What a paltry crowd to see the league champions. People were all in the pubs watching the Rugby. Was in Galway myself yesterday.
looks like Rugby is the main game in Connacht now too? What has happened Ireland atall lads. When did Rugby take over?

Gerryblues (Dublin) - Posts: 65 - 14/02/2011 09:27:36    867011

it didn't take over. you are comparing an international match (one of biggest in the rugby world calendar) to a national league hurling match. Now it would be ok to compare a club rugby match with a hurling league match but not Ireland v France. another case of someone adding 1 and 1 and getting confused.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5520 - 14/02/2011 11:58:21    867168

Silly silly thread, I like rugby, but there are way too many rugby threads on here that effectively say the same thing. Why would anyone in their right mind compare one of the biggest INTERNATIONAL rugby matches of the year to a national league game?

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12370 - 14/02/2011 12:08:36    867181

Excellent reply from the Cavanman. A very poor crowd if thats true though. Need to play more of these games under lights on a saturday evening. Also Colm ORourke made a very valid point yesterday when staing that no ground with a capacity of over 12000 shouls be built again. Whats the point in Pearse stadium being empty bar once a year? No atmosphere, even ess people will come.

LilySavage (Kildare) - Posts: 114 - 14/02/2011 12:16:05    867189

Gerryblue I was in galway last year for a few weeks and went out to a few bars looking forward to having a bit of craic and talking about football and hurling but it was all rugby, every pub in the place is full of it, it's getting like little britain. Needless to say i wouldn't be rushing back to it in a hurry.

Tom1916 (Armagh) - Posts: 2001 - 14/02/2011 12:29:43    867201

galway city is not a gaa city.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11587 - 14/02/2011 12:34:11    867204

just as a matter of interest how many patrons turned up to see Galwegians v Lansdowne on Saturday at crowley park

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5520 - 14/02/2011 12:44:53    867218

Lets face it NHL div 1 game between Galway and wexford was never going to sent the blood running - there are certain counties which have very poor support and galway is one of them - the rugby game is an excuse if tyrone, dublin, armagh or kerry were playing there would be more than 600,

Cork also have a brutal support

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1688 - 14/02/2011 12:45:53    867221

I'm sure the people of Galway will be disappointed to know that they didn't meet your impeccable republican standards Tom.

For what died the sons of Róisín, was it rugby?

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 14/02/2011 12:50:19    867224

I'm sure the people of Galway will be disappointed to know that they didn't meet your impeccable republican standards Tom.

Typical easterner bringing politics into sport.

Tom1916 (Armagh) - Posts: 2001 - 14/02/2011 12:57:42    867229

Folks the gaa is dying on its **** - its high time they got the finger out! i think the gaa and hardline gaa people are in complete denial as to the popularity. People cannot get enough of rugby- imagine they went head to head- the gaa championship and the irish team there would only be one winner. This is rugby country and its only going to get stronger. I think the gaas biggest saving grace is that there is no rugby played in the summer (touring teams play at ungodly hours - south africa aside). if ireland were p[laying rugby it would undoubtedly be a bigger draw than an all ireland final and we all know its true. harp on about playinmg numbers all you want its really about what people want to watch and they want to watch rugby. gaa clubs are closing down rugby clubs are opening - says it all really and plus if you took tag into account well id say the numbers play would equal that of the gaa. again the question is what are the gaa going to do about it - denial is no longer an option.

liathroidboy (Mayo) - Posts: 4921 - 14/02/2011 13:00:02    867233

Tom1916
County: Armagh
Posts: 930

Gerryblue I was in galway last year for a few weeks and went out to a few bars looking forward to having a bit of craic and talking about football and hurling but it was all rugby, every pub in the place is full of it, it's getting like little britain. Needless to say i wouldn't be rushing back to it in a hurry.

I heard there is a place is Woodquay called 'The Stage Door' and makes some claims about being Galway's main GAA pub.

Perhaps that would have been more suitable?

JuanVeron (Westmeath) - Posts: 1866 - 14/02/2011 13:01:24    867239

Regardless of what other games/sports are being played on the day, 600 is a very poor attendance. And to be honest, I was a little disappointed by the attendance in Thurles on Saturday night, although the weather was absolutely atrocious ( really don't know what purpose the roof on the old stand serves, unless you're in the very back row).

I guess we've got to look at more double headers, and playing more games on Saturday evening. Most grounds have floodlights now, its been a giant waste of money unless they're used more. And by double headers, I mean hurling double headers, rather than mixing football and hurling. I think people who are going to see a football match, are more likely to only stay for the football, and vice versa. For instance, next weekend you have Kilkenny/Cork in Nowlan Park, and Waterford/Wexford down the road in Wexford Park. Playing these two as a double header in Nowlan or Wexford Park would seem to make much more sense. I know as a neutral, I'd travel down and watch both games, you'd get a good crowd.

There'll always be something else going on, sports wise. Its people own choice what they want to watch or attend, but there's no harm in making hurling league attendance an attractive a proposition as possible.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 14/02/2011 13:03:13    867241

There will be more than 600 attending, when KK and Tipp come to town for NHL matches in the coming weeks. Yesterday's result was 1-24 to 0-06, so clearly the stay away fans were the ones in the know.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4152 - 14/02/2011 13:03:52    867242

very well said doublehop - i suppose the people of galway now aint Irish ..... yawn!

liathroidboy (Mayo) - Posts: 4921 - 14/02/2011 13:17:16    867257

If I'd known the hiding we were in for, there would have been one less!

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 14/02/2011 13:32:24    867268

only 1,300 at the Connacht game on Saturday night...

bubba83 (Dublin) - Posts: 333 - 14/02/2011 14:02:45    867313

Lads why are you taking Tom1916 to task? Gerryblues has expressed the same sentiments.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12370 - 14/02/2011 14:08:12    867320

We're waiting to get into the Heineken Cup bubba so perhaps Leinster might do us a favour and win this year's cup!

tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 14/02/2011 14:14:40    867326

I'd say there'd have been a bigger attendance if it was held in Ballinasloe.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 14/02/2011 14:26:20    867338