The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2088 - 11/12/2016 21:10:08    1939596

1) If the players want to play it, then let them play it. If I want to play a series of games of pool in my local against my friend every year, then just because no-one turns up to see us, it doesn't mean we shouldn't do it any more.

2) The Railway Cup games used to be played early in the year during the National League. Why can't that still happen?

Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1032 - 11/12/2016 21:47:53    1939602

If you ask a player, they'll patronise the f*ck out of it, but surely only one province has any real feeling of togetherness and that is Ulster. Hence the reason it's a dead horse, no one outside of Ulster gives two hoots regarding provincial geography or belonging.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8592 - 11/12/2016 23:30:50    1939620

It would seem that most posters would kill off the inter-provincial. Yet players seem keen on keeping the competition. True, a lot of players don't make themselves available for selection due to other commitments such as club competitions, team holidays, injuries etc. Giving it a fixed date in the calendar would facilitate planning by players and spectators. The argument for keeping the hybrid 'Rules' series alive is that players want it. Why not apply the same reasoning to a GAA competition?

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 11/12/2016 23:58:33    1939622

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 12/12/2016 00:16:40    1939623

Stmunnsriver (Wexford) - Posts: 2843 - 12/12/2016 08:23:57    1939629

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 12/12/2016 09:44:43    1939636

Talk about a stale competition. You'd have to wonder why the GAA don't ditch it or do something with it.

What about holding a festival of hurling on a non traditional hurling county with the centerpiece the Railway Cup semi's on a Saturday and final on a Sunday.

If they played it in Markievicz Park Sligo next year. Have local kids playing as curtain raisers and at half time games. Give free tickets to every school in the area and encourage every GAA club to get out and see some to finest athletes and most skilled stick men in the country. Promote the hell out of it.

Surely the prospect of having the likes of Seamus Callinan, Bubbles, Joe Canning and Richie Hogan in town for a weekend could easily be served up as a huge marketing opportunity for hurling.

I just picked Sligo, having spent some time in the IT up there and from talking to GAA people up there I think there would be a great appetite for something like this.

Open to correction from locals of course! If anyone else even bothers to click on this thread. I had to psych myself up to post about the railway cup in its current guise :-)

dahayeser (Cork) - Posts: 337 - 12/12/2016 10:54:50    1939649

Unfortunately, for all their newfound business nouse, the GAA still don't do marketing. The games practically sell themselves (or not as is the case currently with the interpros). There has to be better promotion going forward without losing the soul of our games like has happened in soccer. Maybe we should use tap into the support for the provinces in rugby to refloat the Railway Cup...after all, rugby took that from the GAA initially.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 12/12/2016 11:43:13    1939660

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1780 - 12/12/2016 12:52:06    1939682

John Mullane talking total sense:

link

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 13/12/2016 13:51:08    1939891

Why are they played at such an obscure time and how about a bit of imagination?

For example they could shorten the game times themselves and run off a number of games in the one day in one venue. Seeing as Stephens Day has become a sporting kind of a holiday it would be a perfect day to do it. Market it properly and match in with Christmas festivities etc and donate all funds to charity..

A day out watching some top class GAA action on Stephens day would be quite a welcome Christmas present in my book

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1339 - 13/12/2016 15:11:54    1939910