Christy Ring

[stevecw]

After listening to our local stations sports roundup an hour ago. They were talking to Carlow co board chairman & to Jim Greene the Hurling manager.
As it stands the game will go ahead on Friday night in croker. Chairman was saying they were given 2 options, either play in Friday evening in croke pk or sat evening in Portlaoise. He said Carlow wanted to play sat night in Portlaoise & put this to Westmeath who wouldnt agree. Westmeath seem to want it on Friday evening for some reason. So looks like thats it 7.30 Fri evening in front of about 250 people : (

Jim Greene the manager was really angry about the treatment of Carlow & W'mth. Like some of us have said already here, originally these games were meant to go before the AI semis, and 2nd half would be in front of a huge crowd. He was raging that even though we are the 2 teams most likely to break into the top tier, we are being treated like crap. The fact the final, is 6 days after the semi is also not fair. He rightly said would this happen to Kilkenny, Tipp or Cork or any top tier side. Put them out 3 weeks in a row & then play their AI final less than a week later.

Also he made a great point about Carlows last 3 weeks. We've been away to Down 3 weeks ago, to Kerry 2 weeks ago, to Mayo last sat & now have to try get to Croke park during one of the busiest evenings of the year on a Friday night of a bank holiday weekend.
Its tough enough for the team, but for us supporters its just being downright cruel. Ok we accept we were unlucky with the fixtures being drawn so far away the last couple of weeks. But at least for the final we thought we'd get a sat or sunday day out in croker before a big game, and be live on tv.
But no big game on after us and no live tv. And the gaa with all their sh!te talk about promoting hurling in the weaker counties! Yeah right!

[AZOffaly]

It's an absolute disgrace. I can't believe the GAA are doing this. And why is the Rackard Cup afforded the honour of playing before the other football games?

This decision beggers belief, and I'm amazed that Westmeath wouldn't prefer a Saturday night fixture. Maybe they just want to play in Croker, which is fair enough, but next Friday is crazy, crazy timing.

[stevecw]

It's an absolute disgrace. I can't believe the GAA are doing this. And why is the Rackard Cup afforded the honour of playing before the other football games?

This decision beggers belief, and I'm amazed that Westmeath wouldn't prefer a Saturday night fixture. Maybe they just want to play in Croker, which is fair enough, but next Friday is crazy, crazy timing.

Its madness, i dont understand what the hell the GAA were thinking.
Im kind of amazed that its true that Westmeath would rather the Friday croker game than the sat Portlaoise option tho. Especially after Johnny Dooley came out straight after the fixture was announced to say "I'm disgusted, it's a joke; it's unbelievable to think that they (the CCCC) would even consider putting it on a Friday night. The place is going to be empty and it beggars belief why they'd do something like this. I'm depressed over it."

But according to our co chairman while we wanted the sat game, westmeath said no..so who knows really.
I really hope it is taken away from Friday night, that would just be a horrible time & place to hold what is a fairly big game. The winner of this would fancy taking Laois next day out & if they win that will be in proper All ireland next year.
Its not as if its a total joke of a competetion between total no-hopers.

[Rossfan]

This beggars belief and is basically saying the Ring Cup is only an irrelevant sideshow.
Surely to God they could have given the counties the option of playing it on Bank holiday Monday along with the Rackard Cup.
Disgusted with this fixture.

[neilthemac]

is it to do with Westmeath having senior games the following weekend and just wanting to get this game out of the way??

madness

[stevecw]

is it to do with Westmeath having senior games the following weekend and just wanting to get this game out of the way??

madness

Its certainly not for that reason. If Westmeath win the game this wkend, they have to play Laois the following weekend in a promotion/relegation play off to see who plays senior & Christy Ring next year. So that cant be a reason.
Its very odd if true that westmeath would rather a friday game in an empty croker than a sat evening game with 2 or 3 thousand at it in Portlaoise. Can imagine that Sat evening, there wud be a good atmosphere in a smaller ground. Sat evening would suit so many more people + its half way between Carlow & Westmeath.
Thats only what our co chairman said this evening, he sounded convincing, but why would that benefit westmeath or anyone?
Sat evening in Portlaoise has to be the way to go, tv or no tv.

[magpie seanie]

This is an absolute disgrace. Whoever is responsible for this should be bloody well ashamed of themselves. Unbelievable.

[Lecale2]

Disgraceful decision.

A couple of years ago the Ring final was live on RTE before one of theAll Ireland  hurling semi final. Why can't they return to that arrangement?

[EddieMerx]

Shocking decision, these guys have trained every bit as hard as the bigger counties only to be rewarded like this!!! Why the hell should these guys from Westmeath and Carlow put the effort in when it's quite clear the GAA doesn't give a toss...

[Craigyhill Terror]

According to the GAA, both counties were offered the chance to play the game at Croke Park before Dublin's football quarter-final the following week, and both refused

[magpie seanie]

Just read that. Why would they have refused? That puts a different slant on things.

[hurl4ever]

just read that myself, that puts things in perspective abit....however still feel that the rackard and ring finals should be played before the all ireland hurling semi finals and the tommy murphy cup played before one of the all ireland football semi finals. although to play the match before the dublin quarter final would have been a great opportunity for the players to play in front of a big crowd at croke park, around the last 15 minutes of there match the stadium would be nearly full.

people talk about the minor semi finals played prior to hurling semi finals, however there are triple headers at croke park over the weekend whats the problem having triple headers on all ireland semi day.....minor semi, ring/rackard final then the senior semi final??? keep the hurling matches together and the football together....sounds the more sensible answer.

[EddieMerx]

Could be a ticket issue?? With the Dubs in action they are probably likely to get limited tickets although I doubt there would be big demand in both counties anyway

[plain and simple]

i agree totally with hurl4ever point on having a triple header-this could and should have been done. the treatment of the christy ring goes to show that an elitest attitude is emerging more and more in the gaa-if it don't make money, throw it out.

[slow corner back]

Indiana is regularly posting on here about a cabal at the top of the GAA who wish to keep the hurling as an elite game for three or four counties. At first I thought he was talking through his hat but the more you look at this decision and some of the others taken to "promote" the game you do begin to think he has a point.