National Forum

Croke Park - A neutral ground?

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This is an agrument that will go on and on. I think that Croke park has advantages for Dublin and there is no doubt about it. You have got to consider the following in a balanced way

You play all your championship action there bar a first round game in Laois this year. You know the winds that swirl around the stadium, the exact distances for taking on scores and frees as well as for passing.
Massive home support.

To counter this:

Dublin enjoyed home support for a good 15 years and never won an all Ireland between 1995 and 2011. They knew the pitch and every blade of grass on it for that time, so maybe they just were not good enough then and are good enough now?
Other counties enjoy provincial home favouritism, so people in glass houses.

Capacity is the deciding factor here. I think that any one in their right mind could not see a dublin v kerry game happening anywhere else in the country, the gaa would lose out 30000 tickets, assuming thurles were used. Thats a lot of money and a lot of supporters not happy either. (Mayo or Donegal likewise. Where would you have the game)?

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 09/09/2016 13:51:36    1912246

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Replying To CroiGorm:  "We just want to get through the next week or so with the minimum of fuss.

Tell that to the person that turned his Ferrari in to a giant Mayo flag or the one that met Ian Rushe off the plane in Knock with a 'Mayo for Sam' t-shirt!"
Them lads are still celebrating the under 21 All Ireland. They don't even know we're in the Senior final.

Llaw_Gyffes (Mayo) - Posts: 1113 - 09/09/2016 14:13:06    1912257

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Replying To Llaw_Gyffes:  "Them lads are still celebrating the under 21 All Ireland. They don't even know we're in the Senior final."
The U21's? They'd want to change their signs to 'Mayo for Clarke Cup' then eh?

CroiGorm (Dublin) - Posts: 1547 - 09/09/2016 14:23:56    1912261

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Replying To Offside_Rule:  "So when we met Dublin in the All Ireland Final (Hurling or Football - doesn't matter which) in the next few years we will get the home dressing room and Hill 16. Now if that's not an incentive for Antrim to get to an AI final......

On a serious note, if it is by alphabetical order then that's a load of balls. Should be drawn out as doing it alphabetically pretty much means that should Dublin make a final they will get the same changing room and end of pitch to head to. Unless it's ourselves or Armagh they are against."
Didn't ye meet (and beat) the Dubs in Croke Park in the hurling qualifiers not so long ago, 2010 maybe? Somehow I doubt ye had the "home" dressing room, although if it was a qualifier ye were obviously playing them as the away team.

ballydalane (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1246 - 09/09/2016 14:24:25    1912262

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I agree with Donegalman that Dublin would be very familiar with playing in Croke Park and that is obviously an advantage over a team such as Tipperary this year that would have little or no experience of playing there, Against the likes of Kerry, Mayo or Donegal maybe less so.
One point that is missed in this frequent debate is that any team from Leinster, be it Meath, Kildare, Dublin or Carlow would enjoy the same advantage if they were to go all the way to an All Ireland final, given that ALL Leinster semis, finals, AI quarters, semis and finals are played in Croke Park. When this is taken into consideration the debate boils down to if and where Dublin play their first game in Leinster each year, nothing else unless people want to stop the Leinster council from using headquarters altogether.

AHP (Dublin) - Posts: 323 - 09/09/2016 14:46:18    1912273

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Croke Park is a home venue for Dublin footballers but Parnell would be home for the hurlers, it's mostly due to the large number of supporters , the GAA want to make as much money as they can, is it a neutral venue when Dublin footballers are playing? Definitely not, but ask any player whether county or club and they will say they want to play in Croke Park no matter who they are playing against, ask the supporters and they will say there is something special about Croke Park with a full house, gets the blood pumping, it's an eerie place tho with a small crowd, no atmosphere

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 09/09/2016 14:52:35    1912279

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Replying To AHP:  "I agree with Donegalman that Dublin would be very familiar with playing in Croke Park and that is obviously an advantage over a team such as Tipperary this year that would have little or no experience of playing there, Against the likes of Kerry, Mayo or Donegal maybe less so.
One point that is missed in this frequent debate is that any team from Leinster, be it Meath, Kildare, Dublin or Carlow would enjoy the same advantage if they were to go all the way to an All Ireland final, given that ALL Leinster semis, finals, AI quarters, semis and finals are played in Croke Park. When this is taken into consideration the debate boils down to if and where Dublin play their first game in Leinster each year, nothing else unless people want to stop the Leinster council from using headquarters altogether."
Yeah this is correct and I always state this but the reality is that our home leagues should not be in that cavernous icebox at Jones Road in winter. Our home ground has always been Parnell. We need a 30K seater for our league games and first round of championship. If Parnell is unsuitable then the DCB need to flog it and build us a proper stadium. Simple as that.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 09/09/2016 16:19:29    1912325

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Replying To AHP:  "I agree with Donegalman that Dublin would be very familiar with playing in Croke Park and that is obviously an advantage over a team such as Tipperary this year that would have little or no experience of playing there, Against the likes of Kerry, Mayo or Donegal maybe less so.
One point that is missed in this frequent debate is that any team from Leinster, be it Meath, Kildare, Dublin or Carlow would enjoy the same advantage if they were to go all the way to an All Ireland final, given that ALL Leinster semis, finals, AI quarters, semis and finals are played in Croke Park. When this is taken into consideration the debate boils down to if and where Dublin play their first game in Leinster each year, nothing else unless people want to stop the Leinster council from using headquarters altogether."
Yeah this is correct and I always state this but the reality is that our home leagues should not be in that cavernous icebox at Jones Road in winter. Our home ground has always been Parnell. We need a 30K seater for our league games and first round of championship. If Parnell is unsuitable then the DCB need to flog it and build us a proper stadium. Simple as that.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 09/09/2016 16:19:59    1912326

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Haters are gonna hate.

Get the excuses in early lads!

I've never seen a blade of grass kick a score. And weather is unpredictable. I've been in small stinky away dressing rooms lots as a player. Didn't make any difference. Players ultimately win games!

So keep all the negativity coming, us Dubs love it. If that's how people wanna compensate for a lack of faith in their team, fair enough.

Food for thought, the same people moaning never defend the poor treatment of the Dublin Hurlers with fixture scheduling!? Yet a team plays the Dublin Footballers in the best stadium in the land, and the excuses and whining start? It shouldn't be in the best venue, with the best changing rooms etc.

Give it up lads. I'll find some straws for ye to clutch at!!!!

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 09/09/2016 17:23:44    1912358

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Replying To CroiGorm:  "The U21's? They'd want to change their signs to 'Mayo for Clarke Cup' then eh?"
As I said it just shows how much they know. As for Ian Rush, surely his ancestors are from Mayo as the county is full of flippin rushes.

Llaw_Gyffes (Mayo) - Posts: 1113 - 09/09/2016 20:30:18    1912421

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F*cks sake lads, just pressure the GAA to build a 60,000 seater in Athlone, bang smack in the middle! But don't blame me if Westmeath start winning everything!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8596 - 09/09/2016 21:31:24    1912429

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I don't think anyone has an issue with the game being in Croke park? It is our biggest stadium and the GAA are right to make cash/hay when the sun shines.

That principle doesn't have to compromise the principle of using the stadium as a neutral venue - and the processes that should go with that.

roadrunner7 (Meath) - Posts: 4 - 09/09/2016 22:34:25    1912449

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Replying To Joxer:  "Yeah this is correct and I always state this but the reality is that our home leagues should not be in that cavernous icebox at Jones Road in winter. Our home ground has always been Parnell. We need a 30K seater for our league games and first round of championship. If Parnell is unsuitable then the DCB need to flog it and build us a proper stadium. Simple as that."
I agree 100% with everything you have sad there. What state is Parnell park in at the minute? I can't see dcb putting investment into it when they don't need it.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 10/09/2016 11:54:35    1912522

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Replying To Brolly:  "I think there should be some kind of draw for changing rooms and side of pitch to warm up. Just to keep things completely on an even par, with absolutely no bias shown towards a particular team. Otherwise, it does become a home game for Dublin which can have a psychological effect."
Dublin could maybe hire a coach and start out at exactly the same time as Mayo (or any other team) do and drive around the city for the exact same amount of time. We could also "overnight" in say Wexford or maybe we could wear barbed wire underpants, or lace or boots with tacks or maybe you could all just F*ck off and get a grip.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4897 - 10/09/2016 20:28:46    1912607

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Replying To arock:  "Dublin could maybe hire a coach and start out at exactly the same time as Mayo (or any other team) do and drive around the city for the exact same amount of time. We could also "overnight" in say Wexford or maybe we could wear barbed wire underpants, or lace or boots with tacks or maybe you could all just F*ck off and get a grip."
In fairness allowing the dubs to use the same dressing room every time is a bit much.
It may not seem like a big deal but it definitely indicates some sort of favoritism,

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 10/09/2016 20:49:38    1912609

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Do the dubs actually get to use the same dressing rooms though?
first i heard of it anyway.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 10/09/2016 20:57:09    1912613

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Replying To joncarter:  "Do the dubs actually get to use the same dressing rooms though?
first i heard of it anyway."
Dubs get the same dressing room and same end of field to warm up in. They also want one end of the field exclusively to their own supporters.
They also train with the ball boys so they have the ball out to cluxton within 3 seconds of a wide/score.

The Dublin posters will probably have a hissy fit over that statement just like the players did in 2006 when mayo warmed up in front of the hill.
The Dublin players also refused to parade in front of the hill in 2013 because there were too many Mayo fans there.

I'll wait for the tirade of abuse from Dublin posters

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1125 - 11/09/2016 04:26:25    1912670

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "Dubs get the same dressing room and same end of field to warm up in. They also want one end of the field exclusively to their own supporters.
They also train with the ball boys so they have the ball out to cluxton within 3 seconds of a wide/score.

The Dublin posters will probably have a hissy fit over that statement just like the players did in 2006 when mayo warmed up in front of the hill.
The Dublin players also refused to parade in front of the hill in 2013 because there were too many Mayo fans there.

I'll wait for the tirade of abuse from Dublin posters"
Jeez, you really don't like us Dubs do you??

avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 1974 - 11/09/2016 11:57:04    1912707

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Dubs get the same dressing room and same end of field to warm up in. They also want one end of the field exclusively to their own supporters.
They also train with the ball boys so they have the ball out to cluxton within 3 seconds of a wide/score.

The Dublin posters will probably have a hissy fit over that statement just like the players did in 2006 when mayo warmed up in front of the hill.
The Dublin players also refused to parade in front of the hill in 2013 because there were too many Mayo fans there.

I'll wait for the tirade of abuse from Dublin posters

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts:595 - 11/09/2016 04:26:25

Classic!!!! I just hope you manage to get 'Up Mayo' etched on your tin foil hat before next Sunday, because if you have to take it off the dubs will use their mind rays, (paid for by AIG of course), to steal all your thoughts too...

AHP (Dublin) - Posts: 323 - 11/09/2016 12:34:07    1912718

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I am reliably informed that Mayo fans intend to try and unfurl a very large (and I mean large) Mayo flay on the Hill, should be very interesting when this flag covers the heads of Dub fans.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4897 - 11/09/2016 20:21:31    1912876

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