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Hope ye win final, good game yesterday
suckvalleypaddy (Galway) - Posts: 1667 - 20/08/2017 13:00:54 2035520 Link 0 |
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Actually there has been a fair investment into hurling in Donegal for the last number of years. There are now about 10 underage clubs & they've risen from 'C' level to 'B' level in a relatively short space of time. More counties should be endeavouring to do the same instead of putting all eggs in one basket.
keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 20/08/2017 14:48:05 2035545 Link 0 |
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Time to revamp championship with 4 groups of 4 BartMcQueen (Cork) - Posts: 196 - 20/08/2017 15:17:44 2035554 Link 0 |
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I am afraid calling this a "competition" could have you done under the trade descriptions act. arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4895 - 20/08/2017 16:40:22 2035590 Link 0 |
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No need to be so glib. Back in 2001 Wexford and Limerick played in the U21 Final in Thurles and there was 32,000 people at the game. A year later Galway and Lk played in the final with LK going for 3 in a row. There 20,000 at the game and Martin Brehony, a Galway mam himself, was scathing of how poorly Galway were supported that day. He claimed there was about 1,000 people at the final from Galway and that when they played in the senior finalthe previous there was savage demand for tickets in GY but the same people were now making a very poor attempt to support the U21s.
Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4317 - 20/08/2017 17:35:00 2035623 Link 0 |
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Similar in 2010, Galway fans just don't like travelling to Thurles.
Killarney.87 (Tipperary) - Posts: 2513 - 20/08/2017 18:13:13 2035646 Link 0 |
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What is the problem as it is if Galway were allowed into Leinster. We had fine do or die games in both provinces with the Cork /Waterford, Limerick/Cork, Kilkenny Westmeatd, KK/Dublin and Galway / Limerick games outstanding this year. By contrast the Munster Senior Championship under the back door system is little more than a joke with the winners routinely knocked in the All Ireland semi final and the more serious Munster challengers almost invariably coming from the ranks of the 'losers'. Anyway having won 10 U21 All Irelands since 1972 Galway seem to be doing OK under the present system Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4317 - 20/08/2017 18:45:20 2035664 Link 0 |
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I honestly hope that this does happen, as the current system of Galway going straight into an All Ireland semi final is absolutely ridiculous, not to mention hard on their players who spend months training for one mach against battle hardened teams. That is actually a very good Galway U-21 team, and I have no doubt that had they come through a Leinster championship that it may have been enough to get them over the line last Saturday. However good luck to Limerick, they're a very impressive outfit, and it should be a great final against Kilkenny. I actually agree with Eddie Brennan though in that an open draw at U-21 level would be a far better idea, or even four groups of four teams, with the top two going through to the quarter finals. We are far too wedded to the provincial championships in this country, and while it's very hard to ever see an open draw or champions league style format at senior level, there is absolutely no harm in trying it out at underage levels.
gilly0512 (Galway) - Posts: 1176 - 21/08/2017 10:44:45 2035876 Link 0 |
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The reason Galway have a poor support compared to Leinster and Munster champions is the momentum these clubs have coming through a number of tough and entertaining games while Galway wait out in the cold. One Under 21 game between summer of last year and next summer. Crazy stuff. loughreajoe (Galway) - Posts: 5 - 21/08/2017 11:22:06 2035900 Link 0 |
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Wouldn't blame them in 2010 anyway. That had all the hallmarks beforehand of a "lambs to the slaughter" event. Most fans were expecting the 20+ points defeat they got though obviously hoping for something better.
PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1902 - 21/08/2017 14:14:41 2036030 Link 0 |
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32000 is some attendance for a stand alone u21 match. Our u21 record might be v Wex in '96 too? They were senior champs, and we knew we were going to win it! In contrast, '01, '10, '16 (to name just 3) were practically nailed on to lose imo, and I'd say less would travel then in all honesty. Contrary to popular opinion, we're not starved of hurling successes between minor u21 senior & club in Galway, so the casual hurling fan possibly doesn't feel the need to show for every little tittle tattle dogfight. These casual fans have all been replaced by diehards, this week and next, for the senior tickets scramble.
Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3410 - 21/08/2017 15:12:43 2036066 Link 0 |
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Well I was at the semi when Galway played Wexford in 2002 and Galway absolutely destroyed the Model men, with Farragher giving an absolute star performance on the day. However they were unbelievably flat and had very support in the final.
Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4317 - 21/08/2017 15:48:22 2036096 Link 0 |
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Did Galway not beat Dublin last and play against Waterford in the Final
Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4317 - 21/08/2017 15:52:30 2036101 Link 0 |
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, so the casual hurling fan possibly doesn't feel the need to show for every little tittle tattle dogfight. janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 21/08/2017 17:58:57 2036141 Link 0 |
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I was at the 2002 final, but didn't sign any papers to prove it, or to prove my allegiance either, so how lads establish with some apparent degree of confidence how many of each county's supporters show at games is beyond me. Wouldn't want to be colour blind for that job I'd say! I rarely wear a hat! Venue is a factor for Galway fans. It could be a 130-230km at upper end trip (yes, I did check the distance from Clifden!!). This Bord Gáis business with Thurles is BS. The venues for semis and finals should be moved about. Tipperary should not get home venue for a semi or final. It's not the '17 senior all-ireland backdoor we're talking about here!! And three more reasons why people don't bother going imo is .....T.....G.....4. There is a cohort that want to see it, but will settle for telly ahead of a big 'road trip', especially to Thurles. If it wasn't on TV, more fans would go to this type of game imo. Same applies with club games in winter/spring imo.
Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3410 - 21/08/2017 19:07:01 2036156 Link 1 |
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Maybe play the Ulster U-21 a little earlier and then put the champions into the early rounds of Leinster. Yes, that would mean one provincial championship would then feed directly into another, but the Christy Ring Cup currently feeds into the Leinster Championship. And no, Leinster would probably say no. Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1029 - 21/08/2017 20:04:26 2036164 Link 0 |
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Oh come on now.Its not by any stretch of the imagination a "massive" competition.
Condorman (Dublin) - Posts: 983 - 21/08/2017 20:09:22 2036165 Link 0 |
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Well in fairness I was at the 2002 final and I was there last Saturday evening and the Galway support seemed very small on both occasions. I do not for one minute believe that Martin Brehony would have been so critical of his fellow Galwegians if he did not think there was merit in what he was saying. I take your point about Clifden, but large swathes of hurling mad East Galway are nearer to Thurles that parts of West Limerick and I saw quite a few from there in Semple on Saturday. My point about the Senior Championship is that several Munster Champions since 2008 have failed to progress beyond the semi final stage. Tipp (2008 and 2015) , Cork (2014 and 2017), Limerick (2013) and Waterford (2010) come to mind. I feel at this stage winning the Munster Final at senior level could be seen as a poisoned chalice.
Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4317 - 21/08/2017 20:39:11 2036174 Link 0 |
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I absolutely agree with you that Thurles should not be the automatic venue for U21 Semi Finals or finals. If Galway had qualified for the Final the same year as Antrim the game would still have to be played in Thurles. Utterly insane. And yes it was absurd that Galway had to play Tipp there in 2010.
Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4317 - 21/08/2017 21:24:31 2036189 Link 0 |
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Well whatever, it is not that easily won. No Leinster county outside of KK has won an Under 21 All Ireland in hurling in over fifty years and Wexford is the county that won it then.
Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4317 - 21/08/2017 21:26:49 2036191 Link 0 |