Interpros

Agus

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=107471

Len me your ears

25 February 2009

Len Gaynor has issued a plea for the preservation of the Interprovincial championships, formerly known as the Railway Cup.

Traditionally, the interprovincial series attracted huge crowds and it was considered an enormous honour to line out for one’s province. However, in recent times, interest in the competition has waned, to the extent that only 447 hardy souls paid to see last weekend’s Munster/Connacht hurling semi-final.

Tipperary hurling great Gaynor, who managed Munster this year, believes something must be done to make the games more attractive to spectators again:

"The players want the competition, the managers and selectors want it and so too does a dedicated sponsor in Martin Donnelly.

"All we are missing are supporters and that has to be the focus. How do we get the crowds back supporting this competition? That is where the effort needs to be put.

"It is never too late, but it will be a lot more difficult to revive them if we let the competitions go."

skinnyfatman

I love the interprovisionals, usually good games played at a good speed and have the makings of a outlet to see some of the best players (regardless of counties) playing i.e McCrabbe, Hiney, Murtagh from Westmeath palying with players like JJ Delaney and Eoin Quigley.

Richie Power made a great plea to play the hurling final and the Club final in Thurles and the Football and the Club football in Croker! it would mean that instead of playing in Dubai or Boston they play in front of 10 thousand or so proper fans!!

Uncle Arthur

its the highest level one can play gaelic or hurling at, i would give anything to have the ability to represent my province! joe kernans idea a while back was excellent. i cant remember it exactly but it involved creating a paddys weekend of football, having the railway football final along with the club football final in croke park and having the 2 hurling ones down in thurles - the home of hurling!


didnt realise richie power made the same proposal.

skinnyfatman

http://www.hoganstand.com/Kilkenny/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=107306

Daysha

I think the GAA should either make a really serious effort to promote it, or just ditch the tournament completely. It's a very bad advertisement for the organisation when only 427 people turn up for what should be 30 of some of the best hurlers in the country all on the same pitch.

Declan30

It is Madness that only 447 turned up to see the match.
Then again id say a lot of people did not know it was even on.
The Gaa have to promote the Games better.Better Adverts and special deal to families for the day of the match.
Bit of effort put in and it could be a big success.

UpTheSlashers

Don't think the GAA even give a shiv about the competition, fair play to Mr. Donnelly for pumping in the funds and just about keeping it alive

Flukey

Times have changed. As stated it was once a chance to see many great players. Nowadays most GAA fans get to see a lot more teams playing, live or on TV. Another problem is that there are only 3 matches. In fairness to the GAA they have tried to promote them and do imaginative things like play them abroad, but it is hard to get people interested now. It is unfortunate, but we are in very different times to when it was in its heyday. They were once played in Croke Park on St. Patrick's Day. We can be sure there will be a big crowd for what will be there on St. Patrick's Day of the modern era, but as we've seen, the Interpros just don't have the appeal they once did. The tie to club and/or county is a lot stronger than to province. Unforunately sentiment won't save them. Only attendances can, and that just isn't happening.

corcaioch

Flukey wrote: »

Times have changed. As stated it was once a chance to see many great players. Nowadays most GAA fans get to see a lot more teams playing, live or on TV. Another problem is that there are only 3 matches. In fairness to the GAA they have tried to promote them and do imaginative things like play them abroad, but it is hard to get people interested now. It is unfortunate, but we are in very different times to when it was in its heyday. They were once played in Croke Park on St. Patrick's Day. We can be sure there will be a big crowd for what will be there on St. Patrick's Day of the modern era, but as we've seen, the Interpros just don't have the appeal they once did. The tie to club and/or county is a lot stronger than to province. Unforunately sentiment won't save them. Only attendances can, and that just isn't happening.

Times have changed- but you still don't get much chance to see great players like Brendan Murtagh, Neil McManus etc. on tv. Also, the thrill of seeing the best hurlers from Waterford, Tipp, Limerick and Clare would be as exciting as ever if the games were promoted properly. Imagine a full forward line of Eoin Kelly(Tipp), John Mullane, and Eoin Kelly(Waterford) pitting their wits against the Kilkenny full back line.

skinnyfatman

Corcaioch - Bit Harsh there on the rest of Leinster,

I'd have Franks in there at corner back, but otherwise yeah would be brilliant to see them return to former glories.

I love them, but only ever find out about them about 2 days after they were on. It is a pity though, that said!

Agus

I'd like to see them just tied in with the club championships and make the semi-finals and finals double-headers between the club and provincial games, as some people have suggested.

So e.g. when Munster club football champions are scheduled to play Ulster club champions in the All-Ireland club semi, make it a double header with a Munster-Ulster Railway Cup football semi, and the same for the other sem-finals. The Railway Cup and club hurling final could be played on the Saturday of finals weekend with the two football games on Sunday (then the other way around the next year). A celebration of the local clubs on which the GAA is founded, and at the same time an exhibition of the elite players selected to represent their province.

phil

Bottom line - this isn't promoted properly.

MrJoeSoap

I was at the game in 2007 under lights in Croker, and it was a great occassion despite a poor turnout (less people showed up than the number of free tickets that had been given out!).

But it should definitely be promoted and revived, the interest would be there if it was part of a big Patricks weekend of sport. They probably couldn't play all four games on the one day if it was combined with the club finals, but something along those lines could be done.

Anyway, I agree with Phil. It just isn't promoted properly, and isn't staged properly either.