In the present era Dublin vs Meath and Derry vs Tyrone are the two rivalries with a bit of kick. Other rivalries are just not as intense.

Doireboy (Derry) - Posts: 30 - 18/05/2008 23:26:55    20436

mayo galway definatly isnt one of the biggest rivalries, its not even close. meath dublin, tyrone armagh, dublin kerry, after the rivalry of antrim carlow and before the fierce new york london rivalry is where mayo galway would fit in

brett favre (Sligo) - Posts: 659 - 19/05/2008 09:14:31    20468

North Leitrim V South Leitrim

Leitrim Lad (Leitrim) - Posts: 264 - 19/05/2008 09:51:38    20481

Definitly Dublin v Meath or Tyrone v Derry. Been to many a Dublin/Meath game and to say it's intense is an understatement. Derry v Tyrone isn't as intense from the games I've been to but let's just say there's no love lost between them!!

dubupnorth (Dublin) - Posts: 1897 - 19/05/2008 10:05:15    20490

Ollie's Right, if you live in Drogheda, Ardee, Duleek, Bettystwon, Slane, Collon or anywhere in East Meath/South Louth the battle of the boyne is the bitterest GAA rivalry that exists. Not everyone understands it, and it's not very well popularised, but go to a Louth/Meath game and you'll see. Vicious!! Because Louth football is alot better than it gets credit for (their club football is just as good as ours) but their county seen is in such a divided mess for the last few decades that I reckon they are the most underperforming county in Ireland (OK, maybe Mayo). When our fathers were youngfellas, Leinster was dominated almost exculsively by Louth, Meath, and Dublin with the odd title going to Offaly. My dream sporting event (and it's possible this year) would be a Louth/Meath leinster final!! An Mhi AbU!!!

Ard Ri (Meath) - Posts: 8 - 19/05/2008 10:36:24    20516

For me inter county rivalry doesnt compare to club rivalry where there is genuine hatred...i'm sure you real gaa people will agree

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 19/05/2008 11:26:14    20568

ur dead rite ard-ri.if you ever visit drogheda you would think it was a meath town with the way people carry on.some of the housing estates on the southside of drogheda come under co.meath lik the housing estate named after urself.half of ard-ri is in meath+the other half is in louth.the wolfetones football ground is located in meath but they play in the louth championship.there was a time when you could not get a louth jersey in drogheda but yet you could buy a meath jersey.one well known pub in the centre of the town which is owned by a meath man would not let louth tops in to the pub but had no problem lettin in meath tops in a louth town.this is crazy as it would not happen any where else.u have to live in drogheda or the surrounding areas to understand this battle of the boyne rivalry.AN LU ABU!

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 19/05/2008 19:49:02    20960

without doubt tyrone derry still rate 95ulster semi 2nd half performance by tyrone with 13 men and no canavan the best 30 mins football played in the last 30 years by any team sweeter than 03 or 05 equally sweet as it finished that lucky derry 93 team tyrone respect armagh but hate derry thats the one that counts i would take beating derry in the championship any year over an all ireland forget meath dublin if tyrone derry reach this years ulster final it will be the match of the season for hype intensity and football tyrone hammered donegal on the back of a league roasting and some donegal showboating in omagh in 07 and i hope paddy bradleys exhibition of keepy up in celtic park this year comes back to haunt all 5000 derry supporters in clones in july derry havent won ulster since 98 despite their heroic 06victory in omagh i thought they got their ulster medals that day juding by all the dancing about and i hope its 2018 before they win another and by that time paddy bradley should have won a second all star if he cries hard enough about being overlooked like last years remember theres only one lucky all ireland in derry as that famous tyrone song now goes

reddoctor (Tyrone) - Posts: 1241 - 20/05/2008 10:23:33    21078

mayo and galway is the biggest rivalry and is played in the right spirit- us classy people rememebr its about football not boxing ye should take note

ball-boy (Mayo) - Posts: 4211 - 20/05/2008 10:49:27    21099

Reddoctor bring it on! I hope we meet youse in the championship final, there really is bitter hatred between the 2 teams and it just makes the occassion what it is. I do like Tyrone people outside of football though, I have a few friends from Omagh and the like I made at uni, its all a bit of banter but the craic is mostly jokes with jags. Celtic park was only the start of it that night, Tyrones hold over Derry is no more! We will be the team to come good if we meet this year, just as we have been doing this past couple of years.

Niamh (Derry) - Posts: 2397 - 20/05/2008 11:01:52    21112

That's it reddoctor get it all out of your system..................... now breathe slowly and relax.
Hogan stand.......far cheaper than therapy.

northpole (Derry) - Posts: 739 - 20/05/2008 13:23:38    21204

im glad youins think this is therapy northpole im only warming it up for later in the year dont want too cry to much as i might get an allstar totally overated will never get another unless he wins sam needs to score off a decent defender in the championship when it matters

reddoctor (Tyrone) - Posts: 1241 - 20/05/2008 14:49:41    21262

I see you come from the ball-boy school of punctuation Red. Sure try throwing in a few auld comma's here and there. You could even use the [ and the # keys for a bit of craic. All punctuation welcome I say. And if you find out what ~ means you might let me know :)

Paddy bradley has been a top performer over the last few years and I dont think he can be labelled as over-rated. Karl Lacey is a fairly respected defender and I know he will have his hands full looking after Paddy (assuming he gets the assignment).

RMDrive (Donegal) - Posts: 2202 - 20/05/2008 19:23:00    21426

Have to support Reddoctor on this. Although rivalry is intense with Armagh my antipathy towards Derry goes right to the marrow. I also endorse his respect (though grudging) for Armagh but will never give Derry an ounce. Had the misfortune to live in Derry for 8 years I have never experienced such farm fed hostility.
That changed after '95, in Tyrone we pride ourselves on scoring forwards (granted we have a dearth at the moment) but that's our tradition, in Derry they pride themselves on "Tight marking corner backs".
Says it all really, negative people...NEVER, NEVER, NEVER.

Tyronetim (Tyrone) - Posts: 1254 - 20/05/2008 20:45:07    21450

well rivalries are rivalries, but from what my mates tell me tyrone v derry is supposed to be vicious, genuine hatred of each other (for some reason)

banner_boy (Clare) - Posts: 1285 - 20/05/2008 20:54:51    21454

Have to say I think the Derry/Tyrone rivalry is the most intense. Went to the Ulster semi in 96 at Clones and in 20+ years going to matches I've never witnessed a more poisonous atmosphere at a game. Tyrone won by a few points and the mood of the place was summed up by when Peter Canavan got sent off towards the end; it generated a bigger cheer from the Derry supporters than any of their scores during the match!! Then as Canavan was making his way towards the dugouts he got a standing ovation from all the Tyrone supporters around me.... after being sent off!?! Think the rivalry is something of a perfect storm as not only are they neighbours but the GAA strongholds of both counties go right up to eachothers borders and the head to head down the years has been pretty even. Reckon Kilkenny/Tipp have a similar situation but obviously being in different provinces they would'nt meet eachother near as much.

Joe belfast (None) - Posts: 11 - 20/05/2008 23:02:11    21494

The Tyrone Derry rivilary is intense to say the least. Was at a Tyrone Derry championship match and it had a very un savoury feeling. even through all the Tyrone Armagh battles of this past 5 years none of them had that atmosphere abouit them. In fact the 05 all Ireland semi final between Tyrone and Armagh was the most passionate game of football that I ever was at in my entire lifetime. Rivarly yes but lots of respect for one another and deadly duel banters throughout the field. If I hadent witnessed the intensity of the Tyrone /Derry thing myself then I wouldent credit it.

border Gael (Monaghan) - Posts: 921 - 20/05/2008 23:14:23    21502

Ard Ri
A meathman complimenting louth football has to be up to something underhand

optimist (Louth) - Posts: 188 - 20/05/2008 23:27:28    21507

as someone close to both the louth and dublin borders i have to say the dublin rivalry is far more important to me than the louth one.louth are like the annoying little brother ya could hold off with one hand while he swings and swings but cant hit ya.dublin is like having to match the neighbour with the biggest car on the road.having said that i took great delight in navan in 2002 listening to the abuse the louth fans gave out over the seventy minutes then all they wanted to do was fight us when we were celebrating that great escape!!!!

another one in meath i dont get as i said due to location is the meath/cavan.any one from north meath able to expand on it

stamullenman (Meath) - Posts: 392 - 20/05/2008 23:44:59    21513

stamullenman alot of meath fans were leavin wit 10mins 2go in that game in 2002.these were the same fans outside singin u never beat the royals.it was more lik d meath fans startin rows.AN LU ABU!

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 21/05/2008 13:30:30    21754