After the scenes at last weekends semi final replay I have to ask myself if the criticism levelled at the GAA is valid. I have no doubt that most anti GAA people probably never watched a GAA match ,theyre too busy discussing whether UTD should go 4-4-2 or 5-4-1 (its all about the chairman lads), and that they are revelling in the latest controversy to hit our national games, but in fairness it was a bit embarrassing. I like a bit of shoulder barging every now and again but those scenes were awful.
This is not to mention the brawls at underage matches that hit the headlines so frequently. It has also become clear to me since i started following gaelic games that alot of Ulster GAA people harbour a dislike of Southern GAA counties and vice versa. It seems to me that Ulster GAA people seem to think about the issue more than non Ulster people, and revel in beating Southern counties. I watched the 2005 all ireland final in a pub here in galway and the whole place was rooting for Tyrone. By contrast everyone in Ulster seemed to be supporting Tyrone/booing the non Ulster team. Its a pretty nasty aspect of Irishness that really comes to the fore come championship time.
Im for the most part vey proud of the GAA, but the rampant negativity on this forum (and yes, Im guilty of it too) would sometimes make you wonder about the people who keep it going.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 03/09/2014 18:14:20    1647634

Sport in general, not just the GAA, tends to bring out the best and the worst in people.

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3685 - 03/09/2014 18:37:51    1647637

Sport can bring out the best and worst of us all at some time or other. GAA even more so because it's tribal, so it can get bitter and heated. Go into any pub in Dublin on a Sunday afternoon and you'll see the usual suspects, mostly Man U & Liverpool 'fans' going at it too, standing up for their pseudo tribe (makes me sick by the way).

The most berating I have received regarding the 'invincibles' getting turned over last Sunday is from fellow Dubs who absolutely despise all things GAA, now that's what gets my goat up the most and have found myself becoming 'involved' from time to time as a result!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8591 - 03/09/2014 18:44:26    1647640

I get that lot too realdub. Lots of people who never even watched a GAA match slagging it off. Closed minded idiots. Its their loss.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 03/09/2014 18:53:10    1647646

I am a huge fan of my own people and have wrote on this a few years back on here, giving examples from my worldwide travels!

When I look at Croker and I see the fans of each county siting side by side and I hear the comments of a Donegal supporter on here saying that he was one of the tiny enclave of Donegal fans in Hill 16 among 12,000 or so Dubs fans and that after the game they were treated like 'Kings' I know we have a fine organisation and members!

The GAA does bring out the best in people!.....I only wish the GAA itself would do its best by its own people!

Regards,

Snufalufagus....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 03/09/2014 19:01:57    1647651

alot of Ulster GAA people harbour a dislike of Southern GAA counties and vice versa

I wouldn't say that. There was a heated enough rivalry between Kerry and Tyrone for a while but I wouldn't say by and large that Ulster GAA people have any active dislike for counties down south. If I wanted to see Donegal (technically a southern county anyway) win the all-ireland that wouldn't mean I actively want Kerry to lose, if that makes sense. Ultimately it's not that serious, GAA fans mix very well generally. I don't think the majority of people in the Republic dislike Ulster teams either. Tyrone seems to get the most heat for whatever reason.

MichaelO (Tyrone) - Posts: 820 - 03/09/2014 20:00:10    1647668

joncarter
County: Galway
Posts: 1205

1647634


After the scenes at last weekends semi final replay I have to ask myself if the criticism levelled at the GAA is valid. I have no doubt that most anti GAA people probably never watched a GAA match ,theyre too busy discussing whether UTD should go 4-4-2 or 5-4-1 (its all about the chairman lads), and that they are revelling in the latest controversy to hit our national games, but in fairness it was a bit embarrassing. I like a bit of shoulder barging every now and again but those scenes were awful.
This is not to mention the brawls at underage matches that hit the headlines so frequently. It has also become clear to me since i started following gaelic games that alot of Ulster GAA people harbour a dislike of Southern GAA counties and vice versa. It seems to me that Ulster GAA people seem to think about the issue more than non Ulster people, and revel in beating Southern counties. I watched the 2005 all ireland final in a pub here in galway and the whole place was rooting for Tyrone. By contrast everyone in Ulster seemed to be supporting Tyrone/booing the non Ulster team. Its a pretty nasty aspect of Irishness that really comes to the fore come championship time.
Im for the most part vey proud of the GAA, but the rampant negativity on this forum (and yes, Im guilty of it too) would sometimes make you wonder about the people who keep it going.



You'd swear the riot squad were brought in with water cannons and plastic bullets with riot shields around the pitch. I don't remember haing any worrying conversations about the state of the world or GAA word because of a bit of argy bargy. Not great to see fans being so angry but the root cause of this is bad GAA head office decisions to play the match in outside headquartes because none of the teams were Dublin and because of absolutely terrible refereeing. Not an excuse but it was the root cause, something to think about I guess.
I'm not scarred or damaged by a few slaps on the field as this happens in nearly all clubs a few times a year:P

Cranky360 (Mayo) - Posts: 834 - 03/09/2014 20:04:32    1647669

Regional rivalry is neither new nor peculiar to Ireland or the GAA, I wouldn't get too worked up about it. Also to claim the northern counties dislike southern counties and vice versa is a nonsense, when you say northern are you referring to 6 county or 9 county Ulster?

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 03/09/2014 20:14:07    1647674

All i said was that the scenes were embarrassing, which they were. They gave easy ammunition to the anti GAA crowd to have a pop at the GAA.
I dont think there was much anger over the decision to hold the match outside croker. In fact, afterwards, I think that if theyre being honest most people would say it turned out to be a good idea. I hope it happens more in future. Theres nothing special playing in front of a 2/3 empty stadium, which croker would have been had the game been played there.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 03/09/2014 20:16:51    1647676

9 county ulster brend.
In fairness, ye always root for eachother against a southern team, but most southerners would root for a Northern team against the dubs or Kerry (thats my experience anyway). That has to at least in part be down to tension.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 03/09/2014 20:22:02    1647681

joncarter
County: Galway
Posts: 1207

1647676
All i said was that the scenes were embarrassing, which they were. They gave easy ammunition to the anti GAA crowd to have a pop at the GAA.
I dont think there was much anger over the decision to hold the match outside croker. In fact, afterwards, I think that if theyre being honest most people would say it turned out to be a good idea. I hope it happens more in future. Theres nothing special playing in front of a 2/3 empty stadium, which croker would have been had the game been played there.


You nearly made me fall off my chair, terrible idea's and I hope your not in a position of any type of power in the GAA:P

Cranky360 (Mayo) - Posts: 834 - 03/09/2014 20:22:39    1647682

Dont worry cranky. My influence extends no further than this forum.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 03/09/2014 20:28:13    1647687

well i am from the south joncarter and i would generally favour donegal or tyrone against most sides

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 03/09/2014 20:47:02    1647701

I wouldn't worry for one second about what the anti GAA shower think, joncarter, theyre always gonna find something to whine and be bitter about. Until some psychiatrist sorts out their problems

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 03/09/2014 21:06:40    1647710

wasn't too worried about the scenes at the end..after all it wasted 3/4 mins that Mayo had to come back at us.
it will be forgotten about next week and rightly so..people should focus on the 156 mins of super football before it happened..
handbags

ky4sam2014 (Kerry) - Posts: 32 - 03/09/2014 21:06:57    1647711

JonCarter, you are spot on in my opinion. There hasn't been a word from the GAA about the scenes at the end of the Kerry Mayo game.

That says it all.

When a referee has to run from the pitch surrounded by Gardaí, then there is a serious problem with our sport. If this happened in a county championship match it would be very disappointing, but for it to happen in an All-Ireland semi-final is just beyond belief. There are no safety procedures in place. Supporters can run on freely on to the pitch. After this, they can return to their seats and are not removed from the ground and banned from future games. It is all rather, well...amateurish

The GAA certainly brings out the worst in people. I went to an Ulster Championship game this year and sadly, it is no longer a family friendly environment. The level of hatred directed towards players is simply awful. But sure, isn't the GAA great and what would ye do without it? The threat of violence is always there at a GAA match, from as early as juvenile level. You can just sense it in tense games like we saw last weekend.

Now, in what other sport, would such pathetic incidents like last Saturday happen? And yet, it's just brushed aside, passed off as a few 'slaps' and the like. People laugh about it later. The 'hard' man is admired in the team and the fool who runs on to attack the ref is a 'hero' The Sunday Game didn't even mention it; instead they shifted all the blame to the referee. It is so ingrained in the GAA to behave badly, both as a player, manager and supporter.

greenalien5 (Monaghan) - Posts: 44 - 03/09/2014 21:28:48    1647725

joncarter
County: Galway
Posts: 1209

You post contains much of the anti-Ulster thing that seems to run through a lot of threads on this site. What sort of answer are you looking for anyway? Some Ulster people are nice, some aren't. Same as everywhere. Remember the nasty guys tend to be the loudmouths so they are the only ones you hear. Don't think you can draw too many conclusions without dipping into your own prejudices. You seem to have made up your mind.

rcarragh (Dublin) - Posts: 305 - 03/09/2014 21:47:33    1647739

I certainly don't have any dislike for southern counties. Nor does anyone who travels to Armagh matches with me. Can only speak from my own experience though. I will be supporting Donegal in the final but I'd imagine most of us will. It's not due to any dislike for Kerry.

To be honest I would be more of the opinion that the GAA brings out the best in us. Sure there will be always be ugly scenes but so does every competitive sport.

JP91 (Armagh) - Posts: 316 - 04/09/2014 08:54:06    1647764

I don't think GAA brings out the worst in people, its a team sport and you see the same things happen in rugby, soccer, basketball etc. Even the most mild mannered people seem to loose all control of themselves when they cross onto the field of play, I just think that in the pressure of a game people seem to lose the run of themselves, its peoples competitive edge and there dislike of losing. Possibly the one big difference is how the governing bodies treat the incidents, if it was to happen in a soccer match there would be charges brought against teams for bringing the game into disrepute.

Rosineri1 (UK) - Posts: 2099 - 04/09/2014 09:13:07    1647767

Good point realdub about anti GAA - or "gah" as they call it - from other Dublin people.

Come on Georgia :-)

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 04/09/2014 09:57:27    1647792