Meath Fans Behaviour

[Windmill abu]

Congratulations Meath on their win over Tyrone on Satuday. I sat with my family in the Cusack Stand, in what was a genarally mixed selection of Tyrone, Cork, Meath & Sligo fans.

During the game the Meath fans were vociferous in their support and magnanimous in their victory, as they were in 1996. 

I have also sat among Dublin fans on similar occasions, (1995 All Ireland Final & 2005 All Ireland Quarter Final) they were as magnanimous as their neighbours in both victory and defeat.

While I don't believe that either set of supporters are "Scumbags", I feel that a minority of the Meath supporters let themselves down by their taunting of the opposition supporters as they leave Croke Park & their displays of anti-Dublin feeling after the match.

Some of the chants I heard after the game, make me fear we are becoming more like soccer fans than gaelic fans

[The Hill is Blue]

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=8DNfscY1Vg4

The lads start hitting the flag with their slippers when they get it down.

Isn't it interesting to see the low-key reaction to this piece of hooliganism? If Dublin fans had been involved in something like this we'd be up to about eighty pages of screaming indignation from all over the country.   

[magickingdom]

meath fans? anyone remember their ole ole ole against kerry a few years back? hopefully we can fix that next month.....

[john mcgill]

I watched the 1977 All Ireland in an Irish Centre in the US.  A Dub fan told three of us Armagh fans to f**k off home when it when the game was over.  I'll not mention our reply physical and verbal!  However in 2002 after the semi final I had a 25 year itch that I was dying to get rid of.  However as we left the ground we met nothing but good wishes and charm from the Dubs and so it was up the road, Dub fans waving.  I must admit that I took the actions of one Dub and formed 25 years of prejudice on it.

I believe that all big games, which virtually are all the championship games, attract minorities from every county who are not healthy supporters.  During Armagh's national league games the only bad behaviour I witnessed from all there was that of a neighbouring county's management team.

Whatever team wins the All Ireland I will be glad for the genuine supporters of that county because whether it be Kerry or Monaghan etc, they will have had the bad days as well as the good.

[ziggysego]

meath fans? anyone remember their ole ole ole against kerry a few years back? hopefully we can fix that next month.....

Not just Tyrone that uses revenge as a motivator I see

[Jinxy]

I dunno I must be fierce lucky. I never seem to encounter any bad apples from other counties at big champioship games.

[Sandy Hill]

However in 2002 after the semi final, as we left the ground we met nothing but good wishes and charm from the Dubs and so it was up the road, Dub fans waving.

Yes John, have to concur with this and it was the same in the following February when we hammered them in a League match in Croke Park. The worst supporters I met over the last years were from Laois!

During Armagh's national league games the only bad behaviour I witnessed from all there was that of a neighbouring county's management team.

I remember this as well; was he ever punished for this performance? Must say, I would have expected more from an AI winning captain!

[The Claw]

Wasnt there on Clonliffe when it happened so wont comment on that. Did not like though the fans behind the Hill booing and jeering at free kick takers, its the one thing that really irks me about the Dub fans. I hope next time it will again be confined to a minority and the rest of the fans wont continue this. Ill go mad if we start jeering an injury, or a 'bee baw' chant. That is the lowest of the low.

[Tankie]

I love the way a thread about Meath scumbags has turned into the general abuse of Dublin fans post! Should this thread not be in Dublin GAA as it is obviously another Dublin thread

[Jinxy]

I'll be honest about something. The booing of freetakers doesn't really bother me. It isn't something that has just started in the last few years. It was going on back in the 70's during the Dublin/kerry games and was done as much by the Kerry fans as it was by the Dubs. It is usually just the younger crowd that do it and I probably use to do it myself in my salad days standing under the scoreboard on the canal end. SO WHAT! Look at every major sport out there. Any time there is a place kick or penalty or a free throw or whatever, the crowd try to put the player off. If he's worth his salt it won't affect him. I think we expect too much of ourselves sometimes and there is a streak of puritanism in some gaels, that while admirable is unrealistic. Booing a freetaker is pantomime stuff. Booing a player simply for getting the ball during open play is different and I intensely dislike players getting in each others faces and egging the crowd on etc. Booing during frees just isn't worth getting upset about. And the "bee baw" craic is going on for years but if anything is LESS common these days. Honestly lads, I think some of you have forgotten what it's like to be a young lad roaring your team on with your mates. No need to go all Joe Duffy about behaviour at games as long as it doesn't cross the line and become dangerous, i.e. throwing bottles etc. I've been going to Croke Park for big championship games since I was knee high to a grass hopper and I have never threatened anyone or felt threatened in return. People in general these days are good natured and there just to enjoy the game and support their county. Just like they always were.

[magickingdom]

I watched the 1977 All Ireland in an Irish Centre in the US.  A Dub fan told three of us Armagh fans to f**k off home when it when the game was over.  I'll not mention our reply physical and verbal!  However in 2002 after the semi final I had a 25 year itch that I was dying to get rid of.  However as we left the ground we met nothing but good wishes and charm from the Dubs and so it was up the road, Dub fans waving.  I must admit that I took the actions of one Dub and formed 25 years of prejudice on it.

I believe that all big games, which virtually are all the championship games, attract minorities from every county who are not healthy supporters.  During Armagh's national league games the only bad behaviour I witnessed from all there was that of a neighbouring county's management team.

Whatever team wins the All Ireland I will be glad for the genuine supporters of that county because whether it be Kerry or Monaghan etc, they will have had the bad days as well as the good.

very good post. even that silly dub that made that comment might have regretted it the next day. things get said in the heat of the moment that on 'mature reflection' would not be said...

[thejuice]

Well Jinxy,

would you say tearing down the flags was just a bit of craic, maybe i am over-reacting but i felt it went beyond whats acceptable behaviour. I dont expect everyone to be a saint but I just felt to go out and destroy a rivals colours after the game might have cause an unpleasent reaction.

[Gnevin]

So the tar all brush is only used for the Dubs then? This is total sc**bag behavior and if a bunch of Dub's rightly tried to stop that bunch of Meath scum it could of  ended bad. But of course when its not the dubs involved its just a bit of craic and and does no harm , and best of all ignored by the majority of people where is the likes of Laoislad now ?

[neutral]

I seen the lads coming out of the hill and they were loud but looked to be just having the craic, Id read nothing more into it. 

[Tankie]

Its great the way all dubs are scumbags for "showboating" on the pitch but a Meath fan rips down a Dublin flag and its a bit of "craic". Very Soccer'ish if i do say so myself!