gaa fixtures

maestroamado

I am wondering if it is a good idea to have all the double headers in Croke Park.
Would it not be better if Kerry/Limerick played somewhere local for the convience of their supporters and if the Mayo/Cork game was played in say Ennis or Galway.
I could comment on the others but thats enough for now.

Thanks

indosilverclub

I suppose having built one of the worlds largest stadiums the GAA need to fill it at every opportunity?

premierstone

The stadium has to used to justify its cost and tbf to say in your example Limerick, they have qualified for a QF for the first time in ?? and they would be giving out if they werent given the chance to play in HQ.

rossie1977

limerick got to the quarters so they deserve their day in hq

personally i believe if you win a provincial title you should be given some sort of advantage (at the minute most have none), mayo fans would probably like to be playing cork in castlebar

indosilverclub

there is a lot to be sai for spreading our games around the country a bit more. An Spailpin touched on it a few weeks ago in an article about the reformatting of the championship

we have a great variety of impressive if a little featureless large grounds that in most cases see maybe one big game a year. Its a real shame. You only need to look at the craic when the dubs go through the back door for proof of how exciting a change in venue can be

indosilverclub

rossie1977 wrote: »

limerick got to the quarters so they deserve their day in hq

personally i believe if you win a provincial title you should be given some sort of advantage (at the minute most have none), mayo fans would probably like to be playing cork in castlebar

thats a fine idea I must say

Temp Barry

maestroamado wrote: »

I am wondering if it is a good idea to have all the double headers in Croke Park.
Would it not be better if Kerry/Limerick played somewhere local for the convience of their supporters and if the Mayo/Cork game was played in say Ennis or Galway.
I could comment on the others but thats enough for now.

Thanks

I think provincial champions should be allowed pick whatever venue they want for their quarter-final (subject to capacity requirements). But I think they'd still all pick Croker.

maestroamado

I never thought of the idea of giving provincial champs choice but it is a good idea.
My point is that it should be about bringing the game to the people and if you don't they won't attend,i expect there will be considerably less people at both days over the weekend than at say Munster final and the cost of families from Limerick,Kerry,Cork and Mayo makes it impossible for them to support their respectibe counties.
The same can be said for the other day, it seeme to me that the gaa have a world class stadium but apart from all Ireland Sundays the only one who can fill it is Bono..

Flukey

The provincial champions want to play in Croke Park. If you gave them a choice, they'd pick Croke Park anyway. How many times after a provincial final have you heard managers or players saying how delighted they are to be playing in Croke Park? The sunshine supporters start to come out now too. A case in point: Where were the other 50,000 last Saturday that were there the last time Cork and Down met in the championship? You know, the 50,000 that were screaming for tickets because of how loyal supporters they were.

Some of the Cork ones will reappear next weekend, and the Limerick crowd will come in force, Mayo will give a good turnout and the first trickle of Kerry's sunshine supporters will awaken from their year's slumber too. Put it all together and you'll get a reasonable crowd on Sunday, not huge in Croke Park, but more than enough to over-fill a provincial ground. So Croke Park is the place for the matches for the rest of the Championships.

indosilverclub

i love how sure people are of what provincial championc want. I can easily imagine plenty of teams preffering the home advantage against bigger teams

Flukey

Well Croke Park is neutral for all counties (and before you going saying otherwise, Croke Park is not Dublin's home ground, Parnell Park is. Given that Dublin have not won the All-Ireland since 1995, and been knocked out there in all years since, bar 2001, Croke Park is no advantage to them).

maestroamado

I don't know what is meant by the term "sunshine supporter" as i believe everybody has a right to do as they please and when.
My point is that if these 4 matches were played as stand alone games at venues and prices that would make it easier for supporters and families to attend the total number of people would be more than for the two gigs in croker.
The whole Croke Park thing is a marketing thing that to my mind will backfire and will create a suituation where only people with plenty of money can attend these games.

Thanks

ShamoBuc

Flukey wrote: »

Well Croke Park is neutral for all counties (and before you going saying otherwise, Croke Park is not Dublin's home ground, Parnell Park is. Given that Dublin have not won the All-Ireland since 1995, and been knocked out there in all years since, bar 2001, Croke Park is no advantage to them).

Whoever siad it was? But, the squad etc don't have to travel very far ( halfway down and back the country a few times adds alot to the schedule of GAA players, time away from the clan, work off etc) As for the fans, they have all the games on their doorstep all through the summer. The sheer cost of following a county team these days is fairly large. On Sunday, Cork football fans could have done a serious amount of travelling alone had they gone to all the games, Waterford, Killarney and Croker - twice. I'm from Cork city but think of the footballing folk from West Cork. I could get to Dublin before they actually leave Cork County for God's sake.
Oh, don't forget those fans that follow the hurlers aswell. The sheer cost in petrol/diesel would be very interesting to know! The Cork fan with the Sombrero - you have all seen him - I'd hate to think what following his county all over the place costs him - BEFORE you factor in food, drink and bloody tickets!!! I heard he took to busking for money on Pana in 1990;)

And the above is true for most counties but moreso for the ones that are on the geographical edge of the country i.e. a great distance from Dublin;)

From a footballing perspective - as your stats correctly show- Croker has proven no advantage for Dublin. But there are advantages, make no bloody mistake about it.

Flukey

Some people want to see more than one match. I, for example, will be at them all. A lot of fans will want that. That's a bit difficult when they are in different venues. Double headers attract bigger crowds. Most people, whichever match is their priority, or be they neutral, will want to see both games on the day. You also have the ticket packages that the GAA do for quarter and semi-finals, which mean the games have to be played together. There are also the people that have bought premium tickets or boxes, who have these games as part of the deal. For all of these, and other reasons, the matches are in Croke Park.

Sunshine supporters are ones who only come out when their team is playing well, or well advanced in the championship, as opposed to the ones that go to all the games, no matter what stage of the competition or how good or bad their team is playing. As I said earlier, there were 50,000 less people at a championship match between Down and Cork las Saturday than there were at a championship between Down and Cork last September!!! Many of those missing are what we call sunshine supporters. Should Cork reach the final some of them will be screaming for tickets and how they have a right to them, even though it will be the first match they'll have gone to all year.

Flukey

ShamoBuc, given your post you must be absolutely delighted that Cork are out of the Hurling championship, as it saves you a fortune not having to go and support your team. I suppose you hope that Cork will be beaten by Mayo too, to save you money for the rest of year!!! Of course that is not true and you want your county to win, but that is the logic of those who complain about the cost of supporting their team. If that's the way they feel, then let them stay at home, and it won't cost them anything. The real fans, and I am sure you are amongst them, will come out and support their county.

As for Croke Park being handy for Dublin fans - not all Dublin fans live in Dublin. One of the best Dublin fans I know, and who regularly goes to matches in Croke Park lives a long way from Dublin. He was in Thurles last Sunday, as were many Dubs, and that was actually very handy for him because he lives not far from there. There are lots of Cork people living in Dublin and in other counties, and lots of Dubs don't live in Dublin. So this stereotype of Dublin fans all living in Dublin is rubbish. Fans of a county don't necessarily have to physically travel from that county. That goes for every county. Be it Roscommon or Tyrone on Saturday week, there will be Dublin fans travelling further than a lot of the fans of their opposition will have to.

As for the expense of the day, is the food in Croke Park free for all the Dubs that go there? Is their travel free? Their petrol, diesel, bus tickets etc. are all free too I suppose! Are all the other things they do free? Even if they live on Clonliffe Road or Jones Road, it costs a Dublin fan to go to matches too. Maybe not as much, but us Dublin fans spend plenty on match days too. If you were in Thurles last Sunday, as I and many Dubs were, you'd blow another one of the stereotypes that Dublin people don't travel. We do, and we didn't get free travel and food etc. last Sunday. I've been in Pairc Ui Chaoimh to support Dublin and I know you in your stereotypical world won't believe this, but it cost me money. Here is another shocking fact for you, Cork is as far from Dublin as Dublin is from Cork. A shocker that one, isn't it? So we have to travel the same distance as many Cork fans do. West Cork fans may have to go further to get to Dublin, than Dublin fans have to get to Pairc Ui Chaoimh, but north Cork to Dublin is shorter than Dublin to Cork city. So we do have to travel too. We don't own teleporters to magic us to the games we travel to. Being a Dublin fan is not free, no more than any other county, except in the stereotypical world. This is the real world though.

ShamoBuc

Flukey - I do see your point ( in a way - stereotypical or not!) but how many Championship games have you followed Dublin to Páirc Uí Chaoimh to watch????? About the same number of times as Cork fans have travelled to Croker.......or anywhere else????? There is a serious added cost to fans who have to travel long distances. I would love to be in a position to go to all the games - I'm not, as are many others. It costs alot of time and money to get as far as the Luas for alot of fans from alot of counties. Some fans can simply hop on the Luas after their long lie in, brekkie and a good read off the papers and still be home in time for dinner - I would love to be able to do that - call it geographical jealousy;). Obviously there are Dublin fans that don't live on the Jones's road:rolleyes: but not many Dublin fans will do the travelling that other fans - like cork fans -will do during the championship season.
Obviously - again - the cost of food in Croker is the same for any fan, I never said any different. I'm not saying it's free for Dublin fans FFS ( not a stereotypical FFS by BTW).
If I wanted to go on Sunday I'll probably be gone before the wife and kids wake and home when they are in bed again - that is a cost that I've done time and time again ( and happy to do it - when allowed;)) as have thousands of other fans. Having to be picky about going to games is a pain in the hole - for all fans. But having nearly all the championship matches of your county in your county is fairly handy for ALOT ( obviously not all:rolleyes:) of fans from that county. Afterall there are a million or so people living in Dublin ( in a non stereotypical world of course) - some of them must be GAA fans - in the real world that is;)

maestroamado

The reason i posted this is of my concern for the way the gaa is going and i'm very thankful for replies.
While we all have our own agenda it seems to me that supposedly amatuer game the general feeling i am getting is that everyone has a personal agenda on the game but it is difficult if not impossible for families to attend these games which is what i have the difficulty with.
It seems that the grassroots gaa clubs are behaving like charities to raise funds to keep the game afloat and the corporate hospitality in Croke Park is more important than bringing the game to the people.

Thanks

Flukey

ShamoBuc, real fans, like you and I and the regulars here, go to matches all year. I went to my first matches in 2011 on the 1st of January. Many of the moaners only go to a few matches anyway. They complain about having to travel to the 3 or 4 games that they actually go to. So I spend far more money on my GAA fix than a lot of the moaners do, and you probably do too. The real championship starts this weekend, but for some fans the GAA season only starts this weekend - and may end this weekend, yet they'll still moan about the cost of it.

If they saw the amount my GAA fix costs me, they'd soon shut up. Not just at the amount, but at the fact it was a Dub's expense. Real fans, while they'd like it to be cheaper, will get on with it. The Cork fans will complain this weekend for the one day they will go, but they won't be going two days like me, even though my county isn't playing on either day, and they won't be going on the two days of the following weekend, as I will be, although my county will only be playing on one of them, the other being the first Hurling semi-final. It may be handier for me to go because I am nearer, but I will be paying for it. Going on the four days over the next two weekends, will cost me a lot more than the one day some fans will be going, but I am not the one in here complaining. I was in Thurles last Sunday, and of course I will be at the Dublin Hurling semi-final too, and then the two football semi-finals and hopefully the Hurling and Football finals too, and probably the Ladies Football and Camogie finals. Compare all that expense to what the moaners give out about. I could stay at home for all those games, but I want to get my fix, am prepared to pay for it and won't be moaning about it. If they don't want to pay, then stay at home. If they want to follow their county, then they know the cost. Like me, no one is forcing them to go. Just don't moan about it. If they want to moan about cost, I'll send them my GAA expenses for the year, and then they'll see what a real GAA fan (and a Dub) pays. Next Sunday is loose change by comparison.

ShamoBuc

maestroamado wrote: »

The reason i posted this is of my concern for the way the gaa is going and i'm very thankful for replies.
While we all have our own agenda it seems to me that supposedly amatuer game the general feeling i am getting is that everyone has a personal agenda on the game but it is difficult if not impossible for families to attend these games which is what i have the difficulty with.
It seems that the grassroots gaa clubs are behaving like charities to raise funds to keep the game afloat and the corporate hospitality in Croke Park is more important than bringing the game to the people.

Thanks

You have a point. But sometimes looking at the GAA as an amateur association is very hard. Given the infrastructure and sheer millions in monies that passes through it's hands it is hard to see the Association as amateurish. I'm not talkng about players getting paid but the sheer scale of the GAA. The club scene was, is and always will be the heart of the GAA and I think everything else stems from this - for me anyway. The corporate side of Croker is part of having a state of the art stadium - I think we will just have to live with that. The cost of bringing a family to big games in Croker is of course an issue but it always was really. Family tickets are at least a welcome addition.

Mayo Exile

Flukey wrote: »

Some of the Cork ones will reappear next weekend, and the Limerick crowd will come in force, Mayo will give a good turnout and the first trickle of Kerry's sunshine supporters will awaken from their year's slumber too. Put it all together and you'll get a reasonable crowd on Sunday, not huge in Croke Park, but more than enough to over-fill a provincial ground. So Croke Park is the place for the matches for the rest of the Championships.

Maybe some that weren't in Croke Park last Saturday. Otherwise many others that were, will not be going up to Dublin two weekends in a row. Many may consider it too expensive. The Indo reckons that possibly only 20,000 may turn up on Sunday.

The GAA risk not having much more than 20,000 on Sunday, with Kerry and Limerick also on the card. Kerry and Cork are notoriously bad travellers for quarter-finals, with only Mayo likely to bring a sizeable crowd.

Link: http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/goulding-out-of-mayo-tie-as-rebels-injury-crisis-deepens-2830716.html

ShamoBuc

Flukey wrote: »

ShamoBuc, real fans, like you and I and the regulars here, go to matches all year. I went to my first matches in 2011 on the 1st of January. Many of the moaners only go to a few matches anyway. They complain about having to travel to the 3 or 4 games that they actually go to. So I spend far more money on my GAA fix than a lot of the moaners do, and you probably do too. The real championship starts this weekend, but for some fans the GAA season only starts this weekend - and may end this weekend, yet they'll still moan about the cost of it.

If they saw the amount my GAA fix costs me, they'd soon shut up. Not just at the amount, but at the fact it was a Dub's expense. Real fans, while they'd like it to be cheaper, will get on with it. The Cork fans will complain this weekend for the one day they will go, but they won't be going two days like me, even though my county isn't playing on either day, and they won't be going on the two days of the following weekend, as I will be, although my county will only be playing on one of them, the other being the first Hurling semi-final. It may be handier for me to go because I am nearer, but I will be paying for it. Going on the four days over the next two weekends, will cost me a lot more than the one day some fans will be going, but I am not the one in here complaining. I was in Thurles last Sunday, and of course I will be at the Dublin Hurling semi-final too, and then the two football semi-finals and hopefully the Hurling and Football finals too, and probably the Ladies Football and Camogie finals. Compare all that expense to what the moaners give out about. I could stay at home for all those games, but I want to get my fix, am prepared to pay for it and won't be moaning about it. If they don't want to pay, then stay at home. If they want to follow their county, then they know the cost. Like me, no one is forcing them to go. Just don't moan about it. If they want to moan about cost, I'll send them my GAA expenses for the year, and then they'll see what a real GAA fan (and a Dub) pays. Next Sunday is loose change by comparison.

January 1st this year, a naked camoige match wouldn't have gotten off my couch - hangover from hell;)......although......:D

I think it is fair to say that you are not a stereotypical Dublin fan - no disrespect to stereotypical fans - going to all the matches over the coming weekends is more a GAA fan than a dublin fan thing if you get my meaning, otherwise Croker would be full every weekend;)
That's the kind of thing I would love to be in a position to do however, so I'm going to have to put you on my ignore list now;)

maestroamado

The impression i am getting from the gaa and from some of the replies frem the "real fans" is that they would rather ordirnary gaa supporters like me would stay away and it may be working for them.
By the way the local football club is collecting scrap metal to raise funds for development, i wonder what tradition that comes from.

many thanks

ShamoBuc

maestroamado wrote: »

The impression i am getting from the gaa and from some of the replies frem the "real fans" is that they would rather ordirnary gaa supporters like me would stay away and it may be working for them.
By the way the local football club is collecting scrap metal to raise funds for development, i wonder what tradition that comes from.

many thanks

I'm guessing doing whatever you have to do?
Clubs do lotto, race nights, parties etc to raise money and have done so for years and will continue to do so.
I don't really get how you see the GAA not wanting the ordinary GAA fan like you to attend games. Yes there is a corporate section in croker but apart from that it's buy your ticket and sit or stand like any other fan.

Flukey

Whatever type of fans we are, we want as many people there as possible. We give out a lot about the sunshine fans, but the best thing about them is that they help bring an atmosphere. There is nothing like going to a full Croke Park, or other venue, and the atmosphere that brings. In the streets around whatever ground it is, there is a buzz too as you head towards the match. In line with what ShamoBuc said of me in his earlier post, I would always classify myself as a GAA fan from Dublin, as opposed to a Dublin GAA fan. As well as wanting to see the games and know who wins and see the progress of the Championship, part of my GAA fix is got through the atmosphere. The buzz of a big day is special. The roar of a whole crowd compared to being able to hear an individual supporter's voice on the other side of the pitch when there is a low attendance. I love that. Love them or loathe them, we would not get that atmosphere if it wasn't for the sunshine fans. So we want the fans, sunshine or rainfall, to be there.

What we don't like is people coming in moaning about the cost. We all have to pay, and as I demonstrated real fans pay far more than sunshine fans do, but we get on with it. Over the many summers that I have seen posts about the championship here, and what follows is not a stereotype, the county fans that moan most about the cost are Cork fans. There are certain threads and posts that come up every year without fail, like changing the championship structure, difficulty getting tickets etc., and one that always comes up is what I have for many years been calling the "The Cork Travel Moan". I don't know what it is about the Cork people that they seem to have this particular issue with cost above all others. Other counties travel just as far, other counties follow teams in both codes (which is the only county left that can do the double?:)), other counties have the same expenses, but whatever it is, every year the Cork fans really make an issue about this particular matter far more than any other county although they are no worse off.

maestroamado

Comments like (“ShamoBuc, real fans, like you and I and the regulars here, go to matches all year”) suggest that there is two different type of people attending and then the contributor suggests in a further posting that the gaa welcomes everyone especially people who have loads of money and won’t say anything about the prices.

As for ordinary people they can listen to it on the wireless if they are lucky enough to have one but who cares about them.
I kinda agree with the comments about cork, “your right they are mean and whingers and should be thrown out of the championship altogether” sure they could play cricket against Figi and theAussies, it would also be nice to get rid of Meath but that might be more difficult as they are very cute buggers.
Bottom line is figures at weekend will tell the tale…
Thanks

ShamoBuc

maestroamado wrote: »

Comments like (“ShamoBuc, real fans, like you and I and the regulars here, go to matches all year”) suggest that there is two different type of people attending and then the contributor suggests in a further posting that the gaa welcomes everyone especially people who have loads of money and won’t say anything about the prices.

As for ordinary people they can listen to it on the wireless if they are lucky enough to have one but who cares about them.
I kinda agree with the comments about cork, “your right they are mean and whingers and should be thrown out of the championship altogether” sure they could play cricket against Figi and theAussies, it would also be nice to get rid of Meath but that might be more difficult as they are very cute buggers.
Bottom line is figures at weekend will tell the tale…
Thanks

Wireless....seriously? Lucky enough to have one......seriously?

I really don't get your point. If you want to go to the a match, travel and buy a ticket - the GAA won't take a look at you and say you don't fit in!
If not, watch it on the TV. If not, listen to it on the "wireless". If you cannnot afford a "wireless" I am fairly certain you would not be able to afford to go to a match anyway.
As for cricket,figi,the Aussies and Meath..... just:eek:

ShamoBuc

Flukey wrote: »

What we don't like is people coming in moaning about the cost. We all have to pay, and as I demonstrated real fans pay far more than sunshine fans do, but we get on with it. Over the many summers that I have seen posts about the championship here, and what follows is not a stereotype, the county fans that moan most about the cost are Cork fans. There are certain threads and posts that come up every year without fail, like changing the championship structure, difficulty getting tickets etc., and one that always comes up is what I have for many years been calling the "The Cork Travel Moan". I don't know what it is about the Cork people that they seem to have this particular issue with cost above all others. Other counties travel just as far, other counties follow teams in both codes (which is the only county left that can do the double?:)), other counties have the same expenses, but whatever it is, every year the Cork fans really make an issue about this particular matter far more than any other county although they are no worse off.

Moaning is good for the soul;) If the Cork travel moan thread isn't closed I'll comment again later but if it is I'll get back onto it next year - nothing if not consistent;)

I wonder if the annual "Cork fans don't travel in large numbers" thread is over yet:rolleyes:

maestroamado

If you go to the trouble of removing your blinkers you will see that the original post was asking if it is fair to bring people from all over the country to see their teams play in bigger games.
As for refering to people who have a different opinion than yours as moaners is in my view not on.
As for what i can go or not i have only missed about 2 all Ireland football finals in last 25 years.
Dublin is a great spot but unfortunately their footballers do not live up to the town...

Flukey

Just 2 football finals missed in 25 years is exceptionally good. Hurling and Football, I've missed one, the 1984 Hurling final, since my first final in 1980. That is not a bit of one-up-manship in case you think so, just paying respect to quite an achievement. The moaners we refer to are the ones who hardly go to any matches, and then complain about the prices when they do, or the fact that they deserve tickets for the final, when their interest in attending only started after they heard the result of the semi-final that they didn't even know their county was playing in. Yes, we get those kinds of people coming here every September posting threads asking for tickets and about their divine right to have one, purely because they are from one of the competing counties. When we point out that they haven't supported their team all year, they dismiss that and repeat that they are from a competing county so they deserve one. What is worse is that many of those people actually end up getting tickets. Meanwhile, fans who do support their team all year end up with none. I've had people who know I am a great GAA fan asking me for final tickets, when they've not supported their team at all. Lots of us have experienced that. Even if in the highly unlikely event that I had a spare, I would not give it to someone like that.

In terms of the travel moaners, of the people from Cork I would ask this question: Given that it would mean having to come to Dublin again in a few weeks and all that expense it would involve, do you want Cork to beat Mayo on Sunday? (You can replace Cork and Mayo in that question with any of the other competing counties). If the answer is "Yes" then they shouldn't moan about the cost. If the Cork people don't want the expense of a semi-final, then they should cheer for Mayo. In terms of the match itself, I think Cork will be getting another day out. Much as was the case after the final last September, I don't think victorious Cork fans will be streaming out of Croke Park this weekend full of disappointment that they'll have the expense of a semi-final. The Down fans would love to have the difficulty the Cork fans have this week. So if you want to see your county do well and go and support them, there is a cost involved.

Going back to the original point about it being fair to ask fans to travel or not, there are always going to be people having to travel. As we mentioned in other posts dealing with that, there are lots of practical reasons why it makes more sense to have the matches together in one venue, and many players and fans want to be in Croke Park. Limerick in particular out of this weekend's teams will really love having the opportunity to play in Croke Park. Not too many of their fans would be disappointed at the venue. As we've also said there are the ticket deals and the premium seat and box holders that have contracts with the GAA which means matches have to be played there. So we have dealt with many of the issues around the original post, and threads often start to drift once that has happened.

maestroamado

Thanks for replies, the reason for the post in the first place is as a gaa person i believe the current strategy can only fail in the long term.
It is not the first time i was wrong about something and will almost certainly not be the last.
The numbers at the weekend will be interesting.

Thanks again

premierstone

Flukey wrote: »

Just 2 football finals missed in 25 years is exceptionally good. Hurling and Football, I've missed one, the 1984 Hurling final, since my first final in 1980.

So Flukey the one final in 60 that was played more than 5 miles from your doorstep you didnt go, tut tut for shame, definition of a sunshine supporter IMO

DoctaDee

maestroamado wrote: »

.............By the way the local football club is collecting scrap metal to raise funds for development, i wonder what tradition that comes from.
many thanks

Big match tonight for the CM boys

Flukey

premierstone wrote: »

So Flukey the one final in 60 that was played more than 5 miles from your doorstep you didnt go, tut tut for shame, definition of a sunshine supporter IMO

Couldn't get a ticket, due to the reduced capacity, another factor for some of the discussion in this thread. My first visit to Thurles, some years later, was important to me for having missed that final. I've been back on a number of occasions since then, most recently for our match there last Sunday, which sets up a particularly interesting match to come. See you on the 14th of August. By the way, Croke Park is more than 5 miles from me, and when you throw in replays, it is actually 1 out of 65 finals.

Flukey

As I said, the Cork fans must be delighted at having been saved the cost of a semi-final and final, which will mean bigger presents at Christmas, but I didn't see that delight in their faces as they came out of Croke Park. So it seems Cork people would prefer the semi to the savings after all. Anyway, so ends the Cork travel moan... until next summer.

ShamoBuc

Flukey wrote: »

As I said, the Cork fans must be delighted at having been saved the cost of a semi-final and final, which will mean bigger presents at Christmas, but I didn't see that delight in their faces as they came out of Croke Park. So it seems Cork people would prefer the semi to the savings after all. Anyway, so ends the Cork travel moan... until next summer.

Back home already?;)

Flukey

ShamoBuc wrote: »

Back home already?;)

Yep, after two days on the trot in Croke Park, and two next weekend too, and the second hurling semi-final the weekend after that and then two weekends of football semi-finals and if I can get the tickets, the Hurling and Football finals and then the Camogie and Ladies Football final. Another tight Christmas lies ahead.

ShamoBuc

Flukey wrote: »

Yep, after two days on the trot in Croke Park, and two next weekend too, and the second hurling semi-final the weekend after that and then two weekends of football semi-finals and if I can get the tickets, the Hurling and Football finals and then the Camogie and Ladies Football final. Another tight Christmas lies ahead.

Geographical jealousy;)

Flukey

Santa has no problem travelling between Cork and Dublin and a lot further, and he wears red and white.

ShamoBuc

Flukey wrote: »

Santa has no problem travelling between Cork and Dublin and a lot further, and he wears red and white.

He has taste - but only once a year mind you;)

Flukey

He can still support Tyrone.