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Being a "true fan" isnt actually much fun

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Replying To janesboro:  " and then the elation of 1996 which still to this day makes up for every heartbreaking defeat ---The only thing which keeps me going is the memory of that year
Pinkie - im trying to forget that year!!"
Yeah sorry janesboro, I still hope Limerick and Waterford in particular get up that Hogan stand one day!

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 15/07/2016 15:56:09    1883927

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to much success brings its owe problems. people cant wait to knock you. But i get as nervice as anyone. I dread the big games. in praying looking at it. if we win i can only then injoy it.

hogan35 (Kilkenny) - Posts: 93 - 16/07/2016 11:33:41    1884175

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Well done to our minors yesterday , a rare occassion when i came out of croke park with a smile on my face, amazing when you lose its all doom and gloom the weathers crap and the food is manky, when you win the rain aint so bad , the tea is sweeter and the sunflowers grow a bit taller

Going to be a massive task to win the final -either giong to be playing a tipp side that was awesome inmunster final or a galway side who ends up beating this fine tipp team but look .WEre going to the all ireland YEssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 08/08/2016 09:34:12    1897817

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Good post

I would say bizarrely the least enjoyment I ever had at a game was the 2012 final - after the performance v Cork there was a genuine belief it was ours to lose - Even with the rapture of a dream start the remainder of the game was 60 minutes of unbearable nervous tension - with the outcome being more one of relief than joy - it seemed a bizarre anti - climax after that.
Had spent 20 years dreaming of the moment and when it came it was not what I thought it would be - the afters seemed structured and going through the motions versus the wild abondnment in malahide 1992


On the other hand it's the unexpected joy that makes it worth it - Cassidys point in 2011 which I watched from an angle directly behind him - the turnaround v Dublin in 2014 - Colm McFadden destroying Tyrone in 2004 - Martin beags over the shoulder point v Derry in the 1992 Ulster final

But many moments of devastation - Donaghys goal in 2014 - Brollys goal in 1999 - Steven McDonnell's goals in too many games to remember ( but they all seemed to come from Mcgeeney diagonal balls ) - and of course the 2011 semi final - I didn't give a toss about the tactics more the fact that if we had just pushed it or risked it for 5 mins at the hour mark - it was ours to take and most noticeable waking up on the Monday morning in 1992 to learn of the death of a clubman

ruanua (Donegal) - Posts: 4966 - 08/08/2016 23:52:31    1898500

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If there was ever a game that sums up my thinking behind this thread

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20601 - 28/08/2016 19:15:06    1907072

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Replying To waynoI:  "Its the nature of the beast Jim.

You, as a "true fan" (define whichever way you like), will almost always go through more downs than ups.

Its what makes the minority of great times, that little bit better. And the hard times, that little bit harder.

People ask me why I go to games knowing tha Dublin are going to win by 15 and 20 points.

I always say the same thing, I go because I also know that these timeswont last forever. Dublin will, at some point, fall away from the top and teams like Meath will come again.

N its gas cause when i'm actually leaving the gaff to go to a game, My mam or someone would often say "enjoy the game", But I cant enjoy a game, especially the close ones.

I enjoy the build up and pre game atmosphere, I enjoy the chats with opposition fans beforehand, but once that whistle goes, My body becomes a bag of nerves, Any enjoyment goes out the window.. You can only actually enjoy a game when you are 5 6 7 points up with a minute or so to go, Then you can, as a fan, relax.

Then afterwards, If we win, I can enjoy looking back at the game, I can enjoy the aftermath. The game itself when its going on infront of you is impossible to enjoy."
I have to have about five pints in me to calm the nerves before championship games . No enjoyment like you say until you are up by around 7.

I always say it ,sport is a form of war without death .Two armies (both sets of fans) ,the manager is the commander ,the royalty are the playes, the King is whoever the biggest player is for that team.King Kavanagh of Tir Eoghain and Tir Na nOg , King Connoly ,King O'shea..Corker is the big battlefield. Momentum swings back and forth from one side to the other.You can hear the blue army roar as King Connoly goes head to head with King O'shea in a challange, both Kings trying to kill each other in the tackle with the support of their armies.Even the classic O 'Neill ball shares the name of one of the strongest Irish families in history . The Ui Neill of Ulster who sat many times on the ultimate throne as high Kings of Ireland .Today we replace the title of high king as all-Ireland champions.

The armies are kitted out in their uniform colours all ready for war marching into Croker.A point going over the bar of your own goal in like a cannon ball flying into your hometown. You can't watch as you see it coming for miles out just waiting for the inevitable .The pain of losing is like bending the knee to an invading King who has taken your land .You think about it for a long time after the battle and prepare for the next years rebellion.We bent the knee this year to Mayo and had to except that we lost our land but next year we have to fight again to get it back.Sam Mcquire is like the crown itself and who ever has it is High King of Ireland.

Why do we do this every year to ourselves?

Something primal within us.


As king Robert Baratheon from the Game of Thrones said

" I am never so alive when winning this throne and never so dead now that I 've won it " .

GameOfTyrones (Tyrone) - Posts: 469 - 29/08/2016 08:49:20    1907289

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Replying To GameOfTyrones:  "I have to have about five pints in me to calm the nerves before championship games . No enjoyment like you say until you are up by around 7.

I always say it ,sport is a form of war without death .Two armies (both sets of fans) ,the manager is the commander ,the royalty are the playes, the King is whoever the biggest player is for that team.King Kavanagh of Tir Eoghain and Tir Na nOg , King Connoly ,King O'shea..Corker is the big battlefield. Momentum swings back and forth from one side to the other.You can hear the blue army roar as King Connoly goes head to head with King O'shea in a challange, both Kings trying to kill each other in the tackle with the support of their armies.Even the classic O 'Neill ball shares the name of one of the strongest Irish families in history . The Ui Neill of Ulster who sat many times on the ultimate throne as high Kings of Ireland .Today we replace the title of high king as all-Ireland champions.

The armies are kitted out in their uniform colours all ready for war marching into Croker.A point going over the bar of your own goal in like a cannon ball flying into your hometown. You can't watch as you see it coming for miles out just waiting for the inevitable .The pain of losing is like bending the knee to an invading King who has taken your land .You think about it for a long time after the battle and prepare for the next years rebellion.We bent the knee this year to Mayo and had to except that we lost our land but next year we have to fight again to get it back.Sam Mcquire is like the crown itself and who ever has it is High King of Ireland.

Why do we do this every year to ourselves?

Something primal within us.


As king Robert Baratheon from the Game of Thrones said

" I am never so alive when winning this throne and never so dead now that I 've won it " ."
Great post.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 29/08/2016 12:40:23    1907514

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Replying To waynoI:  "Great post."
Haha Cheers,came from the heart.

GameOfTyrones (Tyrone) - Posts: 469 - 30/08/2016 01:42:38    1907901

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I remember reading a quote from an Atletico Madrid fan some years ago saying that Atleti killed him every game, but also gave him life. I think that the experience is very similar for many Mayo fans, certainly for me, anyway. There is a maddening tendency by Mayo sides to blow seemingly unassailable leads and commit footballing hari-kiri at times, which has certainly done my blood pressure no good over the years. At least once a season I have vowed not to put myself through it any more, but am inevitably back for the next installment. Why? Because the good times make it all worthwhile in the end.

To quote the great Homer J. Simpson:

"I can't live the button-down life like you: I want it all! The dizzying highs, the terrifying lows, the creamy middles..."

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 30/08/2016 13:53:13    1908097

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Replying To Gleebo:  "I remember reading a quote from an Atletico Madrid fan some years ago saying that Atleti killed him every game, but also gave him life. I think that the experience is very similar for many Mayo fans, certainly for me, anyway. There is a maddening tendency by Mayo sides to blow seemingly unassailable leads and commit footballing hari-kiri at times, which has certainly done my blood pressure no good over the years. At least once a season I have vowed not to put myself through it any more, but am inevitably back for the next installment. Why? Because the good times make it all worthwhile in the end.

To quote the great Homer J. Simpson:

"I can't live the button-down life like you: I want it all! The dizzying highs, the terrifying lows, the creamy middles...""
I always felt sorry for Mayo fans . It has to be by far the most difficult team to support over the years. Being so close on so many occasions but never getting over the line. I often wonder would it be worse to a Carlow or Wicklow fan with nothing to cheer for other than the odd win every few years or be a Mayo fan and get so far but never make it in the end...but i suppose it is better to be a Mayo fan simply because there is always that little bit of hope at the end of each failed year,you simply do not have that in a weaker county.

You have teams like Donegal who come out of nowhere and win an All-Ireland and then kind of disappear again for twenty years or so and win it again . That is magical in its own way, leister city-esk but it is very different to Mayo. The expectation and long thirst I'd imagine to be much stronger due to being so close on so many occasions .They're always up there with the top dogs ,Dublin,Kerry , ourselves ,Donegal.Yet they are slightly inferior because they haven't reached the holy grail.

For Mayo to finally win Sam I think would be something special for every GAA fan ,regardless if they hate them or love them , it is something that would live long in the memory of every fan not only Mayo fans. Where were you on the day Mayo won the All-Ireland. I don't think much of another Kerry AI or a Dublin one. The Donegal one popped up from a decent championship the year before with McGuniess but it didn't have as much history as the well known Mayo story.

It has the makings of a film. 65 years since their last win.A priest , 'a curse'. Seven final defeats in a row since 1989 ,A draw in 1996 .That is 8 finals including the replay.The odds of not winning just one of these 8 are statistically very, very low but yet they haven't delivered .

Half the country has a little giggle when ye lose another final but at the same time I think most want to witness the fairytale ending . I'm bored of watching them mess up in the final.Andy Moran has been on that panel for a long time ,he's been through the finals of 04,06,12,13 and this will be his fifth final for Mayo. Another loss would be very sad indeed, although I accept sport does not care about fairytale endings . If Mayo are good enough will they will win ,simple as.

Can this be their year? Most would say no.Going on form Dublin should hammer them, but from watching Mayo over the years they have a habbit of not caring about form,media and personal opinions and consistently surprising their opposition as underdogs. Us this year and in 2004 . Dublin in 2012.This would probably be their biggest shock to date due to the strength of the current Dublin team and what some regard a weakened Mayo team. Personally I think it all comes down to the day. I expect it to be close and Mayo to give it a real go but they will need something special from their big players. Andy Moran, Cillian O Connor and Aidan O shea will need to be banging out goals not just impressive points from far out the pitch points. .but we shall see come the third weekend of September.

GameOfTyrones (Tyrone) - Posts: 469 - 30/08/2016 15:35:47    1908167

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I've never felt sorry for Mayo fans

If the shoe was on the other foot I'd find it very condescending

I respect Mayo for always coming back, that's what the 90's Dubs team did and I think there are some glaring similarities

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20601 - 30/08/2016 16:08:37    1908196

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Gameoftyrones Why do we do this every year to ourselves?
REmember las year bringing my eldest (then 5) to first championship games (had clare in football and hurling last year on same weekend, was debating should i bring him, should i inflict the pain and suffering that is being a Limerick fan. In the end i did lost the football won the hurling , ended up with 21s all ireland so little man how hooked.

Gleebo I remember reading a quote from an Atletico Madrid fan some years ago saying that Atleti killed him every game, but also gave him life. I think that the experience is very similar for many Mayo fans, certainly for me, anyway.

Game of tyrones I always felt sorry for Mayo fans . It has to be by far the most difficult team to support over the years. Being so close on so many occasions but never getting over the line.

Can see lot of ourselves in Mayo - they lost 7 finals since last won it, we have lost 5 (74,81,94,96,2007) both lost two finals in 90s and to make it worse our greatest rivals Clare and galway won 2 each around the same time , have always cheered for mayo ever since (bar 2002 when we played them in championship) -even wore green and red to support then in 2014 replay. As well as cheering limerick had a fair bit of pain to endure before Munster finally reached the promised land in 2006 and 2008, while it unlikely we will ever win it again at least with munster we have the memory of two great wins, a memory i hope to have someday as a limerick fans,



hope mayo win and hope our minors do the business sunday

janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 30/08/2016 16:36:29    1908208

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always find it gas hearing cork and tipp fans (not in a bad or condescending way refer) to 10 years without an all ireland as a famine (lads ye ahvent a clue),

also fine it amazing among kilkenny fans at a game - was among them during semi final - the way the pucked every ball questioned every decision and celebrated the win - their general hunger - they were like a county who had just made their major breakthrough.

janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 30/08/2016 16:39:13    1908212

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Don't want pity...just want to win the flipping thing. I do notice though whenever I am away and you might get talking to someone or a group and they ask you where you are from...when I say Mayo...their reaction is always the same..."when are ye going to win da All Ireland?"
Possibly the only shame is that is all some people think about when they think of Mayo....loosing All Ireland's...

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11237 - 30/08/2016 17:07:03    1908240

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Tbh while I appreciate that your post is well-intentioned GameofTyrones, I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me and neither does any Mayo fan I know. We know that the odd flaming wipeout is to be expected supporting the green and red.

Being a Mayo fan is for the most part great, experiencing thrills and spills that many counties seldom taste. There are some high-profile disappointments but the pain dissipates after a week or two (usually).

I honestly don't expect us to win the final, given the form of the respective counties and also that we have failed to put Dublin away a few times in the past number of years when the game was there for the taking. But I will be there in full voice nonetheless. Sure what's the point in giving up now?

PS: Andy was injured for the 2012 final, but Alan Dillon would have been there for all of those mentioned. Not sure if David Clarke was on the panel in 2004 but was there for the other finals.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 30/08/2016 17:12:23    1908243

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Havn't enjoyed any of the finals wins Dublin have had over the last few years bar the odd league where we had a bit to spare.
The real enjoyment only comes afterwards as you cannot relax and I can honestly say I didn't enjoy the game on Sunday until the final whistle. Yes, it was entertaining and enthralling but enjoyable , no.
Jaysus, and we have to do it all again in 3 weeks.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 30/08/2016 17:30:11    1908256

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was at limerick v westmeath today lost, had walkman for hurlers game lost ,munsters lost to terenure yesterday this sport caper is depressing, on way home from game had scots v france game in car via bbc scotland - looked like the scots could do it a redeem the day a bit ,but no, promised my self i wouldnt but i watch the highlights onleague sunday (woo mad rte show gaa) , grand for ye dubliners ye are winning but when you aint - the last thing you want on any tv station is the higlights you promise yourself you wont watch it , but you do it compounds the misery, i know its only the league but to say im gutted and cranky is an understatement ,

mind you missus j and kids still love me !

janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 12/02/2017 23:36:37    1955818

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