Even with the variance in argument I think the current Connaught arrangement works well so why break it if it is not broken. Pearse Stadium will have its lights soon so evening games will be an option (nothing currently can be done about access until the new City bypass kicks into gear which is a few years off yet). I think the bigger issue is we need more high class games at these venues. I do not buy the argument that all major games should be in Croke Park. As pointed out earlier the Kerry/Galway and Mayo/Cork q/fs could have been a double header in Limerick. Certainly up to q/finals matches should not be in Croke park apart from the Leinster Final or if Dublin and Meath meet earlier in Leinster. The league semi finals and final should be in provincial venue

One of the main reasons the league semis/final and All Ireland Quarter finals are held in Croke Park is that the 10 year and Premium tickets are sold on the promise of giving access to all these games every year. I know ticket holders could be given tickets for the alternative venues but I'd imagine a move like that would lead to a big drop off in sales of these lucrative tickets for the GAA, and thats not something the GAA would risk.

AHP (Dublin) - Posts: 323 - 04/02/2015 18:01:05    1690139

Even though Hyde Pk.is the best geographical location ,I say leave the situation as it is.It's nice to travel to other towns too.
The centre of Connaught is somewhere near Cloonfad but that would be silly.

worple (Roscommon) - Posts: 351 - 04/02/2015 19:02:06    1690171

The sharing of Connacht finals should remain in place. Hyde park had ownership issues that has now been sorted and redevelopment is expected to start this summer. In the meantime The next 3 or 4 Connact finals will be held in either MacHale park or Pearse stadium and we will be due a number of home games then. One side note Tuam was a great veune for Connacht finals but it was left to rot while Galway GAA decided to do up the windy Pearse stadium instead a wrong call in IMO and the new expensive stand in Machale park could have done without poles holding up the stand?

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4019 - 04/02/2015 20:22:45    1690208

A 30,000 capacity stadium between Cloonfad and Williamstown would work well....

Seriously, Galway got huge funding for Salthill and so did Mayo for McHale.
Roscommon should be allowed to upgrade the Hyde, but building a main stand to the standard of say O'Moore Park or O'Connor Park.
Relay the pitch
Upgrade and cover the main terrace and you have a perfectly good stadium

manfromdelmonte (UK) - Posts: 541 - 04/02/2015 20:22:59    1690209

manfromdelmonte would agree and The Master hyde is the most central county ground in both the province and the country. The Irfu are not going to play internationals outside Dublin and if the were Limerick and Belfast would be ahead of the west. I have a feeling the Gaa at a national level will try and insist that the main ground in Connacht is in Salthill as the then would have a main stadium in each of the main cities in each province ignoring how awkward that would be for the majority of people in the province.

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 04/02/2015 21:40:28    1690238

the main beneficiaries of Salthill were the Connollys who built the place
even people in Galway hate driving over to it
Roscommon is much easier/quicker to get to for most counties outside of Connacht

manfromdelmonte (UK) - Posts: 541 - 05/02/2015 08:07:05    1690253

The Hyde suits all of connacht's counties.

Castlebar is a long way west, salthill is in the worst location possible of all the options and the hyde is more likely to suit qualifiers etc.

lowballplease (Galway) - Posts: 935 - 05/02/2015 09:25:37    1690273

lowballplease, Castlebar isnt too far west, theres a good road to galway so thats a crap point. Castlebar is central in Mayo and there is good road access, and for most counties, an hours drive and you would be there or there abouts. The Hyde at the minute is a kip, was there last year for the roscommon vs mayo game and the toilets were a disgrace, a throwback to the early 1900's.

saddam (Mayo) - Posts: 414 - 05/02/2015 09:45:32    1690277

Castlebar is the most logical choice, it has the capacity, Flood lights, road network and is approximately 1 hour from every county town in the PROVINCE! Hyde Park is a joke and outdated, no modern stadia should have terracing on three sides (same with Pearce Stadium), there are 5 mile tailbacks on the Ballyhaunis Road when going to Roscommon and you're stuck in your car for 2 hours in traffic trying to get out. I don't think we will have a central Connacht stadium, it will keep with the same format.

daftdave (Mayo) - Posts: 83 - 05/02/2015 09:54:10    1690283

ROS1
manfromdelmonte would agree and The Master hyde is the most central county ground in both the province and the country.

Sorry, but that isn't even physically possible. If it is central to the country then how can it be central to the west at the same time? You cant go much more east in Connacht - it is closer to parts of Longford than it is to other parts of Roscommon, never mind the rest of Connacht. Don't be ridiculous.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 05/02/2015 09:57:09    1690285

saddam Castlebar is a long way from Leitrim or East Galway/East Roscommon.

You have to think of the greater good- not a white elephant in Castlebar.

lowballplease (Galway) - Posts: 935 - 05/02/2015 13:49:15    1690382

lowballplease
saddam Castlebar is a long way from Leitrim or East Galway/East Roscommon.
You have to think of the greater good- not a white elephant in Castlebar.

Castlebar is far more central in Connacht than hyde park. so what are you raving about?

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 05/02/2015 14:51:31    1690398

The geographical centre of Connacht is outside Knock, now, given that they have had their fair share of ghostly apparitions without another being built then McHale park is a fair shout given its proximity. Its not that fhar to Chastlebar when yer in the char.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 05/02/2015 15:14:18    1690412

Lowballplease

We could be at that craic all day, North/West Mayo is a long way from Roscommon, North Sligo/Leitrim are a long way from Roscommon/Galway etc. McHale Park is currently the best stadium west of Shannon and it would make sense to develop it as the main GAA pitch in the province.

daftdave (Mayo) - Posts: 83 - 05/02/2015 15:55:40    1690430

Closest ground to a motorway is Hyde Park.
20 minutes.
It takes about 30 mins to get from the motorway in Galway to Salthill.
There are no motorways in Mayo (mainly cause Pee Flynn is gone)

Roscommon also has the railway link within walkable distance, which Salthill doesn't have
I'm independent in this.

The only place Castlebar is closer to is Belmullet.

Mayo people get very defensive when anyone suggests the likes of Roscommon getting treated equally.

manfromdelmonte (UK) - Posts: 541 - 05/02/2015 17:40:51    1690472

manfromdelmonte - Mayomen don't get defensive over Roscommon getting equal treatment, they go on the attack to make sure it will never happen.

Reality is its more expensive to convert an old dilapidated stadium than it would be to start from scratch with a new one. You waste a lot of design money trying to make a silk purse from a sows ear. You can copy and paste another stadium to a green field site.

Brand new stadium near Athenry is the only job.

Anyone who says there are good road links to Castlebar either doesn't drive much outside Mayo or hasn't been to castlebar in a while.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1329 - 05/02/2015 17:57:43    1690480

manfromdelmonte
Closest ground to a motorway is Hyde Park.
20 minutes.
It takes about 30 mins to get from the motorway in Galway to Salthill.
There are no motorways in Mayo (mainly cause Pee Flynn is gone)

I didn't realise the motorway had a team in the Connacht championship...


Roscommon also has the railway link within walkable distance, which Salthill doesn't have
I'm independent in this.

Stay on the train and continue to castlebar. Plenty of taxis for the 3 minute spin over to McHale park, and good roads all the way. No 5 mile tailbacks for relatively small crowds there...

The only place Castlebar is closer to is Belmullet.

You mean the entire west, north-west and south west side of the province...


Mayo people get very defensive when anyone suggests the likes of Roscommon getting treated equally.

I have no problem with them being treated equally. I do have a problem with the favouritism you are espousing here though. The only lads on here who are saying hyde are people who will pesonally have to travel less to get there. It couldn't be more obvious.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 05/02/2015 18:04:37    1690483

Back in the good old days nearly all Connaught finals were in Roscommon.

worple (Roscommon) - Posts: 351 - 05/02/2015 18:37:46    1690494

Roscommon is the most central ground in the province so matter what some Mayo posters may think, if you go to a match in castlebar you are made park miles out the n5 god help you with you are old or injured or a family. The Complaining about the present state of the hyde is a bit ridiculous when it is about to be redeveloped and it has more of a scope for further developments then the other grounds in the province, for example due to space limitations and having so many houses so near there never is going to be a stand built on the press box side of castlebar.

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 05/02/2015 19:21:11    1690510

Warple in the early 90's all the counties agreed to host connacht finals in Roscommon, then Galway and Mayo changed thee minds.

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 05/02/2015 19:48:06    1690527