Your best/worst moments as a GAA supporter?

Daysha · 02-11-2008 01:36PM #1

Looking back, what would be your fondest memories of supporting your own county, and what would your most disappointing days too?

Best
1. Beating Tipp in the AI Semi final. Not much explanation needed here, 6 AI Semi finals in 10 years says it all really.

2. 2004 Munster Final against Cork. The single greatest match I ever saw. I was in the very front of the Waterford terrace, so I had a first hand account of Stevie Brenners howler, Mullane lashing out at the Cork defender, Flynns wonder-goal and finally seeing Prendergasts point drop just over the bar in the last minute: we went from stopping a goal chance for Cork to scoring a point in literally a few seconds.

3. NHL Final win over Kilkenny. A first national title in 44 years, and a wonderful performance keeping a full strength Kilkenny side goal-less. How times have changed in a year :rolleyes:

Worst
1. 2006 AI Semi defeat to Cork. Donal Og doing the unthinkable from Ken's free in the last minute that would've saved the match. It was times like that you wondered whether it was just not meant to be for this team.

2. 1998 AI Semi defeat to Kilkenny. We were seemingly down and out of it in that match, staged a fantastic comeback but just fell one point short.

3. 2007 AI Semi defeat to Limerick. It wasn't until Limericks last goal did I truly believe it was going to be another defeat. Even when we fell 8 points behind in the first half, I was still so sure this team wouldn't let themselves lose, considering our performances prior to that match.

homerjay2005 · 02-11-2008 02:10PM

best -

1 - winning first all ireland in 97 against mayo i was only 15 and it was my first final too, sat in the back row of crokers cusack stand, on my own. remember running onto the pitch for the first time, hugging random strangers.

2 - beating armagh in 2006. ended a chapter that we couldnt beat the northies. that second half, was perhaps the most enjoyable 35 minutes i have experienced with kerry. a day when a new chapter in kerry gaa was written. pehaps, kerrys biggest win, this decade.

3 - beating the dubs in 2007. 82000 people, lovely day, great atmosphere. grate game, great win.

worst - i think 1 and 2 will always be on my list..

1 - 99 munster final rained for hours, got soacked to the skin. our last ever defeat that didnt see us get to croker. 10 years on, it still hurts, still remember it. was something like 2-10 to 2-4, mistakes all around. and the minors got hammered too.

2 - 2002 final v armagh. i dont know how we never won this one an i never will. cuts deeply this, were playing some of the bet football ever seen that year and crusing at half time. 1 point is all we neede in last 25 mins and we couldn do it. never played in 2nd half, was p*ssed off over this for 2 years.

3 - 2008 final. in a few years time, this would be off the list as im sure something else would replace it. still sour over it, but whats more disappointing is the fact that people say we were hammred. there was 1 point in it in the 69th minute and we had a goal change to win it 2 mins before that. a game we could have won, but tyrone got every little bit of luck going to get them over the line.

evil-monkey · 02-11-2008 03:39PM

I know this was supposed to be for County only but I've thrown one or two club ones in as I feel they belong in mine...

Best

1. All-Ireland hurling final in '99. Was only about 12 at the time as well.

2. Munster football final '99, beating Kerry. For some reason this is my earliest memory of going to matches with the ould fella, even though we'd be going since the day I was born.

3. St Finbarr's v Nemo Rangers in the quarter football of the county about 8 years ago. My crowd lost that day...but for some reason I have very fond memories of the game

4. 2006 AI semi-final (Sorry Deise

) and that wonderful finish!!

Worst

1. AI football final '99...Cork lost despite my juvenile reckoning that they were invincible.

2. When John Mullane stuck his two fingers up at the Cork terrace. That was a bad day for GAA and spoiled what would otherwise have been remembered as a great game.

3. Kilkenny stopping us from doing the 3-in-a-row. Not that I hadn't expected this to happen. But there were some amount of lowts in the terrace that day...it was just a day that wasn't enjoyable at all at all...

4. Feile semi-final, God only knows when, and we were beaten by the last kick of the game. I don't care what anybody says, it's what happens at underage that sticks with you for the rest of your life!!

edit: good thread OP

kerry4sam · 02-11-2008 04:15PM

good thread OP ...

Their is just one image and subsequent moment that i just can't forget:

All-Ireland Semi-Final in Croke Park with Kerry-v-Cork and the referee ruled against Cork ... cue Colin Corkery thumping down the field dragging Seamus Monihan by the scruf of his neck to try and correct the referee that he was harsh on Cork

- final whistle in Armagh-v-Kerry 2002 fantastic moment imo ... the scenes i honestly had never seen before in Croker, not even when Kerry won the A-I in 1997

premierstone · 02-11-2008 06:10PM

BEST

1. Munster final replay 1987 in Killarney quite simply wow, was only 8 at the the time but was hooked from that day on.

2. Munster final replay 1991 again against cork amazing comeback in a game that had everything

3. My club winning the intermediate AI

WORST

1. All Ireland final defeat to Clare in 1997, John Leahys miss still makes me shudder.

2. The fact that the team of the late 80's early 90's which had six amazing forwards- Cleary, Ryan, Leahy, Fox, Bonner, and English only one two All Irelands.

homerjay2005 · 02-11-2008 07:38PM

kerry4sam wrote: »

- final whistle in Armagh-v-Kerry 2002 fantastic moment imo ... the scenes i honestly had never seen before in Croker, not even when Kerry won the A-I in 1997

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

i am both shocked and saddened to see that coming from a kerry man!! i was too gutted that day to even see what was happening after the whistle..

kerry4sam · 02-11-2008 09:33PM

kerry4sam wrote: »

good thread OP ...
...
- final whistle in Armagh-v-Kerry 2002 fantastic moment imo ... the scenes i honestly had never seen before in Croker, not even when Kerry won the A-I in 1997

homerjay2005 wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

i am both shocked and saddened to see that coming from a kerry man!! i was too gutted that day to even see what was happening after the whistle..

well what i witnessed that day has not been matched at any other GAA match i have attended (bearing in mind i am referring to the scenes at the final whistle and not the match itself)

While i was standing there in the HoganStand in absolute shock just looking around wondering wtf just happened here; what i witnessed left me in awe –
*cue the imagery*
- grown men break down crying
- one fella ditch his crutches and run down the steps roaring in pain and excitement
- just absolute sheer joy on every Armagh supporters face

and if you were to be honest you have not seen such emotion on the faces of Kerry supporters when victorious in Croker over the past number of years – it is just taken for granted by Kerry folk but that day with Armagh, the YEARS of waiting and wanting and ultimately beating the Kings of Football in Croke Park was simply shock in awe and i have not witnessed the likes since.

Daysha · 02-11-2008 11:06PM

kerry4sam wrote: »

well what i witnessed that day has not been matched at any other GAA match i have attended (bearing in mind i am referring to the scenes at the final whistle and not the match itself)

While i was standing there in the HoganStand in absolute shock just looking around wondering wtf just happened here; what i witnessed left me in awe –
*cue the imagery*
- grown men break down crying
- one fella ditch his crutches and run down the steps roaring in pain and excitement
- just absolute sheer joy on every Armagh supporters face

and if you were to be honest you have not seen such emotion on the faces of Kerry supporters when victorious in Croker over the past number of years – it is just taken for granted by Kerry folk but that day with Armagh, the YEARS of waiting and wanting and ultimately beating the Kings of Football in Croke Park was simply shock in awe and i have not witnessed the likes since.

Christ, after reading that, all I keep on thinking is: "That could've been us"

:(:(

GAAman · 03-11-2008 12:22AM

Wow i can think of one big good one and loads of small ones

Good ones: 95

, "the battle of omagh" < best birthday present ever

Bad: (Im sure i will forget loads here) Ray cosgrave hittin the bar in (i think) 2002 against armagh (woulda put your house on him hittin it over the way he was kickin, the replay against tyrone in 05, against tyrone this year, against mayo last year..........i need a tissue

Daysha · 03-11-2008 12:37AM

If I was going to choose moments outside my own county, the Dublin/Mayo SF from 2006 would definitely be up there for sheer enjoyment from a neutral perspective.

The Armagh win in 02 would obviously be up there too, as would Clare in 95 and Wexford in 96. But the best hurling match I ever saw that didn't involve Waterford would have to be Galway/Kilkenny in 2005. That was just surreal!

K-9 · 03-11-2008 01:07AM

deise59 wrote: »

If I was going to choose moments outside my own county, the Dublin/Mayo SF from 2006 would definitely be up there for sheer enjoyment from a neutral perspective.

The Armagh win in 02 would obviously be up there too, as would Clare in 95 and Wexford in 96. But the best hurling match I ever saw that didn't involve Waterford would have to be Galway/Kilkenny in 2005. That was just surreal!

Yep they where good!

As a neutral Mayo and Tyrone nearly beating Cork and Kerry in 89 and 86.

Down in 91, Derry in 93, Down in 94, Armagh in 02 (though I hate them) and grudgingly Tyrone in 03, 05 and 08.

Strangely also seeing Kerry in 86 beating Tyrone. A pleasure to see the great Kerry team at my first ever AI.

In hurling, the Galway team of the late 80's and Waterford from 98. Kilkenny in the AI this year, though it pained me! The most complete team performance I've ever seen.

Personally, 92!, what else?

04 beating Tyrone.

89 beating Cavan and Derry to get to the Ulster final, my first.

1990 beating Armagh to win Ulster.

03, beating Galway in Castlebar to reach our first AI SF in 11 years.

Bad times

Being walloped by Armagh in 88 in the Athletic grounds with Houghton putting the ball in the England net at the same time. Wrong time, wrong place!

Losing to Meath in AI SF in 1990. We had them beat!

League final replay loss to Dublin in 93.

The Clones swamp in 93. Should never have been played, robbed us of the 2 in a row.

98 Ulster final and Brolly robbing us. Jaysus, he can rub it in!

04 losing to Fermanagh in the Qualifiers. Still don't know how we lost that match.

PS. Tyrone beating Dublin this year was as a complete a performance in football in years.

Green Giant · 03-11-2008 01:24PM

THE GREAT:
- 3 September 1995. 1-13 to 2-8. The 81-year wait over. Anthony Daly's speech.
- Jamesie's legendary last-minute point two years later to conquer Tipp in the All-Ireland and wrap up our second Liam McCarthy in three years
- Munster champions 95, 97 and 98
- wiping the floor with Limerick in 2006 and 2008
- (club) Sixmilebridge winning the All-Ireland in 1996

THE REGRETTABLE:
- Pissing away a six-point lead against Cork in 05 All-Ireland semi and losing by a point
- Ciaran Carey dethroning us as All-Ireland champions at the first hurdle in 96
- Jimmy Cooney forgetting that senior inter-county games are 35 minutes a half and not 30
- the Munster U-21 final umpire disgrace last July
- getting hockeyed by Tipp in 1993 and Waterford in 2004
- (club) finishing bottom of our group in the county championship this year behind, with all due respect, the likes of Tubber and Corofin

megadodge · 03-11-2008 02:19PM

I'm from Roscommon and the best moment was followed immediately by the very, very worst moment ever, followed by the absolute bestest EVER moment !!

In the 2001 Connacht Final v Mayo after Ros had put on an absolutely stunning display in defeating Galway in the semi in Tuam, things were much tighter against the team that had been Roscommon's bogey since I was a kid. We just never, ever seemed to beat Mayo, no matter how good Roscommon were or how bad Mayo were, they always seemed to up their game and Roscommon always seemed to flop (exception of 1991). However I was confident this day.

Scores were level with a few minutes left and Ros got a goal. That was surely it! I jumped and jumped and jumped and my mother was telling me to take it easy, but it was years of frustration being released.....

...so you cannot ever really understand the sheer depths of despair and hopelessness when with injury time almost up Mayo got a goal to put them 2 points up !! I sank to the ground and held my head in my hands and I remember saying "I can't take this anymore". Seriously. I'm a complete optimist, but for that moment I had resigned myself to the awfulness that hope was pointless...

...but out of sheer anger and thickness and my optimism returning, when the ball was kicked out and the ref didn't blow the final whistle, I naturally began to think "there's still a chance" and I started roaring and miracle of miracle Ros went up the field and scored a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant goal. I went f*cking ga-ga !!

I ended up on my knees and turning to hug a complete stranger who was also going nuts, but he mistimed his hug and punched me straight in the eye - and I didn't give a sh*te !!! I'm getting emotional even now typing it. What a moment !!

Zzippy · 03-11-2008 03:17PM

Worst: 1991, losing to Meath after the 4-game "saga", broke my heart, could hardly talk afterwards.
Losing to Armagh in '02 was a close second, followed by the '92 final.

Best: Not my county, but being on the Canal End terrace in '95 when Clare won the AI for the 1st time since 1914, I have never witnessed scenes like it before or since. A great display with 2 towering performances by Brian Lohan and Brian Whelehan, and the sheer emotion that followed the final whistle are memories that will stay with me forever.

The_Kew_Tour · 03-11-2008 03:25PM

My fav are

1999 AI hurling final never forget it was lucky that I was in the cancel end lower tier but was covered from the rain that day. Never forget after nine long years of waiting for Liam to come home again was amazing and the singing of "the banks" being sung all around Croker when the players did there victory lap of honour... amazing.

1990 AI football final when Cork won the double Rocky getting sent off and Billy telling ref he must have got the wrong fella sent off was in the hill when Larry lifted the cup was a day I will never forget

2004 AI hurling was not at it but was what a day to beat the Cats some win.

1992 Munster final when Babs Keating came over to the Blackrock end with couple minutes to go and all the Cork crowd making Donkey noises for his comments in 1990 was such funny moment

1993 football final even though I was disappointed that we lost I will never forget the joy on the faces of the fans we were in canal end was supposed to be the Cork end but 50% were Derry in there. I will never forget I was only 10 and these 6-7 Derry lads who blocked my view when they realised what they had done they apologised to my Dad and they hung me up on the rails so I had great view sound guys who had tears after there great win for there 1st all-ireland.

Worst

2007 AI football final enough said.

2006 just for fact Cork were going for 3 in row.

1991 Munster final against Tipp was first time saw Cork loose if I am correct I think Cork were leading by 9 points at half time but great comeback by Tipp to be fair.

26th May 1996 the darkest hour in Cork hurling getting walloped by Limerick

klong · 03-11-2008 04:00PM

Best

Geraghtys goal v Louth in Navan a few years ago

01 AI semi v Kerry

Dessie Dolan hitting the post and getting us the replay

(club) watching inter q/final v Carnaross a few years ago, coming back from the dead to win

Worst

The minutes leading up to Geraghtys goal, crowd "knowing" that was it, Boylan was gone.

01 AI, getting hammered by Galway

Any time being beaten by the Dubs

kevmy · 03-11-2008 06:05PM

BEST

1) Beating the Dubs in 06 semi - it had everything atmosphere, excitement, a great comeback

2) Beating Tyrone in 04 quarter - if the Dub game hadn't been so good this would be number 1. They were AI champs and I rate them higher than I ever rated this Dublin team. Unfortunately our peak

3) Beating Kerry in 96 semi - it was Kerry in Croker for God's sake and we beat them

Other mentions - anytime we beat Galway 04 was particularly sweet - we totally outplayed them

(Club) Winning an Intermediate title 03 and then making it to the county final a couple of years later - unfortunately we lost to Cross by a point in a game we should have won

WORST

Take your pick

1) Final defeats in 96,97,04,06 all rankle - I think 96 was the one we left behind us and 06 was the most embarrassing

2) Losing to Ros in 01 and Sligo the year before that - two very bad ways to go out of Connacht

3) Other misfortunes like any day we go to Pearse Stadium, losing miserably to Cork in 93 in my first day in Croker, a disappointing day in Derry in 07 after a long drive

Christ this side could fill a book (wait it did - House of Pain)

Not necessarily Best or Worst but Most Pleasurable

- Any day Ciaran Mac was at his best be it in victory or defeat, club or county, for a second or a whole game, league or championship. So many great moments from little flicks against Sligo in league game to monstrous points on big days in Croker

2Scoops · 03-11-2008 06:06PM

Worst: 1999 All-Ireland hurling final. Gutted.

smashey · 03-11-2008 06:11PM

Easy for me...

Best = 1992

Worst = every feckin year since and especially that wee Brolly bollox in 98.

buck65 · 03-11-2008 06:21PM

Best - All Ireland win Clare V Tipp 1997 (Best All Ireland in recent years IMO) Ebbed and flowed - we laughed , we cried and celebrated all night. Better win than 95 beating Cork , Tipp (twice) , Kilkenny and em Kerry along the way.

Worst - Dublin beating Galway 1983 All Ireland final. First time in Croke Park. 5 sent off !
Actually the sending offs were enjoyable!!

manster · 03-11-2008 07:26PM

Congratulating two guys dressed from head to toe in orange after the 2002 final. Then hearing "We're not from Armagh, we're from Cork boy". Will never forgive or forget that one.:mad:

RSF Cill Dara · 03-11-2008 07:33PM

Kildare v Galway 1998 All-Ireland final

phase-3 · 07-11-2008 03:35PM

Best:

Waterford V Cork 2004 munster final

League final 2007 Waterford V Kilkenny

Galway v Kilkenny 2005

Tyrone v Kerry 2008 AL final

Worst:

Clare V Waterford 1998 Munster final replay..the weather and the fighting was just sickening to watch.

Galway V Kerry 2000 AL replay

Waterford V Cork 2006 semi final

Waterford V Limerick 2007

Kildare V Galway 1998 (devastating!!)

phase-3 · 07-11-2008 03:38PM

Forgot my worst of all!!!

Waterford V Kilkenny AL final 2008. I have never seen such depressed GAA fans in my life. Waterford had come so far over the last 10 years and to make it and lose by that much was gutting for them. I was in the hill, everything from the weather, atmosphere for the first 8 minutes was brilliant, then it went all down hill

:(

megadodge · 07-11-2008 04:04PM

Outside the subject of my earlier post on the 2001 Connacht Final, my most memorable moment was Maurice Fitzgerald's wonder point to equalise against the Dubs with the last kick of the game in the 2001 quarter final.

When you take into account the whole controversy all year about Paidi's insistance on not starting Maurice for any game for Kerry, despite the fact that he was still the best footballer in the country, the fact that he was only on the field for a few minutes and had not even had one touch of the ball, the fact that it was a hugely hyped game, the fact that it was the last kick of the game, the fact that it was a sideline kick just outside the 50, the fact that Tommy Carr was roaring abuse in his face as he was lining it up, the fact that he decided to kick with the outside of his boot....

I have never seen a better kick of any ball in any sport !!

Pride Fighter · 07-11-2008 04:06PM

Best moment
Dublin lifting sam in 1995
worst
Every year since. But Mulligans goal against us in 05 was just a disaster for me, all you could do was applaud but I did'nt want to.

RichTea · 07-11-2008 04:08PM

'Dem filty Offily basturds! Sittin on that field!

Flukey · 07-11-2008 06:29PM

There are so many in both categories. As a Dublin fan, seeing Meath and Kerry being knocked out is always great. If the two come up together, then I'd prefer Meath to win because of Kerry's amount of All-Ireland wins. So seeing Meath hammer them in 2001 followed by Galway hammering Meath in the final was a nice combination.

Other notable moments -

The 1982 All-Ireland Final and that famous goal (I bought the DVD recently:D).

Any Dublin win in the All-Ireland final, though I've only been at the 1983 and 1995 ones. Seeing any underdog win, or a team with little success is great. If you throw in that the success is over a favourite or one of the big counties, it is a bit extra special. So there is a long list there like:

Hurling:
Galway - 1980, 1987, 1988.
Offaly - 1981 (even if it was over Galway - my mother's county).
Clare - 1995.
Wexford - 1996.
Offaly over Kilkenny in 1998.

...and many others.

In Football, any win over Kerry is great and first time winners too.
Down 1991 (finally breaking the Ulster hoodoo going back to Down in 1968)
Donegal 1992 (even if was over Dublin).
Derry 1993.
Galway 1998 (finally breaking the Connacht hoodoo going back to Galway in 1966)
Armagh 2002. (My video of that day)
Tyrone 2003. (My video of that day)
Tyrone 2005.
Tyrone 2008.

Lows:

Anytime Kerry win is disappointing, or anytime Dublin lose, especially to Meath and Kerry, but others too. I felt a particular disappointment the day after this year's Dublin v Tyrone game, though the delight at Tyrone's All-Ireland Final win was wonderful. Dublin v Meath in 1991, was obviously disappointing. Any Hurling win by Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary is disappointing, as they are the big 3. It is always nicer to see other teams win. It's 10 years since Offaly won, so there have been 10 disappointing finals since then. A Cork v Kilkenny final is something a lot of people don't want to happen. There have been some of the brighter days amongst those years when one of the big 3 have been beaten.

There have been many other brilliant and bad days that I haven't mentioned, so these are just a random selection. GAA matches can give you so many lows and highs. There is nothing like them when you are a GAA fan.

One final bright thing each year for us is securing an All-Ireland Final ticket and knowing "I will be there."

homerjay2005 · 07-11-2008 09:05PM

jeez man, in all fairness, having kerry loosing as a best moment and kerry winning as a worst moment is questionable to be honest, surely you should only be concerned with your own county? you must really hate us.

shiibata · 07-11-2008 10:24PM

Have to agree with most of Seanie32's high and lows.

HIGHS; 1992 of course
1st Ulster final for me in 1983 beating Cavan.
Beating Mayo in the league final last year.
Beating Galway in QF replay 2003 in Castebar, the atmosphere that day was amazing, one of the best I was ever at.

LOWS; Definetly the 1983 AI semi loss to Galway, was in tears.
Same as Seanie32, was in Armagh when "who stuck the ball in the english net"
Getting beat in Newbridge in the qualifiers when we were hammering them at half-time, came back and beat us by a point(cant remember what year)
Also league final loss to Dubs in 93, when ref blew final whistle few minutes early with us all over them.(GAA pay day comes to mind)

Away from Donegal matches the best moment I seen was being along with the wife's Kildare cousins on the hill when they beat Meath in 98

popebenny16 · 07-11-2008 11:29PM

ah as a dub, so many lows, so little room to post them up.

in no particular order (lol):

this years loss to Tyrone in the rain.

Mayo.

Kildare in 00.

Best Moment? Well, we'll have to go back, was it only ten years ago that Mullet and I watched the Hurlers beat Waterford in Walsh Park? Was it the same year we also beat Cork in the leauge?

Or was it 11?

Jesus wept.

Your best/worst moments as a GAA supporter?

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