ormondbannerman
County: Clare
Posts: 2832

1268403
09/2012 10:53:26
mikeyjoe
The fans should be allowed on the pitch. The GAA is a grassroots, community sport where the fans are part of the organization. The fans have been rooting for the Mayo and Donegal players since they first picked up a ball all the way through many levels of underage, minors, seniors up to the AI Final.
I hope this is changed. Fans going on the pitch is not the end of the world.

The GAA is a grassroots, community sport where the fans are a major part of the organisation but that isnt good enough a reason for fans to invade the pitch after games. Their is potential for dangerous situations to develop if the pitch is invaded. The fans have been rooting for the players through all the many levels of play but that still isnt enough of a reason for fans to enter the pitch.
The time after the final whistle should be left to the players, both those on the winning and losing sides.
No pitch invasions means the players on the winning sides can celebrate with their teammates directly after the final whistle. The players on the losing side dont have to worry about thousands of supporters from the winning county running through them maybe giving them abuse or worse.
The supporters have plenty of time to celebrate with the players(the next 12 months). the time directly after the final whistle should be left to the 15 players on the pitch, the other 15-20 squad members and all the backroom staff who helped the team get into the position to win the game


I can see the players and backroom staff to celebrate on the field and giving the loosing side a chance to get off the field is a valid reason. Right now that is the only reason I see. By the safety issue, the stands are more dangerous. Someone mentioned the Hillsborough tragedy; that happened b/c of overcrowding in the stands not b/c of a pitch invasion.

mikeyjoe (USA) - Posts: 415 - 19/09/2012 11:12:43    1268812

By the safety issue, the stands are more dangerous. Someone mentioned the Hillsborough tragedy; that happened b/c of overcrowding in the stands not b/c of a pitch invasion.

It was not the stands or terrace that caused the Hillsborough tragedy, it was overcrowding. That is not an issue in Croke Park and people staying in the stands is much safer than all piling on to the pitch at the same time.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5029 - 19/09/2012 11:21:10    1268816

DUB1
County: Dublin
Posts: 4144

1267347 Just look at how the Dubs were allowed to celebrate last year. They remained on the pitch long after they lifted sam. They ran to the hill and and done a lap of honour. for the fans. If they had the barriers down this time the players would be on the pitch no lent of time and celebrations would be short lived. Would it not be nice to keep them up and for whoever wins cherish the moment for how long it lasts...

well said dub1 totally agreewith you..

dubbydave. (Dublin) - Posts: 3927 - 19/09/2012 12:30:29    1268864

ormondbannerman
County: Clare
Posts: 2832

1267881
BettystownRoyal
I don't see why not, the celebrations at the ulster final were grand and almost every other pitch except croke park gets invaded after finals. this lark of not selling the first 3 rows in croke park for the matches prior to the final is a load of rubbish. there are a few thousand people sitting in the upper tiers who could be in the front rows for those games and there isn't even a risk of invasion. the leinster final is the only game you can justify doing that unless it sells out.
Fans dont need to be on the pitch. Its better for the players(mainly those who lose in games) for the supporters to stay in their seats and not enter the pitch at the final whistle. I know its traditional for pitch invasions to happen but the damage to pitches after pitch iinvasions and the potential of crushes etc when supporters leave a much smaller number of exits means they should be outlawed.

_____________________________________

ehhhh maybe in other sports where the players are seen as beoing above the fans and too important to mingle with them on the pitch yes. as i said it happens at every club final and all the other provincial finals except maybe munster as that had hardly anybody there.

i ran onto croke park with 20,000 other meath fans after a late win over louth. i was one of the last to leave and the pitch looked fairly perfect to me.if i was a player i'd want a pitch invasion and it's easy for you to find space to console yourself if you are on the loosing team. the louth players were given plenty of space by the meath fans after the final. google image it and see for yourself.

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 19/09/2012 16:14:41    1269102

For me, this debate was put to bed on Sunday and huge credit has to to the The GAA and the supporters for making the after match celebrations on the pitch the success they were.

Watching the team taking Sam to all four corners, the huge crowds staying to applaud them, the team group photos with players chioldren , McG's young fella taking a penalty at Durkan & the sight of Mark & Martin McHugh embracing were all highlights of the day for me and the only reason I saw them was because I stayed in my place and allowed it to happen.
Another important factor was that it allowed the Mayo players a bit of space to come to terms with things rather than being engulfed in a sea of celebrating Donegal people.

I wasn't sure about this topic before Sunday, I am now.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5029 - 25/09/2012 15:15:52    1272513

19/09/2012 16:14:41
BettystownRoyal
ehhhh maybe in other sports where the players are seen as beoing above the fans and too important to mingle with them on the pitch yes. as i said it happens at every club final and all the other provincial finals except maybe munster as that had hardly anybody there.

i ran onto croke park with 20,000 other meath fans after a late win over louth. i was one of the last to leave and the pitch looked fairly perfect to me.if i was a player i'd want a pitch invasion and it's easy for you to find space to console yourself if you are on the loosing team. the louth players were given plenty of space by the meath fans after the final. google image it and see for yourself.
What sports are you bull******** about in your first sentence?
There is many reasons why pitch invasions shouldnt be let happen from the condition of the pitch, to concerns about how way more people use certain exits than they should be.
If you lose,(note the spelling of the word....) you dont need thousands running nearly through you or on top of you so they can get to their countymen.
Let the winning players celebrate with each other and their management team in the moments after the final whistle. The players, management did the work and deserve the moments after the whistle to themselves. The fans can celebrate with the players in the days/weeks after the game

25/09/2012 15:15:52
MuckrossHead
For me, this debate was put to bed on Sunday and huge credit has to to the The GAA and the supporters for making the after match celebrations on the pitch the success they were.

Watching the team taking Sam to all four corners, the huge crowds staying to applaud them, the team group photos with players chioldren , McG's young fella taking a penalty at Durkan & the sight of Mark & Martin McHugh embracing were all highlights of the day for me and the only reason I saw them was because I stayed in my place and allowed it to happen.
Another important factor was that it allowed the Mayo players a bit of space to come to terms with things rather than being engulfed in a sea of celebrating Donegal people.

I wasn't sure about this topic before Sunday, I am now.
+1. totally agree with this post.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 25/09/2012 15:30:34    1272524

I agree 100% with Muckrosshead, the fact that no supporters are allowed on the pitch now makes the celebrations for the players far more enjoyable. Yes it was great to be able to run out onto the pitch, but it literally caused chaos for both players and fans alike. I think it is brilliant that the players can now remain out on the pitch for as long as they want, taking in what is probably the greatest moment of their life, and that they are able to go to all four corners of the ground and share it with their supporters, please god I will get to see Galway do it this Sunday :)

gilly0512 (Galway) - Posts: 1176 - 25/09/2012 15:37:26    1272529

That was a great show on TG4 last night about Hill 16 following the Dubs fans who have stood there for years. It showed the great humour and craic they bring and the banter with other fans during games. It showed the dangers that overcrowding used to bring and how the GAA authorities were forced to make changes after the 1983 final when people came close to being crushed so no the barriers should not come down as uncontrolled 1000's running on to the pitch is just as big a danger as terrace overcrowding.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9829 - 25/09/2012 15:48:40    1272541

Agree Muckrosshead, I was at The Donegal game and the stewards stood holding up mesh nets, at first i thought , just let them have their day, this is ridiculous! But really the players would't get to enjoy the moment freely and spend as much time as they did interacting with the crowd around the field! If the supporters were on the field, the team would lift sam and be ushered into the changing rooms. Also agree with the point about giving space to the loosing team.. If the teams spend as much time celebrating and including the fans as much as the Donegal team did ( fair play very entertaining for the neutrals) than it's better for everyone.

ClassApart (Meath) - Posts: 1200 - 25/09/2012 16:35:44    1272587

kikfada
County: Louth
Posts: 562

1267629
Yes..... the country is stone mad crazt on H+S
.
Obviously not enough for some up there in Louth...

ClassApart (Meath) - Posts: 1200 - 25/09/2012 16:55:37    1272619

Ask the McHughs if they wanted supporters on the pitch. A real stand-out moment which really summed up everything that's great about the GAA and sport in general which would have been denied if the pitch had been invaded.

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 25/09/2012 19:22:19    1272757

i agree double hop

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 25/09/2012 19:25:13    1272760

I was always a fan of the oul pitch invasion and was on the hallowed turf in 1992 but decided to stay in my seat this year before the game and see what happened and was glad I did. The celebrations were fantastic and lasted much longer than if we were on the pitch. The pitch is where the game was played and won by the players and management and was where THEY should celebrate with each other. These lads have been through a lot of tough training, sacrifices, criticism etc. together and would like to congratulate each other first, then see their families and finally the fans and it was brilliant to watch that.

Seeing Mc Guinness walk around the ground with his children, Mark Mc Hugh embracing his father, penalties against Durkan, these were all special moments and I was glad to be outside the barrier enjoying them. We, as fans will all get our chance at some stage though the year to congratulate the players and management and so it should be.

Even as we were celebrating I had a look at the distraught players from Mayo and thought at least they are getting the respect they deserve to console each other on what was surely a heartbreaking moment for them. The last thing they wanted or needed was thousands of wild fans streaming past them.

I hope we get the chance to celebrate a final win again, whether it be in Ulster or Croke Park and think from this experience the Donegal fans will now surely remain in the stands to carry out their celebrations.

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1677 - 26/09/2012 16:48:41    1273323

From a personal point of view I like to see the supporters on the pitch when a team is being presented with a trophy but also agree that the teams should have the chance to celebrate themselves and more to the point the losing team to reflect and not be rushed off the pitch.

So from this I feel that the best thing to do was allow the teams the respect and then allow the supporters onto the pitch when the trophy is going to be presented. I feel that supporters would respect this and allows everyone to be involved in the occasion

juicy (Meath) - Posts: 402 - 26/09/2012 17:33:32    1273352

The pitch invasions are a thing of the past and that's where they belong.

I was initially against their abolition, but after watching Cork, Dublin & Donegal enjoy the moment with teammates as much as they do with the fans makes for great scenes. And the lap of honour gets all the fans involved. I thought it was really cool when the Sunday game was going off air, they got no Donegal interviews as they were still on the pitch celebrating with their fans. Proper Order.

That barrier on the Hill should be taken down purely because it's no longer necessary

Matter of fact, one wonders if it was ever necessary in the first place

gigoer (Wexford) - Posts: 1998 - 26/09/2012 17:49:16    1273368

gigoer
County: Wexford
Posts: 1985

That barrier on the Hill should be taken down purely because it's no longer necessary

We could start a whole new thread on how to keep the Dubs in if there ids no barrier. Personally I would pass some high quality weed around when the stewards come out or have Daniel O'Donnell sing some songs to them.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5029 - 27/09/2012 10:51:28    1273617

The initial question was about the barrier & YES, it should be taken down


IF and when Hill 16 supporters accept the "No invasion" bit.

KELF (Kildare) - Posts: 775 - 27/09/2012 15:55:53    1273847

Have to say after witnessing the celebrations first hand last sunday i'm glad we were kept off.The players got to celebrate amongst themselves and the backroom staff at the final whistle and then get photos together on the field and run to the hill then.

We'll still take over Clones i we're lucky to win Ulster again so i'm happy enough coming on the field there! Hope that never changes.

Samsforthehills (Donegal) - Posts: 1075 - 27/09/2012 20:11:05    1274003

MuckrossHead
County: Donegal
Posts: 272

. Personally I would pass some high quality weed around when the stewards come out or have Daniel O'Donnell sing some songs to them.

Same thing.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 27/09/2012 20:29:13    1274012

Last year was the lithmus test for the barriers!!.....The gentlemen and ladies of County Dublin did not let themselves down and the precedent on outstanding behaviour was set for other counties going forward!!

Where Dublin leads....Ireland follows!!

Regards,

Snufalufagus....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 27/09/2012 20:35:34    1274015