National Forum

Club Finals Outside Croke Park

(Oldest Posts First)

I'm probably in the minority on this but after watching almost all junior intermediate and senior club finals and even semifinals I feel that these matches are more suited to County crowds where you would have a full house or close to it with a good atmosphere compared to an echo around croker say yesterday's match was in the athletic grounds armagh for instance just a thought

Sinbin (Wicklow) - Posts: 15 - 23/01/2023 18:41:15    2453771

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Let the lads who'll never set foot in Croker again have their moment.

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1405 - 24/01/2023 10:49:07    2453869

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Replying To Sinbin:  "I'm probably in the minority on this but after watching almost all junior intermediate and senior club finals and even semifinals I feel that these matches are more suited to County crowds where you would have a full house or close to it with a good atmosphere compared to an echo around croker say yesterday's match was in the athletic grounds armagh for instance just a thought"
A big issue at this time of year is the quality of the pitch. That was the worst I've seen Croke Park in a long time and it was still better than any other surface in the country.
We've seen club semi-finals played in county grounds in previous years in awful conditions.
For a final I think the players do deserve the best pitch available. The atmosphere does of course suffer, but if you gave the players a choice I think the vast majority would opt for Croker.
They're the ones who have put in the effort and sacrifice to get there.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2037 - 24/01/2023 12:24:20    2453918

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Replying To Sinbin:  "I'm probably in the minority on this but after watching almost all junior intermediate and senior club finals and even semifinals I feel that these matches are more suited to County crowds where you would have a full house or close to it with a good atmosphere compared to an echo around croker say yesterday's match was in the athletic grounds armagh for instance just a thought"
The games themselves would probably benefit from a smaller venue but every lad playing in all these games would pick croker as their chosen venue every day of the week I'd wager. Worth it for that I'd say

lakecounty76 (Westmeath) - Posts: 6 - 24/01/2023 12:26:37    2453919

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "A big issue at this time of year is the quality of the pitch. That was the worst I've seen Croke Park in a long time and it was still better than any other surface in the country.
We've seen club semi-finals played in county grounds in previous years in awful conditions.
For a final I think the players do deserve the best pitch available. The atmosphere does of course suffer, but if you gave the players a choice I think the vast majority would opt for Croker.
They're the ones who have put in the effort and sacrifice to get there."
Whereas the quality of the officials was top notch.....

totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 912 - 24/01/2023 12:53:09    2453927

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "A big issue at this time of year is the quality of the pitch. That was the worst I've seen Croke Park in a long time and it was still better than any other surface in the country.
We've seen club semi-finals played in county grounds in previous years in awful conditions.
For a final I think the players do deserve the best pitch available. The atmosphere does of course suffer, but if you gave the players a choice I think the vast majority would opt for Croker.
They're the ones who have put in the effort and sacrifice to get there."
Wait til the 4th lad. The Wexford Park pitch was very good last weekend

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11736 - 24/01/2023 13:28:31    2453946

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Has the whole 'sure every player wants to play in Croke Park' notion not cheapened the prestige of reaching a senior club hurling or football final or a football or hurling Leinster Final or All Ireland semi final or final? And also stop a lot of money being spread to different venues around the country. Poor atmosphere in Croke Park when it's half full and a similar crowd in a smaller venue would have the place buzzing. I'm not sure, but I think, that around 2001 when they introduced the football backdoor the Intermediate and Junior club finals came in. But I've no idea, players obviously cherish the prospect of playing in Croke Park but it sounds like veering into the everyone's a winner territory.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7337 - 24/01/2023 13:51:08    2453956

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Replying To Viking66:  "Wait til the 4th lad. The Wexford Park pitch was very good last weekend"
Looking forward to it.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2037 - 24/01/2023 14:15:15    2453965

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Replying To Sinbin:  "I'm probably in the minority on this but after watching almost all junior intermediate and senior club finals and even semifinals I feel that these matches are more suited to County crowds where you would have a full house or close to it with a good atmosphere compared to an echo around croker say yesterday's match was in the athletic grounds armagh for instance just a thought"
No more no
It's one of the best parts of the GAA anyone no matter how small a club can aspire to go on a run in a competition in a year and end up playing in the national stadium
I wish rugby would do it more

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3499 - 24/01/2023 14:48:45    2453979

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No no no
It's one of the best things in the GAA. That any player has opportunity at start of year to potentially play in croke Park.
All clubs first teams/most senior has opportunity to maybe make it to hq.
Ruby, soccer and many other sports don't have that.
Ruby only has thr all ireland Division 1 final in the aviva bar an occasional lansdowne rfc game but they get very few of them and they're tenants of lansdowne Road.
Same with soccer. Fai Cup final only.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3499 - 24/01/2023 15:10:35    2453989

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "Has the whole 'sure every player wants to play in Croke Park' notion not cheapened the prestige of reaching a senior club hurling or football final or a football or hurling Leinster Final or All Ireland semi final or final? And also stop a lot of money being spread to different venues around the country. Poor atmosphere in Croke Park when it's half full and a similar crowd in a smaller venue would have the place buzzing. I'm not sure, but I think, that around 2001 when they introduced the football backdoor the Intermediate and Junior club finals came in. But I've no idea, players obviously cherish the prospect of playing in Croke Park but it sounds like veering into the everyone's a winner territory."
4 football and hurling club teams a year hardly making it everyone's a winner?! Senior club finals had around 23000 in at them, warranting the opening of croker I'd say. As for the intermediate and junior club finals, 2 of the ~500 teams entering them getting to play in croke park is tiny yet it's somehow cheapening the senior competition. Nonsense. Argument about spreading money to different venues is fair but not that significant for 2 days a year I'd say. Gatekeeping and limiting who gets to play in croke park doesn't make it any more/less special for the lucky few that do.

lakecounty76 (Westmeath) - Posts: 6 - 24/01/2023 17:44:00    2454042

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Killingfields am I right in saying the fai juinor cup final is played to at the Aviva stadium??i seemgo remember a few limerick clubs playing there in recent years..

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2209 - 25/01/2023 10:25:35    2454098

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Replying To CTGAA10:  "Killingfields am I right in saying the fai juinor cup final is played to at the Aviva stadium??i seemgo remember a few limerick clubs playing there in recent years.."
I don't think it has been played there every year. Occasionally maybe. Could be wrong but point still stands. Gaa play far more finals in croke Park than soccer and rugby play in aviva and the number of finals in croke Park should remain the same or increase. And if any bodies should change it should be rugby and soccer. Same with other sports and their national stadiums

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3499 - 25/01/2023 10:56:10    2454115

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "Has the whole 'sure every player wants to play in Croke Park' notion not cheapened the prestige of reaching a senior club hurling or football final or a football or hurling Leinster Final or All Ireland semi final or final? And also stop a lot of money being spread to different venues around the country. Poor atmosphere in Croke Park when it's half full and a similar crowd in a smaller venue would have the place buzzing. I'm not sure, but I think, that around 2001 when they introduced the football backdoor the Intermediate and Junior club finals came in. But I've no idea, players obviously cherish the prospect of playing in Croke Park but it sounds like veering into the everyone's a winner territory."
How does it cheapen the value/prestige of making a senior final as the players and clubs in junior arent even eligible to play in the senior competition?
How much money would it bring to other venues?
What venues should be used
Croke park being half full if even is irrelevant. there is still an excellent atmosphere at these games and they deserve to be played in the national stadium

It in no way is like everyone's a winner. care to explain how it is?

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3499 - 25/01/2023 20:38:49    2454305

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GAA has a very unique situation where the most important game in a players career are played in a stadium that is three quarters empty. Most players would consider a club final more important than a county game.

PattyONeill (Derry) - Posts: 220 - 26/01/2023 13:50:13    2454404

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