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GAA Rivalries Within Your Own County.

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Following on from neighbouring counties that don't have much of a rivalry I would love to hear people's views of big GAA rivalries within their own county. From my wonderful Wee County you would have many GAA rivalries. With me been from Drogheda you have five GAA clubs. The Newtown Blues are the most successful club in Louth with 21 Senior titles. In Dundalk you have six GAA clubs so there would be lot's of rivalry up in the town. Any of the Drogheda teams playing against the Dundalk teams there is no love lost. Last year in the Senior Championship there was the first Drogheda v Dundalk final since 1988. Probably the stand out rivalry would be Cooley Kickhams against Newtown Blues. Both of these teams would be the most successful in Louth. It's a classic North v South Louth and urban v rural clash. Cooley and Blues have played each other in something like eight senior finals that's more than any other teams. Cooley have not won the Senior Championship since 1990, the last Blues v Cooley final was in 2013 and Cooley were relegated from Senior last year. This is the first time since 1964 that Cooley will not be playing Senior football. Both teams would be well known outside the county and both teams always had players on the Louth team. OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 15/02/2018 16:27:16 2077156 Link
Replying To OLLIE: "Following on from neighbouring counties that don't have much of a rivalry I would love to hear people's views of big GAA rivalries within their own county. From my wonderful Wee County you would have many GAA rivalries. With me been from Drogheda you have five GAA clubs. The Newtown Blues are the most successful club in Louth with 21 Senior titles. In Dundalk you have six GAA clubs so there would be lot's of rivalry up in the town. Any of the Drogheda teams playing against the Dundalk teams there is no love lost. Last year in the Senior Championship there was the first Drogheda v Dundalk final since 1988. Probably the stand out rivalry would be Cooley Kickhams against Newtown Blues. Both of these teams would be the most successful in Louth. It's a classic North v South Louth and urban v rural clash. Cooley and Blues have played each other in something like eight senior finals that's more than any other teams. Cooley have not won the Senior Championship since 1990, the last Blues v Cooley final was in 2013 and Cooley were relegated from Senior last year. This is the first time since 1964 that Cooley will not be playing Senior football. Both teams would be well known outside the county and both teams always had players on the Louth team." Saul and Kilclief would be the biggest club rivalry in Down I would say. saulgael (Down) - Posts: 553 - 15/02/2018 16:54:38 2077162 Link
One of the biggest rivalries in Kildare would be between Sarsfields and Moorefield in Newbridge. Historically very bitter. Even some families would be riven apart on big match days. Husbands and wives, brother against brother and Father and son in some cases, friends against friends. Generally a healthy but extremely competitive rivalry at all levels. Sarsfields supporters will be watching Saturday's game against Corofin with mixed feelings, some with outright hostility and envy towards their neighbours. Especially galling from a Sarsfields viewpoint is that they were going for a coveted three in a row last year when Moorefield knocked them out in the quarterfinal and the rest as they say is history. Incidentally Moorefield were only 4th favourites to win Kildare. Nevertheless they are worthy champions having beaten Sarsfields, Athy and Celbridge. lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2990 - 15/02/2018 16:57:26 2077165 Link
Every county has club rivalries, in Wexford the Oulart/Rathnure/Buffers Alley triangle would be the most fierce traditionally, but only 1 has won anything of late. No really bitter rivalries spring to mind though, there are sporting rivals all over the county (just like any other county) but not hatred really. Being honest, I think the bitterest of rivalries are reserved for the weaker counties. Wicklow is the prime example of club rivalries gone wrong, and the impact on inter county teams is there for all to see. Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 15/02/2018 16:59:05 2077167 Link
Replying To OLLIE: "Following on from neighbouring counties that don't have much of a rivalry I would love to hear people's views of big GAA rivalries within their own county. From my wonderful Wee County you would have many GAA rivalries. With me been from Drogheda you have five GAA clubs. The Newtown Blues are the most successful club in Louth with 21 Senior titles. In Dundalk you have six GAA clubs so there would be lot's of rivalry up in the town. Any of the Drogheda teams playing against the Dundalk teams there is no love lost. Last year in the Senior Championship there was the first Drogheda v Dundalk final since 1988. Probably the stand out rivalry would be Cooley Kickhams against Newtown Blues. Both of these teams would be the most successful in Louth. It's a classic North v South Louth and urban v rural clash. Cooley and Blues have played each other in something like eight senior finals that's more than any other teams. Cooley have not won the Senior Championship since 1990, the last Blues v Cooley final was in 2013 and Cooley were relegated from Senior last year. This is the first time since 1964 that Cooley will not be playing Senior football. Both teams would be well known outside the county and both teams always had players on the Louth team." A Drogheda man, and ex-player, told me once that every club in the county hated the Blues. Maybe it's because they have had so much success neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 15/02/2018 20:10:03 2077233 Link
Replying To neverright: "A Drogheda man, and ex-player, told me once that every club in the county hated the Blues. Maybe it's because they have had so much success" Haha he must of been a Blues player himself? OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 15/02/2018 20:41:45 2077242 Link
Replying To Pinkie: "Every county has club rivalries, in Wexford the Oulart/Rathnure/Buffers Alley triangle would be the most fierce traditionally, but only 1 has won anything of late. No really bitter rivalries spring to mind though, there are sporting rivals all over the county (just like any other county) but not hatred really. Being honest, I think the bitterest of rivalries are reserved for the weaker counties. Wicklow is the prime example of club rivalries gone wrong, and the impact on inter county teams is there for all to see." From my own experiences, the most bitter GAA rivalry in Wexford at times is between Hurling and Football. extranjero (Wexford) - Posts: 375 - 15/02/2018 21:10:08 2077255 Link
Replying To lilywhite1: "One of the biggest rivalries in Kildare would be between Sarsfields and Moorefield in Newbridge. Historically very bitter. Even some families would be riven apart on big match days. Husbands and wives, brother against brother and Father and son in some cases, friends against friends. Generally a healthy but extremely competitive rivalry at all levels. Sarsfields supporters will be watching Saturday's game against Corofin with mixed feelings, some with outright hostility and envy towards their neighbours. Especially galling from a Sarsfields viewpoint is that they were going for a coveted three in a row last year when Moorefield knocked them out in the quarterfinal and the rest as they say is history. Incidentally Moorefield were only 4th favourites to win Kildare. Nevertheless they are worthy champions having beaten Sarsfields, Athy and Celbridge." No love lost between St Kevins & Caragh either... KildareKelly (Kildare) - Posts: 593 - 15/02/2018 21:54:39 2077271 Link
Or Monasterevin and Ballykelly. Ollie, by the way how many of those six clubs in Dundalk are senior apart from Newtown Blues? lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2990 - 16/02/2018 11:54:43 2077362 Link
At senior football level in Offaly I'd say you always have the two big rivalries there of Clara v Tullamore and Rhode v Edenderry. Over the years Ferbane too would have built up a rivalry or two with one or two of those teams, but it has probably diminished a little since the 90s. Going down the ranks there would be some other contentious enough rivalries, a lot of the time between inter-parish rivals, such as the likes of Daingean v your pick of Ballycommon, Cappincur or Kilclonfert and maybe Ballycumber v Erin Rovers I'm guessing, but hardly well renowned rivalries or anything. I wouldn't be as familiar with the hurling rivalries in the county, but I'd imagine that the Rynaghs v Birr one is still the main headline grabber. Coolderry v Birr too maybe? Historically successful clubs like Drumcullen and Kinnitty have fallen away from being contenders in recent years and I'm less familiar now with their rivalries. OffalyBigBall (Offaly) - Posts: 625 - 16/02/2018 12:52:16 2077378 Link
There are no big traditional powerhouses dominating the scene in Cavan (the Gaels being a nouveau riche outfit), so we don't have those classic battles at the top level like in other counties. The closest thing over the last few years has probably been Kingscourt v the aforementioned. That means the best rivalries are mostly driven by ancient local feuds. Drumgoon and Cootehill is pretty spiteful at best, Redhills and Ballyhaise is never pretty. Lacken and Ballinagh is fun for the neutrals, while Drung v Kill don't need a ball at all. That list says it all about Cavan club football at the minute really MadgeKing (Cavan) - Posts: 493 - 16/02/2018 13:25:05 2077386 Link
Replying To lilywhite1: "Or Monasterevin and Ballykelly. Ollie, by the way how many of those six clubs in Dundalk are senior apart from Newtown Blues?" Lilywhite the Blues are from Drogheda. There is another senior club from Drogheda called the O Raghallaghies. There are also two senior clubs from Dundalk with the Sean O Mahoney's who won the senior championship for the first time in 2016 and Dundalk Gaels who reached the final last year only to beaten by the Blues. The Geraldines are just from outside Dundalk. Louth have played matches on their home pitch. OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 16/02/2018 14:29:01 2077402 Link
The Pats and Cooley is a huge rivalry in Louth . Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 16/02/2018 14:55:19 2077413 Link
Replying To MadgeKing: "There are no big traditional powerhouses dominating the scene in Cavan (the Gaels being a nouveau riche outfit), so we don't have those classic battles at the top level like in other counties. The closest thing over the last few years has probably been Kingscourt v the aforementioned. That means the best rivalries are mostly driven by ancient local feuds. Drumgoon and Cootehill is pretty spiteful at best, Redhills and Ballyhaise is never pretty. Lacken and Ballinagh is fun for the neutrals, while Drung v Kill don't need a ball at all. That list says it all about Cavan club football at the minute really" You clearly have a bit of a rivalry with the Gaels if you're referring to them as nouveau riche :) Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12120 - 16/02/2018 14:59:03 2077415 Link
Replying To Greengrass: "The Pats and Cooley is a huge rivalry in Louth ." It sure is Greengrass especially in the noughties. The big peninsula derby. The Pats had the upper hand in most of them matches. OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 16/02/2018 15:57:54 2077432 Link
Vincent's and most clubs in Dublin , funny in that it's Heffos club but there pretty much detested , myself personally can't beat a boden cuala or crokes often enough or by enough , outside of Dublin I've heard Wicklow football has some very well behaved rivalry's Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 16/02/2018 16:09:15 2077436 Link
These days, probably Castlebar Mitchels and Ballintubber in Mayo, where most of the players would have gone to the same school, and have contested several county finals against each other in the last decade or so. It's a relatively new rivalry at senior level, as Tubber were junior not so long ago but rose quickly through the ranks. Breaffy and Mitchels is also a relatively new one for the same reason. Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 18/02/2018 08:39:33 2077827 Link