Playing at home for the rest of the Season (year)!

[Ringfort]

The Dubs are saying its only a problem now that they are winning? It might be getting a bit more of an airing in the media this year, but I have felt CP has been an advantage to the Dubs for many years, have said so and heard the same amongst many of my friends/aquaintances long before this exceptionally strong current Dublin side came to prominence.
On a related note I have often felt that Kilkenny being in Leinster and playing a big majority of their LSHC in Croker has been an advantage to them during the last decade or so of their dominance, when coming up against Munster opposition in the AI semis or final. They are not at 'home' like the Dubs, and I recall them playing the odd Leinster semi outside of HQ, but they are more familiar with the ground than any hurling team in the country, and that has to be some advantage on AI semi or final day, surely?? As someone else said, its the defacto 'Leinster' ground now and as many double-headers etc as possible seem to be squeezed in there. Not quite right for a 'national' stadium in my opinion.

People are mentioning the likes of dressing rooms and warming up in front of the hill. What about the hill itself? I genuinely have no knowledge of this but who decides who gets tickets for it? You rarely see anything beyond the odd defiant 'away' shirt in it when the Dubs are playing. Do they have dibs on it? Are all tickets for Hill 16 reserved for Dublin fans or do opposition supporters just not bother going there as the perception is 'its Dublin only'?? Genuine question lads, I'm a Rossie so don't get to HQ that often and don't know how it works.

[Thisonegoesto11]

The Dubs are saying its only a problem now that they are winning? It might be getting a bit more of an airing in the media this year, but I have felt CP has been an advantage to the Dubs for many years, have said so and heard the same amongst many of my friends/aquaintances long before this exceptionally strong current Dublin side came to prominence.
On a related note I have often felt that Kilkenny being in Leinster and playing a big majority of their LSHC in Croker has been an advantage to them during the last decade or so of their dominance, when coming up against Munster opposition in the AI semis or final. They are not at 'home' like the Dubs, and I recall them playing the odd Leinster semi outside of HQ, but they are more familiar with the ground than any hurling team in the country, and that has to be some advantage on AI semi or final day, surely?? As someone else said, its the defacto 'Leinster' ground now and as many double-headers etc as possible seem to be squeezed in there. Not quite right for a 'national' stadium in my opinion.

People are mentioning the likes of dressing rooms and warming up in front of the hill. What about the hill itself? I genuinely have no knowledge of this but who decides who gets tickets for it? You rarely see anything beyond the odd defiant 'away' shirt in it when the Dubs are playing. Do they have dibs on it? Are all tickets for Hill 16 reserved for Dublin fans or do opposition supporters just not bother going there as the perception is 'its Dublin only'?? Genuine question lads, I'm a Rossie so don't get to HQ that often and don't know how it works.

Lots of Mayo fans on the Hill at last years final. Anyone can apply for a Hill ticket. There is a swap/returns thing where most go to Dublin fans but only cos they seek them as priority. Most other counties have their own areas of preference.
I swapped Canal tickets with a Mayo fan at the last semi- final.

However may as well add this to the list of Dublin advantages.

[Michael Schmeichal]

The Dubs are saying its only a problem now that they are winning? It might be getting a bit more of an airing in the media this year, but I have felt CP has been an advantage to the Dubs for many years, have said so and heard the same amongst many of my friends/aquaintances long before this exceptionally strong current Dublin side came to prominence.
On a related note I have often felt that Kilkenny being in Leinster and playing a big majority of their LSHC in Croker has been an advantage to them during the last decade or so of their dominance, when coming up against Munster opposition in the AI semis or final. They are not at 'home' like the Dubs, and I recall them playing the odd Leinster semi outside of HQ, but they are more familiar with the ground than any hurling team in the country, and that has to be some advantage on AI semi or final day, surely?? As someone else said, its the defacto 'Leinster' ground now and as many double-headers etc as possible seem to be squeezed in there. Not quite right for a 'national' stadium in my opinion.

People are mentioning the likes of dressing rooms and warming up in front of the hill. What about the hill itself? I genuinely have no knowledge of this but who decides who gets tickets for it? You rarely see anything beyond the odd defiant 'away' shirt in it when the Dubs are playing. Do they have dibs on it? Are all tickets for Hill 16 reserved for Dublin fans or do opposition supporters just not bother going there as the perception is 'its Dublin only'?? Genuine question lads, I'm a Rossie so don't get to HQ that often and don't know how it works.

See below taken from Sean Moran's article in todaysIrish Times. Bottom line is Leinster COunties need to be willing to take the financial hit of moving Dublin out of Croke Park or else leave things as they are. They seem to have decided to leave things as they are but seem determined to moan continuosly about the consequences of their own decision.

Big match
He added that the benefit of observing the same routine for each big match is considerable – to which could be added having the support base a short commute away.
Is the advantage decisive? It wouldn't appear so. In the 20 years since the new Croke Park began to become available, Dublin have a 67 per cent success rate in the stadium from 79 championship matches as opposed to 83 per cent on their travels (including their official county ground, Parnell Park) for 12 fixtures.
The one defeat came against Kerry in the first year of the All-Ireland quarter-finals, a replay in Thurles. In Leinster you have to go back 33 years for the last time Dublin were beaten on the road – by Laois in Tullamore.
It's likely that some of the matches would have had a less resounding scoreline had they been played elsewhere but it's hard to imagine that many outcomes being changed. Dublin have been beaten by 10 different counties, from all four provinces in Croke Park over the past 20 years.
Even so, why don't counties in Leinster press for more fixtures requiring Dublin to travel? The answer is they don't appear to want to. There was a suggestion at Leinster Council that the champions' first match of this summer, against the winners of Wicklow and Laois, be played away from Croke Park. It got just two votes.
The reasons are straightforward enough. Firstly, most players and managers want to play in the stadium and secondly there is the financial consequence of moving Dublin, which means smaller and less rewarding gate receipts. In other words what projects or development grants would you like to cut to facilitate the idea

[lynchbhoy]

Apart from tickets for hill16, which prob should be rotated- I would hope in time that the GAA buy the houses /land behind hill16 and finish building the stadium so it is completed the whole way around.
Completing this May help alleviate the problematic breeze somewhat.

So unless someone can back up allegations of teams improving due to greater finances with breakdown of such monies spent -I can't see how anything other than increased numbers of good players due to larger population as being the reason.

People won't be happy until Dublin are never playing in croker until finals or semi finals!
It seems Kilkenny are being dragged into the same accusation!

Next option is only play semi finals and finals in croker.
Not sure if the viability of the stadium could be sustainable financially in doing this.

[Rossfan]

Apart from tickets for hill16, which prob should be rotated- I would hope in time that the GAA buy the houses /land behind hill16 and finish building the stadium so it is completed the whole way around.

The Sligo/Dublin railway line rund there too.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

Sensible article at last

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/eamonn-sweeney-dubs-panic-distorts-the-facts-30242012.html

[Fuzzman]

I was on the hill at last years AI final and as a neutral fan I was shocked and disappointed at the response of a lot of Dubs to the number of Mayo fans. They even have their own chant that hill16 is Dublin only. Loads of scumbags who were very intimidating and pushing past Mayo fans and Tyrone muttering get out to f**k etc. I experienced this first hand and it made up my mind who I wanted to win as I was prob supporting Dublin before hand as I know MDMA well.
I'm not saying all Dubs in the hill are like that but those who weren't were happy to go along with it and laugh at the chanting. It so reminds me of soccer style bitterness and shows a lot of Dubs believe they OWN Hill16 and they hate others pushing their way in.

[From the Bunker]

I was on the hill at last years AI final and as a neutral fan I was shocked and disappointed at the response of a lot of Dubs to the number of Mayo fans. They even have their own chant that hill16 is Dublin only. Loads of scumbags who were very intimidating and pushing past Mayo fans and Tyrone muttering get out to f**k etc. I experienced this first hand and it made up my mind who I wanted to win as I was prob supporting Dublin before hand as I know MDMA well.
I'm not saying all Dubs in the hill are like that but those who weren't were happy to go along with it and laugh at the chanting. It so reminds me of soccer style bitterness and shows a lot of Dubs believe they OWN Hill16 and they hate others pushing their way in.

Added to this Dublin supporters from the Nally stand side were allowed by crowd control officials to cross barriers over in to the Hill. This extra crowding had to make the Hill uncomfortable for Both Dublin and Mayo supporters who had paid good money for a comfortable view of the game.

[Johnnybegood]

Yawwwwnnnn

[From the Bunker]

Sensible article at last

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/eamonn-sweeney-dubs-panic-distorts-the-facts-30242012.html

Firstly there is nothing in that article about Dublin's Home advantage for the Business end of the GAA year. Secondly no mention of the vast amounts of money Dublin have received to compete with other sports and improve football in the Capital. Thirdly, to ignore Dublin's underage is just completely blinkered.

Talk of record crowds in Croker in 1961 and Ulster domination are just smoke screen stats for a huge monster the GAA (probably unwittingly) have created.

Dublins Leinster titles at Senior are presently 8 in 9 years. Leinster Minor 3 in the last 5. Leinster under 21 stands at 4 in the last 6. Dublin last year won their first minor since 1984 and have won 3 of the last under 21 AI titles. It's a scary Roll of Honour, especially in the last 5 years.

Now don't get me wrong the foundations of most of these achievements is down to the honest hard voluntary hard work of the genuine Dublin club man. Many who like most counties in the country go years without acknowledgement or reward. But the emergence of money and other factors have risen confidence.

If the present trend continues. We will have a Scottish premier League scenario where you have a multimillion team at the top (Celtic) and a plethora of teams way off the mark hoping to catch the big fish on an off day. 

[easytiger95]

Dublins Leinster titles at Senior are presently 8 in 9 years.

Everyone sees what they want to see. I'd be of the opinion that since the Westmeath/Laois uprisings in the middle of the last decade, the standard of football in Leinster generally has gone down. Does no one remember the articles bemoaning the lack of Leinster participation in the semi finals? The general excuses that Leinster football was no preparation for the All Ireland series?

The falling of standards in Laois, Offaly, Westmeath, Offaly and, most damagingly for the province, Meath, which has facilitated Dublin's dominance has absolutely nothing to do with home advantage, fans on the hill, underage success for Dublin or developmental funds given to Dublin. I said earlier on in this thread, that until other counties emulate Dublin by looking analytically and critically at how they run their affairs, they will always lag behind. That is the true inbuilt disadvantage and given that Dublin only started doing this themselves a few years ago, it proves that this can be done, and quickly, by any County board with a bit of vision. And before the resident gobdaw starts going on about counties being on a pittance, there is a right way and a wrong way to spend a pittance. Any revival for other counties should start within, rather than blaming outside factors.

[Zulu]

Don't understand the criticisms of Dublin or the funding they get. Per head of capita are they getting more than many other counties and if so, if counties have a plan they want partly funded, why don't they apply for more money? While the GAA certainly want a strong Dublin, nobody, Dubs included, want a monopoly.

I would strongly disagree with anyone that says you should equally divide money between 32 counties. Wicklow, Kildare, Antrim and Louth are other counties that should be prioritised.

[Dont Matter]

What is going on here? This is just a temporary thing, the rest of Leinster is crap so why should the Dubs play outside Croker, the Dubs get the same money per head of capita, the rest of the country can do the same as the Dubs with no money, what is all this crap? All that stuff has been shown to be nonsense talk already.
Also the wannabe Dub is looking for figures to exactly where the money is going. Does anyone have a link to the Dublin County Boards accounts? Do they release them publicly?

[lynchbhoy]

Can't back up your big mouth with any facts?
You are the wee whinging boy that's telling us all that money is buying wins- so please provide proof or evidence into how this is done or otherwise it simple proves you can't and you
Are just a whinging simpleton!

Actually if the country was awash with cash I'd love to build or refurbish stadia around the country where teams play all their games home and away for league and neutral venues for all championship games up to all Ireland final (and possibly semi finals).
The reality is we don't have that kind of cash and lesser counties in Leinster want to play in croker.

Dublin has massive population, so are bound to have more players/better players. In fact they have been a bit of a disgrace for decades for not being able to capitalise on such an advantage.
That's a fact that can't be overlooked.

But please depict how more money goes to making Dublin players better or where exactly this money is invested.
I'd hope that when you publish your findings, we could all show this to our county boards so we can follow suit with same template - and it's not just a massive amount of players!

So- siht or get off the pot!!

I think your village is missing you!

[Johnnybegood]

Sensible article at last

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/eamonn-sweeney-dubs-panic-distorts-the-facts-30242012.html

Firstly there is nothing in that article about Dublin's Home advantage for the Business end of the GAA year.

what is your alternative solution to this?