Fermanagh v Dublin AIQ/Final

[general_lee]

Dublin clubs have won 7 of the last ten Leinster senior club championships. They are almost always among the favourites to win the AI.

There is the ridiculous situation where if you get relegated from Division 1 in Dublin you might very well end up playing your seconds in Division 2 the following year.

Even with less than half the population playing GAA Dublin's resources are simply immense. They shouldn't have more per head spent on them than anyone else but then again shouldn't be penalised for having high standard structures in place.

[The Aristocrat]

Sure take the money the GAA give us, we will just keep our own gate receipts and use that, if anything we should be given more funding.

[INDIANA]

But lads, when ye talk of clubs in Dublin, it's a bit of a red herring. I've done a bit of 'guest' coaching up there, and in places like Lucan Sarsfields, the numbers are just staggering. I mean it's fine to say there's only 1 club in Lucan, but when that club has 160 u8s or whatever, that's the equivalent of about 8 clubs in 'da country'.

In Football alone, there are 12 division of Adult Mens football. Divisions 1 through Divisions 11 North and South. There seems to be about 16 teams in each division, but I only checked Divisions 1,2,3 and 11South. That makes for approximately 192 Adult football teams competing in leagues. That's a huge number no matter how many 'clubs' are actually there. I think there are more clubs in Cork than in Dublin but in terms of football there are only 4 divisions in the Cork Senior Adult Leagues, with 12 teams in each, and 3 Junior Football Leagues with 8,8 and 5 teams respectively. So in a county with far more clubs, nominally, there are actually 69 Adult Football Teams, 120+ less than Dublin.

Dublins recent dominance isn't just about money, or population, but money well spent on coaching to encourage and maximise the potential of this huge pick is certainly a factor, and it's foolish to suggest it isn't.

Hang on a second. Div 6 down is  largely social football for the purposes of talking inter county structure.

Div 5 probably has 3/4 first teams.. Div 4 maybe 10. Div 3 the same up to Div 1.

So you're talking in realistic terms the same number of teams Cork have.

When you stretch that out to a demographic of 1m people. The market penetration is tiny AZ.

[AZOffaly]

Obviously the further down you go the less serious/talented the players are. But my point is those level players are playing on clubs first and second teams in other counties.. Junior teams in most clubs would be the equivalent of the div 7,8 Junior Bs the 9,10,11.

So in absolute terms the numbers playing the game are far more in Dublin, and the relative skill levels still apply just like they do in other parts. If you have 1000 players, and I have 100. Even if we have the same percentage of social or useless lads, say, 40%, that still means you have 600 'serious' players and I have 60.

I know not every player in Dublin is serious about the game, or in any way talented. I also know a fair few who play in Dublin are culchies who won't/don't be interesting in playing for the Dubs, but the numbers are still huge in Dublin, and I think it's stretching credibility to say it's not an advantage.

The money invested is another advantage.

But both of these advantages are only realised if the people in charge of managing the playing resources and the coaching investment are good, capable people working to a good plan. Dublin obviously has this as well, and that's the biggest advantage of all.

[INDIANA]

Obviously the further down you go the less serious/talented the players are. But my point is those level players are playing on clubs first and second teams in other counties.. Junior teams in most clubs would be the equivalent of the div 7,8 Junior Bs the 9,10,11.

So in absolute terms the numbers playing the game are far more in Dublin, and the relative skill levels still apply just like they do in other parts. If you have 1000 players, and I have 100. Even if we have the same percentage of social or useless lads, say, 40%, that still means you have 600 'serious' players and I have 60.

I know not every player in Dublin is serious about the game, or in any way talented. I also know a fair few who play in Dublin are culchies who won't/don't be interesting in playing for the Dubs, but the numbers are still huge in Dublin, and I think it's stretching credibility to say it's not an advantage.

The money invested is another advantage.

But both of these advantages are only realised if the people in charge of managing the playing resources and the coaching investment are good, capable people working to a good plan. Dublin obviously has this as well, and that's the biggest advantage of all.

I'm saying it's not an advantage. It's silly to say its not. What I'm saying is the analysis earlier by that poster was completely wrong.

Our advantage is nowhere near as big as people think it is.

This is a particularily good crop of Dublin players. We're allowed have good teams too. We didn't have any for years.

Guys coming behind aren't as good despite some underage success. They really aren't and that will be proven soon enough

[AZOffaly]

Ah yeah, sometimes the advantage is overplayed. As I said, you have to use them properly to be an advantage. Sometimes I think the lads in Dublin don't realise the numbers are so much more than in other parts of the country.

And the position ye are in now is a great one. Ye don't NEED to be winning minor or U21 All Irelands. All ye need is your development academy to be throwing out 4 or 5 very good players every year, just to keep refreshing the senior set up.

Kerry won no Minors from 1994 to last year. But every single year they have a lad or two that steps up. When you reach that level, that's all you need. And when you have a lot of money and a big population to pick from, it becomes a much more doable task. Still not easy, and still not just going to happen without the hard work and organisation. Dublin are doing a lot of things right, and they have a lot of raw material and finance to apply that 'right' and get great returns.

[INDIANA]

Ah yeah, sometimes the advantage is overplayed. As I said, you have to use them properly to be an advantage. Sometimes I think the lads in Dublin don't realise the numbers are so much more than in other parts of the country.

And the position ye are in now is a great one. Ye don't NEED to be winning minor or U21 All Irelands. All ye need is your development academy to be throwing out 4 or 5 very good players every year, just to keep refreshing the senior set up.

Kerry won no Minors from 1994 to last year. But every single year they have a lad or two that steps up. When you reach that level, that's all you need. And when you have a lot of money and a big population to pick from, it becomes a much more doable task. Still not easy, and still not just going to happen without the hard work and organisation. Dublin are doing a lot of things right, and they have a lot of raw material and finance to apply that 'right' and get great returns.

Kerry don't have to work at it like we do. However they are going to dominate the next ten years.

Frightening prospect for Gaelic Football now with Kerry's academy structure one of the best in the country. They won AI's without one and now they'll win even more with a good one.

Let's see Teo wax lyrically about that for a change.

[AZOffaly]

That's true. It's certainly making it even tougher for us!! Kerry have a pile of money behind them too, make no mistake.

[easytiger95]

Let's say half of Fermanagh uninterested in GAA (for obvious historical reasons) so the Farney men have a playing population of 30k or so.

The Farney men are Monaghan ya eejit...

Sorry Haranguerer!! I think i was put in mind of Farney man's unique brand of logic when reading some of Teo's posts. Apologies to all in the Lake county.

Ah holy god  - you're surely taking the piss? Thats westmeath

I wanted to be 100% but God damn you Wikipedia!! Two options - Erne or Lake given, with Lake the "GAA" nickname.

Just thinking of ones that are causing me brain freeze now -

Wicklow??

Longford (apart from the Larries)

Mayo (apart from the widekickers)

Antrim??

Leitrim??

[AZOffaly]

Wicklow are the Garden County
Longford are officially the Larries now I think, from here. I think I saw it referred to in a media outlet this year, so it's official!
Mayo - Not sure actually. I always think of 'The Green above the Red' but I think it's something to do with the sea Maritime or something.
Antrim are the Glensmen
Leitrim I've only heard mockingly called the 'Lovelies'

[INDIANA]

Longford are called the Slashers.
Leitrim are the Ridge County

[AZOffaly]

Longford are not called the Slashers by anyone from Longford

[macdanger2]

Mayo - The Yew County (Maigh Eo = Plain of the Yews)

[haranguerer]

I wanted to be 100% but God damn you Wikipedia!! Two options - Erne or Lake given, with Lake the "GAA" nickname.

Na, the lake county is westmeath, fermanagh is the lakeland county, but more commmonly just the erne county.

[easytiger95]

Mayo - The Yew County (Maigh Eo = Plain of the Yews)

A bit of a mouthful

"C'monnnnn...you....boys from the Yew County...."

Nah, doesn't work. Same with Garden County for Wicklow - doesn't really get across the reality of the locals and their environs. We need to update these.