Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

So out of 25k sold approx 5k regular dedicated Connacht supporters, a few thousand munster supporters which leaves probably 15k fair weather supporters and those that see it as a novelty event. Anyway hopefully some of those can be persuaded to go week in week out when the new clan stand is built

I wonder how much the GAA are lining their pockets with, the tickets are great value so I wouldn't expect connacht rugby are earning much from it

Stand tickets are €25, terraces €20 and youth/pensioner also. If an average of €20 for 26,000 capacity then the income is €520k.

For a sold out Connacht game at the Sportsgrounds with 6k capacity and an average of €30 a ticket that's €180k. That's €340k difference and whatever they're paying the GAA there's no doubt that Connacht are doing very well out of it.

Absolutely. This is almost three times the previous highest Connacht crowd of 9k in 2011.

Connacht have looked to ignore the home against Ulster in 2021 in the Aviva, where there was almost 10k at the game.

For starters any games at McHale Park or Pearse would help pay off the Sportsground debts. and to be fair the Galway stadium is a dump. There'll be some improvement, but nowhere near enough going by the blueprints.

They meant Pearse Stadium I'd say. Dunno would I say McHale is lightyears ahead of Salthill though myself. Both the terraces are showing wear and tear but I will say that Castlebar has a fantastic clubhouse setup. Any stand with poles obstructing views is dinosaur stuff nowadays and although Salthill is miserable in the rain you won't get an obstructed view anywhere.

I'm not 100% sure but I think both ends are being tidied up a bit,a wall being built around the college road end (from plans I've seen) probably about 4 or 5 steps of a terrace there only which is a shame.

I think the new stadium plans are a bit underwhelming but I'll reserve judgement until I see the finished product.

Will be interested to see if they have some sort of hospitality set up in Cbar.The clubhouse is huge and has two bars so I assume they might do something with that.

With dogs staying there wasn't going to be too much done at either end.

Playing all finals in sportsground is a good thing. All underage cup finals are already played in sportsground. League finals were elsewhere. If more of those are no played in aportsground it's a good thing for connacht rugby not a negative. More kids and more adults with more junior finals being played in sportsground is better for connacht rugby. Kids getting to play finals on same pitch as cathal forde, Jack carty, etc is better for the game.

Only 3 Conn lads in the U20s is a bit disappointing.

But massive congrats to Eanna McCarthy for being named captain. Can't remember a Connacht man ever being captain before?

Cillian Gallagher (https://www.connachtrugby.ie/news/cillian-gallagher-to-captain-ireland-u20s-against-italy/bp62/) and Sean O'Brien (https://www.irishrugby.ie/2014/04/28/ireland-u-20-squad-named-for-junior-world-championship-3/), off the top of my head.

Two incredible talents lost to injury.

Thete is no rugby pitch in Roscommon. Creggs is just over the Galway border. I'm sure they'd prefer it there with the choice of a natural pitch or 4g depending on the weather.

The current Sportsground, with its mish-mash of stands, poor facilities and wide open ends at both College Road and Bohermore Road is indeed a dump. Even with the redevelopment it'll compare very badly to the other provincial stadia. It'll be superior to Pearse and other Connacht GAA stadia but that's no great achievement. It should be closer to the Kingspan (18k) capacity if we're to display greater ambition.

For starters at the planning stage they should have got rid of the greyhound track. There'd be opposition for sure but that 'sport' is on its last legs and is near-empty most nights. There's no reason why the spectators should be so far back from the pitch for the rugby games. Without the track there could have been terrace development of the College Road end and even the Bohermore Road. It'll happen if the club becomes more successful so why do the upgrades in two phases rather than one? The new capacity will be sufficient for standard games but provincial ties and European knockouts merit a 15k/16k stadium. The lack of greyhound track would also make it easier to have Summer outdoor gigs and events there which could raise huge cash. A much more central venue for promoters than Pearse Stadium, Carnmore Airport or the Racecourse. And they'd not have to make any transport arrangements, shuttle buses, parking facilities, etc. One less headache for MCD, etc.

There are many improvements of course but it ain't a stadium befitting of a team which has the possibility to challenge in both the URC and European competitions. We should be doing better.

Connacht doeent need an 18k capacity. You can't compare connacht to Ulster. Population is so much smaller out west.

Connacht are not the primary tenants on main stand aide. That's greyhound racing ireland. So they couldn't just get rid of track unless you were to buy the dogs out.

I certainly hope we go full strength, the URC has been a mixed bag but the challenge cup has been a positive this season and a win would give us favourable seeding for the knockouts so I think we should be viewing this as the most important game of our season so far