The Dominance of Dublin GAA *Mod warning post#1*

Well Dublin divisional sides would still have to play some games at home. No, they shouldn't play essentially every single game at home, as Dublin do currently, including finals and semi-finals, but there would be some. I'd like things to be fair for all teams. And I love all counties, I want to see a level playing-field, and the best way to do this is by splitting Dublin. Your proposals that involve pointless tinkering with Provincial competitions, which should be abolished anyway and are only a part of inter-county competitions, do nothing to address Dublin's unfair advantages.

There has been a marked improvement in the Dublin hurlers, no doubt about it. But just because a team doesn't win every year doesn't mean they aren't unfairly advantaged (this holds true for the footballers as well). For instance if a team started in the Premier League with a 10-point advantage every year, but don't win, they are still unfairly advantaged. Similarly, Dublin start with insane advantages in population, funding and playing at home. Even when they don't win, they remain unfairly advantaged.

They play other sports outside the capital too, that's not unique to Dublin. A 4+ way split is indeed necessary now, Dublin's unfair advantages have just been allowed to persist for too long. It's not just population, it's also funding, playing at home etc. The combination of advantages Dublin enjoys are probably unique in sport.

How do you propose dealing with Dublin's unfair advantages if not by splitting them?

Thanks for that anecdote. It proves absolutely nothing. There is a lot of competition from other sports outside the Capital as I said.

Can you provide some evidence for China pumping in vast swathes of money? And then compare that to other countries? China and India don't have same combination of advantages that Dublin have. If China had a bigger gap between it and the second biggest country (although India now has a larger population than China anyway) than the gap between the second biggest country and the smallest, had millions and millions more in funding than everyone else, played all their games at home etc., then we would have a situation roughly equivalent to what Dublin enjoy. But that's not the case.

It's unfair because Dublin alone get to play all consequential games at home, have received tens of millions from the GAA, their sponsors, the Irish government etc more than every other county in recent decades, have a playing pool that dwarfs even the second biggest county etc. There are differences between other counties, sure, but nothing of the scale that Dublin have. And then they have all these advantages in combination too. That's why I and other neutrals want Dublin to be split, for the good of the GAA (and Dublin would benefit too). If you said something like that I'd probably be happy.

There are differences between counties other than Dublin, that's true, but nothing of the scale, nature, combination and duration of advantages that Dublin enjoy. All other differences pale in comparison. And they have them in combination. The stadium has to be situated somewhere, that's true, but Dublin play all their home league games too as well, and there is no reasons some semi-finals couldn't move to Cork/Limerick etc especially when the capacity is no longer needed as interest continues to decline.It's not about success alone, it's success in Dublin's case that has come off of a grossly unfair platform. So I wouldn't split Limerick or anyone else, just Dublin.

I am new to this thread and not too familiar on how clubs and counties are run and how they manage their resources, but can funding be increased and specifically used for counties (if not already done) especially for the counties that really need it. I am not sure how it works so forgive my questions. Do clubs or county boards apply for grants or funds from the GAA or their provincial council? It would be better to see what exactly is needed and spend the money in struggling counties, for things like coaching, player development, facilities and so on. I don't think anyone would like their county split or amalgamated with another, but there has to be a more positive way of dealing with the issues.

Please don’t accuse me of lying., I’m simply responding to the words you posted. If you’re not willing to own it don’t put it on the page. It’s particularly galling given your willingness to twist other poster inputs when it suits you.

we’ve detailed extensively the long list of unfair advantages Kerry have enjoyed in racking up their haul of Munster and all irelands. You still have to adequately address these points - I say address as opposed to waffling and pretending you’ve answered.

how do you propose dealing with Kerry’s long history of unfair advantages?

You're lying again. I'll stop saying it when you stop lying, which you should do immediately as it reflects poorly on you and your argument. You haven't detailed anything of the sort because it would be impossible to truthfully do so. No county other than Dublin is unfairly advantaged. That's why Dublin alone should be split. You're now doing a very childish thing of just taking an argument that has merit in Dublin's case (i.e that they are unfairly advantaged and should be split) and repeating the words verbatim in a case where it's nonsense. dunnerc used to do the same repeatedly, it's neither funny nor makes for an interesting discussion.

Look at the absolute figures, which is what is important here.

Gap between Dublin and Cork: ~1m
Gap between Cork and Leitrim: ~500k

There probably is a critical level of population below which counties would be completely uncompetitive vs Cork, but no county has reached it. But there is also a critical level where population gaps become enormously advantageous and we can definitely say that Dublin have reached that! You almost reached the correct conclusion but let me spell it out here: The population advantage Dublin have over Cork (and by extension all other counties) is far greater than the population advantage Cork have over anyone else- it's one of the reasons Dublin alone should be split.

Funding figures have been provided countless times over the course of this thread, so definitely feel free to search for them. Taking on board the Games Development money, money from sponsors, money from the Irish government etc., it's been shown dozens, if not hundreds, of times how Dublin again are uniquely unfairly advantaged in this area.

The problem with Dublin moving out of Leinster is it does not address the unfair advantages Dublin have. By leaving them as a single team, nothing is solved. The Leinster Championship is only one part of the Championship too- Dublin's unfair advantages are also felt in the other provinces, the Qualifiers, the All-Ireland etc. We need to rid all parts of the All-Ireland of the current unfairness. Not to mention that the Leinster Championship would also continue to be harmed, from the knock-on impact of the damage to the prestige, integrity and fairness that comes from Dublin alone being favoured.

I've already said voluntary amalgamations can be offered but the split of Dublin should be mandatory. It does seem like a lot of Dublin supporters are opposed to it at present despite the clear benefits both to Dublin and the game as a whole. In time though, most Dublin supporters would row behind their new divisional sides and Gaelic games would be massively enhanced.

One of the major problems with your solution is that it is untried and untested. There are no home stadiums for the divisional sides, there is no history of identity. As I said before, the best way of testing this out and trying if it works is to take Kerry out of the Munster championsip and replace them with their divisional sides. They have been in existence for a long time, presumably have designated home stadia and also have a traditional following. Kerry must be tired of winning 82 Munster championships, in fact Kerry people used to say that they only travel for All-Irelands.

So let's be having the existing Kerry divisions as a decade-long trial and in the meantime Dublin can look at its options. Wins all round for everyone.