Limerick Man banned for hugging Wayne Rooney

keith_d99

The fan that gave Rooney a kiss and cuddle yesterday after the goal has been
banned by the Scottish courts from football grounds for 2 years and fined
400 pounds. Harsh, to put it mildly.

*A Sheriff has handed out a two-year attendance ban to a Manchester United
fan who ran on the pitch at Ibrox to hug Wayne Rooney.*

Irishman Ian O'Donoghue has been banned from attending football games for 24
months and was fined £400 after invading the pitch at Wednesday night's
Champions League match.

The 23-year-old ran on to the pitch after the striker scored a penalty to
win the match 1-0 against Rangers in the last few minutes. The goal put paid
to Rangers’ hopes of advancing to the Champions League knockout stages.

He was seen hugging and cheering along with Rooney and other Manchester
United players before being arrested as he made his way back to the stand.

O'Donoghue, of Limerick, Ireland, appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court the day
after the match and admitted breaching the peace by running on to the pitch
at the Edmiston Road stand on Wednesday November 24.

Prosecutor Michelle Molly told the court that O'Donoghue ran on to the
sidelines at around 9.30pm.

She said: "The accused ran on to the pitch to celebrate a goal by Manchester
United in the north-west side of the stand.

"As he made his way back to the stand, stewards and police officers became
involved and he was thereafter taken to Ibrox Police Office.

"He was cautioned and charged and made no reply."

Defence lawyer Tony McGlennan told the court that O'Donoghue is a Manchester
United fan from the Republic of Ireland and had travelled to Glasgow that
day for the match.

Mr McGlennan added: "During the course of the day he had been drinking but
he maintains that he didn't consider himself drunk.

"Late in the game a penalty was awarded and that penalty was successfully
executed and he ran on to the pitch and congratulated the player who had
scored.

"His only explanation is that he was caught up in the exuberance of the
moment but he accepts that that is obviously no excuse.

"He's aware that friends and relatives back home in Ireland have seen what
he did and he's expecting a less than warm welcome when he returns home."

Sheriff Shirley Foran banned O'Donoghue from all football matches for two
years and ordered him to pay his fine at a rate of £25 per week.

shg101

Idiot, IMO.

ManFromAtlantis

worth the fine tho.

d.anthony

keith_d99 wrote: »

Harsh, to put it mildly.

No it's not. He ran on to the field of play which will cost the club a fine and is a security risk. He's an idiot and the ban is just.

tommylimerick

he is expectin a cool reception from family and friends back home
what that about??
you only live once i reckon

ManFromAtlantis

tommylimerick wrote: »

he is expectin a cool reception from family and friends back home
what that about??
you only live once i reckon

agree. ffs . they'll be havin a laugh.

keane2097

People love to call other people idots don't they?

I think what he did was class, once in a lifetime thing. Hope he enjoyed it.

Brian010

Rooney is on 200k a week. He should pay the fine lol !

Jofspring

It will cost the club a minimal fine to the likes of Rangers.

"He's aware that friends and relatives back home in Ireland have seen what
he did and he's expecting a less than warm welcome when he returns home."

Ya right, he'll be a legend.

Does anyone actually think he cares that he has been banned from football grounds for two years. How often was he going to go to football grounds like Ibrox.

Kess73

Jofspring wrote: »

It will cost the club a minimal fine to the likes of Rangers.



Ya right, he'll be a legend.

Does anyone actually think he cares that he has been banned from football grounds for two years. How often was he going to go to football grounds like Ibrox.

From what I gather he is banned from any British ground and it also puts him on the banned list for international games. So if he wants to go to Old Trafford for a game he cannot, and the same goes for if he went to Ireland games.

Jofspring

Still don't think it would bother him. I wouldn't think he is over at matches every weekend. He would definitely get into International games also. There is no way every steward in the Aviva is going to remember his face. Very hard to enforce that.

Kess73

Jofspring wrote: »

Still don't think it would bother him. I wouldn't think he is over at matches every weekend. He would definitely get into International games also. There is no way every steward in the Aviva is going to remember his face. Very hard to enforce that.

Oh I don't think it will bother the guy at all. He has had his moment at this stage, and if he ever wants to recreate the moment on a far lesser scale without the cost of leaving the city, then he could also start running onto the pitch at Munster games when Munster score a winning try.

Grumpypants

So he got banned from Scottish football for two years.

Is that a punishment or a prize.

d.anthony

Grumpypants wrote: »

So he got banned from Scottish football for two years.

Is that a punishment or a prize.

At least we Scots support teams in our own league:D

If all the Irish supporters of Premiership clubs put half as much effort into supporting LOI clubs then maybe that league wouldn't be as sh!te as it is.

MyKeyG

d.anthony wrote: »

At least we Scots support teams in our own league:D

If all the Irish supporters of Premiership clubs put half as much effort into supporting LOI clubs then maybe that league wouldn't be as sh!te as it is.

Speaking as an avid Bohemians AND Man Utd fan it's nothing got to do with the commitment of Irish soccer fans. GAA is the number one sport in this country starting from Schools all the way up. We weren't even allowed to play Soccer in my primary school, in secondary school we got jerseys but had to supply our own shorts and socks. The hurling team got full game gear, tracksuits and gear bags with the school crest.

It's convenient for people to lay the blame at the feet of the Irish people who choose to support English clubs. The fact of the matter is that our culture and preference to Gaelic sports (which don't get me wrong is understandable) stifles any genuine development in LOI.

osarusan

MyKeyG wrote: »

Speaking as an avid Bohemians AND Man Utd fan it's nothing got to do with the commitment of Irish soccer fans. GAA is the number one sport in this country starting from Schools all the way up. We weren't even allowed to play Soccer in my primary school, in secondary school we got jerseys but had to supply our own shorts and socks. The hurling team got full game gear, tracksuits and gear bags with the school crest.

It's convenient for people to lay the blame at the feet of the Irish people who choose to support English clubs. The fact of the matter is that our culture and preference to Gaelic sports (which don't get me wrong is understandable) stifles any genuine development in LOI.

Speaking as an avid Limerick FC supporter, I disagree completely.

It has everything to do with the commitment of Irish soccer fans. If our culture and preference for Gaelic sports was the issue, half the country wouldn't support EPL teams. One way that the GAA has influenced things is that it leads people to have the mentality of 'a few big games a year', which also suits rugby in its current format, but the idea of supporting a team for 30/36 games a season seems foreign to us.

There are many reasons why the development of LOI is being stifled, but the preference of many people to support a team in a different country over one which in many cases is in their own town or city is certainly a reason.

MyKeyG

osarusan wrote: »

Speaking as an avid Limerick FC supporter, I disagree completely.

It has everything to do with the commitment of Irish soccer fans. If our culture and preference for Gaelic sports was the issue, half the country wouldn't support EPL teams. One way that the GAA has influenced things is that it leads people to have the mentality of 'a few big games a year', which also suits rugby in its current format, but the idea of supporting a team for 30/36 games a season seems foreign to us.

There are many reasons why the development of LOI is being stifled, but the preference of many people to support a team in a different country over one which in many cases is in their own town or city is certainly a reason.

Yes but the amount of actual genuine soccer supporters in Ireland is a lot less than would seem. I often wondered how many 'genuine' soccer supporters swap Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea, Limerick FC or Bohs for their county jerseys on all Ireland final day or if they truly care. Are they real soccer fans? How many actually exist in this country.

In any case my point is that soccer plays third fiddle in this country, that's why LOI is a load of ****e. People don't swap jerseys for ones in other countries but for those in other sports.

Kess73

MyKeyG wrote: »

Yes but the amount of actual genuine soccer supporters in Ireland is a lot less than would seem. I often wondered how many 'genuine' soccer supporters swap Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea, Limerick FC or Bohs for their county jerseys on all Ireland final day or if they truly care. Are they real soccer fans? How many actually exist in this country.

In any case my point is that soccer plays third fiddle in this country, that's why LOI is a load of ****e. People don't swap jerseys for ones in other countries but for those in other sports.

What is a real "soccer supporter"? Not a dig, but a genuine question as to what you regard as one.

Does a person have to follow only one sport to be a real supporter in your eyes or can they support more than one sport equally?


Does the same apply for GAA supporters or rugby supporters that turn up in a pub to watch the FA cup final wearing the top of one of the teams in that final or the GAA/rugby supporters that go to England or other countries to see Premierships games etc.

Can a person not enjoy a number of sports and have a passion for them all? I think that a person can, and that people do.

rf29

I reckon he should be ashamed of himself, for not giving Kenny Miller a couple of slaps when he had the chance

PARKHEAD67

shg101 wrote: »

Idiot, IMO.

Hero IMO . GIRFUY HUN Rangers bassas. Nice little touch by Wayne to announce that hes a Celtic man after it too.Hes been amongst the celtic fans at an OF game on a couple of occasions. OK your mans not really a hero but he was probably bladdered. Not like he killed someone.

MyKeyG

Kess73 wrote: »

What is a real "soccer supporter"? Not a dig, but a genuine question as to what you regard as one.

Does a person have to follow only one sport to be a real supporter in your eyes or can they support more than one sport equally?


Does the same apply for GAA supporters or rugby supporters that turn up in a pub to watch the FA cup final wearing the top of one of the teams in that final or the GAA/rugby supporters that go to England or other countries to see Premierships games etc.

Can a person not enjoy a number of sports and have a passion for them all? I think that a person can, and that people do.

You're ignoring the context to make your own point. I didn't say people can't support multiple sports. I was merely pointing out that those who claim to be firm fans of one sport often turn in their colours when it suits them for another. The debate is the imbalance of commitment to sports in this country leading to one sport lagging behind another which is why LOI falters not because people choose Man Utd over Galway United.

PARKHEAD67

rf29 wrote: »

I reckon he should be ashamed of himself, for not giving Kenny Miller a couple of slaps when he had the chance

True dat:). For having the orangest of orange heads. He sould be in an ad for fanta.

PARKHEAD67

MyKeyG wrote: »

Ah the classic case of someone ignoring the context to make an obtuse point. I didn't say people can't support multiple sports. I was merely pointing out that those who claim to be firm fans of one sport often turn in their colours when it suits them for another. And you can take that as a dig.

I agree 100%. Have an avid Gaa man workin with me.All this foreign sports ****e when we talk soccer. But when Munster play he suddenly becomes the greatest, most knowledgeable rugby man of all time. The irony is lost on him. And to make matters worse, I know more about rugby than him. (and probably gaa too since he bull****s so much)

gustavo

MyKeyG wrote: »

.

In any case my point is that soccer plays third fiddle in this country, that's why LOI is a load of ****e. .

Attitudes like that don't help either

SupraSonic_26

who cares if he did it well done to him like whoppdie doo he got caught up in the moment so what plenty of other people have done it and its forgotten about in a few weeks.

Bosco boy

It's not the first time money changed hands after someone kissed Rooney!!!!!

Kess73

MyKeyG wrote: »

Ah the classic case of someone ignoring the context to make an obtuse point. I didn't say people can't support multiple sports. I was merely pointing out that those who claim to be firm fans of one sport often turn in their colours when it suits them for another. And you can take that as a dig.

Ahh the classic case of just not being clever enough to realise you are not clever enough. Fair enough if you are ignorant enough to have a dig at me when I was not doing the same to you.

I was asking you a question and I was being genuine about it.

You say you have no problem with people supporting multiple sports, but then claim that you were pointing out that people are firm fans of one sport and then become firm fans of another when it suits them. So what? You claim to be an avid Bohs fan, but no doubt you turn in their colours when you are being the avid Man Utd fan you also claim to by watching United on tv.

I guess it must be ok for you as a "avid" Bohs fan to turn in that top for when you decide to turn up as an "avid" Man Utd fan, but it is only no ok when people do so for different sports.



Thanks for being unable to answer me as to what you regarded as a real soccer fan. You were probably having a moment of crisis when I asked the question as you could not decide which top to pull on as you are such an avid fan.

colly10

tommylimerick wrote: »

he is expectin a cool reception from family and friends back home
what that about??
you only live once i reckon

That was just a speech for the courts

colly10

keane2097 wrote: »

People love to call other people idots don't they?

I think what he did was class, once in a lifetime thing. Hope he enjoyed it.

If I was a footballer I wouldn't want nutjobs running out of the crowd to be anywhere near me. He could just as easily give him a hug and put a knife in his chest. There's more that a few fruitcakes at games and they should be kept off the pitch.

The ban and fine was more than fair

colly10

osarusan wrote: »

Speaking as an avid Limerick FC supporter, I disagree completely.

It has everything to do with the commitment of Irish soccer fans. If our culture and preference for Gaelic sports was the issue, half the country wouldn't support EPL teams. One way that the GAA has influenced things is that it leads people to have the mentality of 'a few big games a year', which also suits rugby in its current format, but the idea of supporting a team for 30/36 games a season seems foreign to us.

There are many reasons why the development of LOI is being stifled, but the preference of many people to support a team in a different country over one which in many cases is in their own town or city is certainly a reason.

The quality isn't the same, pretty much none of these guys are good enough to be internationals, it makes sense that people want to watch the best.
Your local team probably play 200m from your house every sunday morning but the reason ye don't bother going round to watch them is cause they're ****e, it's just like that but on a bigger scale. I can't see what the problem is

d.anthony

colly10 wrote: »

The quality isn't the same, pretty much none of these guys are good enough to be internationals, it makes sense that people want to watch the best.
Your local team probably play 200m from your house every sunday morning but the reason ye don't bother going round to watch them is cause they're ****e, it's just like that but on a bigger scale. I can't see what the problem is

I do. It's glory hunting.

If fans actually went to LOI games, there would be more money going to the teams which in turn raises the standard of play.

osarusan

colly10 wrote: »

The quality isn't the same, pretty much none of these guys are good enough to be internationals, it makes sense that people want to watch the best.

Quite right that the quality isn't the same, but quite wrong that people want to watch the best. Attendances from all over Europe will tell you that fans all over Europe will watch their home team (don't get me wrong, every country has some glory hunters). Tranmere, in the shadow of two premier league teams in Liverpool and Everton, and despite being in the lower half of League 1, attract a higher average attendance than any team in Ireland.

It is far more complex than simply saying that people want to watch what's best. Why would anybody travel to watch Celtic or Sunderland (which people do, every week) if that were the case?

Icky Thump

unfortunatly the LOI are a bunch of amatuers. the way the league is run, the waqy the clubs are run. its a joke. i refuse to watch LOI until the FAI have no power over it.

LOI cant develop because of the FAI. the FAI are tring to run the league in the same fashion as the GAA. look at the case of Limerick FC vrs Barcelona in Thomond park. the Fai stated that a game with an addendance of over 15,000 cant be sanctioned outside the aviva stadium as cash made for these games would be better to go towards the league rather than individual teams..................... i wonder what the cash from the united match or the real madrid went towards. but of course they will claim it ent into the league.

i am a premier league fan. i have no "gaa" mindset where everything english is evil. i have no "i hate foreign sports" atitude. after all we come from a city that supports one of the biggest english sports.

Irish football/soccer fans will always support the premier league. the LOI is our equivalant to the sunday league games in the UK.

if the LOI wantour support they need to break from the FAI and get some proper sponsoring. maybe without the FAI they can get some tv revenue.

why doesnt RE show LOI and first division games on RTElate at night. i know they sho a select few games but no reason why they shouldnt show most of the games really really late at night. im sure alot of us would watch even on the sky+

MyKeyG

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

I agree 100%. Have an avid Gaa man workin with me.All this foreign sports ****e when we talk soccer. But when Munster play he suddenly becomes the greatest, most knowledgeable rugby man of all time. The irony is lost on him. And to make matters worse, I know more about rugby than him. (and probably gaa too since he bull****s so much)

A bit off topic but I have a better one for ya. I was working in Satelite sports before it went to the wall and a woman game in one day looking for a Rugby jersey for her young lad. He gave her strict instructions that the jersey was to represent anyone but an English club. I cheekily asked her if he owned any football jersey's. 'Oh god he does, Liverpool. Jerseys, shorts, jackets, hats, LOVES Liverpool' and even more cheekily I said 'but sure they're English'. The look on her face was priceless.

MyKeyG

gustavo wrote: »

Attitudes like that don't help either

Sorry my friend a negative attitude but a true one. As the old expression goes 'I didn't invent the game but I do know the rules' soccer is a third sport and it's one of very limited quality.

MyKeyG

Icky Thump wrote: »

unfortunatly the LOI are a bunch of amatuers. the way the league is run, the waqy the clubs are run. its a joke. i refuse to watch LOI until the FAI have no power over it.

LOI cant develop because of the FAI. the FAI are tring to run the league in the same fashion as the GAA. look at the case of Limerick FC vrs Barcelona in Thomond park. the Fai stated that a game with an addendance of over 15,000 cant be sanctioned outside the aviva stadium as cash made for these games would be better to go towards the league rather than individual teams..................... i wonder what the cash from the united match or the real madrid went towards. but of course they will claim it ent into the league.

i am a premier league fan. i have no "gaa" mindset where everything english is evil. i have no "i hate foreign sports" atitude. after all we come from a city that supports one of the biggest english sports.

Irish football/soccer fans will always support the premier league. the LOI is our equivalant to the sunday league games in the UK.

if the LOI wantour support they need to break from the FAI and get some proper sponsoring. maybe without the FAI they can get some tv revenue.

why doesnt RE show LOI and first division games on RTElate at night. i know they sho a select few games but no reason why they shouldnt show most of the games really really late at night. im sure alot of us would watch even on the sky+

I couldn't have but it better myself.

colly10

d.anthony wrote: »

I do. It's glory hunting.

So if you support Blackburn your a glory hunter, bragging about another year of consolidating your place as a mid table premiership team.
Ok maybe I don't speak for everyone when I say i'd rather watch quality but many do. I don't support Arsenal but am sitting here enjoying watching them play, I certainly wouldn't sit down and watch a LOI game with the same interest, I just don't find it as good to watch.

This bull**** about real fans etc.. is tiring. Just cause I don't head out to Dalymount to watch a game doesn't make me some sort of glory supporter with no interest in football, I played the game most of my life

MyKeyG

colly10 wrote: »

So if you support Blackburn your a glory hunter, bragging about another year of consolidating your place as a mid table premiership team.
Ok maybe I don't speak for everyone when I say i'd rather watch quality but many do. I don't support Arsenal but am sitting here enjoying watching them play, I certainly wouldn't sit down and watch a LOI game with the same interest, I just don't find it as good to watch.

This bull**** about real fans etc.. is tiring. Just cause I don't head out to Dalymount to watch a game doesn't make me some sort of glory supporter with no interest in football, I played the game most of my life

Yep me too, watching the Arsenal game and there's no doubt it's easier on the eye. I don't think the real fan concept is bull****. I don't see anything wrong with somebody taking pride in supporting their local team exclusively so long as they don't laud it over people who choose one across the water.

diol07

MyKeyG wrote: »

Sorry my friend a negative attitude but a true one. As the old expression goes 'I didn't invent the game but I do know the rules' soccer is a third sport and it's one of very limited quality.

Sorry to rain on your parade but Rugby is the third sport in Ireland, and by a country mile. Actually it's the fourth sport as it's well behind Soccer, Gaelic and Hurling. Soccer is the most played sport in Ireland, with the most registered players and most clubs. Soccer is the only sport in Ireland that can match the GAA in terms of having representation in almost every Parish/Town in the country. Rugby is a middle class game played in pockets around the country and also in a few exclusive schools. Apart from Munster where things are more down-to-earth, it's a game played and run by people who believe their own hype. If you think Rugby is somehow ahead of Soccer or GAA in this country you're deluded. It is not the game for the common man. Even in Munster, just take a look at how empty Thomand Park is for Magners League nights - huge hardcore following there alright :rolleyes: Fairview Rangers and Pike Rovers were pulling in bigger crowds than Shannon and Young Munster in the FAI cup a few years ago, and they're only local junior clubs!

MyKeyG

diol07 wrote: »

Sorry to rain on your parade but Rugby is the third sport in Ireland, and by a country mile. Actually it's the fourth sport as it's well behind Soccer, Gaelic and Hurling. Soccer is the most played sport in Ireland, with the most registered players and most clubs. Soccer is the only sport in Ireland that can match the GAA in terms of having representation in almost every Parish/Town in the country. Rugby is a middle class game played in pockets around the country and also in a few exclusive schools. Apart from Munster where things are more down-to-earth, it's a game played and run by people who believe their own hype. If you think Rugby is somehow ahead of Soccer or GAA in this country you're deluded. It is not the game for the common man. Even in Munster, just take a look at how empty Thomand Park is for Magners League nights - huge hardcore following there alright :rolleyes: Fairview Rangers and Pike Rovers were pulling in bigger crowds than Shannon and Young Munster in the FAI cup a few years ago, and they're only local junior clubs!

Oh come on you know the point I'm making. Statistics are like the bible you can make anything you want out of em. You can have half a million soccer and rugby clubs in Ireland it doesn't mean squat. Funding and media stand very much in favour of GAA. I'm in Ennis and soccer was frowned upon in two primary schools and banned in one. I've worked with the FAI at regional youth development (couple of talented lads from up ye're way) so I'm not anti-soccer. You're not raining on any parade because TBH under fourteens marbles could be the primary sport in the country for all I care.

When the FAI cup final draws a bigger media and public interest than the All Ireland Final I'll take your point.

And sorry you'll have to remind me where I said Rugby is somehow ahead of Soccer or GAA. I know it's the fourth sport.

liammur

Brian010 wrote: »

Rooney is on 200k a week. He should pay the fine lol !

Absolutely.

liammur

diol07 wrote: »

Sorry to rain on your parade but Rugby is the third sport in Ireland, and by a country mile. Actually it's the fourth sport as it's well behind Soccer, Gaelic and Hurling. Soccer is the most played sport in Ireland, with the most registered players and most clubs. Soccer is the only sport in Ireland that can match the GAA in terms of having representation in almost every Parish/Town in the country. Rugby is a middle class game played in pockets around the country and also in a few exclusive schools. Apart from Munster where things are more down-to-earth, it's a game played and run by people who believe their own hype. If you think Rugby is somehow ahead of Soccer or GAA in this country you're deluded. It is not the game for the common man. Even in Munster, just take a look at how empty Thomand Park is for Magners League nights - huge hardcore following there alright :rolleyes: Fairview Rangers and Pike Rovers were pulling in bigger crowds than Shannon and Young Munster in the FAI cup a few years ago, and they're only local junior clubs!

It all depends on how you measure them - in many ways rugby is THE top sport in the country - very fast growing, enjoying huge success at provincial level, big tv €.

MyKeyG

At least two lads invaded the pitch when Arsenal scored their fourth. It must be catching on.

osarusan

Icky Thump wrote: »

unfortunatly the LOI are a bunch of amatuers. the way the league is run, the waqy the clubs are run. its a joke. i refuse to watch LOI until the FAI have no power over it.

LOI cant develop because of the FAI. the FAI are tring to run the league in the same fashion as the GAA. look at the case of Limerick FC vrs Barcelona in Thomond park. the Fai stated that a game with an addendance of over 15,000 cant be sanctioned outside the aviva stadium as cash made for these games would be better to go towards the league rather than individual teams..................... i wonder what the cash from the united match or the real madrid went towards. but of course they will claim it ent into the league.

i am a premier league fan. i have no "gaa" mindset where everything english is evil. i have no "i hate foreign sports" atitude. after all we come from a city that supports one of the biggest english sports.

Irish football/soccer fans will always support the premier league. the LOI is our equivalant to the sunday league games in the UK.

if the LOI wantour support they need to break from the FAI and get some proper sponsoring. maybe without the FAI they can get some tv revenue.

why doesnt RE show LOI and first division games on RTElate at night. i know they sho a select few games but no reason why they shouldnt show most of the games really really late at night. im sure alot of us would watch even on the sky+

I appreciate the sentiment, but the LOI was seperate from the FAI until a few years ago, and it has improved since it has been under FAI management. However bad you think the FAI are, the LOI run by the clubs was even worse.

Regarding TV coverage - the FAI made a deal with RTE where the FAI insisted that if RTE wanted to broadcast the competitive international games, they'd have to agree to show a weekly LOI show (MNS at 9 on Monday is the result of this) and a certain amount of live games a season, increasing each year of the contract. In order to secure this deal, the FAI accepted 4 million euro less than RTE were willing to pay for rights to the international games alone. In other words, the FAI had to pay to get the league the coverage it gets.

Think about that when you wonder if the LOI would get better sponsorship if independent from the FAI.

Will I Amnt

d.anthony wrote: »

At least we Scots support teams in our own league:D

If all the Irish supporters of Premiership clubs put half as much effort into supporting LOI clubs then maybe that league wouldn't be as sh!te as it is.

Care to explain why the Scottish league is so sh!te then??

diol07

MyKeyG wrote: »

Oh come on you know the point I'm making. Statistics are like the bible you can make anything you want out of em. You can have half a million soccer and rugby clubs in Ireland it doesn't mean squat. Funding and media stand very much in favour of GAA. I'm in Ennis and soccer was frowned upon in two primary schools and banned in one. I've worked with the FAI at regional youth development (couple of talented lads from up ye're way) so I'm not anti-soccer. You're not raining on any parade because TBH under fourteens marbles could be the primary sport in the country for all I care.

When the FAI cup final draws a bigger media and public interest than the All Ireland Final I'll take your point.

And sorry you'll have to remind me where I said Rugby is somehow ahead of Soccer or GAA. I know it's the fourth sport.

You said soccer "plays third fiddle in this country", my point is it does not. Third fiddle to me is saying it's behind the GAA and Rugby, is this not what you were saying? Soccer and GAA are at the very least neck and neck, I'd go as far as to say Soccer is the biggest sport in this country right now. GAA attendances have been abysmal for about 5 years now and are getting worse every year. If youi disect it further, Hurling is only strong in Munster and about 5 more counties. Rugby, while making ground in recent years, is the poor relation but is backed by wealthy middle classes and corporate sponsorship. I've seen 3 Football World Cups involving Ireland where the whole country has shut down to watch the games and it's fever pitch in the media - the Rugby World Cup and team just does not have the same appeal to the Irish public, and never will have IMO. It just isn't there. The Thierry Henry handball incident in the play-offs invoked more emotion from the Irish public than Ireland winning the Six Nations!

Judging soccer in this country is hard because there are so many factors in doing so. The facts put Soccer on top at grassroots level here at home. Then you have the Premiership/Celtic/Foreign team fans, of which there are literally hundreds of thousands. A lot of people bash the LOI but there were over 30,000 at the FAI cup final just gone. The only other domestic finals that could better that are the All-Ireland finals. So overall you could make an argument for soccer or GAA being number one. It certainly isn't third fiddle to anyone.

liammur wrote: »

It all depends on how you measure them - in many ways rugby is THE top sport in the country - very fast growing, enjoying huge success at provincial level, big tv €.

I don't see rugby clubs popping up left, right and centre. It's the same old clubs all the time. I don't see rugby expanding like that. Rugby is very well run and it's recent success is down to the foundations it has laid in developing players and keeping them here. It has always had big corporate sponsorship and always will have as the games support traditionally comes from that area of society. The true test of Irish rugby in terms of public popularity will be when it hits a tough patch - i.e. the Irish, Munster and Leinster teams not doing so well. Irish rugby has in the last few years had its purple patch in the same way that soccer had it's period in the late eighties/early nineties. It'll be interesting to see how it stands up when Brian O'Driscoll and Paul O'Connell are no longer there to carry their team mates and the results ain't so good. If you judge it by attendances at Magners League games, it doesn't bode well.

Anyway, regards the Rooney incident, a bit harsh I thought. Happens all the time but they're probably more sensitive to it in Glasgow because of security concerns. Not something they'd want to take hold on a regular basis with the sectarianism that's there

MyKeyG

diol07 wrote: »

You said soccer "plays third fiddle in this country", my point is it does not. Third fiddle to me is saying it's behind the GAA and Rugby, is this not what you were saying? Soccer and GAA are at the very least neck and neck, I'd go as far as to say Soccer is the biggest sport in this country right now. GAA attendances have been abysmal for about 5 years now and are getting worse every year. If youi disect it further, Hurling is only strong in Munster and about 5 more counties. Rugby, while making ground in recent years, is the poor relation but is backed by wealthy middle classes and corporate sponsorship. I've seen 3 Football World Cups involving Ireland where the whole country has shut down to watch the games and it's fever pitch in the media - the Rugby World Cup and team just does not have the same appeal to the Irish public, and never will have IMO. It just isn't there. The Thierry Henry handball incident in the play-offs invoked more emotion from the Irish public than Ireland winning the Six Nations!

Judging soccer in this country is hard because there are so many factors in doing so. The facts put Soccer on top at grassroots level here at home. Then you have the Premiership/Celtic/Foreign team fans, of which there are literally hundreds of thousands. A lot of people bash the LOI but there were over 30,000 at the FAI cup final just gone. The only other domestic finals that could better that are the All-Ireland finals. So overall you could make an argument for soccer or GAA being number one. It certainly isn't third fiddle to anyone.

Ok fair enough I made it seem that way but I meant GAA as two sports Hurling and Football, apologies. But as a rebuttal, and I may be linched for this, the Thierry Henry incident did not evoke passion. It evoked a typical good old Irish moan. We did everything we could to avoid winning the group and putting away a poor France and we got our just deserts for a lazy performance over two years. We played hoping a bit of luck would take us through and the luck went to someone else. That's just my opinion I don't intend opening that old can of worms.

Your statement about the passion during three world cups and if you want to include Euro88 is the typical bandwaggoning I've been talking about.

I was working in Lifestyle sports in 01 and we had loads of Ireland jerseys in the back store. We couldn't sell the yokes for love nor money. Then Ireland qualify for the World Cup and we couldn't keep up with demand. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you but the 'passion' you're so proud of is an illusion, nothing more.

diol07

MyKeyG wrote: »

I was working in Lifestyle sports in 01 and we had loads of Ireland jerseys in the back store. We couldn't sell the yokes for love nor money. Then Ireland qualify for the World Cup and we couldn't keep up with demand. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you but the 'passion' you're so proud of is an illusion, nothing more.

That's just poor stock management, Johnny Courtney at Umbro probably loaded ye with jerseys :P My point about the World Cup was not based on jersey sales, not everyone buys jerseys. My point was a Rugby World Cup would not light a candle to a soccer World Cup involving Ireland in terms of public interest and media frenzy. Ireland is involved in every Rugby World Cup by default and not once has it come close to a soccer equivalent. I would dispute your take on the Henry incident. You're right that we should have qualified before that, but regarding the incident, I've never seen such a public response on a sporting incident on that scale in this country before. The Six Nations was forgotten about a fortnight later. This country would go bananas if Ireland won a European Championship or World Cup, and well you know it

MyKeyG

diol07 wrote: »

That's just poor stock management, Johnny Courtney at Umbro probably loaded ye with jerseys :P My point about the World Cup was not based on jersey sales, not everyone buys jerseys. My point was a Rugby World Cup would not light a candle to a soccer World Cup involving Ireland in terms of public interest and media frenzy. Ireland is involved in every Rugby World Cup by default and not once has it come close to a soccer equivalent. I would dispute your take on the Henry incident. You're right that we should have qualified before that, but regarding the incident, I've never seen such a public response on a sporting incident on that scale in this country before. The Six Nations was forgotten about a fortnight later. This country would go bananas if Ireland won a European Championship or World Cup, and well you know it

Well you were the one trying to promote soccer on the basis of passion during the world cup. The fact is the last time Ireland qualified for a World Cup people didn't give a brown lump until they actually qualified. The jerseys were in the back store because they weren't being sold, we couldn't have given em away. When Ireland qualified for the world cup they flew out the door. Not everyone buys jerseys??? They do when we qualify.

And yes we would go bananas...until the next All Ireland Final. Oh and I'd prefer if you didn't mention Fairview lol...

elspecia

The lad who got onto the pitch is a neighbour of one of my mates and it was crazy to see him on the pitch.

Mars Bar

He says he has no regrets!