(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post
|
Galway has a larger population than Limerick and yet Galway could be playing Kilkenny in Salthill in front of 10,000 -15,000 in a championship match, Galway had one of the all time greatest players of all time playing for them and i could never figure out why more would not want to go and see him while he was still playing. Dublin should also be bringing more. The talent of teams in Munster and Leinster competitions have swung this way and that over the decades but whats always been consistent is that Munster people live for the Munster championship. Its the crowds, colour and atmosphere first and foremost that sets the stage and thats where the big difference between Munster and Leinster has alway been in my 40+ years of going to matches, not in the quality of the teams and the hurling been shown.
Fitzy01 (Limerick) - Posts: 482 - 07/05/2026 11:13:47 2671430 Link 0 |
|
This is not a cut at either the Leinster or Munster championship but the reality for me anyway (and I never miss a Leinster match, looking forward to my Newbridge debut this weekend) there's just no tradition or history to Leinster for us. We had a century of maybe playing all ireland quarter finals, which could be ignored as they were usually against London (1973 excluded) or an All ireland B winner or Antirm depending on the structure. Then it was an All ireland semi when the year started and often finished. My father for example took a long time to adjust to start taking qualifiers seriously, he'd had 50 years of only a semi final mattering. Then we had 10 years or so of once off games, could be against anyone. Then into Leinster. Thre's also always the feeling that things might change again After nearly 20 years you might say there is a bit of a rivalry with wexford and Dublin now and maybe that can develop but it takes a logn long time to match the backstory of the Musnter championship. Moreover we are not neighbouring counties so it will never match a Cork/Tipp or clare / Limerick or a Galway/Mayo in the football Overdahill (Galway) - Posts: 115 - 07/05/2026 11:54:00 2671435 Link 0 |
|
They are only anticipating 5k in Tullamore this sunday for KK v Offaly. This is even after their good result there against Dublin. Leinster fans of both codes seem to only like paying for games in HQ.
Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 365 - 07/05/2026 12:09:06 2671440 Link 0 |
|
There are still issues in Galway with regards to where our hurling heartland is versus where Pearse Stadium is. The same applies to football, but to a much lesser degree now. The senior club hurling championship in Galway is very well attended, far better than the football championship. The appetite is certainly there based on that. Many Galway hurling supporters don't feel at home in Salthill, and unfortunately I don't think they ever will. There are absolutely issues with getting to and from Salthill from East Galway, no doubt, but it is what it is at this point. Nobody's spending millions on a stadium in Ballinasloe or Athenry to bring it up to intercounty standard to accommodate 25K+ supporters. It's almost a point of stubbornness with some people at this point. We'll have at most 3 home championship matches any year. It would be great if we could get bigger crowds, especially for the bigger games. The same people have no issue travelling to Croke Park for a day. There's a buzz about the team currently, so I hope people will get out and support them. WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2794 - 07/05/2026 12:16:16 2671444 Link 0 |
|
I've thought for years that we should use Tullamore as our "Home" ground in the Leinster Hurling Championship. Its a fantastic venue and directly accessible to the Galway Hurling heartland by Motorway apart from the last few miles. We had some great games there v Kilkenny and Dublin before the home / away system was introduced. SixtiesKid (Galway) - Posts: 391 - 07/05/2026 12:57:15 2671446 Link 0 |
|
We have an even better record in Salthill against Kilkenny. They haven't beaten us at home in the championship in a very long time. It must the support from the loyal hurling supporters west of the Corrib, driving them on. Fewer in number no doubt, but no less passionate. We'll have to build a flyover for those coming from Ballinasloe direction, to entice them over.
WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2794 - 07/05/2026 15:22:25 2671463 Link 1 |
|
Tipp fm have them with one win, one loss abd and a draw. Does anyone know what game they won ? Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 3248 - 07/05/2026 15:34:32 2671467 Link 0 |
|
And its not on TV. Which is a pity. Offaly showed enough v Dublin to suggest they might give Kilkenny a good game. If they start well then Kilkenny's confidence might still be a bit fragile Yadse (Limerick) - Posts: 246 - 07/05/2026 15:52:11 2671469 Link 0 |
|
How are we feeling about the matches this weekend LimerickandProud (Limerick) - Posts: 252 - 07/05/2026 16:59:12 2671481 Link 0 |
|
Galway Dublin Kilkenny And im going to give waterford the nod just on a gut feeling mainly. Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 365 - 07/05/2026 19:04:39 2671502 Link 0 |
|
Kildare and Galway I'd say the Tribesmen by 9 hope it's closer and a good crowd am heading to Newbridge Wexford and Dublin all the makings of a draw Offaly and Kilkenny I feel Offaly will run them right close KK by 5 Waterford and Cork with the 3 Cork defenders injured and Bennett putting huge scores the Déisemen to get the win HupLuimneach (Limerick) - Posts: 3 - 07/05/2026 20:13:32 2671506 Link 0 |
|
Galway for the win. Dublin to just about get over the line in Wexford. Kk to just about get over the line in Offaly. Waterford/Cork - This isn't a do or die game for Cork, and Waterford are really good at home. However, Ben does not like losing games so I'm going for the draw bloodandbandage (Cork) - Posts: 526 - 08/05/2026 08:48:29 2671538 Link 0 |
|
I think Galway will comfortably see off Kildare I fancy Wexford to sneak a win against Dublin to lift off their Leinster challenge. I think Kilkenny will fall over the line against Offaly but will get another scare. I think the Cork selection is cleaver given the situation they are in. Moving Darragh Fitz back to midfield offers Downey some protection at centre back when required, but his movement and hurling brain will have him popping up in the forwards as an extra attacker as well. I don't rate Damien Cahalane as a full back and I feel like Stephen Bennet could make hay here. All told I think the Cork 8-15 on the whole are more dangerous than the Waterford 8-15 so I fancy Cork to do the business by 3 or 4 points LimerickandProud (Limerick) - Posts: 252 - 08/05/2026 09:38:07 2671550 Link 0 |
|
Galway Wexford Kilkenny Cork Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19461 - 08/05/2026 10:08:03 2671553 Link 0 |
|
Really? A spot check disagrees. 2015 Clare v Limerick - Semple 21,493 Cork v Waterford - Semple 21,047 Limerick v Tipp - Gaelic Grounds - 31,488 2016 Tipp v Cork - Semple 29,114 Tipp v Limerick - Semple 25,531 Clare Waterford - Semple 19,715 2017 Tipp v Cork - Semple 30,103 Clare v Limerick - Semple 19,168 Waterford v Cork - Semple 33,163 A Munster Final will always sell-out. But that only 19-21k people showed up to some of the games 10 years ago disproves your claim. There is no denying that the greatness of this Limerick and Cork teams in particular has swelled the attendances, but that is just the bandwagon that is in every county during the good times. There's lots of "Limerick's greatest fan established 2018" out there. Similar with Cork. Where were these fans in 2015? Similar with Wexford in 2019, 10k won't be in Wexford Park tomorrow but brought 70k to a Leinster Final in 2017, still a record provincial final attendance. But its just every county has a huge bandwagon despite the "Cork bring great colour" or "Wexford are great when they are roused" jargon. StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2030 - 08/05/2026 15:45:45 2671655 Link 0 |
|
I note that you haven't listed the leinster championship attendances for the same years. I also note that for the highest of those attendances one of the teams were at home. For the attendances between 19 and 21k both teams travelled. Apart from that the round robin has been a real game changer. Two home games for everyone has meant a massive buy in for each county. Even Waterford, who were at at disadvantage from the start of round robin due to an inadequate stadium, are now buying into the home games. A ticket to Walsh Park this weekend is probably the hottest ticket in country this weekend and there are 2 provincial finals on. Its the closest thing we have to a PL type of atmosphere in gaa and people are buying into it big time. Its a pity there aren't more games or it wasn't over the summer. Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 365 - 08/05/2026 16:18:58 2671666 Link 0 |
|
Just as you mentioned Waterford I read John Mullanes piece about the GAA hierarchy, GAA+ and greed. Based on there being so many games not on free to air tv. Unfortunately something has to give between your post and his article. Its precisely because there are so many more games these days that there are proportionally more not on free to air tv. Leaving aside his not mentioning that increased GAA revenues means more money for supporting the grass roots, he compares our sports to professional rugby and soccer. The bottom line is that there are many many more supporters and viewers of these sports, which therefore means more advertising revenue to cover production costs. If we had the same international, or even national, interest, we too could have more games free to air. Going back to the issue with your post, if we had more games, say home and away in the Round Robins, an idea I considered myself, and then rejected, for a while a few years ago, or another AI Round Robin, when would the club games be played? Club is the real grassroots. I know plenty of lads around here who would attend 20 plus of our club games a year and might not attend a single intercounty one most years, unless Wexford made a Final, and the situation would actually be even more pronounced in Kilkenny. Much though it would be great to have more games, it would reduce the overall appeal of the ones we have. Ive come around lately to thinking there are probably too many intercounty games as it is. We have forgotten that what is rare is wonderful. Championship used to be more special, there was real jeopardy, one loss and you were gone. People looked forward to it all year. Money was saved up to pay for the big trip away. As it drew closer, only weeks away now, alot of thought and talk was put into what might happen. Your mate who worked with one of the lads might find out when there was an in house game and you would go to watch it. The whole week before this trip away was taken up with preparations. You'd be up early that morning. Bit the worse for wear after drinking the night before. All the talk about the following day. A trip to Croke Park usually meant stopping in at least 5 or 6 pubs. Some like lil Doyles and the Tap long gone, others like Jack Whites commercialised beyond recognition. Most of our games back then were up there. Even QFs. Almost all the games were on free to air tv. Pubs were full as people strained to look over and past others to what was happening on tv as you watched the other counties in Leinster and Munster in action. This was real excitement, every ball pucked was important, there might not be another game to experience like it until next year. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19461 - 09/05/2026 10:14:45 2671751 Link 0 |
|
Galway by 15 Dublin by 3 Kilkenny by 9 Cork by 2 PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 2127 - 09/05/2026 10:42:41 2671754 Link 0 |
|
I think that you either missed or ignored the core point I was making. The round robin and the two home games have given hurling fans in Munster something to engage with. It proves that there is a huge appetite for more top level championship hurling within the province of munster anyway. It would probably be even more popular if it was played in May and June instead of April and May. I honestly dont know how a home and away munster championship would be supported but all the indications are that it would go down well. My father, who passed away a few years ago, was very excited by the new format. Unfortunately he didnt get to see it live due to ill health but he waa a big supporter of it and either a double round robin or an even more controversial view which I will share shortly. He was as traditional as it got and I enjoyed all the experiences you cite as a kid growing up but he saw the potential for this in terms of interest in the game. Unfortunately it hasn't worked out that way in Leinster or Galway. The reality is that its easy to hype up/ fool yourself for a one off game. You can convince yourself that today's your day and head off on the bus with the lads in hope once a year. Its a bit trickier when there are 5 games to negotiate. I find it very interesting that you know lots of people who attend local games all year but dont follow the wexford team except for finals. Doesn't that tell you everything you need to know about wexford hurling at the moment? It tells me a lot and im not living there. The Galway man mentioned something similar there. For the record club games are very well supported in Limerick too. I see what you are talking about in Roscommon though. The hurling league and championship is very well supported( relative to population) but the county team isnt. Maybe its to do with money. Most club league games etc are free to attend which is a factor but belief and tradition is probably the main one.. I was brought up going to limerick games at all levels and competitions. Most people who lived around me were the same to varying levels( some only seniors and some only senior championship). We all have that in common. I still see them at games today. It was easy for us to transition to the round robin and we were joined by many more who embraced top level entertainment on their doorstep. We brought up our children the same way. It means following 2 counties for me but I enjoy it. It sounds like that tradition isnt as prevalent in Wexford or Galway. That leaves value for money/belief. If you dont have the tradition/culture of following a team then you need something to buy into. Wexford Park should be full to the rafters today but it probably wont be. It only holds 18k afaik so its not a difficult sell out or shouldn't be. Its not for me to lecture anyone on that but it seems to me, from afar, that everyone in Wexford could be doing more. Yere season probably hangs on today yet a lot of your best players aren't there. That needs to be sorted first. After that its up to the county board and the people of Wexford. One thing I do know though is this, there are a multitude of excuses not to do something and generally one reason why you should. For the record my dad's wish for hurling was as follows( you are not going to like it). Remember he was old school hurling but progressive in his own way. He wanted to expand the Munster Championship round Robin to include Galway and Kilkenny. He was open to the idea of one more to make it 8 but couldn't pick one county so his conclusion was that the winner of Leinster would be the 8th team the following year. Effectively a home and away round robin with the top two playing the munster final. Winner seeded 1 and RU seeded 2. Next 4 play AIQFs ( 3 v 6 and 4 v5) with lowest seeded winner playing Munster Champions in SF1 and RU v other QF winner in other SF. I told you you wouldnt like it. Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 365 - 09/05/2026 13:00:30 2671771 Link 0 |
|
Time to tune into RTE for the Wexford Dublin match where they'll probably give more time to talking about Clare Limerick (last weeks match) and Waterford Cork twbm (Clare) - Posts: 64 - 09/05/2026 15:29:16 2671790 Link 0 |