Yes Benny,fair points.I had a check of All Ire football attendances and although the 80,81 & 82 finals had attendances in the low 60 rhousands,so also did most of the rest of the 80s,including Corks games with Meath & Mayo.
Kerry played 4 counties in their 10 All Ire finals - Dublin × 6,Offaly × 2,Roscommon,Tyrone.Kilkenny have played 7 counties in their 13 All Ire finals - Cork × 4,Tipp × 4,Galway,Waterford,Limerick,Offaly & Clare.Each final a sell out.

Cue as far as I can remember the capacity of the old Croke Park was reduced around that time. I was at all of those finals. I can't remember why the capacity was reduced.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 09/07/2015 17:11:36    1750622

The capacity was reduced after the '83 AI final between Dublin and Galway, how someone wasn't killed that day is beyond me, I think they introduced tickets the following year, cutting off at 64,000, I stand to be corrected on that!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8597 - 09/07/2015 18:20:57    1750653

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Killarney.87 (Tipperary) - Posts: 2513 - 09/07/2015 18:26:39    1750657

Realdub, I think it was 65,000. The '88 replay was the same .

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 09/07/2015 20:20:23    1750695

Thats right realdub.Was only a 7 year old at time of 83 final,but apparently it was the worst crush ever seen on the hill.Im not sure what the difference in attendances in All Ire hurling semi finals in last 15 years(Kilkennys dominance)and any other era?Every All Ire final in that time has been close to a sell out.Whats surprising,is the relative poor attendances in Munster hurling games in recent years.I was at few Munster hurling finals in early '90s,and the crowds were massive.In the 1991 final in Thurles,there were hundreds of Tipp fans all around back of the goals at Killinan end.There was no room.When Aidan Ryan scored a great goal,there was a huge pitch invasion,with a Tipp lad in a wheelchair doing a "360" on the 21 yard line!

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 09/07/2015 21:26:41    1750735

Yeh could have been 65,000 Greengrass

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8597 - 09/07/2015 21:45:34    1750754

The All-Ireland hurling semi final attendance are probably up I would say. I would put that down to the introduction of the backdoor. The semi-finals prior to that were double headers (for about 15 years) with average attendance. Now they are stand alone with varying attendance - some very large like Tipp v Cork last year, both 2013 semi-finals and so on. The introduction of the backdoor has probably reduced the Munster championship attendances.

Going back to Kilkenny and Kerry's dominance. The GAA structure whereby we place most emphasis on the knock out competition actually favours the weaker side in my opinion. For example, Kerry were probably two pushes in the backs away from 9 in a row ALl-Irelands (ie Seamus Darby on Tommy Doyle in 1982, Tadgh Murphy on ? in 1983). History says the Offaly and Dublin won those All-Irelands? Were they best team in the country that year though? If Liam and Sam were handed out to the best team every year, we would have to do it on a league basis where every team plays each other. Then the team that wins the most game (as opposed to every game) would be the best. We could then account for random pushes in the back and so on. Kerry would have had their five in row ..then again Dublin would be All-Ireland champions now..

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 10/07/2015 11:00:52    1750878

Pope_Benedict
County: Galway
Posts: 1341

Tipp stole the 2001 final with the refs help. At least their 2007-2015 team deserved an all-ireland, and probably the 2009 one too. Their 2001 team were undeserving winners, and were no better than nonbig3 side Galway on the day, but munster ref swung it their way. Not a lot big3 about Tipp since 1971, but at least they've a nice team since 2007, even though KK have rode them for most of the silverware in the period. Nothing big3 about Cork for the bones of a decade now.

Pope I think Galway's problem in 2001 was that before they even got to Croke Park for the final many thought ye had the game won already. It was a good Galway team and after ye skinned the Cats in the semi final with one of the most awesome performances perhaps there was a bit of complacency. We cant blame ref's and especially since the few AIs Tipp were in were refereed by Leinster men but they didn't cost us the game!!

That Tipp team in 2001 went the full year un-beaten , Challange matches , League matches & Championship.

We had 2 great games with a fine Clare team in the league final and Munster Championship and If I remember we beat Galway along the way in the league semi final handy enough!!

2001 was no fluke to Tipp. That team should have come out of Munster in 1999 and lost a tight Munster Final to Cork in 2000.

We were the best team in 2001.

WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 10/07/2015 12:13:49    1750929

FFS digging up stuff from 14 years ago. All I heard in the build up to that final was Galway would do the double if they could beat Kildare in the football. Beating Tipp in the hurling was a foregone conclusion. Galway's biggest problem that day was taking off Healy when he was running the Tipp full back line ragged.

We played 17 competitive matches that year, won 15,drew 2 and loss 0.Yeah we were really undeserving champions. Chaotic logic there.

Killarney.87 (Tipperary) - Posts: 2513 - 10/07/2015 12:32:56    1750945

Wildpundit,i know that there is no All Ire won easily and fair play to Tipp for winning it,but was it really a good Tipp team??Costelloe,Ormonde,Kennedy,Enright,O Leary(2 goals but didnt do much in career after),O NEill and an oldish Declan Ryan?

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 10/07/2015 12:36:41    1750948

I should rephrase that lads.Obviously that Tipp team was a good team,but definately not a great team.Not for me anyway.Corcoran,T Dunne,P Maher,a young Eoin Kelly and Lar were top players,but there were a few average players also Id say this current Tipp team would beat them out the gate.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 10/07/2015 13:03:53    1750976

Funny, I'd consider 2001 the one that got away for us. Tipp were lucky the first day in the all-ireland semi.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 2714 - 10/07/2015 13:24:20    1750999

I'm not saying whether Tipp were good or bad in 2001. I'm saying they only pipped over Galway with the referee's help. After Healy's second half goal that day, the fat was in the fire, and on the very next play, the referee comes running up the pitch arm outstretched to offer Tipp a scoreable settling free that they badly needed at he time, for some presumably completely innocuous infringement, invisible to many. When you see that on a hurling field, you know what you're up against.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3477 - 10/07/2015 14:57:22    1751067

He was Pat O Connor from Limerick. I was at that game and there were a few questionable decisions. There was very little between the teams. I just felt that Tipp were that little bit better. The All Ireland that was presented to Tipp was the 1989 All Ireland. It should be known as The Saint Vincent De Paul All Ireland.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 10/07/2015 15:30:25    1751087

Some of Galways wides un the 1st half were horrendous.Declan Ryan missed a sitter of a goal chance in 2nd half.Followed by a terrible wide.The current standard is a lot higher i think.I watched full game on youtue on Monday night and it wasnt a great game.
Greengrass,i think that 89 Tipp team would have hammered Offaly in final also.And Tipp were far better than Galway in semi final,even though the scoreboard didnt reflect Tipps dominance.Tipp hammered Waterford in Mubster final also.They were an excellent team.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 10/07/2015 16:37:36    1751144

I'd agree with Cuederocket. Tipp were all over Galway in '89. Angry Galway fans go on about Denton that day, and seem to forget that Tipp gave our defence a horrendous runaround in the first half. I recall remarking to someone beside me on Hill16 as the teams left the field at HT, that Cormac Bonnar should have 2-3 scored. He'd scored 0-1. Tipp almost lived to regret that level of waste too, when they choked somewhat in the second half. Galway lost their heads too as the game wore on, if indeed they ever brought their heads into that contest in the circumstances. I don't believe Denton cost Galway the '89 semi, but imo O'Connor cost us the '01 final.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3477 - 10/07/2015 17:22:30    1751161

I expect this weekend's hurling to be far from "boring". Knockout championship hurling!!!

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 10/07/2015 17:41:20    1751172

Greengrass i just watched Dublin and westmeath, and i want some of the drugs your on.

wexford6warrior (Wexford) - Posts: 20 - 12/07/2015 15:42:47    1751804

I've seen this thread but haven't read one post in it but feel I have to write the following; for me hurling has gone so poor with all these tactics even take todays game in Munster a near full house and no atmosphere I felt was there.I don't know what can be done but something has to be done I can't believe i'm going to say this but I,m going off the game balls being pucked out of defence into acres of spaces with only defenders there wtf is going on

someday (Limerick) - Posts: 1104 - 12/07/2015 18:14:13    1751932

Hurling is a good tonic for one finding it hard to sleep. Struggle to keep my eyes open within 20 minutes of most matches this year. I try my best but its impossible to stay awake. 5 points plus victory margins in most championship matches this year. Id rather watch the dog barking outside to be honest!!

KY4SAM2015 (Kerry) - Posts: 898 - 12/07/2015 18:16:35    1751937