Hurling Showing up GAA foootball again?

I don't suppose Wembley would be big enough for hurling?  Twickenham might.

It would be great to bring a Championship game to Britain to showcase it.

Wait until Hurling takes off over in the Sligo/Donegal area and you will hate it too.

Super year for the GAA, IT JUST GETS BIGGER AND BETTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.

I hear the Brits will be coming over in droves to watch it, happy days.

Ozy.......super idea. They could do a deal with a Premiership club to return a fixture.

Nah, The Premiership doesn't need the exposure in the ROI, shure we are all already hooked on it, tis like crack cocaine.

It would be great though if we could establish Hurling outside of our boundaries. Is that one of the GAA objectives?  How many countries would we need playing it before we could push for it to be in The Olympics?

Please Gant we know you don't like Hurling, Soccer or Rugby. In Meath Hurling is not played, there are more hurling clubs in Sligo per head of population than Meath.

But the ROI go mad for soccer....Liverpool got 42000 in the Aviva and only put out half a team.

We play hurling in Meath and try hard but we are probably League of Ireland standard when compared Kilkenny/Tipp.

Totally agree Ozy, Gant lives in a place where there is only one sport played, i know that Hurling is banned in some GAA clubs in Meath because they are afraid the kids will want to play other sports.

In regards to your question about establish Hurling outside the usual boundries i think it is possible byut the GAA has shot itself in the foot by exposing viewers to live GAA football and the sky viewing figures have shown this to be the case.

Poor reply Rocketfingers, I hear you lads are under pressure in Sligo Rovers.

Anyway onwards and upwards. I hear RTE got a nice few quid from the FAI to show a few live LOI matches.

Gant this is a hurling thread, are you happy the GAA allowed GAA football to be shown live? I would have thought they would have got more people interested if they had shown a scores only package at first and then shown more Hurling matches live. I think Sky think the same and their viewers

Only grounds big enough for hurling outside of Ireland would be cricket grounds or the like  . As hurling is far better in summer than winter , non starter re spreading the game .

Unfortunately hurling is never going to prosper playing wise outside of certain parts of Ireland  , ( and the Irish colonies abroad perhaps ), only certain counties have the innate skill to play properly .  Need to be playing the game from a very early age , very few good players have taken up the game later in life .

But the GAA is sitting on a goldmine for TV exposure , provided the matches are played in a sporting spirit .   Marketing mans dream , going with Sky will bring a good reaction .

notice ye didnt reply to this bird o donnell

richters
richters 08 Sep 14 21:12 Joined: 27 Jan 12 | Topic/replies: 8,394 | Blogger: richters's blog
1040 hearty souls in sligo showgrounds tonight,ffs there was more turning up in thurles for tipp training sessions on a tues night
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richters
richters 08 Sep 14 22:57 Joined: 27 Jan 12 | Topic/replies: 8,394 | Blogger: richters's blog
and 100 of the 1040 were stewards who forced the removal of a palestinian flag from travelling bohs supporters.....what i want to know where have the 1000s of loyal bit o red fans dissapeared to?
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that put a swift stop to the slabbering me thinks.....

Can Rocket fingers provide figures for the assertion that there are more hurling clubs in Sligo than Meath?

syt pass no remarks on the attention seeking imbecile he once told me there was no such village in sligo called bellaghy,he is not from sligo infact he is from ballymun hence has got the name on here the hun from ballymun....

IF memory serves hurling and football were played in Wembley in the 60S AND 70S in front of big crowds[friendly games] the hurling was a bit of a joke as players could score 20y from there own goal,

Dont remember the hurling , but Down played in Wembley early 1960's post All-Ireland win . Never heard any of them talking much about it though . The pitch would have been way too short even for football , and ridiculous for hurling .  Like getting Jack and Tiger and Rory to play pitch and putt.

Checked that out from James's book , played Wembley in 59 and 60 .  Patsy O'Hagan apparently was the first Irishman to score a hat trick at Wembley !

There was a game of hurling played at HT of the recent American Football game in Croke Park. Soccer goals were used, no points allowed, only goals. Can't remember what the exact wording the program was but it was along the lines of "makes it more exciting, removes long range points" or something like that. I'll get the exact wording later when I'm at home. I hope the GAA aren't going to be promoting this mickey-mouse game instead of the proper sport.

Cant believe any true Gael would sanction that sort of mucking about with our national game in Croke Park of all places . I trust it was purely for the Americans in the crowd , who after all like baseball and basketball as spectator sports and dont buy into lacrosse which is worth watching ,( and it just across a huge land border ) .

The long range points are spectacular , especially from play , and are high in the individual skills aspect of hurling . And hawkeye is proving worthwhile results wise , even if it does slow things down , but it is impractical on any but the bigger occasions .

db1974 and Kelly.....I disagree. The GAA needs to invent a social element to it's codes ala Tag Rugby and 5-a-side soccer. Whether Super Elevens is the answer I don't know or indeed if such a game could be created especially in hurling given the specialized skills involved. Gaelic Football might be easier to start with. However it would be something I would support.....investing in promoting a dumbed down social Gaelic Football game that can be played by one and all regardless of previous experience and fitness levels. I'll use the Tag Rugby and 5-a-side soccer examples again.

"The GAA needs to invent a social element to it's codes"  .... Is that for real ?

Wixim....I think he is just pulling a few legs. Golf and Soccer are perfect when the body can no longer cope with the demands of GAA.

Please explain what is wrong with my suggestion Wixim and GANT007

te hurling final was superb

Kelly     11 Sep 14 11:40 
Cant believe any true Gael would sanction that sort of mucking about with our national game in Croke Park of all places . I trust it was purely for the Americans in the crowd , who after all like baseball and basketball as spectator sports and dont buy into lacrosse which is worth watching ,( and it just across a huge land border ) .

Lacrosse is a contender for most boring spectator sport ever invented imo. I'd rather watch dry paint degrade.

So you think


http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/enough-whining-about-sky-deal-says-gaa-boss-duffy-30583863.html

http://www.sligotoday.ie/details.php?id=31762http://www.sligotoday.ie/details.php?id=31762

One mans meat , Mikael .  The few matches I have seen were good . Not within a beagles gowl of hurling skillwise , but plenty of movement around the field , and you dont have to be a defined physical shape to excel at it .

SYT

Have a look at the Gaa club results section in the Indo or Examiner  today. Ask yourself have enough clubs played over the weekend to make it sociable enough for you. This is what and who the Gaa is really about not the 20 or so games a year played on RTE or SKY that give bar stool merchants ammunition to pontificate about how the Gaa needs to be more sociable(what absolute twaddle).The games do not need to be dumbed down. They are what they are for every single club player around the country including kids from about 5 years of age onwards.

" investing in promoting a dumbed down social Gaelic Football game that can be played by one and all regardless of previous experience and fitness levels"
If thats what your after perhaps you should join your local juinor B team.You will get all the social elements you want there.

Took my sons dog ( weekend lodger) out yesterday morning to our local playing fields , early , 9.30 am .  Pick your spot in the parking area .  By the time I was leaving there was not a parking space anywhere in the ( large) parking area . The local GAA club , mainly under age , arrived like locusts at 10.00 am , soon about 5 or 6 pitches were occupied . Think they have over 1000  members , and demonstrate the rude health of the GAA at grass roots level .

When I was playing on those fields 60 years ago there were 3 of us GAA players spread over 3 different parishes in the neighbourhood  , the nearest club was 20 miles away unless you crossed the city . GAA spent the Croke Park ( and the like venues) revenue wisely , there is hardly a parish in rural Ireland without a decent GAA facility , whereas the soccer people wanted freebies from the local council  , certainly in the North .

Wixim, I disagree. I work in what I would consider a typical Irish workplace. On a Monday morning at breakfast the discussion is about the latest transfers in the soccer and the rugby scene. It's rare that the discussion ever focuses on the weekend's football and hurling. On a Friday morning people are talking about the same and thrown into the mix is the 5-a-side soccer they played the night before or in some people's case, the tag rugby.

There is a large percentage of Irish people which the GAA does not target. People who maybe came from not GAA communities who were never exposed to the sprt, in particular the cities. A social GAA game would address this. I also find it interesting that people can meet up with their friends, their work colleagues, etc and play soccer and rugby into their 40s and 50s, men and women, yet there is no option for this in the GAA.

Fair enough if you think it's not the solution but from my experience, things like this are one of the reasons soccer and in particular rugby are going in popularity.

i wouldn't worry about the game of gaelic football(its a ball hop from the op but f**k it)man to man marking! high fielding! 20-50 yards foot passes! a dead ball kick over the bar from 50 yards! the physical exchanges! the turn on a six pence the moment the ball hits the inside forward chest! the outside of the right or left foot from 50 yards! the pick up on the run! the feint to buy time and space!

     ah magic!  what more do ye want?

SYT

"Fair enough if you think it's not the solution"

To what actual problem do you think the Gaa needs a solution ?

I doubt the fact that your workmates talk about Soccer and Tag Rugby on a Monday and Friday is of much concern to the Gaa.

Soccer is a professional game played 10 months of the year with wall to wall coverage on as many tv stations that can afford its rights and driven by as much media exposure as it can possibly get because it sells. To the exact people you are referring to in your work place.

Most clubs (community driven) around the country will be involved for 8/9 months of the year with those lucky enough to get to county finals mabye 10/11 months.
The Gaa(a non profit making organisation) has a 4 month window to expose its amateur games and this is provided by the same club players who are good enough to represent their county. They do all this because they want to not because they have to or are worried that the game might be under threat from whatever problem you think the Gaa has. Perhaps they like the SOCIAL side of it.

Irish Soccer has one stadium that it cannot afford . Rugy has two propper stadiums. The Gaa with only its annual 4 month window could probably build another Croke park in the morning without having to even consider the bank manager and without mentioning the other venues they have around the country.   

I am not trying to say the Gaa is better than the above sports , quite the contrary. I enjoy all three.
However to say the Gaa needs some solution to a non existent problem and that it needs to be a more sociable organisation is as I say twaddle.

No offence meant

So you think , the GAA club scene works largely on parish boundaries .  Most parishes in Ireland historically have close ties with the GAA club in their midst . Soccer and rugby do not have that association . Soccer is essentially a professional sport , and the young players only aspire to "making it to England "  , if they are not capable of that ( usually around 17-18 ) they are  essentially cast aside , there is very little outlet for any talent they wish to express on the field . Most GAA clubs in Ireland operate up to 3 "senior" teams  , which accomodates 60 or more players into their forties ( and fifties ) . And their wives and girl friends ( and the boy friends and husbands of the ever increasing number of female players ) often attend matches . Built in social associations .

Went to see one of my grandchildren playing a match last Sunday ( Hurling final day ) , it was a girls under 14 match , there were over a hundred spectators at the match , and after the match there were still quite a few knots of people ( from both sides involved in the match ) still exchanging chat and views / discussion about the match , and no doubt the hurling final imminent . And not a drink in sight ! My club has about 1000 members , few of the "senior" players can kick snow off a rope unlike when I was involved and we had 4 current  county players ( and 2 past Railway Cup medallists as well in our 15  ) with only 100 members to boast off .

Rugby is different to soccer , more like GAA organisation due to the largely amateur ethos prevalent up to 20 years ago .  Unfortunately for rugby , current developments centred around provincial teams locally will detract from the local club rugby scene which used to dominate activity .  Once you lose the grass roots activity it is hard to sustain the health of the game except at the higher levels , and you get a top down approach / mentality , instead of the other way around . The rugby people in Ireland , south and north have done a brilliant job in organising their sport , fair play to them , and we all acknowledge that I think .  But I am not sure their club scene will continue to prosper like it has done for nigh on 100 years approx .

The soccer people in Ireland , south and north , and especially in the north where the initial soccer flames in Ireland were lit , deserve a good kick up the backside for failing to capitalise on any income they have generated . They own nothing , all the clubs in the north spend their time looking for handouts to avoid going to the wall .  Once upon a time crowds of 30,000 plus were common place , and the players were being paid £4 a week ( 1940's) only , which was barely a living wage . One friend of ours ( the first dual south / north international ) changed clubs sensationally and went to play for the "enemy " ( in supporters terms ) because the directors of his club refused him a 10 shillings a week increase to 4 pounds 10 shillings which he needed to provide a decent living for his wife and 2 small children .  Small minded hopped up people the owners in those days .

Other organisations / sports could take a leaf out of the GAA action plan , any money the GAA has earned has been well spent , few parishes in Ireland dont have decent pitches and social centres . And I have been to a lot of funerals ( unfortunately ) which finish up in the local GAA club post burial . Thats part of the legacy and communities involved . Over the whole island .

Soyouthink.......Why have most of the Rugby clubs in Dublin lost their 3rd teams. To be fair most chat about Rugby concerns Leinster, Munster or the National team.
The premiership is huge but has it's popularity put the nail in the coffin of the League of Ireland, which is in serious decline.

Somee GAA clubs even rent out facilities to the 5 a side and tag rugby people.

^ would that not prove SYT's point, Gant?

It is true what you say, though, about rugby clubs losing their third teams and below  Not sure what is behind that.  In my day (a Kellyism, I apologise) most Dublin Clubs would have had 6ths, 7ths and beyond.

Rugby seems to be growing in every other sense, tv viewing figures, under-age participation etc, just not adult playing numbers, too many adults are falling off.

Tag rugby is a phenomenem.

Ozy , I grew up surrounded by rugby ethos children , spent every Saturday at Ravenhill watching a local club rugby match . Knew the dressing rooms well , we were allowed in for autographs etc . At that stage there wasn't a GAA club or pitch in Co Down within 15 miles .

Now there are 2 local GAA clubs with brilliant facilities , about 1000 members each . 2 then local rugby clubs have amalgamated , moved  , both selling their prime location grounds to developers . Nearest local ground is still Ravenhill , the playing fields which I referred to in an earlier post do not have any rugby pitches , and manys a rugby international trod those pitches when I was playing GAA alongside ( uni ) .  But they dont play club rugby at Ravenhill any more , and the rugby interested kids have to travel 4 miles or more to find a rugby pitch facility .  Thats what we are talking about , grass roots versus premium . Ignore the grass roots and there will be fewer green shoots . Gant verifies gradual decline playing wise in Dublin , but for rugby that was largely school driven in the past . Dont know the Dublin scene these days , too much traffic for my liking .

Rugby people have done a great job I repeat , but it is top down driven , and ultimately that may rebound . Only time will tell .

It says it all that there are only 2 GAA Belfast who have a thousand members in each, this is poor cossidering all, it speaks volumes about the decline of GAA football. I think Gant proves SYT's point though, i think if GAA was not su policially minded i.e. Can only play if you are practising mass goer and FF voter.

Hurling showed up "the beautiful game" something rotten.The Irish match straight after the hurling final was near unwatchable.

Lads, I wouldn't have been to too many GAA grounds  What I'm wondering is can you get a pint of porter after a game and if not, why not?

Yes but you might have to pay for it which would deal you and Irish Guy out.

Oh good, any clubhouses I have been in were dry but they were small and quite local.

Nothing quite like a dozen pints with the opposition after a game of rugger.

Does anyone recall playing t1t cricket?  What jolly japes!   Never came across it in Ireland, more of an English thing possibly.

rocket if thats the case(ff voter) the gaa must be restricted to 20 % of the population?!!?  also gaa former president jack boothman was a non catholic?

Rocketfingers , the 2 clubs I am referring to are in Co Down , and play their football in County Down . Before they existed the nearest GAA gound was Darragh Cross , which is 15 miles at least from Belfast . They have nothing to do with Belfast( Co Antrim)  other than being on the Down side of the Lagan . I have no idea of GAA activity in Co Antrim although I did meet the county secretary recently . Always divided city and country , football and hurling that county , some great people , but little prospect of any glory .

Most of GAA activity in Belfast and district when I was young revolved around the Falls Road and environs . I had no club in Co Down ( where I was born and bred and have always lived in --outside of 2 -3 years in Dublin 4 ) . To play ( underage) on a Saturday I had to take 3 buses into and across town to get to Casement,  or McRory Park , or Corrigan Park .

Casement Park is to be upgraded soon I believe , no idea why they are spending so much on the redevelopment for maybe one big match a year , unless Clones is getting the chop . But I guess with the Shinners influence in Government someone has their hand in the governments pocket . Makes up maybe for all the money thrown at the soccer people over the years municipal and stadium wise .

"Solution" wrong choice of word Wixim. I don't mean to imply there's any problems with the GAA or it's popularity either - in fact it's flourishing - I would be interested though in ideas to grow the sport further and reach out to typically soccer and rugby people. I'm not sure what the motives are behind Donal Og's game but I would stand by my original point that a social version of the GAA sports open to people of all levels, experience, male or female, would be a good idea.

I would just like to clarify my original point for fear it may have been misinterpreted. Tonight I played a 5-a-side soccer match with work colleagues, I paid €5 for the privilege. The standard was terrible but that's not the point. On Wednesdays and Thursdays I know a lot of people who go off and play Tag Rugby. They are guaranteed a game and guaranteed a positive experience.

There is no equivalent option to play Gaelic Football or Hurling. To play I would need to be a member of a club, I would probably need to be training or at least show my face at a few (to get on the Junior B or Junior C side) and even that I'm not guaranteed a game. (By the way this is not a problem for me, I am a club member and have no complaints as regards getting game time).

Whether such an equivalent is feasible or could be created is debatable. If people think such a game would be an insult to real GAA fair enough. I hope the point I am making is not missed.

Most GAA lads play soccer during the winter and the older lads/mentors spend it in the pub.

i think what alot of soccer people have a bee in their bonnet is.they are always small and scrawny and are susceptible to the auld elbow.and do u know what,alot of them dont know how to strike a ball and thats f**king basic.

And to think some people tried to argue with me over this, take away the tribalism and there is not a lot else there with the gaa football.

There is no harm in coming 2nd to Hurling.

Tbh Gant it's not even in the top 20 watchable sports at the moment, as i said take away the tribalism and not a lot left but cynical fouling, guys who can't kick and 15 men behind the ball, for an ex player and current GAA member that is hard to admit.

Change the hand pass rule . 2 hand passes in a row , then you have to play the ball . Dead simple . Just cant understand the heads in the sand .

Anyone count the hand passes yesterday ?

Kerry have adapted their game because they have inherently talented footballers , but they would prefer to be playing "traditional " style football --and their supporters are with me on this .

Kelly i suggested the 2 hand hand pass or even three in a row max actually you're right 2 is better and then make them kick it, anyway i suggested it on here years ago and was laughed out of it. I heard a guy use a word with the way the GAA that i thought summed it up, he said is gone and he said there is a 'Rugbyfication' process of the gaelic football at the moment and that is what we are seeing.

Have not heard that one , rocket . I think there has been an element of "basketball" thinking applied to football .  Basketball bores the pants off me , may be a good game to play athletically etc , but when "owning the ball " is more or less the sole criteria , any game suffers .

Any game consists of attackers and defenders , if the game is weighted unduly towards one of those 2 it is not good for the game . Kerry won yesterday largely through the efforts of their half back line , who were brilliant collectively and individually . That speaks volumes though re pattern of the game , but they had the space to promote their footballing skills , whereas their forwards were playing against a 14 man defence often .

The only way to punish defensive systems is long range shooting , sometimes recent matches remind me of "shooting in " which happened before matches and training in the old days . But it is not spectator friendly .

lol as a former player and current member,bird o donnell id safely say you could write all your knowledge of the gaa and gaelic football on the back of a postage stamp....

rocket knows as much about gaa as a dog knows about its father..

It's tough for the likes of Rocketfingers watching the GAA grow year after year.

I know how he feels, I follow Greyhound racing and often wish we could be as successful as Horse Racing.

My father was a doggie man , gant .  I followed it a bit when I was younger , particularly when I lived fairly close to Shelbourne for a couple of years .

Our 2 premier tracks though went the way of all flesh , despite the efforts of some ( mainly Sean Graham ) to keep them afloat . Lost interest then . About 20 years since I was at the dogs .

London has hardly a track now , compared with the old days . Says it all .

Sorry Gant and Kavvie i thought it was a great game yesterday too, happy lads? Head in sand is not the word !!!!

Rocketfingers.....The game Yesterday was poor.

gant he wouldnt know the difference..hes used to scoreless draws

I know Kavvie. Until he gets the auld chip removed from his shoulder he will continue to make a fool of himself.

Lads keep burying your head in the sand, bar you two i would be really surprised if anyone else thought that was a good match on Sunday. Maybe i am wrong and you are right but i called it a few weeks ago and imo that was trips on Sunday but each to your own i suppose but i would ask you lads to watch the GAA best sport Hurling this weekend you lads may not be used to the speed and the skill involved.

i think both of have already stated   that it was a bad match rocket!!

its obvious to me that mr kavanagh never kicked a ball or held a hurl in his life.

So why are you attacking me for saying the exact same thing Kavvie? I think you need to lose the bigoted attitude you have towards me.

im not"attacking" you.yourf giving out about the game in general(as usual)im just pointing out the error of your ways.gaelic football was never as popular flaws and all.the sport you follow was never as unpopular.id say newspaper editors are not happy having to cover games that attendences are in the hundreds.

Gaelic football was never as popular, you can prove this Kavvie? Should be fun !!

Shamrock Rovers fans break man’s nose at wake



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Monday, September 22, 2014



By Elaine Keogh, irish examiner




A family has condemned the behaviour of some Shamrock Rovers fans who they say left a mourner at their mother’s wake with a broken nose following an unprovoked assault.

Paul McGee, 37, was with his wife Dara at the wake of her grandmother Maura Coleman, 77, when he says he was struck in the face with a beer can.


“My nose is broken, I have had six stitches to my face and the doctors think my eye socket is fractured,” he said yesterday.


“What happened was disgraceful and unreal. The can was smashed into my face without any warning and it was completely unprovoked.”


Mr McGee was with Eddie Coleman, a son of the deceased, when a group of more than 70 Shamrock Rovers fans walked along the road past Mrs Coleman’s house in Pearse Park, Dundalk, on Saturday afternoon before the kick-off of the EA Sports Cup between Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk FC.


Mr Coleman said: “We as a family condemn this violence as we waked my mother.


“They were throwing cans into the garden as they passed by and I said to them: ‘Would you show a bit of respect, there is a wake here, maybe take your rubbish with you.’ ”


Then one of the crowd assaulted Mr McGee with the can and when other family members came outside to see what was happening, the crowd verbally abused them.


Mr Coleman added: “My mother had seven children and 28 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren so when the children came out they saw this and they were crying. My mother would be horrified at this behaviour. She was one of the nicest people you could meet and we were never ever in any trouble.


“I am sure there are decent Shamrock Rover’s fans but these were the scum of the earth and they weren’t young, they looked to be in their 30s and 40s.”


Mr McGee said: “They had no regard for anyone or anything. If I had not gone behind a van [parked outside] I think they would have killed me. I didn’t even look at them. In fact when I first saw them I thought they were Dundalk fans. ”


The family wants to know why any football fans were directed into a residential area. “We want answers as to how these rowdy drunken hooligans ended up passing by our vicinity,” said Mr Coleman.


A spokesman for Dundalk gardaí said: “There was an issue with some Shamrock Rovers supporters who took a wrong turn to the match. We are aware an incident occurred in Pearse Park. We were very disappointed to hear something happened at a wake house.”


Mrs Coleman will be buried this morning.

Still waiting Kavvie !!

crowds are up.sky salivating at its popularity in uk.audience share huge when live on rte.every young lad in ireland wants to emulate their countyheros. despite the gaas dismal publicising of its own sports its popularity continues to grow.

excuse the late reply.i was down making a pitch and putting up nets for a juvinile final tonight..

marking

Just as i thought no prove, merely a rant as to why you think gaa football is great, no facts or figures, Sky TV audience is non existent for the football compared to the hurling and this year's final attendance figures down on past finals but please don't let these facts get in the way for you speaking for every young lad in the country.

There has been a huge explosion in female participation in Gaelic football over the last 10 years . The number of ladies team in my club is testimony to that . And they ferry youngish females to all parts of Ireland for matches , playing and spectating .

Ultimately that leads to bums on seats , at headquarters and elsewhere , and the social aspect of the club scene ( drink etc aside ) has seldom been stronger , partly because the GAA has spent its money locally and wisely , facilities are the envy of most other sporting organisations .

My main criticism of the soccer scene is that they squandered a privileged position ( within the urban community particularly where they were strongest ) at the feet of a foreign altar . There is unfortunately no way back as far as I can see , the bus is getting farther and farther down the road with every media driven soccer weekend ( outside of locally) . And a lot of the fare on offer even at the so called highest levels is banal, last nights Liverpool vs Middlesborough match put me to sleep although I was betting on it . Can any of them beat a man ? Keep looking for mazy dribblers , pitches are too small for modern fit athletes  , and when you can kick a ball 70 yards without effort ...

its not a rant.just a fact.facts are that gaa is the most popular sport in ireland.i think thats undisputed.

GAA chiefs must take some of the blame. Allowing Lee Keegan play in the semi-final replay was a joke, and then no action whatever over massive Kerry/Mayo brawl late in the game. Dealing with the invading spectator an easy option and a handy diversion.

Kaviie no facts just  a rant, Ballhopper spot they have to take the blame.

Recommendation for a GAA pub in NAAS in which to watch tomorrows game?