National Forum

GAA Pitch Invasions can be safely carried out.

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


During the recession in the 80's I spent a number of years in the US (no work here) and started following some of the US sports. My favourite by far was college football which I have followed since and as an organisation I always though it was a lot like the GAA:
-Players are all amateur (altough Coaches do get paid huge sums of money legitimately)
-Players only play for one club, in general very little or no transfer
-Fans don't pick their team they inherit them through the generations
-Fans mix freely at matches
-Tradition plays a huge part
-And most importantly there is a close personnel link between the fans and the players, they meet each other daily in the community
I also know that the US is the most letigous country in the world and health and safety restrictions are more strigent than here. They have found a way of modifying their end of big match tradition of a pitch invasion so that it can be done safely. Look at Iowa state v Oklahoma state last night, a huge upset and within a few minutes of the final whistle there were 50,000 fans on the pitch celebrating with the players.
In the GAA, my guess is after every county final this year the fans still went on the pitch and celebrated with the players, their friends and neighbours. This is our tradition and it strengthen the link between the community and the team.
Why in Croke Park does the GAA insist on using examples from soccer, a totally differnt type of fan-player association to model it's health and safety rules. Why are they afraid to look at example of sports where traditions can be kept alive safely (I do not advocate any health and safety risk but it can be done safely if the will is there). Why is the GAA not prepared to accept it has great sports, great traditions and great fans and start building on these rather than copying soccer?
Rant over!

onlyhurling (Galway) - Posts: 800 - 19/11/2011 14:08:22    1071909

Link

Up until september 18th i was one hundred percent against keeping fans OFF the pitch as i also believed that traditions are important to the GAA and fans entering the pitch was one of those traditions that made the gaa "special" , However ,My opinion changed when Dublin won the All ireland . If you heard in the lads on the SG near the end of their coverage at 6pm , They where saying that not many Dublin fans have left and that players where still celebrating on the pitch , That was phenomonal , And it was true , The Dublin supporters where absolutely sensational in singing and praising their team all day , not just on hill 16 but all over Croke park that day , And whats more , Is the PLAYERS THEMSELVES , seemed to enjoy the experience more , You saw the team go straight to the hill after collecting sam , It was fantastic to see them go from the steps of the hogan , Down to the hill .. As they got closer to us , the more noise and hysteria roared from the famous terrace. It just meant the celebrations lasted much longer . At 6.15 (An hour and 10 mins after the game , There where still fans in croke park just trying to come to terms what had happened , In previous years , the celebrations would be over and Croke park empty , 20 25 mins after the game , As the team would just go up , Lift sam , And go down the tunnel into the dressing room , And the thousands of ppl on the pitch would make their way out of croke park .. At least with no fans on the pitch , The celebrations lasted longer and that special sight of seeing the victorious team at the end of the year passing sam from player to player

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13655 - 19/11/2011 15:24:37    1071958

Link

Agreed wayno1.I was completely against the ban on pitch invasions,but Dublins celebrations were fantastic. As Tubridy said,they were almost as good as the match itself.However,you had 50 000 dubs who stayed long after the final whistle blew,which is in contrast with the norm.After the 2011 hurling final,the cats did their lap of honour on front of a 2/3 empty stadium.It just looked kind of crap. all in all I think fans should be let on the pitch

TheRoad (Galway) - Posts: 1339 - 19/11/2011 16:14:31    1071983

Link

TheRoad
County: Galway
Posts: 170

1071983 Agreed wayno1.I was completely against the ban on pitch invasions,but Dublins celebrations were fantastic. As Tubridy said,they were almost as good as the match itself.

I'd say he wouldn't know the difference

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 19/11/2011 16:22:55    1071989

Link

Was thinkin the same thing.He wouldnt exactly strike me as a hill16 diehard.

TheRoad (Galway) - Posts: 1339 - 19/11/2011 16:36:05    1072000

Link

Wayno, I know you a true blue fan, and I'm not having a go at Dublin, but I genuinely believe that in Dublin there is not the same link between the fans and the players as there is in rural Ireland. I have been lucky enough to have seen my club and county win All Irelands and on ever occasion the memory of congratulating players that I knew personnaly on the pitch will live with me forever. I don't think it is right to deny that to people, especially to please the 'Tubridy's' of the world who know nothing of the GAA but will be there on AI final day. They are 'The GAA's prawn sandwich bridade' for who going on the pitch would mean nothing because they would know nobody there

onlyhurling (Galway) - Posts: 800 - 19/11/2011 19:03:35    1072083

Link

Only hurling that's rubbish we are as much gaa people as anyone obviously there's bandwagon supporters but that is the case with every county. We are as close to our players as anyone else.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 19/11/2011 19:18:04    1072095

Link

clondalkindub
Then why wouldn't you want to celebrate with them?

onlyhurling (Galway) - Posts: 800 - 19/11/2011 19:20:37    1072097

Link

only hurling what type of tripe is that cop onto yourself lad

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 19/11/2011 19:27:13    1072105

Link

I understand where your coming from onlyhurling but at the end of the day , It all depends on the individual rather than the county/city. You can only talk about your own county i suppose and you yourself probably loved going onto the pitch , And so have i in the past after Leinster finals and so on, Granted it doesnt match the euphoria of winning the All Ireland , But we have been on the pitch in Croke park before , And We have been on the pitch after winning the O'Byrne cup celebrating with the players , But winning the All ireland this year and the celebrations that followed from players and fans alike was something that little bit better in my opinion , In that the players got the oppertunity to actually celebrate themselves on the pitch rather than just go one by one up the stairs of the hogan stand , Lift sam once and go back to the dressing room. That to me is not savouring the moment with the fans. That to me is fans actually getting in the way of celebrations.

I Feel we can have pitch invasions and they can be safe as stats in the past prove , But it makes the celebrations in the stadium last alot less time than if fans where in the stands. I just enjoyed the fact that the celebrations lasted in croke park and on hill 16 for far far longer than if we had all went onto the pitch. It doesnt make me any less a Dublin fan. Your right i am a genuine fan who goes to games all over ireland in any weather watching Dublin , As are other fans here , And there are thousands in the capital not like that. But we are as passionate as anyone else is about their county , We love our city no more or less than a Laois fan may love Laois or Kerryman love Kerry etc.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13655 - 19/11/2011 20:10:12    1072144

Link

Wayno,
good response, and trust me I did not start this out as a go at Dublin and especially genuine fans like yourself. Just think though, Dublin are the only team that are allowed to dominate and area in Croke Park. Any other combination of teams in an All Ireland final and the fans are evenly spread throughout the ground. If you don't let the fans onto the pitch and you are left with fans in a half empty stadium. Would you feel the same if your ticket this year was in the upper deck of the Canel End.

onlyhurling (Galway) - Posts: 800 - 19/11/2011 20:34:34    1072161

Link

whats this tripe a genuine fan who has the right to say that kind of tripe

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 19/11/2011 21:02:09    1072187

Link

Only Hurling

I know your not trying to offend anyone dont worry. Like i said though , Its about the individual rather than the whole county.

You say how would i feel if i was sittin on top deck of the canal. Personally , If Dublin where in an all ireland final and they won , I wouldnt care if i was sitting on the roof once i was there. And not just an all ireland final , If i had to watch any Dublin game in any county/city on this Island from the stadiums roof i wouldn't mind because thats the love and dedication you have. It doesn't make me any different to a Meath man with the same passion for their side , Or a Carlow fan , Kerry fan , Cork fan etc etc , We are all the same and we would all love our team to win the all ireland. Wether its celebrated by you being on the pitch or the stand , It doesnt matter once you can say "i was there". At the end of the day , I've a story to tell the grandkids in years to come. Thats the important thing. I can tell stories in years to come to the younger generation of the day we beat Kerry in the all ireland final . I can tell them about the Cluxtons , The Brogans , The Kev Mc's , The MacAuleys etc etc who gave everything for their county and city.

Like i said , I was whole-heartedly in favour of fans being let on the pitch before the All ireland final which i attended a few months back, But when i saw the celebrations , How long they lasted and how the players themselves seemed to love the freedom to be out there celebrating on the pitch , Living the moment without being completely lost in a massive rush .. And i liked that. I wouldnt be against the return of the pitch invasion on safety reasons , From my own experience of pitch invasions in Croke park involving Dublin games , Ive never suffered any injuries or any sort of crush. But in terms of personal enjoyment , I definitely enjoyed being on the Hill with a full view of the celebrations and the duration of them before leaving the stadium.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13655 - 19/11/2011 21:34:47    1072224

Link

Only hurling,the reason Dublin fans dominated Croke park was because there was such a demand for tickets.Dont forget that Kilkenny were handing back tickets two weeks earlier because they couldnt sell them all.And for the record,I am from the same county as you,and when Galway reached all Ireland finals in 1998 and 2001,ther was a huge amount of bandwagon jumping.A guy I know went up with his girlfriend and she didnt know who Galway were playing until a few days before.

TheRoad (Galway) - Posts: 1339 - 20/11/2011 11:55:37    1072303

Link

the road and waynol which one of you is a real fan a real genuine supporter ? i wonder i wonder

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 20/11/2011 12:58:29    1072346

Link

Not sure what youre getting at hipster.

TheRoad (Galway) - Posts: 1339 - 20/11/2011 13:06:16    1072353

Link

just wondering who is the most genuine fan between you s

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 20/11/2011 14:01:24    1072371

Link

just wondering who is the most genuine fan between you s

__________


I'm sure the road loves his county and city as much as i love my county and city. I'm sure he is as proud to be from Galway as i am proud to be from Dublin. I don't know what you are insinuating hipster ?

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13655 - 20/11/2011 14:32:21    1072379

Link

Im the same Wayno1.Im pretty sure were both genuine supporters,unless hipster is getting me mixed up with onlyhurling.

TheRoad (Galway) - Posts: 1339 - 20/11/2011 14:37:27    1072383

Link

Maybe the road.. maybe..

to be fair to only hurling. He wasn't insulting Dublin fans or anything , he made fair comments and based his opinion on what he believed .. nothing sinister in that.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13655 - 20/11/2011 14:55:15    1072393

Link