Development of an Unhealthy Narrative in the GAA?

Bonniedog

McDonagh is very competitive, although there have been some baffling results. Antrim's hiding by Westmeath being one that I wouldn't have foreseen.

On plus side it gives up and coming teams like Carlow. Laois and Westmeath the chance to improve and then pit themselves against the senior teams, but that is not easy as Carlow have discovered, and will have it all to do again.

They should drop the quarter finals as they serve no purpose for any of teams involved, and end the McDonagh finalists year on a low note.

beggars_bush

Bonniedog wrote: »

McDonagh is very competitive, although there have been some baffling results. Antrim's hiding by Westmeath being one that I wouldn't have foreseen.

On plus side it gives up and coming teams like Carlow. Laois and Westmeath the chance to improve and then pit themselves against the senior teams, but that is not easy as Carlow have discovered, and will have it all to do again.

They should drop the quarter finals as they serve no purpose for any of teams involved, and end the McDonagh finalists year on a low note.

Westmeath have beaten Antrim every time they have faced them in the last 5 years afaik

Bonniedog

beggars_bush wrote: »

Westmeath have beaten Antrim every time they have faced them in the last 5 years afaik

Wasn't that Westmeath won, it was the scale of the victory that was a surprise. Bookies had it priced as 11/10 - 10/11.

And Westmeath losing at home to Kerry would not have inspired confidence in them.

So Laois are only team that look a good bet to reach the final. Their game against Westies at weekend will decide that probably.

The Lost Sheep

kippy wrote: »

Interesting that the OP is comparinging and contrasting the narrative around the GAA sports and did not bring up Soccer or Rugby. Why did you bring up this angle?

There are plenty of games of rugby/soccer that are absolutely turgid affairs - the same with hurling and football.

The OP's point is that there is a serious negativity around the All Ireland Football series versus the hurling series - particularily in the past few years and this is primarily because of two things:
1. The utter dominance of Dublin.
2. The fact that the hurling series sees the best teams play each other in very quick succession.

Two things have to happen.
1. The money that is distributed amongst the grassroots has to be spread more evenly.
2. A different format for the all ireland series is needed.

How evenly do you spread money and what do you use as way to determine more even distribution of funding and what different format do you use. Time should be for provincial cups to be separate from all ireland series but allow winners of provincial cups have link back in to all ireland series if not already involved. A league based competition as main event of year with proper standardised dates set all year for all counties to give clubs more game time in summer and a proper off season for far more players.

The Lost Sheep

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

Throwing rugby in just meant anything else you said was null and void. It's a 'sport' for people without any physical skill.

Throwing insults to sports like you are totally nullifies any point you could try to make. Highly ignorant thinking

The Lost Sheep

westcork67 wrote: »

Gaelic Football is a great game which has had its ups and downs - for sure the "Donegal-defense" style of play made it hard to watch for a few years but attacking football is on its way back and the best games of the championship so far this year, hurling and football, have been the football ones.

I am a fan of soccer and rugby as well and whereas the skill of the former or the physicality of the latter are impressive, neither has the speed, athleticism and scoring levels that Gaelic Football has - a good test is to watch an under 14 or 16 match in all codes (which I do through kids being involved etc) - by far the most entertaining is Gaelic Football! You don't have the cynicism or tactics that can infest our senior games - it is played as it was and is intended to be and then the true virtues of the game shine and it is the most entertaining and I include hurling in that

I would disagree though depends what area of country you're talking about. I see plenty of u14 gaelic and hurling in tipp/galway as well as rugby. some soccer. wouldnt say neither have skill, athleticism etc as gaelic at 14s/16s. All can vary hugely and extremely big and unfair generalisation to say gaelics by far most entertaining.

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

Credit to Dublin for all they have achieved, but overall, the game is dying at IC level and of little or no interest to the average sports fan anymore. Only hardcore GAA supporters will follow the sport in future, and the GAA have lost the soft or sunshine supporter who would go to watch a competitive game.

What father or mother is going to pay for their family into Croke Park to watch their team being hammered out the gate by Dublin? Even many Dublin supporters have seen these games are completely pointless.

The Scottish Premier League has long been a running joke of a competition where you can put Celtic's name on the cup before a ball has been kicked. The GAA football championship has ended up the same. And there's little that can be done to resurrect it as a spectacle for the neutral. Even hardcore supporters are losing interest.

As for negative coverage, the game of football has become negative and cynical over the last decade, so no surprising the commentary and punditry would reflect this. The ball is handpassed to death, 3 or 4 men swarm around players with the ball, 13 or 14 men behind the ball, etc etc. So its not the pundits fault the game is negative. Most counties don't have 5 or 6 or 10 or more marquee forwards to call on if you are a Dublin or a Kerry so they just have to set out their stall with what they have which leads to negative slogging matches.

Tiers would be a help but changing structure of season needs to happen simply by not having league leading into provincial championship leading to all ireland championship with one following the other then the next. that needs to be changed asap.

vetinari

The same was true when Kilkenny were dominant.
The Championship didn't start until they were knocked out.
Same is now true for Dublin.
Teams are competing for the right to play Dublin in the final.

nice_guy80

vetinari wrote: »

The same was true when Kilkenny were dominant.
The Championship didn't start until they were knocked out.
Same is now true for Dublin.
Teams are competing for the right to play Dublin in the final.

Except Dublin get most games at home
And even if they are beaten, they get another shot at it. Dublin could lose twice and still win the AI

Rasputin11

dobman88 wrote: »

After the hurling on Sunday, they showed highlights of Saturday's football and a quick interview with the Antrim manager. He said he knows they're not gonna win the Championship and they hope to give a good account of themselves when they play. All I could think was the difference a tiered championship would make if these lads had chance of a big prize after 8 months training instead of just trying to give a good account of themselves before inevitably being knocked out of the qualifiers

He said that the league was their Championship, refreshing to hear such honesty.

Jaden

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Except Dublin get most games at home
And even if they are beaten, they get another shot at it. Dublin could lose twice and still win the AI

Doesn't that apply equally to literally any county?

Lose a provincial game, still quality for Super8s.
Lose a Super8 Game and win the other 2.
Win Semi, Win Final.