Article by Sean Moran - Irish Times

Is the advantage decisive? It wouldn't appear so. In the 20 years since the new Croke Park began to become available, Dublin have a 67 per cent success rate in the stadium from 79 championship matches as opposed to 83 per cent on their travels (including their official county ground, Parnell Park) for 12 fixtures.

The one defeat came against Kerry in the first year of the All-Ireland quarter-finals, a replay in Thurles. In Leinster you have to go back 33 years for the last time Dublin were beaten on the road - by Laois in Tullamore.

It's likely that some of the matches would have had a less resounding scoreline had they been played elsewhere but it's hard to imagine that many outcomes being changed. Dublin have been beaten by 10 different counties, from all four provinces in Croke Park over the past 20 years.

Even so, why don't counties in Leinster press for more fixtures requiring Dublin to travel? The answer is they don't appear to want to. There was a suggestion at Leinster Council that the champions' first match of this summer, against the winners of Wicklow and Laois, be played away from Croke Park. It got just two votes.

The reasons are straightforward enough. Firstly, most players and managers want to play in the stadium and secondly there is the financial consequence of moving Dublin, which means smaller and less rewarding gate receipts. In other words what projects or development grants would you like to cut to facilitate the idea?

This isn't ideal for a lot of people. Local teams miss the opportunity to take on in their own back yard the champions and Dublin supporters miss out on the unique atmosphere of travelling to matches. Community businesses, such as pubs, shops and hotels, lose out on some welcome revenue.

Dublin have never agitated to stay in Croke Park. Former county secretary, the late Jim King used to say:

"Dublin will play when and where we're told."

How badly does everyone else want to change?

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 06/05/2014 14:01:14    1584606

Im still looking for the part of that post that makes playing every game on the same pitch in your home county in front of huge home support, not an advantage. Maybe you could highlight it?

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 06/05/2014 14:26:36    1584618

06/05/2014 14:26:36
TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 10977

1584618
Im still looking for the part of that post that makes playing every game on the same pitch in your home county in front of huge home support, not an advantage. Maybe you could highlight it?

Like the U2 song " you still haven't found what your looking for " perhaps Master you never will .
To Jimbodub , you could go to Mount Sinai come down the mountain with stats on stone tablets and fellas like the Master and Ulsterman would with their blinkered obsession go off in a rant in the opposite direction .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 06/05/2014 14:48:21    1584629

This is all getting very monotonous at this stage....

No complaints when we were winning puck all....

These posts are so repetitive. Silly season again..

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4838 - 06/05/2014 15:12:56    1584650

I'd be even less inclined to believe it in that case Damo!

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 06/05/2014 15:27:54    1584660

Lets be Honest it is an advantage. Will that change? No. Should it be different? That depends where your from and what notion of the Gaa you take.

Money talks and for that reason alone Croke park want/Need Dublin to play as many games there. fair or not thats just the way it is.

dstuction (Donegal) - Posts: 1209 - 06/05/2014 15:46:32    1584670

Fionn
County: Dublin
Posts: 1222
___________________
Need I remind you that this thread was started by one of the more experienced Dublin posters on here.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 06/05/2014 15:53:18    1584675

dstruction, as Moran points out, only two counties out of 12 on Leinster Council argued that the Dublin v Laois/Wicklow match be played outside Croke Park. Neither Dublin nor their supporters have any problem with that, and indeed a lot of people would love the trip.

And what about the poor hurlers? Of last 18 matches league and championship, three have been in Croke Park! And two of them were Leinster final and All Ireland semi final. And only 5 were in Parnell, so 10: 8 away games.

So it is nothing to do with bias in favour of "Dublin". It clearly has to do with Leinster Council wanting to get more money out of Croke Park.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 06/05/2014 15:57:04    1584677

Advantage, what advantage......

Sleep in their own bed
Same pre match routine
Same place to eat before the match
Meet team mates at same time before match
Same journey to match
Same changing rooms
Same warm up area
Always first out of tunnel
Warm up on same side of ground
Same side of group of fans intimidating opposition playing into the hill
Same pitch, same dimensions
Greater understanding of wind in the stadium
Same post match routine
No awe factor

I could go on. Dublin your denial is making you look silly now!!!

jamesjoyce (Derry) - Posts: 126 - 06/05/2014 16:08:34    1584684

Also.... 12 games is not a large enough sample for which to see any emerging trends!

jamesjoyce (Derry) - Posts: 126 - 06/05/2014 16:10:14    1584686

No talk of Mayos unfair advantage in Croke Park last Sept. The powers that be conspired against us to leave us without tickets but we won anyway.
Get us out of Croker....and we'll win anyway.

Floops (Dublin) - Posts: 1623 - 06/05/2014 16:11:33    1584688

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 10983

1584618
Im still looking for the part of that post that makes playing every game on the same pitch in your home county in front of huge home support, not an advantage. Maybe you could highlight it?

______

Dublin have been beaten in Croke Park plenty of times themaster with huge Dublin support there

The best teams silence the Hill with ease...

As in Kerry / Meath / Tyrone / Mayo / Cork... have all beaten Dublin in the last number of years

Dublin fans have outnumbered rival support... yet Dublin have still lost... and in some cases heavily

If you're good enough... beating Dublin isn't an issue in Croke Park... just look at the stats

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 06/05/2014 16:14:09    1584690

The All Ireland Series is always played in Croke Park and in recent times Dublin are making quarters every year so the only games that Dublin could be taken away from Croke Park is in Leinster or a qualifier (if they ever see one again!!)
The Leinster Council should treat the dubs like any other county and no matter if the opposing venue is small Dublin shouldn't be given home advantage just to meet the demand for tickets. The precedent of Donegal getting their home championship game last year v Tyrone and Derry this year v Donegal should be the same for a Dublin opponent in Leinster.

To be fair to the Dublin posters on here I don't think they have ever complained about travelling and the lads that would travel to the league games would have no problem getting tickets to an all ticket championship game as they are most likely the genuine fan with a season ticket or an active club member.

The GAA has shown in recent times however that gate receipts are one of their priorities so if they feel that say Kildare V Dublin would be better re-located from Newbridge to Croke Park I don't think it would matter one iota what either county wants and it would most certainly be moved to HQ

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1683 - 06/05/2014 16:25:28    1584695

From the Leinster councils perspective its all about the money, nothing more, nothing less hence no complaints from Kildare, Meath or whoevers reps..

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 06/05/2014 16:29:37    1584699

Its all about money now isn't it....Cothrom na Féinne? Hmmmmmm

Ned_Stormcrow (Cavan) - Posts: 1071 - 06/05/2014 16:33:02    1584702

hurlingdub I was implying it was croke park that did it like that. so I think im agreeing with you more than you think.
Dubs will travel and are generally great supporters.

The issue is that as an Organisation GAA can make more money to more often Dublin play in croke park. The footballers have the bigger following. For the hurlers Dublin dont have that same ammount of support (still big but can be accomodated in other grounds)

dstuction (Donegal) - Posts: 1209 - 06/05/2014 16:40:26    1584707

That's all fine and dandy Tir Chonaill Abu, but a proposal was put forward to move dublins earlier championship games from croker but only 2 yes 2 Leinster counties voted in favour of the proposal.

bernardmessi (Dublin) - Posts: 182 - 06/05/2014 16:42:38    1584710

Can teams go stale by playing in the same place all the time?

bernardmessi (Dublin) - Posts: 182 - 06/05/2014 16:43:44    1584712

Exactly...

The opportunity was there to remove this supposed advantage

And it only got 2 votes in favour... that speaks volumes.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 06/05/2014 16:55:56    1584721

jamesjoyce
County: Derry
Posts: 79

1584684
Advantage, what advantage......

Sleep in their own bed
Same pre match routine
Same place to eat before the match
Meet team mates at same time before match
Same journey to match
Same changing rooms
Same warm up area
Always first out of tunnel
Warm up on same side of ground
Same side of group of fans intimidating opposition playing into the hill
Same pitch, same dimensions
Greater understanding of wind in the stadium
Same post match routine
No awe factor

I could go on. Dublin your denial is making you look silly now!!!
-------
Circumstantial fluff with absolutely no substance. The only facts are the stats. Reread the article. The U21s beat Cavan in Portlaoise where Cavan had overwhelming support. They then hammered Roscommon, again with little support, in Tullamore. Sometimes you just have to look at the results and say that the better team won. It's a sorry day when a team looks at your excuse list to justify a defeat. What Dublin championship games would you have outside of CP? First round of Leinster and maybe a Leinster 1/4? Is that really going to tip the scales? This argument would be akin to West Brom objecting to playing Chelsea in Wembley because Wembley is in London and Chelsea have played there more often so 'know the routine' and 'the direction of the wind in the stadium'.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4749 - 06/05/2014 18:15:25    1584774