Louth Football.

Nesta99

Hopefully this thread isnt some sort of kiss of death for the Louth footballers. We do have thread on Dundalk FC of which my support lies in the main. But I am delighted to see the progress that has been made by Louth under Colin Kelly. It has been an excellent league campaign topped by a win yesterday against a Tipperary side that were mixing it in Munster last summer. Another point will secure promotion to Division 2 for definite but I dont think Louth can or will throw away promotion at this stage. Yes the Championship is the true guage of the progress of a County but a run to the O'Byrne Cup final where beaing beaten by Dublin is no shame, and 5 wins from 6 in the league with one to play, well for Louth that is a great return. Next season with the championship aside it will be a chance to pit ourselves against a bit more quality (for what it is worth in the time of the Dublin invincibles). It is progress and should get a nod imo:D

Pighead

Nesta99 wrote: »

point will secure promotion to Division 2 for definite but I dont think Louth can or will throw away promotion at this stage.

No more points needed. Louth are offically promoted after that win in Tipperary. Some turnaround for them after the horror show against Armagh a week earlier. Fair play to Kelly. Two promotions in a row and I think those two promotions came off the back of successive relegations as well. Never boring anyway for a Louth fan!

andrew1977

What an afternoon in Thurles it was, magnificent day to be a Louth fan.
Last time I was there we got hammered by 21 points in the qualifiers and we were at our lowest point in a long time.

Huge improvement by the team in the past 12-18 months ,players fully committed to the cause, great morale on the pitch and good talent in each position .

As ever being a Louth fan, a letdown or kick in the teeth is normally never too far away , but fair play to every one involved with the senior panel for their performances and workrate.

A mention also to the dedicated Louth supporters who travel around following the county fortunes. A strong loyal band of supporters and the regular faces seen at the away games, never give up on the team no matter how bad the fortunes are.

Sunday in Thurles will live long in my memory as one of Louths good days, the second half effort was immense, long may it continue.

event

Now if the county board could just sort out club fixtures we'd be laughing.

But the county board couldn't organize a p*ss up in a brewery so that won't happen

andrew1977

event wrote: »

Now if the county board could just sort out club fixtures we'd be laughing.

But the county board couldn't organize a p*ss up in a brewery so that won't happen

And sort out the county ground fiasco too , we are the laughing stock of the country with the worst county ground.
Its been dragging on years, far too long.

ssmith6287

andrew1977 wrote: »

And sort out the county ground fiasco too , we are the laughing stock of the country with the worst county ground.
Its been dragging on years, far too long.

A consistent run in the championship and progression through the leagues would mean a ground would need to be developed. they wont do it for a flash in the pan though.

andrew1977

ssmith6287 wrote: »

A consistent run in the championship and progression through the leagues would mean a ground would need to be developed. they wont do it for a flash in the pan though.

The planned redevelopment of the gaelic grounds in Drogheda is a "saga " going on years at this stage.
Negotiations and plans for a proper county ground is probably the longest running saga in Louth gaa at this point.
At one point a new ground was being mooted with DKIT, that plan collapsed too.

Its certainly not a " flash in the pan " idea.
The days of standing on a grass bank in the depths of winter to watch a GAA match are a thing of the past in every county in the country except Louth.
Every championship game in Drogheda has to be passed by the health and safety authority or we have to play our games outside of the county. No other country does it.

The days of standing on a grass bank in the depths of winter to watch a GAA match are a thing of the past in every county in the country except Louth.

ssmith6287

I appreciate that but for example a fully seated stadium, what kind of capacity do you expect to get. What I'm saying is if theres a few hundred going to each game then theyre not going to invest to build a 3 or 4000 seater stadium. its only when the banks cant facilitate the crowds that they will "need" to build better facilities. A good league and championship run I would imagine would lead to bigger crowds and more demand.

andrew1977

ssmith6287 wrote: »

I appreciate that but for example a fully seated stadium, what kind of capacity do you expect to get. What I'm saying is if theres a few hundred going to each game then theyre not going to invest to build a 3 or 4000 seater stadium. its only when the banks cant facilitate the crowds that they will "need" to build better facilities. A good league and championship run I would imagine would lead to bigger crowds and more demand.

The plans are not for a fully seated seated stadium, that will never /wont happen and its not what people /the plans are calling for.

The grass bank is the major factor in the health and safety issue ,and if the stadium doesn't comply to standard then we are forced to play our games outside of Louth.
The grass banks have to go and replaced with terrace style arrangements, be it big crowds or not.
This drama of the country grounds is going on years, Colin Kelly the manager mentioned it in his post match interview last weekend more or less saying it needs to be sorted for the good of the country and soon.

Carlow GAA get less crowds than Louth GAA and they have a superb little stadium.

ssmith6287

that's fair enough. not argueing with ya. just playing devils advocate

andrew1977

ssmith6287 wrote: »

that's fair enough. not argueing with ya. just playing devils advocate

See you at the next Louth game , the more the merrier.

ssmith6287

haven't been to 1 in years being honest. Has anything changed. Is there still town politics are have the selction panel grown up a bit

andrew1977

ssmith6287 wrote: »

haven't been to 1 in years being honest. Has anything changed. Is there still town politics are have the selction panel grown up a bit

There is still town politics regarding the redevelopment of the ground, Dundalk want one thing, Drogheda want another.
But the majority of diehard supporters just want a decent ground no matter where its located.

The selection panel is picking the right people I think, results are showing it and everyone pulling in the right direction, long may it last.

Nesta99

Town politics have held back the issue of a county ground, it is incredible considering the size of the county and that the M1 and 20 minutes divides the 2 real options of DkIT and The O'Raghallaighs. DkIT still seems the most sensible option to me considering the facilities that already exist including catering, hospitality options, TV studio and more half way in the County as a whole. The Dundalk v Drogheda thing should be put aside and let some common sense prevail. DkIT wouldnt have to have the need for club games at all levels that the O'Raghallaighs pitch will need to cope with on top of intercounty matches in 2 codes, men and ladies, and underage sides. No brainer if Drogheda GAA patrons would let it happen!? It is the County town after all

ssmith6287

went to the game. pitch is in ****e but fair play to the team they played ok. bit deep, seemed to invite preassure but maybe that's the tactic for the championship

blackpearl

andrew1977 wrote: »

The plans are not for a fully seated seated stadium, that will never /wont happen and its not what people /the plans are calling for.

The grass bank is the major factor in the health and safety issue ,and if the stadium doesn't comply to standard then we are forced to play our games outside of Louth.
The grass banks have to go and replaced with terrace style arrangements, be it big crowds or not.
This drama of the country grounds is going on years, Colin Kelly the manager mentioned it in his post match interview last weekend more or less saying it needs to be sorted for the good of the country and soon.

Carlow GAA get less crowds than Louth GAA and they have a superb little stadium.

Is it something to do with our county,look at oriel park not the greatest of stadiums dundalk rugby club a mess louths so called stadium a compleat joke you have to be a horse or a greyhound in co louth to get a stadium to be proud off.

10green bottles

blackpearl wrote: »

Is it something to do with our county,look at oriel park not the greatest of stadiums dundalk rugby club a mess louths so called stadium a compleat joke you have to be a horse or a greyhound in co louth to get a stadium to be proud off.

Best laugh all week.

The racecourse is a €35million private funded facility.

I'll stop there. :pac:

macadam

Thats that, didnt expect any silverware, we are a very poor outfit, there isnt one player on that team who would fit into any panel of the top six teams in the country, fair play to Kelly though two seasons in a row and gained promotion they will find the going tough in Division 2 next year.

blackpearl

10green bottles wrote: »

Best laugh all week.

The racecourse is a €35million private funded facility.

I'll stop there. :pac:

The county board is taking enough money of the clubs for daver it would have fit them better if they had to build a county ground first it is louth football that is the laugh with a bog for a pitch lost 2 games in league at home all games away won.

macadam

Its players they want not a pitch..

ssmith6287

Give the Louth Brand to DKIT Marketing as a project. LMFM is great but too focused towards an old generation. If you get the 20 somethings going to the games then the 20 somethings will want to perform. Is there a rule about a set county ground. Why not divide it between the 3 or 4 best pitches and monitor crowds. Obviously wherever gets the most fans should hold the championship. There's serious potential given how good our Soccer and Rugby clubs have been, no reason why the GAA should be any different. Just needs to be brought forward a bit

macadam

The money wasted on the Darver grounds was a big mistake and set the county grounds back at least 25 years, why should Louth gaa depend on DKIT?
DKIT are not flush with funds actually they are in a lot of trouble with debts themselves.

ssmith6287

Im not talking about the pitch, im talking about PR.

blackpearl

ssmith6287 wrote: »

Give the Louth Brand to DKIT Marketing as a project. LMFM is great but too focused towards an old generation. If you get the 20 somethings going to the games then the 20 somethings will want to perform. Is there a rule about a set county ground. Why not divide it between the 3 or 4 best pitches and monitor crowds. Obviously wherever gets the most fans should hold the championship. There's serious potential given how good our Soccer and Rugby clubs have been, no reason why the GAA should be any different. Just needs to be brought forward a bit

Have to agree 2 years ago they took the pats and soms to drodgheda what a joke but the county board wont here tell of games been held anywhere else but that bog hole ,that they are as much to blame for as anyone else the state of the place what must other county supporters think when they walk true the gate.
a few years back when eamon mac was over the team the gales clans and dowleshill was used all home games in the league all games won and big crowds,it would fit the county board if they took their blinkers of .

ssmith6287

This town politics bullsh1t is 1 if the reasons why louth win nothing. like I said the only reason I went to the Sligo game was a mate was going and its literally 10 mins away. I then watched the tipp game on tv. I'm not a fan but 2 louth games is the most ive seen in 20 years. Im sure there are people in Dundalk with a similar attitude. ah ill go and see what its like. but I reckon I might go to the championship games now and hopefully a couple of league games next year. if the game had been in Dundalk I prob wouldn't have gone. but now id consider going. its hard to make sense talking on a forum. what im saying is don't wait for the people to come to you, bring the goods to the people. This does work. Look at Munster rugby. bigger scale but they keep their 2 population bases interested by playing games in both venues. they now travel to the other counties

10green bottles

When it comes to the County Ground = where it should be etc... a North County/South County bias is very prevalent on the matter.
Holding everything back imo.
I'm an Armagh supporter.Tuppence worth there ^^

blackpearl

From the border at omeath to drodgheda half way point Dundalk, over the years bigger support was always at dundalk.

dundalkfc10

blackpearl wrote: »

From the border at omeath to drodgheda half way point Dundalk, over the years bigger support was always at dundalk.

Still is, and that is very noticeable when we play games in Haggardstown or D'Hill (haven't done in a while though) The crowd is double what it is in Drogheda.

I for one, would go to every Louth game but im not travelling to Drogheda to watch a game (in a pitch not fit for U-12 football never mind county football, and dont get me started on state of the grass bank on the opposite side to the stand). Ive been to every away game this year and will prob be the same next year

ssmith6287

So ya won't support the team because the pitch is crap?

blackpearl

50% of louth games played in that bog hole they loose, the county board top table are a bunch of clowns they will not listen to anybody they have not got a clue play the games in dundalk and see how big the crowds will be ,and a big performance from louth players.

10green bottles

Divide and conquer ehh?
That'll solve the problems

dundalkfc10

ssmith6287 wrote: »

So ya won't support the team because the pitch is crap?

No because i like to stand at games and not sit in the stand. Drogheda with any kind of wet weather (on the day or in days before it) is just not safe with the grass bank, especially when i bring the kids

macadam

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

No because i like to stand at games and not sit in the stand. Drogheda with any kind of wet weather (on the day or in days before it) is just not safe with the grass bank, especially when i bring the kids

When I was a kid grass was always more fun to play on than concrete. Drogheda is not ideal but its what we have until funds come through, too much money was ploughed into that sh1thole Darver all down to mismanagement and politics.
As for the great divide Ive been to Louth league games all over the country on buses and by car and there was no such thing as a divide between north south or mid louth, its only when it comes to the county grounds and again this is all down to bad management from the powers that be.
Anyone any idea how much was spent on plans drawings etc for the various projects bandied about this past 10 years, I would put the cost at approx €50k. Wouldnt that put some terracing in Drogheda.

peejay1986

All upcoming Championship games being moved out of club grounds following the latest announcement on COVID restrictions.

https://louthnow.ie/2020/08/18/all-championship-games-move-to-darver-as-gates-close-to-supporters/

Haven't been to a game myself since the return but was there much precautions being taken by match-going supporters?

event

Yeah been to 3 or 4 and all have been fine really.

The move to darver is a joke though. They are doing it so they can stream all the games but again, no care for the players.

peejay1986

event wrote: »

Yeah been to 3 or 4 and all have been fine really.

The move to darver is a joke though. They are doing it so they can stream all the games but again, no care for the players.

Yeah, Darver is crazy. Won't suit the majority of players and the conditions there are like no other.

I'm curious to see what they do with media at these games. If they are allowed to attend, are they going to be expected to sit on a bank, open to the elements, and compile notes / reports?

macadam

They should either play at the normal neutral venues, or abandon the season.
They couldnt organise a pi$$ in a pot.

10green bottles

Darver �� the biggest fallacy ever created by Louth GAA

peejay1986

10green bottles wrote: »

Darver �� the biggest fallacy ever created by Louth GAA

Quite the achievement.