I always rated both Limericks and Wexfords supporters the Best in Ireland. Even with a sniff of success they come in their droves to games and create an excellent atmosphere at games they are involved in. A few games stand out for me,
1. Limerick after 2013 Munster Final, brought back memories of the 90`s
2. Wexford after 1996 Leinster Final, brilliant athmosphere
3. 1996 All Ireland Final, not a great game for the purist, but a Great atmosphere.
4. Limerick vs Waterford 2007, 2sets of excellent supporters, sunny day,great game, stuff of dreams!
Clare and Waterford Supporters too have been brilliant down through the years, the Clare Games of the 90`s and Waterfords throughout the 2000`s. Some of Waterfords league Games too used to attract 12-13000 supporters.
Cork in fairness always bring a good carnival athmosphere to games too even though they have won loads. Their games with Waterford in 2007 stand out.

preddan (Kildare) - Posts: 733 - 17/07/2013 16:39:39    1434717

Oh seriously they are so good that the Limerick county board were deciding only two months ago not to play any league matches in the Gaelic grounds as it was costing them too much to open the ground for less then 2 thousand they were getting

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 17/07/2013 17:07:11    1434765

WE may not be great football supporters but hurling we stand as the best no question about that one

monkstownrebel1 (Cork) - Posts: 351 - 17/07/2013 17:11:02    1434768

Limerick are massive bandwagon jumpers. You have the hardcore followers (about 2 or 3k people) who go with them through thick and then but any sniff of success whatsoever and along come another 25-30k.

I would say Waterford are the best myself as they continually bring massive crowds despite a lot of massive beatings/setbacks in recent years. Even in Thurles last wknd they outnumbered each of Clare, Wexford and KK by 2 to 1.

banner_boy (Clare) - Posts: 1285 - 17/07/2013 17:11:14    1434769

I agree with banner boy 90% of the crowd last Sunday were Munster rugby support going for a drinking session after.
I'd say cork are best hurling support they always have huge crowd even in Sunday you could see it despite them having poor team these days

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 17/07/2013 17:18:48    1434782

Cant really be answered

What about the maybe 20 people who would follow Donegal or Fermanagh around the country why are they not as good as 20 thousand following a team in a big final?

As someone who has followed Dublin through very lean years and seeing anything from a couple of hundred to a 3 or 4 thousand at games I have the height of respect for fans of the lower teams in football counties who support there team

Brianmac78 (Dublin) - Posts: 1168 - 17/07/2013 17:47:59    1434822

Limerick, Cork, Waterford and Wexford in that order. Some of the comments by Hillman and Bannerboy are pathetic.

You can only judge what the support is when the Championship is in flow.

Limerick travel in huge numbers and always will.

Hoover78 (Limerick) - Posts: 865 - 17/07/2013 17:59:59    1434830

Limerick...especially the lad with the loudspeaker

kikfada (Louth) - Posts: 2091 - 17/07/2013 18:23:34    1434848

Preddan...the Kildare one's who turn up to watch their team play! True dedication!

witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 17/07/2013 18:51:02    1434869

Hoover

You prove my point for me with your whole idea that you only judge a support in the championship the gaa does not start Munster final day

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 17/07/2013 18:55:59    1434872

Hillman it is just that i have seen that nonsensical angle you have used with Limerick before. Most Dubs re Limerick are grand but you have an axe to grind, i have seen it with previous comments. For your information i do not miss a game but i prefer Championship games in Limerick where we can have a white hot atmosphere.

We had 35k in the Gaelic grounds for an u21 final vs Tipp 2001.

VS Wexford Thurles was practically packed and i rate the Wexford following but there was maybe 5/6k form Wexford and 25-30k from limerick.

Learn your hurling history before you go spouting off your drivel.

Hoover78 (Limerick) - Posts: 865 - 17/07/2013 19:11:40    1434884

The same u21 team, we played Galway in Ennis and i would say there was no more than 1k Galway fans, the rest were Limerick 12-13k away from home for an under 21 game.

Waterford have a good support but i remember the early 90's in Thurles against them a few times and they only had a handful of supporters in the championship.

Clare in 2008 at Thurles, Clare beat us and had a paltry quarter of the support at best, maybe a 20k crowd.

The same goes for a match vs Dublin when we beat ye in the Quarters before Tipp pummelled us and they was a very poor Dublin following.

Success breeds a following but we rarely have success but follow in massive numbers. That is the acid test.

I have to add, if i was not add us i would say Cork, massive support but they are always relatively successful so it is easier.

Hoover78 (Limerick) - Posts: 865 - 17/07/2013 19:20:12    1434890

Cork

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 17/07/2013 20:20:16    1434928

A special mention to cork fans! I met in pub they said they booked into a hotel after seeing limerick fans invade the pitch the way we did! Said if cork won they wouldn't have invaded field like that! It's not easy to follow teams in the league when your playing weak teams ur expected to beat! Limerick fans are passionate! I've a very high opinion of cork fans too for staying around last Sunday I take my hat off to them and its something I won't forget

ImClass (Limerick) - Posts: 51 - 17/07/2013 20:34:24    1434937

I follow Louth football everywhere. I keep an ear on the hurling and if Louth were to raise their game to play for Liam I'd be on that wagon.

ged (Louth) - Posts: 296 - 17/07/2013 21:15:27    1434964

Hoover

I have no axe to ground with Limerick whatsoever you couldn't be further then the truth I'm in limerick 2 or 3 times a month actually so I know the place really well.
I'm just being honest ye don't have anybody at league games in either code.and Limerick is rugby dominated thus the reason you only have to walk down o connell street and every window has Munster flags or pics.thomond bridge 90% of the time Munster flags.its a rare time like the Munster final when the rugby supporters turn out to support the hurlers in just being honest. u have been involved with clubs in Limerick and all the talk is about rugby amongst the players and this was senior football and hurling

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 17/07/2013 21:21:52    1434971

i don't know who are the best but the worst are kilkenny after they jeered lar corbett when he got injured in the qualifer a couple of weeks ago.i found similar bad sportmanship in all-ireland replay last year

toe2hand (Galway) - Posts: 223 - 17/07/2013 21:38:09    1434984

Cork and Waterford fans top supporters....limerick would be neutrals favs this yr and rightly so but would fan base not exceptional...

dellboy31 (Dublin) - Posts: 45 - 17/07/2013 21:43:30    1434989

I have to sat u found Kilkenny supporters very genuine after we beat them at least 30 of them after the match on the way congratulated us and said they hope we go and win Leinster now

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 17/07/2013 21:44:15    1434990

Does anyone remember the poor Cork support for the semi final in Munster against Clare in '95 when Seanie McMahon scored the winning goal on one hand. Again in the '97 semi final against the same opposition it was quite poor and outnumbered on both occasions. Since then Cork have pretty consistently a good support in hurling that really kicked off in 1998/99. Very hard to judge who has best support as every county has bandwagon supporters. In my experience the best hurling final atmosphere and colour bar none was the '96 Limerick Wexford final and the best football final was the Galway Kildare '98 final. More outside the ground than inside the ground the day. Never saw as many Galway people travel for a hurling or football final. We lined O'Connell Street that day to applud the team bus to Croker before the game.

kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1946 - 18/07/2013 09:03:57    1435021