Croke Park - The Transformation

[Gnevin]

the nally stand was an insult to the man. though I used to get in for a pound when i was in college in dublin in the late 80's. you could hardly see a thing.
1st time in croker was 1978 league semi mayo beat down 0-9 to 0-8?.
BTW
and a another thing that day we got the train all the way to connolly why cant that happem any more?

No track time available with the Dart , the interconnector should fix it

[Ball Hopper]

First visit was 1972 Replay...Kerry/Offaly.

Best day...1980 semi-final...Kerry/Offaly

Worst day...1982 final...Kerry/Offay

Anyone capable of doing some sort of trend analysis on that for me?

[dodo]

Funny, in all the (many, long) years I've been going to Croke Park I was only once ever on Hill 16 and never in the Nally.

You'll have to go a bit further to get into the Nally now! And there might not be as big a crowd in it!

All the way up to Carrickmore

Official opening on saturday 29th of september when the local Carrickmore GAA club take on the might of Balla Grainneuailes Gaa club from county Mayo. P.W. Nally came from Rockstown House, located outside the village of Balla.

[The Real Laoislad]

1985 Leinster Hurlng Final wasn't my first time but it's my first memory
Laois v Offaly my Uncle was in goals for Laois that day,I remember my Ma crying watching him (her brother) in the parade behind the Artane Boys

[Rossfan]

Manys the Laois tear shed since no doubt 

[ONeill]

1985 Leinster Hurlng Final wasn't my first time but it's my first memory
Laois v Offaly my Uncle was in goals for Laois that day,I remember my Ma crying watching him (her brother) in the parade behind the Artane Boys

Jaysus I'm sure that fairly knocked his confidence. How many did he let in?

[The Real Laoislad]

1985 Leinster Hurlng Final wasn't my first time but it's my first memory
Laois v Offaly my Uncle was in goals for Laois that day,I remember my Ma crying watching him (her brother) in the parade behind the Artane Boys

Jaysus I'm sure that fairly knocked his confidence. How many did he let in?

She was crying out of being proud of him...

[Doire abú]

First time 1992 semi final Derry vs Dublin. Upper Hogan.

[Gnevin]

1985 Leinster Hurlng Final wasn't my first time but it's my first memory
Laois v Offaly my Uncle was in goals for Laois that day,I remember my Ma crying watching him (her brother) in the parade behind the Artane Boys

Jaysus I'm sure that fairly knocked his confidence. How many did he let in?

She was crying out of being proud of him...

She'd be crying out of shock now if she seen a Laois team in a Leinster Hurling Final

[ONeill]

I still think it was extremely unfair on your uncle. How was he to know she was proud? He may have seen her and thought she feared for him or she had piles or even worse.

How many goals did he concede?

[Gnevin]

I still think it was extremely unfair on your uncle. How was he to know she was proud? He may have seen her and thought she feared for him or she had piles or even worse.

How many goals did he concede?

1985     Offaly    5-15     Laois    0-17    Croke Park    

Maybe he was subbed for some of them

[we are blue... etc]

Would 1985 be the last time a county featured in both Leinster finals the same year?

[The Real Laoislad]

I still think it was extremely unfair on your uncle. How was he to know she was proud? He may have seen her and thought she feared for him or she had piles or even worse.

How many goals did he concede?

1985     Offaly    5-15     Laois    0-17    Croke Park    

Maybe he was subbed for some of them

No he wasn't,But im fairly sure his total amount of games played in Senior Hurling Leinster Finals outnumbers the amount of times you have played in them
Or even games played in Croke Park for that matter

[Bord na Mona man]

I still think it was extremely unfair on your uncle. How was he to know she was proud? He may have seen her and thought she feared for him or she had piles or even worse.

How many goals did he concede?

1985     Offaly    5-15     Laois    0-17    Croke Park    

Maybe he was subbed for some of them

No he wasn't,But im fairly sure his total amount of games played in Senior Hurling Leinster Finals outnumbers the amount of times you have played in them
Or even games played in Croke Park for that matter

Was your uncle Kevin Fennelly?
I remember being at that game as a nipper. It was one of the first games I can recall. I was in the Upper Hogan with two of my uncles.
I remember when Offaly were getting presented with the cup, my uncle was holding me up so I could get a look. I was petrified given the height and didn't dare look.

It was one of the only times in the 80s where Offaly had a bit to spare over Leix.

[Kerry Mike]

First time: 1978 Leinster Final, Dublin v Kildare (dont ask!!!)
Returned for the Final in 1978, and then got hooked and have been back to Kerry finals in 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 2000 (twice), 02, 04, 05, 06 and hopefully 07. So its 11/14 so far, not a bad little winning streak.

Worst Time: On a wet and miserable Hill 16 in 1982, was the first time I saw Kerry lose a championship game, there were lots of tears that day, the pain goes on!
Followed by Meath in 2001, depressing day for all Kerrymen, their Ole Ole's still ring in my nightmares.

Best Times: 1981- the fabled 4 in a Row, followed by 1986 the equally great 3 in A Row and 1997 the end of the famine and the start of the current great run.

In a perverse kind of way 2002 was a great occasion to be part of, to see a county winning their first All Ireland was unique and special day even if I was as bitter as f*ck for a while afterwards.

I just love going to Croke Park its always been a special place, its always holds a mystique for me, I usually give a thought during the national anthem to some of the legends who have played on its grass (Last Sunday I found myself thinking of Tim Kennelly and the great games he had against the Dubs) and also to those deceased family and friends who witnessed many great and sad days there. We are privledged to be able to see the legends of the future in football and hurling still producing their stuff there and long may it continue.