What has been the biggest attendance for a challenge match?

On Saturday evening the Whitecross Club in South Armagh hosted a challenge match between Armagh and Donegal. There was a crowd of 2-3,000 paying 10stg in which is in my opinion is a great crowd.

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1671 - 25/04/2016 13:11:44    1849120

All Ireland final 2006. I think there was 82000 at that challenge game.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 25/04/2016 14:13:02    1849175

All Ireland final 2006. I think there was 82000 at that challenge game.

Ha, very good sir!

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 25/04/2016 14:26:23    1849188

Nah, Cork-Kilkenny was very competitive that year ;)

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 25/04/2016 14:31:49    1849200

What has been the biggest attendance for a challenge match?

On Saturday evening the Whitecross Club in South Armagh hosted a challenge match between Armagh and Donegal. There was a crowd of 2-3,000 paying 10stg in which is in my opinion is a great crowd.
cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts:1293 - 25/04/2016 13:11:44

That's a big crowd for a challenge match, did both sides field top players or was it more reserve players?

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 25/04/2016 15:13:12    1849254

Looks to be a good few more at the Cork V Clare challenge game in Cloyne at the weekend!!

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 25/04/2016 15:30:46    1849266

Both teams had half their teams made up of established players

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1671 - 25/04/2016 21:21:05    1849498

Both teams had half their teams made up of established players

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts:1300 - 25/04/2016 21:21:05

Aye but with that kind of crowd, you'd expect both sides to be going full tilt at it.
What kind of game was it, like typical challenge game or a bit of bite to it?

Seems hard to believe such a crowd would turn out for a challenge game, when some league matches can't draw that kind of crowd.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 26/04/2016 14:07:46    1849703

I believe in 2003/2004 there was 20,000 at a Tyrone/Armagh Dr. McKenna cup match.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9697 - 26/04/2016 14:33:39    1849716

There were 5000 at a challenge match between Dublin and Meath when Naomh Barrog opened their new pitch in the 80s!

KerryKillers (Dublin) - Posts: 711 - 26/04/2016 15:30:15    1849756

I'm just surprised so many would show up for such a match, as these games don't always make for great entertainment.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 26/04/2016 21:55:58    1849930

I'm just surprised so many would show up for such a match, as these games don't always make for great entertainment.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts:2279 - 26/04/2016 21:55:58 1849930

The Armagh - Donegal game in Whitecross was part of a tribute to mark the 30th anniversary of the Reavey brothers' killing as far as I know. More people would have shown up for the Reaveys than for the game itself

HandballRef (Donegal) - Posts: 520 - 27/04/2016 09:14:38    1849946

Yes HandballRef

It was the 40th anniversary of the murder of the Reavey brothers from Forkhill, there are some good pictures of the match and pre-match parade on the Whitecross facebook page

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1671 - 27/04/2016 10:38:09    1849992

Dublin and Meath had that serious rivalry going on at the time of that 5000 attendance

KerryKillers (Dublin) - Posts: 711 - 27/04/2016 12:31:10    1850053

10,000 at the reopening of O Moore Park in 1986 Kerry v Laois

crikey (Australia) - Posts: 355 - 27/04/2016 12:36:38    1850057

Apologies
Reavey brothers from Whitecross

And that's some support for the re-opening of the Portlaois ground

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1671 - 27/04/2016 13:28:18    1850089

Apologies
Reavey brothers from Whitecross

And that's some support for the re-opening of the Portlaois ground

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts:1302 - 27/04/2016 13:28:18

I just had a look at that page there now, brilliant turnout and its nice to see that. Both sides looked to have fielded very strong starting line-ups, with Armagh hitting 17 wides and losing 1-11 to 0-05. The result would mean little, as challenge matches are never an indication of where a team is at.

Do you think Armagh will beat Cavan in the Championship?

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 01/05/2016 14:41:29    1851115