Best supporters??

nicmarie · 19-07-2011 9:03am #1

Just had a conversation with a dub there and he thinks that Dublin have the best gaa fan base by far! They may have more people at the games but does this not have to do with population?

davegrohl48 · 19-07-2011 9:09am

By population I would say Roscommon are the best supported side in the country and maybe by a long way. Population circa 44,000 and they had maybe 15,000 fans at the Connaught final.

Clareman · 19-07-2011 9:10am

Every county has the best supporters, it's just that every other county doesn't realise this.

I can't see this thread going anywhere but a row between different supporters, but I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt, any trolling or trying to rise other supporters will lead to the thread being locked and posters banned.

nicmarie · 19-07-2011 10:35am

every county dosn't have the best supporters. Some counties dont bother travel an hour to go see their teams! All the dubs think they have the best supporters beacuse they always fill stadium! I just think its because of the population size like I know not all of the population is originaly from dublin but they would have more people from dublin than most other counties!

roy rodgers · 19-07-2011 11:08am

Kildare have the best supporters by far..

We travel in big numbers all the time and still have won nothing, ture fans.:D

Roll on saturday with another day out..

DoctaDee · 19-07-2011 11:19am

As a Dub supporter and allowing for the partisan following for the team from the hill, I have to say that the most fervent supporters I've seen in the rest of the ground would be Kildare, then again not that far to travel.

The one set of supporters that really stood out in my mind on a single occasion was the Clare supporters in the '92 S/F..... although they lost that day I remember thinking that they deserved another shot at it for the supporters alone.

spiralism · 19-07-2011 11:25am

davegrohl48 wrote: »

By population I would say Roscommon are the best supported side in the country and maybe by a long way. Population circa 44,000 and they had maybe 15,000 fans at the Connaught final.

i'd say we took upwards on 20-30,000 to the AI quarter final last year, most of the county was there!

DARK-KNIGHT · 19-07-2011 11:46am

All gaa fans are fantastic we keep the game alive and kicking, every county have great support and fans, its all to do with population of course for numbers but all fans are fantastic

nicmarie · 19-07-2011 11:49am

I would think kildare were the best supporters also but the dubs say that they fill more stadiums and have a larger fan base. I just think that its becasue there are more dubs than lillies! For kildares population the fan base is brilliant!

Niall M · 19-07-2011 11:54am

being from kerry, i would say the cork football fans are the best. they had to endure so much heartache and disappointments but still travel in their droves.

DoctaDee · 19-07-2011 12:08pm

Well if we equate "best" supporters with committment ... then an honourable mention should go to Tyrone and Armagh in 2005 ... championship football/hurling brings out the best in supporters ... now a cold Winter's day for a league game is a completely different animal

DoctaDee · 19-07-2011 12:22pm

Niall M wrote: »

being from kerry, i would say the cork football fans are the best. they had to endure so much heartache and disappointments but still travel in their droves.

LOL ... using that logic da Dubs are definetely the best

.. Cork, Kerry, Tyrone and the worse of all v Mayo in 2006 .. *sighs*

Kojak · 19-07-2011 12:33pm

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

All gaa fans are fantastic we keep the game alive and kicking, every county have great support and fans, its all to do with population of course for numbers but all fans are fantastic

Agreed. Also every county has their fair share of idiots who are only there to shout abuse and cause a row, so to say any county has bad supporters is a bad generalization imo.

J Cheever Loophole · 19-07-2011 12:34pm

There are many many ways to define 'best supporters' - in fact so many ways that it essentially renders the term itself worthless.

If it comes to support as a proportion of population, then surely Leitrim in 1994 against the Dubs has to feature very highly. If it comes to pure numbers, then Dublin win hands down, but I always reckoned that Kildare had a very large support - I remember seeing a figure that suggested they had something in the region of 45,000 fans at the 1998 All Ireland semi-final against Kerry - that is impressive stuff.

phkk · 19-07-2011 12:36pm

Has to be Waterford,always travel in huge numbers

nicmarie · 19-07-2011 12:42pm

It is probably very hard to tell because you would have to work out the original population as in people who are actualy from dublin to be able to work out the stats of who has the largest fan base taking into consideration the population of their county.

crebel81 · 19-07-2011 12:43pm

Niall M wrote: »

being from kerry, i would say the cork football fans are the best. they had to endure so much heartache and disappointments but still travel in their droves.

Unlike Kerry, who only go for the final...kerry support at the down game last year was shocking for what i can remember...reason I say all this is I hear it from friends etc who wont go unless its in croker against a big team

Must agree that Roscommon are great supporters...against Cork in the q final I was surrounded by Roscommon fans

Blink182rock · 19-07-2011 12:46pm

im from Galway and its fair to say ... we are NOT the best fans ....
Poor attendances for most games unless we make it to q/f of s/f !!

ninjasurfer1 · 19-07-2011 12:47pm

Has to be Cork.
They have to travel for both the Football and the Hurling!

:pac:
(most years!!).

Niall M · 19-07-2011 1:15pm

crebel81 wrote: »

Unlike Kerry, who only go for the final...kerry support at the down game last year was shocking for what i can remember...reason I say all this is I hear it from friends etc who wont go unless its in croker against a big team

Must agree that Roscommon are great supporters...against Cork in the q final I was surrounded by Roscommon fans

I agree completely with you, i go to all kerry games with my brother and we are usually embarassed at the lack of kerry support.

PTH2009 · 19-07-2011 1:23pm

Waterford were once a supporter stronghold but it has rapidly decreased in the last few years and this sunday could be embarrising for the county.

Rebelinho · 19-07-2011 1:26pm

Best I've seen: Roscommon for AI q/f last year. Not only were they there in their droves but they also created a massive atmosphere, pretty much on their own. They were celebrating in the bars afterwards as if they'd won the match! Some difference to the Meath supporters who arrived in later having lost to Kildare. I know expectations would have been different.

Messiest I've seen: Has to be Tipp!! Before the match at Pairc Ui Chaoimh last year I've never seen so many fellas falling aorund drunk. It must have been from all nighters as there was hardly enough time to get that drunk before the match. They were unreal roudy down the City End during the minutes silence also, think it was for one of their own as well. This isn't a dig by the way (just an observation, I'm fond of a few scoops myself), I like mixing with the Tipp crowd. Very gracious and knowledgable for the most part.

The Cork fans are an impressive sight in the Thurles town end terrace on a sunny day before a big hurling match. The football supporters only come out in their droves for a wkd in killarney really, or an AI obviously.

Biggest ref bashers: I would have to say, reluctantly of course, Galway. Being at the U21 Football semi final this year and the hurling a couple of weeks back, they really do seem to take issue with every single decision. Again, just an observation, nothing personal and it may have just been a bit of a coincidence as well as being more easily annoyed due to losing both matches!!

Best fun: All the Northern boys!!

The_Kew_Tour · 19-07-2011 1:45pm

phkk wrote: »

Has to be Waterford,always travel in huge numbers

Cork always always always outnumber ye

Cork in hurling imo

Football hard to know

J Cheever Loophole · 19-07-2011 1:52pm

Niall M wrote: »

I agree completely with you, i go to all kerry games with my brother and we are usually embarassed at the lack of kerry support.

Eh, yes. I'm sure the performance of the team comforts that blow somewhat!! :rolleyes:

blackbelt · 19-07-2011 1:54pm

Football - Roscommon and Wicklow

Was working very close to Croke Park the day they were playing Cork and they came out in huge numbers and were really nice people.This was evident on Sunday where they outnumbered Mayo even though it was in Roscommon.

Wicklow,despite not winning anything of note do come out in big enough numbers.Mick O Dwyer has certainly raised Wicklows profile to the point that it can only go better.

Hurling - Dublin and Waterford

Dublin through bad times and good times have always had a core support unlike any other county I can think of.

Waterford fans will keep coming back despite some heavy losses in big games over the years.Even in the 2008 AI Hurling Final,nearly all of them stayed until the final whistle when the game was over even before half time.Thats what true support is all about,supporting in the really bad times and the good.

The_Kew_Tour · 19-07-2011 2:01pm

In fairness the Dublin support is dam awesome site to see Hill 16 last year in the semi final but its easy for them to come along when they only have to roll out of bed to get to Croker.

Cork have been in both semi finals last year and same applied in 05 06 and as well in 99..

A train ticket from Cork is 70quid plus roll in food and whatever and thats one expenisve day before you even think about paying for tickets.. My Dad goes to all Cork games and brings my younger brother and the fact we been in final or semi finals every year since 03 thats hell of lot of money over time...

GoldFour4 · 19-07-2011 2:05pm

Will be interesting to see how many Dublin supporters make the trip to Thurles on sunday. Let's see them fill a stadium outside of Dublin.

DoctaDee · 19-07-2011 2:22pm

malachyscott wrote: »

Will be interesting to see how many Dublin supporters make the trip to Thurles on sunday. Let's see them fill a stadium outside of Dublin.

In fairness the hurlers never filled Croker anyway. Tho I tell ya one thing, the hurling support in Dublin is maximised by FODH they'll be ferrying buses to Thurles on Saturday don't be suprised by a decent support for them.

There's a fallacy about Dubs not travelling, Pairc Ui Chaoimh '83, Thurles twice in 2001 where we packed the town 2 weeks in a row and Clones 2003 with the 5 mile walk in as parking couldn't be got any nearer...

DH2K9 · 19-07-2011 2:27pm

Niall M wrote: »

being from kerry, i would say the cork football fans are the best. they had to endure so much heartache and disappointments but still travel in their droves.

That's why they got a couple of thousand for one of the qualifier games last year in Cork.

df1985 · 19-07-2011 2:31pm

Yes im biased but Kildare do have massive support. Roscommon for their population have a huge fanbase too. A lot hung around for the kildare-meath game last year to support kildare with the dermot earley connection, nice people.

One time i was impressed with dublin fans was when they played kerry in thurles years ago. they travelled in numbers that day.

spiralism · 19-07-2011 3:13pm

Dublin's hardcore support is unreal but if they were the best supported side in the country they'd sell croker out every single time when it's only out the road for them. their hardcore diehard support on the hill is class though like i said. Its symptomatic of the sides with high expectations though, in a similar vein Cork and Kerry will only pack a ground on All Ireland day or when they play each other.

I really think it has to be us in Roscommon, not tooting our own trumpet but for a county whose largest urban area is a suburb of Athlone we really do travel in huge numbers, against Mayo a few days ago and Cork last year I literally knew more people going to the matches than those who weren't

The_Kew_Tour · 19-07-2011 3:15pm

If there are any criminals in here they be all off to Roscommon the next time they play:P

Uncle Mclovin · 19-07-2011 3:25pm

crebel81 wrote: »

Unlike Kerry, who only go for the final...kerry support at the down game last year was shocking for what i can remember...reason I say all this is I hear it from friends etc who wont go unless its in croker against a big team

Must agree that Roscommon are great supporters...against Cork in the q final I was surrounded by Roscommon fans

Kerry fans only go to the final. Yada yada yada. You have to remember that Kerry tend to play 3 games in Croke Park every year. Its a 5 hour trip to Dublin for most Kerry people. Tickets range from €50 to €70. It's not cheap if you are bringing kids with you. It's quite ironic coming from Cork fans who only started following the footballers once the hurlers went to sh1t.

On a side note the best fans (most mental) I witnessed were the Limerick hurling fans the day Kerry played Monaghan in the 1/4 final a few years back. Can't remember who Limerick were playing. Could have been Waterford.

19-07-2011 3:35pm

But how many would Roscommon have brought had they not won their first Connacht in a few years?

I don't think there's much difference between most of the counties tbh.

People are people no matter where they're from and a winning team will always get more behind them, a losing teams crowds will drop, a team thats being continuously successful won't have as much buzz around them, a team that was used to winning AI's won't get the same crowds after winning a provincial etc..

Then some counties are split between Hurling/Football, that makes a big difference too.

All in all though, the county doesn't matter, it's the small print that determines how many will be there.

Rebelinho wrote: »

Biggest ref bashers: I would have to say, reluctantly of course, Galway. Being at the U21 Football semi final this year and the hurling a couple of weeks back, they really do seem to take issue with every single decision. Again, just an observation, nothing personal and it may have just been a bit of a coincidence as well as being more easily annoyed due to losing both matches!!

I didn't see the U21 game, but I was at the hurling, the only time I remember anyone getting annoyed was when Canning's goal was called back for a free.

Should people have felt happy the ref gave a free when he was able to continue on and score a goal?... game wasn't out of sight at that stage either.

Apart from that I don't remember much else from that game

niallo27 · 19-07-2011 3:41pm

Us clare people are fairly ****e to travel as well

Browney7 · 19-07-2011 3:45pm

Uncle Mclovin wrote: »

Kerry fans only go to the final. Yada yada yada. You have to remember that Kerry tend to play 3 games in Croke Park every year. Its a 5 hour trip to Dublin for most Kerry people. Tickets range from €50 to €70. It's not cheap if you are bringing kids with you. It's quite ironic coming from Cork fans who only started following the footballers once the hurlers went to sh1t.

On a side note the best fans (most mental) I witnessed were the Limerick hurling fans the day Kerry played Monaghan in the 1/4 final a few years back. Can't remember who Limerick were playing. Could have been Waterford.

Yeah we were public enemy number 1 after that game alright for taking Waterford's all Ireland final from them. I remember Waterford rebooking the hotel rooms for 3 weeks later they were so confident. Limerick hurlers will always draw a crowd to championship because we go incase we win and don't want to miss it. The only time I've ever seen a crowd for our footballers was down in Killarney. Sure most of them are from West Limerick so its over the road. There looked to be a huge Deise following that day on the TV because of Monaghan playing.

I was taken aback last year by the Roscommon crowd last year. They proobably went because they felt it would probably be their last day out. As my friends from Kerry say to me when I slag them for not going to games "Shur we are sick of going to games at this stage". Cork hurlers always used to draw a crowd but the red stands out so much in the stadium. I think a full Hill for the Dubs is one of the sports great sights. When O'Gara scored agaisnt Tyrone last year you could see the whole hill jump in Unison and going absolutely mental.

ontheditch2 · 19-07-2011 3:49pm

Would like to think Cork are the best supporters. But are not, Cork footballers only get 2 large attendances a year.
Notable mentions are Cavan, not the biggest population but always, always have a decent support.

Have enjoyed watching Meath and Sligo playing home qualifiers on a saturday night, and thoroughly enjoyed the occasion. Great atmosphere at both places.

Rebelinho · 19-07-2011 4:02pm

gilberto_eire wrote: »

I didn't see the U21 game, but I was at the hurling, the only time I remember anyone getting annoyed was when Canning's goal was called back for a free.

Should people have felt happy the ref gave a free when he was able to continue on and score a goal?... game wasn't out of sight at that stage either.

Apart from that I don't remember much else from that game

It was mainly in the first half when things were a bit tighter. Maybe it was just a couple of loud lunatics around me that were contesting every decision. I wouldn't have taken any notice, to be honest, only for experiencing the same thing at the U21 match. I know it just sounds like regular stuff that goes on but I found it a lot worse than usual.

Wouldn't blame ye in the slightest for losing it over the Canning incident, it was clear to every man and his dog that he was going to break the tackle and get in on goal.

spiralism · 19-07-2011 4:05pm

gilberto_eire wrote: »

But how many would Roscommon have brought had they not won their first Connacht in a few years?

I don't think there's much difference between most of the counties tbh.

People are people no matter where they're from and a winning team will always get more behind them, a losing teams crowds will drop, a team thats being continuously successful won't have as much buzz around them, a team that was used to winning AI's won't get the same crowds after winning a provincial etc..

Then some counties are split between Hurling/Football, that makes a big difference too.

All in all though, the county doesn't matter, it's the small print that determines how many will be there.

I didn't see the U21 game, but I was at the hurling, the only time I remember anyone getting annoyed was when Canning's goal was called back for a free.

Should people have felt happy the ref gave a free when he was able to continue on and score a goal?... game wasn't out of sight at that stage either.

Apart from that I don't remember much else from that game

Loads, we always pack the hyde tbh, it was pretty much full against leitrim in the 2010 connacht semi if i recall correctly and we drew a good crowd to a 3rd round qualifier in 09 against wexford when the last time we'd played in connacht was a 20 point drubbing to mayo

Syferus · 19-07-2011 5:07pm

gilberto_eire wrote: »

But how many would Roscommon have brought had they not won their first Connacht in a few years?

I don't think there's much difference between most of the counties tbh.

Nah. Of course the successes of the current Roscommon team has energized the supporters but in terms of raw ratios of population to attendance Roscommon have always compared favorably to almost every county in the country.

Indeed Leitrim deserve a mention, the 13,500 - nearing capacity - that turned out in Carrick in June for their match against us for a wet, windy game (that was on tv, no less) from two countries with populations in the region of 63,000 and 31,000 was a fantastic indication of how well supported both teams are.

rossie1977 · 19-07-2011 5:17pm

gilberto_eire wrote: »

But how many would Roscommon have brought had they not won their first Connacht in a few years?

we brought 9,000 up to navan in 2009 a few weeks after a 20 point defeat to mayo.....we outnumbered you guys 5-1 at this years under 21 connacht final......we brought 18,000 down to ennis in 2006 for the minors and that was nowhere near the crowd that could and would have travelled down, i saw hundreds pulling up along the road to ennis and giving up, cars were bumper to bumper all the way from tuam to ennis

DB10 · 19-07-2011 5:34pm

In Ulster I'd have to see its Cavan, most people here are football mad and always turn out in big numbers, especially this year with the minors and U21s doing so well.

Then I'd go:
2. Tyrone: still have a big following in Ulster anyway even with alot of success.
3. Down: They always bring a big crowd with them most places.
4. Armagh: Good support but we outnumbered them 5-1 in Clones according to their own supporters forum.
5. Donegal/Monaghan - Usually fantastic support for both.

Antrim, Derry and Fermanagh would be slightly poor imo, although on big days they can pull crowds as recent Ulster finals have shown for Derry/Antrim.

Fergus_Nash · 19-07-2011 5:38pm

I have to say that we in Wicklow are the most enigmatic bunch going. What happened two years ago in Aughrim with the four game run had the county rocking and the place packed. If we were to get to an All Ireland quarter final in Croke Park I'd say that the whole county would go along.

However if the county is playing badly and losing then we are the worst crowd ever and we'll constantly give out about the team.

Skyrim · 19-07-2011 5:46pm

Cork supporters are good craic, able to have a bit of banter and have a hurling chat with them.

WesternZulu · 19-07-2011 7:38pm

I am going to say Roscommon here too.
Greatly supported!

Have a real soft spot for their supporters (could be part of being half Rossie myself).
They always seem passionate, good fun and always bring a crowd.
Here is them in Ennis in 2006 for the minor final, it would nearly bring a tear to a stone :pac:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDOPibkfRNI&feature=related

In terms of badly supported teams, Galway has to be right up there.

As for my own county Mayo, our fans are a bit bi-polar...we either think we are the worst team to ever set foot on a football field or we get carried away after one win and release 20 songs to Mid West in celebration!

Mayo is fairness are very well supported, one of the better team especially considering we have had our fair share of heartache.

shiibata · 19-07-2011 7:57pm

2004 Ulster Final comes to mind to back up Donegal and Armagh support, Croke park nearly had a full house for this.

kksaints · 19-07-2011 8:17pm

As much as it pains me to say this. I always thought Wexford fans were very good.

K-9 · 19-07-2011 8:43pm

DoctaDee wrote: »

Well if we equate "best" supporters with committment ... then an honourable mention should go to Tyrone and Armagh in 2005 ... championship football/hurling brings out the best in supporters ... now a cold Winter's day for a league game is a completely different animal

They had 20,000 or so at a McKenna Cup Final in January around that time as well which was pretty amazing, about 15,000 at the 04 final between Donegal and Tyrone a couple of weeks before Cormac's death.

thefa · 19-07-2011 8:44pm

Rebelinho wrote: »

The Cork fans are an impressive sight in the Thurles town end terrace on a sunny day before a big hurling match. The football supporters only come out in their droves for a wkd in killarney really, or an AI obviously.

To point out the obvious, there's a lot more big games in the munster hurling championship than football championship. The only poor team in the munster hurling isn't even in the Liam McCarthy cup anymore. The teams left (Tipp excluded) are fairly evenly matched and there's more tradition and rivalry in the fixtures so will naturally attract bigger crowds.

Now fair weather fans is not really something you could attribute more to the football team than hurling. The football fans have had to deal with far more barren times and disappointing performances over the last decade and you couldn't deny the size of the bandwagon the hurlers had for some of the early to mid 2000s.

Find some country areas in the county to be more likely to have a steady preference for the footballers or hurlers. Like Beara/Carbery is football, east cork for the hurling. City is a bit more fickle.

I'd have said the Dublin football fans would be up there but the booing for opposition frees makes them average.

soccymonster · 19-07-2011 11:23pm

For me, i'd say kildare football supporters are some of the best to travel, just from what i see on tv and the likes

and they're a sound bunch too from what I remember when limerick played them 3 years or so ago in the qualifiers..

Cill Dara Abu · 20-07-2011 12:45am

Well as a Kildare man I would have to say the Lilywhites always travel in huge numbers, its a football mad county.

Other than that I would say Roscommon are great, I remember when we played them in Portlaoise in the qualifiers a few years ago there was a huge number of Roscommon fans there, and they let us know when they beat us after extra-time.

Best supporters??

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