The 2015 All Ireland Senior Football Championship

LeoB wrote: »

H was sort of right. That game between Dublin and Derry was one of the worst games of football played for a few years. Where today we saw some good skills, plenty of scores although Kildare were physically not up to a tough game. The other important point Brolly made was Dublin play football no matter who the opposition is, be it Donegal, Kerry or Mayo. It is better to watch and had Dublin taken a few more chances in the first half last year against Donegal well who knows.............



None of the other counties in Leinster have the competition Dublin clubs have for players. FACT. You take club on south side like Ballyboden, Kilmacud or Cuala and Rugby are the big games with twice as many Rugby clubs as G.A.A. and schools Rugby is also huge. Go to west and north Dublin, Tallaght, Clondalkin, Blanchardstown, Finglas, Ballymun and Cabra and Soccer is a major sport with rugby a growing game and thats before you include any other sports but the competition for players from Rugby and soccer has to be seen to be believed.

Dublin G.A.A. does not have the pick of all the kids but what it has is a very good structure in terms of coaching and development. It doesnt work every year but players will come through if you stick with it.

There were no groans from people in 1990's or early 2000's when Dublin were down the pecking order behind Meath and at other times behind Laois or Westmeath. Meath, Kildare and Laois have not put the work into their structures and they dont have the challenges Dublin or Dublin clubs have to face.

being slightly facetious and argumentative, but still.

did Dublin have the same massively inflated income from the GAA then? Did they also have more paid full time coaches than the whole province combined? Did they also play every championship game in Croke Park?

I get your point, and more arguing for the sake of it than anything, but still, times have moved on hugely since the 90's, and the level of professionalism and money has moved on far beyond that at a huge rate. To try say just because they were down then, so why complain now. The same advantages werent there back then.

And seriously, the excuse that other places dont have the same competition as Dublin do? Are you honestly using that as an argument to defend the problems that Dublin have to overcome. Dublin have clubs with more members than some county memberships. Every county has their problems, whether social, economic or sports competition, but to try say that Dublin are at a disadvantage because of the competition in the county? Thats really clutching at straws. You mention Cuala, and in one argument people go on about how Cuala are utterly dominating the rugby scene, and have nearly ten times as many members as Blackrock rugby club. They field 95 teams through their age groups. Dont tell me they are struggling with numbers like other clubs in counties do.

Dublin have massive advantages financially, numbers wise, and home playing field. Ultimately, the best team will win a championship regardless of having any perceived advantages, and Dublin arent always the best team. At the end of it all, you can only have 15 on the field, you dont play with money or fans or club members.

In spite of the above, I'm sick of reading the same arguments every single time Dublin play. They dont fix the games, the Leinster council do. They dont write the glowing articles about them, the journalists do.

Dublin have been given a load of money, but they didnt waste a penny of it. They put in structures, they employed very good people and they have made the most of the income in a vast number of ways. The clubs have also done similar, they got great revenue and a lot of it through initiatives and excellent fund raising and this has raised the profile and playing numbers of these clubs.

Credit to Dublin and what they have done. They have been given a massive leg up, but they took their opportunity to make the best of it, and have been successful in doing so. Its mainly jealousy, and I'll freely admit, I am hugely jealous of the set up, facilities, coaches, money etc dublin has. None of that brings success, and I am far more jealous of the success Dublin has had. More power to them, but I hope you wouldnt take offence if I said I hope it dries up again soon!