How fortunate we are to be witnessing events that have never been seen before in the GAA.
The great Kilkenny team of the previous decade and now Ballyhale putting themselves on top of the club All Ireland titles table.
Corofin achieving 3 in a row, something not done previously and Dublin completing the 5 in a row, a new standard at county level.
Kerry's underage teams also have made their mark.

For all the complaining and reasons for it, it's still a golden age with teams that will be remembered long for what they have done and the commitment required to reach these heights.

catch22 (USA) - Posts: 2148 - 20/01/2020 11:04:50    2261031

Funny we might be looking in a few years time at the state of play and those of us of a certain age might be reminiscing about how fortunate we were to live and play through a time when there wasn't total domination like there now is. Suppose depends how one defines fortunate. :-)

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 20/01/2020 11:37:05    2261044

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 20/01/2020 11:45:39    2261049

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 20/01/2020 13:30:55    2261090

I'd personally regard myself as being lucky to have been around in the 1990s, a decade in which the traditional powers in both codes fell back and several unheralded teams were in the mix for Sam and Liam. Clare, Offaly, Wexford made breakthroughs in hurling while Down, Derry, Donegal, Galway upset the applecart in football.

That looks unlikely to happen again any time soon.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 20/01/2020 13:56:55    2261104

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 20/01/2020 16:12:05    2261139

eoghan6688 (Galway) - Posts: 154 - 20/01/2020 17:28:53    2261150

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 20/01/2020 17:49:13    2261159

I have to agree with other replies; I personally don't think we're fortunate at all, these are most unfortunate times I feel, apart from if you're a Dub of course. Im also speaking as a football man and with respect to the teams you're mentioning, the lack of competition in the inter-county (football) championships is alarming and disheartening, the collapse of the traditional provincial championships, the mass exodus of county players from almost all county sides, the rise and continuance of AFL teams picking the best young players, the crisis in relation to rule changes, the constant restructuring of league and championship format, the silent compliance and culture of turning the shoulder in nearly two decades of skewed funding and resources, continuing decline in match attendances, the prevalence of tactics which are boring, negative, and cynical, external competition from ever explosive and popular sports, the list goes on, and Im not addressing the club game at all. These are testing times. Dark times even. And Im saying that as someone who has utmost respect of the Dublin 5 in a row team, and I don't wish to take away from them at all. If we have 5/6 fresh all Ireland winning teams between now and the end of 2029 id consider that a great victory for the game, but alas I cant see that happening and I worry for the near future of the game. A golden era to me would be a fair championship or a fair 2/3 tier system where we see a genuine equality of opportunity for all teams, as much possible variety in winners as a high standard can allow, and total equality as regard funding, and player/coach financial and social compensation for their efforts.

Young_gael (Meath) - Posts: 587 - 20/01/2020 18:02:34    2261161

Fortunate if your from those counties and are a supporter of those teams. Great achievements but fact is we all only care about our own teams and the same teams winning everything every year is boring from the neutrals perspective.

Not taking anything away from the serial winners...they have earned it and good luck to them.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11231 - 20/01/2020 18:47:45    2261172

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 20/01/2020 19:29:54    2261183

Galway and Limerick winning All Ireland's after decades without. The Hardest and closest contested football finals in the history of the GAA. Donegal winning their second ever Sam Maguire and contesting another. Of course teams have regressed but that's always been the case. Of course the 90s threw up multiple winners and while that's great for those counties it would be an oddity to have it maintained. It's the norm in sport for there to be teams and individuals that dominate.

catch22 (USA) - Posts: 2148 - 20/01/2020 21:16:14    2261214

Obviously as a Dub I've lapped it up and these have been the best years of my life as a blues supporter. But I'd have to give credit to other counties for that also as the most exciting games that I have ever witnessed have been during this era, granted we've been lucky enough to come out the right side of those games but they have been enthralling. The 1 point win in 11, those epic battles with Mayo, draws and 1 point wins, that 2015 semi against Kerry, the drawn final last year - all riveting, heart stopping games and some of the most entertaining to have ever been played. Had the Dubs come out the wrong side of some of those narrow wins then perhaps they may have won 3 since 2011 and not 7 and people would have proclaimed it a golden age for football. Instead a few kicks of a ball and instead it's "boring". It's been a great few years for the Dubs but I feel the gap is closing now with the changing of the guard. But as a blue I've been blessed to have witnessed this era.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 20/01/2020 23:28:31    2261235

gilly1910 (Galway) - Posts: 170 - 21/01/2020 08:38:45    2261253

My opinion is GAA is in big trouble, football is at a very low ebb with poor standards being allowed to developed and the wrong rule changes being introduced. There is also no leadership at the top. Hurling counties should consider pulling away from GAA and create their own organisation for their own benefit

inisfwee (USA) - Posts: 7 - 21/01/2020 11:16:26    2261277

areyouconcernnnned (Longford) - Posts: 11 - 21/01/2020 12:02:56    2261288

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 21/01/2020 12:31:05    2261297

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 21/01/2020 14:10:38    2261326

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 21/01/2020 16:55:31    2261373

It has been a poor decade just gone , well for football anyway and this decade will probably be more of the same when you have one team being given a money advantage and everyone else trying to catch up and I know il get our money troubles fired at me now and we've got problems no doubt but that doesn't detract from what's going on in Dublin.
Hurling has been good in my honest opinion and that's not just because we won an all Ireland.

Johnnyprophet (Galway) - Posts: 39 - 21/01/2020 17:54:21    2261383