Here's a crazy one, alternative venues every other year for the Ulster final. Clones one year, Casement the next?

Keep all the punters happy expect Patrique who can boycott the Ulster Final every other year it's in Clones but attend the fleadh!!!

Goodfella, Tir (None) - Posts: 1652 - 07/10/2010 10:55:32    791679

The important thing is not that the majority are catered for long term but that Patrique is catered for if and when he decides to attend an Ulster final

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12291 - 07/10/2010 10:59:35    791683

Personally, I much prefer Clones. The atmosphere is fantastic, it's a real GAA day and has the feel as such, always a great atmosphere inside the ground too. Casement is terrible really. I suppose because of the shape of the place at the minute and that it's far too open means there never seems to be any noise in the ground even when it's almost full. All seater stadiums are also counter productive as far as noise and atmosphere, you must have terracing, not only for noise and colour but also offers the option of cheaper tickets, something that you don't get in all-seaters that are built with customers, not fans, in mind.
What I would like is Casement demolished, and built up into a tight 12,000 max ground where supporters are nearly always on top of the players (no wonder some of Antrim's best home league wins come up the country as supporters are hanging over the wire where at Casement with an empty ground you lose that factor). We have no need for such a huge stadium really. It will be full maybe once per year but that doesn't justify this waste of money on something that willl lie empty 364 days of the year.
I hate to say this but Clones is a GAA town and reflects as much on big days, where Casement has this souless feel surrounding it, perhaps cos of the soccer contingent who take zero interest in entering the ground but stand in the pubs slabbering at people who are there for the game. Re develop Casement absolutely, but make it a realistic development and one that relects the average crowds who will attend; but don't take the big days away from Clones, we have enough of our GAA traditions under threat nowadays as it is.

srb (Antrim) - Posts: 344 - 07/10/2010 11:27:04    791711

Goodfella,

The Fleadh is in Cavan for the next two years. I think they should have the Ulster Final in Cavan for one of those years !!

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 07/10/2010 11:27:53    791712

I think the Ulster Council has treated Clones very badly over this last number of years , Taking the Football final to Dublin because they thought they could fill Croker and then threatening to do the same last year, but common-sense prevailed and the little Monaghan town put on a great day out for every one blue bag brigade and families alike ,Clones was fine for the Ulster Council during the dark old days of the troubles when travelling over the border was seen as the safest option. Casement is a happy hunting ground for Tyrone but until there is adequate parking facilities for people to leave there cars and feel its safe to leave your car with out it being taken for a spin up the stewardstown road or the PSNI handing out parking fines as the did last year . CLONES is a fine venue and I will be sorry if it loses its biggest day out.

williewentwell (Tyrone) - Posts: 1712 - 07/10/2010 11:46:55    791737

Belfast being the main city in the North MUST have a decent GAA ground like Dublin. Rugby has Ravenhill and the Unionists have Windsor Park both soon also to be improved so people should wind their necks in. Where do they propose the 40-50 million be spent? The wilds of Tyrone with NO facilities and the God awful weather you get West of the Bann? Sure we would be covered in muck and water by the time we hiked around the cows and rain sodden fields with only burger vans for grub. Yes the parking facilities around Casement have to be improved and people need to feel safe but those are things that can be worked on. Listen folks it's going to be Casement get used to it.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 07/10/2010 12:05:25    791762

Id often go to matches in both and wouldnt spend much time hanging around, dont even go into to Clones Town as i come in the other end.

Therefore based on the 70 minutes of football I enjoy at each I can say that Clones is the better Stadium to watch a match in by far. Great atmosphere and a great Stadium always. Derry didnt play in Clones this year and it feels like Ive missed out on something. As for not playing in Casement Im not bothered.

Derry_ledd (Derry) - Posts: 2093 - 07/10/2010 12:33:02    791803

patrique
County: Antrim
Posts: 9877

791306 06/10/2010 12:29:48
richiej
County: UK
Posts: 583

791098
PATRIQUE......How many finals did Antrim contest in Clones this past 50 years



Is the all Ireland final played in Tralee?


The Ulster final will be played in Tralee by the time Antrim win one!..And Prince Charles will prob be presenting the Cup too

richiej (UK) - Posts: 1430 - 07/10/2010 13:23:05    791853

Just reading the different comments, I think firstly alot of people are judgeing Casement in it's current form and I agree the Atmosphere is pretty poor even when there is a big attendance. But if there is a 30 to 40 thousand All-seater Stadium there should be a much better atmosphere. There is definately the grounds and infrastructure around Casement to be developed and I'm sure that is why the Ulster GAA hierarchy have choose Casement. Personally as someone who actually goes to watch matches and not from an armchair I think it would be great to sit and watch my county play from the comfort of a nice covered seat not worring about getting soaked to the skin which let's face it in this country is pretty much the norm. As for Clones it's a venue I love attending I live in a part of Tyrone thats makes it very accessable, I have so many good memories of Clones. The money can only be spent in the North and Ulster needs a good All-Seater Stadium that all Ulster Gaels can be proud off, stop all the sniping and lets all move forward together a new stadium could be build in any part of Ulster and negatives could be dished out about it cars being stole etc etc, you can be sure however are at these activities are not Gaels.

TyroneUltra (Tyrone) - Posts: 307 - 07/10/2010 13:49:24    791879

Listen the seed of doubt was put in the minds of the Ulster Council
two years ago when they heard a awful racket ( some clown trying badly to play Irish music) on the diamond in Clones
before the Tyrone v Antrim little do they know it will be more common if they redevelop Casement because attendance's will
fall for its in yer mans back yard.Heaven help us if this happens I want to start a petition to save our eardrums anyone care to join.

Mulligan Eamonn (None) - Posts: 896 - 07/10/2010 14:29:28    791924

Did someone not say last year that they were building a G.A.A. stadium on the site of Long Kesh ??

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 07/10/2010 15:43:39    791987

It was supposed to be a multi purpose stadium for Gaelic Games, rugby and soccer but it didn't go ahead, so the money put aside for thaqt project is now being split three ways, hence why the Casement re-development is beeing mooted. The Long Kesh thing was a joke anyyway, don't thing the GAA in Ulster really needs another new ground

srb (Antrim) - Posts: 344 - 07/10/2010 16:19:48    792032

South Africa Got Nelson Mandela

Norn Iron Got Nelson McCausland

fortyfive (Tyrone) - Posts: 5929 - 07/10/2010 16:36:49    792035

fortyfive
County: Tyrone
Posts: 1823

792035 South Africa Got Nelson Mandela

Norn Iron Got Nelson McCausland

Haw-Haw!

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12291 - 07/10/2010 16:46:39    792042

06/10/2010 19:46:21
dhorse
County: Laois
Posts: 6291

791451 County: Cavan
Posts: 577

791133 Exciting prospect
All you need now is for the Tories to agree to abolish the VAT on gate receipts in the six counties and it will become a plausible venue
A little birdy tells me that the VAT situation might be changing in the south.

___________
Possibly - Id say we are in for a budget of a thousand tiny cuts - Much easier than sorting out the public sector.

Omar.d (Cavan) - Posts: 1141 - 07/10/2010 17:07:45    792061

County: Cavan
Posts: 584

792061 06/10/2010 19:46:21
dhorse
County: Laois
Posts: 6291

791451 County: Cavan
Posts: 577

791133 Exciting prospect
All you need now is for the Tories to agree to abolish the VAT on gate receipts in the six counties and it will become a plausible venue
A little birdy tells me that the VAT situation might be changing in the south.

___________
Possibly - Id say we are in for a budget of a thousand tiny cuts - Much easier than sorting out the public sector.


It has definitly been looked into. It remains to be seen if the FF figure its worth the trouble of raising the GAAs hackles for the few quid it brings in, but as more and more fiscal decisions will be taken in Brussels and Frankfurt, that might not be the deciding factor

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 07/10/2010 17:27:54    792085

I can't see an appetite to put large sums into sports grounds.It'll be on the long finger for a while.

northpole (Derry) - Posts: 739 - 07/10/2010 17:42:45    792097

Ulsterman
County: Antrim
Posts: 2667

791762 Belfast being the main city in the North MUST have a decent GAA ground like Dublin. Rugby has Ravenhill and the Unionists have Windsor Park both soon also to be improved so people should wind their necks in. Where do they propose the 40-50 million be spent? The wilds of Tyrone with NO facilities and the God awful weather you get West of the Bann? Sure we would be covered in muck and water by the time we hiked around the cows and rain sodden fields with only burger vans for grub. Yes the parking facilities around Casement have to be improved and people need to feel safe but those are things that can be worked on. Listen folks it's going to be Casement get used to it.

You're beginning to sound more like Jimbo and the rest of the Dublin contingent regards country folk. Belfast has everything else in the north. Take a look at the M1 coming into the westlink or M2 at Sandknowles every day at 8.30 to see the number of country folk who are forced to go there everyday to work as this is were all the jobs have to be as it is the main city. We have no trains, a rubbish public transport system, but still a stronger GAA than the big smoke. I agree that Casement Park should be redeveloped, but why to a 40,000 seater stadium? There is no need for it. 20-25000 is more than sufficient given that the semi finals this year did not have anymore than that at them. The hurling final has what? no more than 10,000 at the very best. The atmosphere at the games is dire, but I accept that a redeveloped ground may change that, but 40-50 million is quite a lot to pay for a bit of atmosphere 1 day a year. As for the wilds of Tyrone, whens the last time you were down? Healy Park would put most county grounds to shame, and more especially Casement. There are numerous parking areas all within a short walk to the ground, the atmosphere is good, and believe it or not we have a few restaurants and pubs that could cater for the delicate palates of the city folk. The ground is less than 1 mile form the bus station the main town with 20 odd pubs to choose from. Good money has been spent, all they need to do now is use it. Clones is far from my favourite place, but the atmopshere on Ulster final day is second to none, in the ground and the town in general. By all means make Casement better, but Clones is good enough to hold the Ulster final for many years to come

omaghredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 3656 - 07/10/2010 17:52:31    792106

Ulsterman
County: Antrim
Posts: 2667

791762 Belfast being the main city in the North MUST have a decent GAA ground like Dublin. Rugby has Ravenhill and the Unionists have Windsor Park both soon also to be improved so people should wind their necks in

A few further points. Windsor park has a few thousand at it every other Saturday and a full house for NI games. Ravenhill is full every time Ulster are at home thus justifying the money spent on them. How many times a year would Casement have more than 5000 in it?

omaghredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 3656 - 07/10/2010 18:15:14    792125

If theres one thing certain, it's that, this upgrade to Casement won't happen

So Clones can stop sweating, we will be snaking up and down the winding hilly streets of this monaghan town for manys a year!

ochonlir (Cavan) - Posts: 4343 - 07/10/2010 18:40:44    792147