Yes Marlon I believe it's time for such drastic action and for Dublin to step up to the plate for the greater good. Let Dublin keep all the money they generate through their off field stuff and redistribute GAA funds elsewhere.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9703 - 05/04/2016 21:18:20    1842359

You raise some good points MM but lack consistency when praising the PL. Firstly to watch your teams games live you need both Sky and BT, a season ticket if you bought one is many times more expensive than your GAA season ticket, and finally the disparity in resources between teams is comparable to that in county football but the likely winners this year will be a team with a decent manager and a squad of plays of limited ability but with a huge work rate and all pulling together. There may be some inspiration in that for counties like Laois.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 05/04/2016 21:27:42    1842365

Ziggy laois were never a force that's true but we have won 6 leinster titles 2 national leagues 3 minor all ireland and produced possibly the greatest ever footballer in Tommy Murphy , midfield on Team of the Millennium. In 2003 we were leinster champions , losing to reigning clamps Armagh by 2 points . We also played in division 1 final of league that year losing to all ireland winners Tyrone . And in same year we beat Dublin in all ireland minor final . We also won leinster minor in 04 , 05 and 07 . So you are being a little unfair . But if you read my post it's not the drop in Laois that annoys me .

Malonemagic (Laois) - Posts: 766 - 05/04/2016 21:35:14    1842370

Agree completely with MuckrossHead - the intercounty game has become depressing in terms of cynical play, the drift to professionalism, and the sheer dominance of the Big Four ( though Roscommon and Cavan may break through here). But the senior, intermediate and junior club All-Irelands have been breaths of fresh air, not to mention the friendships that build up in the GAA community.

anciarraioch82 (Kerry) - Posts: 33 - 05/04/2016 21:39:31    1842376

MaloneMagic

Oh I know all that and ye always were a worry for even great Meath sides.I remember Leo Turley very well :)

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 05/04/2016 21:42:12    1842377

Most counties will have played around 10 matches since the start of the year, almost a game a week on average.

The championship won't be over for another 5 and a half months and during that time a number of counties will only play 2 more matches, some might be lucky and get 3 or 4 out of it.

It's understandable that fans might lose interest but I'd be amazed if players aren't feeling the same.

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3685 - 05/04/2016 21:51:26    1842386

to deprive elderly fans like my dad the chance to watch it by putting it on a pay per view channel , is heartless .as the heading says I've had enough . Thank God for the premier league

Thats one of the most hypocritical things I've ever read.

RoyalBadger (Meath) - Posts: 571 - 06/04/2016 08:41:50    1842399

We one actually takes a step back and views out championship structure , it is plainly obvious that its a pharce .

The really good teams have played each other almost every week .

This however won't really happen until August again ( maybe 2-3 decent games )

What we are guaranteed is 15-25 point hammerings every week .

Then other counties will have an unequal amount of games etc .

It beggars belief how this has never been reformed .

There's no getting excited about the championship any more and sadly I was told that it won't ever change .

Was it brought up at Congress ? If so did it get much of a mention ?

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 06/04/2016 08:43:02    1842400

It's a bit unfair to make this a Leinster thing or even a GAA thing. Speaking of soccer, look at La Liga roll of honour over the last decade, look at the EPL and SPL. look at F1 roll of honour and tennis grand slam winners. Back to GAA and hurling look at the list of AI winners over the past decade. In football... Connaught Mayo have won 6 of the last 7 titles. Munster and only Kerry or Cork have won the title in the last quater century or so. Leinster and the Dubs have won 9 out of the last 10. Ulster and only Donegal or Monaghan have won the last 5. It is sport and the cream does rise but it's up to counties to try and shift up a gear and follow the lead of Roscommon, Tipp, Kildare, Cavan etc in football who are up there at underage level and are starting to transition it to senior.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 06/04/2016 08:54:26    1842402

I can only echo the thoughts of the original poster, but in many ways it may be a good thing as for me and loads more i can think off it has led to more focus at Club level. For example I train my local juvenile team and was anxious to get a session in on sunday last. I suggested early afternoon to the players and immediately rolled back saying sorry i forgot about the double header in the park on sunday yet each one of them said no they would rather have a training session. It struck me then whatever about my interest waning the interests of those younger has evaporated.

I do believe that we may be close to a tipping point with the GAA. The structures are a joke, equality is non existent, the urban rural divide is getting larger by the day and apathy is beginning to take hold. In the vast majority of counties there is nothing for kids to aspire to.

Our players are ignored, their proposals werent even considered by the GAA to go in front of congress. Then anything that did go in front of congress that was of help to the players was shot down albeit narrowly because of the 2/3rd majority. There were a number of proposals which gained just short of 66% yet the wishes of 40% was deemed more important than those of the 60%.

We have a football superpower in Leinster who wont get a decent game from now till August probably, meanwhile the rest of Leinster will be lined up as cannon fodder for the summer whilst the GAA sit back and think arent we great, look at the money coming in.

And this isnt a Dublin thing or anything of the sort, this is a GAA thing.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1339 - 06/04/2016 10:04:56    1842432

"to deprive elderly fans like my dad the chance to watch it by putting it on a pay per view channel , is heartless .as the heading says I've had enough . Thank God for the premier league

Thats one of the most hypocritical things I've ever read."

Certainly contradictory.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 06/04/2016 10:05:09    1842433

I was going to write a long paragraph on this topic, but have just decided to wish your team well. I have no easy answer to this. The game has gone to hell in the past while. There is too much money involved for too few.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 06/04/2016 10:18:09    1842439

Malone,

You wanna try living in Antrim ffs.

We're in the depths of despair every year, however, we stick with it.

The bigger picture is ensuring our kids cherish and enjoy our games and more importantly keep them going

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 06/04/2016 10:23:45    1842447

I think Dublin should forego central funding for the next 5 years with monies redirected around the other counties. Let Dublin raise, and keep, their own advertising, sponsorship etc but the one sided and myopic focus on Dublin should cease.

I think your myopic focus on Dublin needs to cease. Stop hijacking yet another article with your anti-Dublin rubbish.

CroiGorm (Dublin) - Posts: 1547 - 06/04/2016 10:32:17    1842452

Malone,

You are suggesting that Laois shouldn't be in the same competition as Dublin. Well, they certainly don't want to be in a 'B' championship either!

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 06/04/2016 11:02:11    1842467

Posters can give out about Dublin but as long as I'm watching gaa we always bet Laois (besides 03) and pretty much what's happening in the gaa right now is what's happening since I started watching more or less the same teams winning. I'm not saying that's right for it to be like this but Laois have never been any use apart from a little stint in the 00's and the weak teams 20 years ago are still the weak teams now , again not right but that's the way it's always been more or less.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 06/04/2016 11:26:20    1842488

u know what the gas thing is, ten years ago the Dublin posters on HS used to constantly get it rubbed in our faces that the GAA was dying in Dublin, that Dublin was a soccer city and that no one in Dublin would recognise John O'Leary or Colm O'Rourke if they walked down the street. This was used as a stick to beat us with. Not a GAA county, no real GAA interest etc etc
Then, we took steps to arrest it, this "monster" was created, and now we are still in the wrong....!!!

talk about cant do right for doing wrong!!

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 06/04/2016 12:07:15    1842520

I understand your point Liam and I genuinely have no animosity towards Dublin GAA. I have a soft spot for the Dubs and love to see them do well. I even have a vintage mid 90s dublin top somewhere. Can I ask you if you feel that the current Dublin dominance is good for the game? They haven't lost a game for over 12 months!! (O'Byrne cup doesn't count) If i was a dub i would be loving life but as a non dub it needs to change. Funding needs to be distributed better and more needs to be put into other counties. I don't agree that all funding to Dublin should stop (that is a ridiculous suggestion UM) but i do feel that there needs to be a change of some sort. Perhaps funding be given on where you finish the previous year, a bit like the yanks draft system.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 06/04/2016 12:26:02    1842532

Clondalkin, in those games you refer to it was generally a close run thing though, at the very least there wouldnt be the gulf there is now. Its the same for most other counties Dublin played going back years. For the most part they were at least competitive.
I do agree 100% with Malone on this, its hard to keep an interest in it.
I honestly dont know what the answer is though. As someone previous has said, the game itself has changed in the past 10 to 15 years to a much more physical/fitness based game.

Andy (Laois) - Posts: 371 - 06/04/2016 12:42:27    1842548

So basically you are loisng interest because.

1. Inconsistent refereeing. - Thats been in existance since day 1 of the GAA and will never change ( in any sport) so that's not a proper complaint.
2. Championship match in Kilkenny - Offaly played Kildare down there in 2002 and there weren't too many complaints, the match isn't being held in Ulan Bator.
3. Game being on Subscription Channel - You are watching the premier league on it and don't seem to have a problem with subscription channels.Why don't you let your father come over to wtach the game in your house a seeing you're a premier league fan you must have some subscription channels yourself.

So basically your only genuine complaint is about the championship structures which is fair enough as they need to be changed.Also the lad that got sent off should be playing in cub matches between now and the Leinster championship.Most counties have to wait quite a long time between league and championship for competitive matches.

GAA fans really are the biggest whingers of all sports fans.

uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts: 1296 - 06/04/2016 12:45:15    1842551