapped.

No TV coverage, except 2 minutes of Leinster v Munster semi. Great promotion I must say! Christy & Co. don't want it, full stop.

I remember watching the Div 3 and 4 finals in Croke Park last year. 4 counties that werent that far away from Dublin (Louth, Westmeath, Longford and Roscommon) and would there have been 8,000 at it? I doubt if there was. Yet there's no talk about scrapping these games!

[Zulu]

Jesus Benny cop on to yourself will you!! The division 3 & 4 finals are the culmination of leagues that are fought for by real teams, not representative teams brought together on the morning of 1 or 2 games a year. The division 3 & 4 leagues are generally contested by teams who want to win them and many people have a strong interest in those teams all year round to compare the two is simply idiotic. It's getting a bit tiresome at this stage listening to lads try and justify this thing while not offering anything approaching a realistic and detailed plan on when to play it, how it will pay for itself and what impact it will have on the already burdened club game. If you can do that then fine but spare me the BS a about players liking it and notions of 20,000 going to games after a bit of promotion. Our season is a joke and some of ye want to add another bad joke to the pile.

[deiseach]

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

But did you care?

[BennyCake]

Jesus Benny cop on to yourself will you!! The division 3 & 4 finals are the culmination of leagues that are fought for by real teams, not representative teams brought together on the morning of 1 or 2 games a year. The division 3 & 4 leagues are generally contested by teams who want to win them and many people have a strong interest in those teams all year round to compare the two is simply idiotic. It's getting a bit tiresome at this stage listening to lads try and justify this thing while not offering anything approaching a realistic and detailed plan on when to play it, how it will pay for itself and what impact it will have on the already burdened club game. If you can do that then fine but spare me the BS a about players liking it and notions of 20,000 going to games after a bit of promotion. Our season is a joke and some of ye want to add another bad joke to the pile.

So neither Ulster or Munster wanted to win Sunday's game?! So those Cork lads came all the way from the bottom of the country for a laugh, did they?!

I'm not comparing the teams. I'm merely pointing out that the GAA constantly refer to the low crowds as a reason to scrap this competition. If all GAA matches were only based on attendances, there would be feck all matches being played!

[rrhf]

I think one question we should ask ourselves is.  Is it closer to the GAA model than Compromise rules as an outlet for representation for our better players?
Another might be how come paid county board officials, paid provincial council officials, paid Croke par personnel who have an aptitude for these things, not synchronise a national club/ county programme which looks efficient and competent. Then we can talk about binning competitions because there is not time for them.     

[Zulu]

Jesus Benny cop on to yourself will you!! The division 3 & 4 finals are the culmination of leagues that are fought for by real teams, not representative teams brought together on the morning of 1 or 2 games a year. The division 3 & 4 leagues are generally contested by teams who want to win them and many people have a strong interest in those teams all year round to compare the two is simply idiotic. It's getting a bit tiresome at this stage listening to lads try and justify this thing while not offering anything approaching a realistic and detailed plan on when to play it, how it will pay for itself and what impact it will have on the already burdened club game. If you can do that then fine but spare me the BS a about players liking it and notions of 20,000 going to games after a bit of promotion. Our season is a joke and some of ye want to add another bad joke to the pile.

So neither Ulster or Munster wanted to win Sunday's game?! So those Cork lads came all the way from the bottom of the country for a laugh, did they?!

I'm not comparing the teams. I'm merely pointing out that the GAA constantly refer to the low crowds as a reason to scrap this competition. If all GAA matches were only based on attendances,
there would be feck all matches being played!

When I play 5 a side I want to win but that doesn't mean I'm all that bothered if I don't. There isn't one player in the country who sets winning a railway cup medal as a goal at the start of the year and that's the point. I don't think anyone is saying it should be scrapped due to the small crowds, people are saying it should be scrapped because it is an exhibition game that nobody watches in an already messed up season.

[Zulu]

I think one question we should ask ourselves is.  Is it closer to the GAA model than Compromise rules as an outlet for representation for our better players?
Another might be how come paid county board officials, paid provincial council officials, paid Croke par personnel who have an aptitude for these things, not synchronise a national club/ county programme which looks efficient and competent. Then we can talk about binning competitions because there is not time for them.   

Our best players already have a representative outlet called inter county. We or the players don't need another as they get their kick about/booze up through the All Stars but at least the compromised rules generated interest and funded itself. If there is room and enough spectator interest in one or either, as part of a restructured season then fine, but we need to take the bull by the horns and develop a proper season. Unfortunately that means some things have to go and others need to be altered but it will be for the better.

[DuffleKing]

If its to continue we'd need to find a way of making it more competitive if we want to promote it. Sunday was an exhibition game played very loosely until the last 7/8 minutes when the result was in the balance. The players want to play for the recognition and status that it brings and they put a lot of effort in but noone goes for loose ball as though their life depended on it. For that reason, I don't think I'd go back as its not the type of football that excites me.

You can say what you like about that int rules shite, and I do, but as bad as it is to watch when the ball is thrown in the players play hard.

[Puckoon]

Great to see Mugsy in such hungry form and representing Ulster so early in the season.

[Zulu]

I actually meant to put in outside of your one and as I've said I've no problem with that though I good number of counties play club games on the weekend of the semi finals and I've even seen games scheduled for the evening of the all Irelands so I'm not sure that format wouldn't affect club fixtures. Anyway I'll come back to my main point, there is no point in talking about any individual game or competition if we are to keep to the real world, we need to sort the season and something should only be kept if it can be accomodated in a proper competitive season. That goes for provincial competitions, underage, club, university, even all Ireland's as much as it does railway cups.

[BennyCake]

The NFL have semi finals this year, and there was still enough weeks to fit in the Railway Cup. So, where's the problem? Even if there was a 2/3 week break around St Patricks Day to play the Railway Cup (instead of now), then it can still be accommodated. The GAA should give it the recognition it deserves, and give it proper promotion.

[ha ha derry]

If its to continue we'd need to find a way of making it more competitive if we want to promote it. Sunday was an exhibition game played very loosely until the last 7/8 minutes when the result was in the balance. The players want to play for the recognition and status that it brings and they put a lot of effort in but noone goes for loose ball as though their life depended on it. For that reason, I don't think I'd go back as its not the type of football that excites me.

You can say what you like about that int rules shite, and I do, but as bad as it is to watch when the ball is thrown in the players play hard.

Except the Australians, who gathered up 5 days before the last series and went surfing for three of them 
When they play hard, Ireland whinges.

[Rossfan]

The NFL have semi finals this year, and there was still enough weeks to fit in the Railway Cup. So, where's the problem? Even if there was a 2/3 week break around St Patricks Day to play the Railway Cup (instead of now), then it can still be accommodated. The GAA should give it the recognition it deserves, and give it proper promotion.

Benny, the GAA public ARE NOT INTERESTED !!!!!.
The games are nice little exhibitions by the interested players and the Traditionalists want them kept because they don't want ANYTHING to change .
The GAA public is not bothered as they have little identification with the Provinces ( except for a small few clannish Munster types and the paranoid Ulster bies) and they know that there is no real bite, elation or disappointment involved.
End of story.
Personally I don't care whether they keep them or not,   as in common with most GAA people I am disinterested, but they do take up valuable weekends which could be used for real games between real teams.
As for having it the All Ireland weekend... how many people actually attend those 7 a side thingys anyway?

[bennydorano]

I think it's class - well the football version anyway. Give me it any day rather than that hurling horseshite, scor shite, rounders & handball.  I dont see why has to justify itself financially to be perfectly honest, but it could do with some support.  Saying there's no interest is missing the point a bit too, as I've alluded to above I couldn't give a flying shite about some aspects of GAA, I love the football aspect of it and want to see as much of it played as possible.  It's some of the most entertaining football played, little of the cynicism that  is so prevelant (I'm sure some will swap cycnical for competitive) in the modern game is on show.

My own solution for promotion (apologies if it's appeared already- as it's quite simple and prob mentioned before).  Change the club finals to the nearest weekend to St Patrick's day -  football Club final & football RC one day hurling Club final and hurling RC the next.

[rrhf]

I would think the idea of the railway cup and the fact that the great  players volunteer to play for it, despite being attacked from all over, is closer to the founding ideals of the gaa than compo rules.