Football Qualifiers Round 4 Draw

Patser

DH2K9 wrote: »

Like I said in a different thread, the Limerick County Board and the Cork County Board agreed to do a toss to see who got home advantage as neither team wanted to travel to a neutral venue so your conspiracy theory goes out the window.

Ok didn't know about the toss thing, but I wasn't suggesting a conspiracy theory. My main issue was that Cork fans now have 2 games over 2 days both away. Again the hurling could have been put in as adouble header in the Gaelic grounds just as easy Antrim fans are not going to add too many to the crowd (there was only 25,000 odd at the Dublin double header last weekend, and I'd figure Antrim supplied by far and away the least numbers).

My issue is the GAA ideal of must use Croke Park as much as possible even when all logic dictates against it. Isn't the old figure of 30,000 being the breakeven point often used but over the last 2 weekends they've been well under that despite there being Double headers at the ground. And while Saturday's games will probably be decent enough, how many Cork fans will travel to Dublin to watch their hurlers play Antrim the day after their footballers play, and will Galway and Tipp make up the numbers.

I'd figure maybe about 35,000 if lucky for the GAA which makes for a half empty and quiet stadium. And this is not about Croker only being available for the Dubs, as I Dub I'd be more than happy with a few away trips, Croker has been desperate this year with the low crowds.

dundalkbhoy wrote: »

patser you say Louth go into the game as favourites !!!
Dublin are 2/7 and Louth are 3/1

I reckon they're generous odds for a Louth team who'll be really fired up for this and who should have beaten a Meath team that badly mauled Dublin. I reckon Dublin will do it though just to contradict myself because with the few games under their belt now they are starting to show some sort of plan coming together.

DH2K9

Patser wrote: »

Ok didn't know about the toss thing, but I wasn't suggesting a conspiracy theory. My main issue was that Cork fans now have 2 games over 2 days both away. Again the hurling could have been put in as adouble header in the Gaelic grounds just as easy Antrim fans are not going to add too many to the crowd (there was only 25,000 odd at the Dublin double header last weekend, and I'd figure Antrim supplied by far and away the least numbers).

My issue is the GAA ideal of must use Croke Park as much as possible even when all logic dictates against it. Isn't the old figure of 30,000 being the breakeven point often used but over the last 2 weekends they've been well under that despite there being Double headers at the ground. And while Saturday's games will probably be decent enough, how many Cork fans will travel to Dublin to watch their hurlers play Antrim the day after their footballers play, and will Galway and Tipp make up the numbers.

I'd figure maybe about 35,000 if lucky for the GAA which makes for a half empty and quiet stadium. And this is not about Croker only being available for the Dubs, as I Dub I'd be more than happy with a few away trips, Croker has been desperate this year with the low crowds.



I reckon they're generous odds for a Louth team who'll be really fired up for this and who should have beaten a Meath team that badly mauled Dublin. I reckon Dublin will do it though just to contradict myself because with the few games under their belt now they are starting to show some sort of plan coming together.

I actually kind of agree, this is the third week in a row that the hurlers and footballers have to play on separate days for cork while for the dubs they have been on at the same venue. So if you were to follow both teams for the three weekends it would cost a fir bit. Take back what I said. I think the breakeven point is 20,000 but it depends on the ticket prices.

An Citeog

Patser wrote: »

Ok didn't know about the toss thing, but I wasn't suggesting a conspiracy theory. My main issue was that Cork fans now have 2 games over 2 days both away. Again the hurling could have been put in as adouble header in the Gaelic grounds just as easy Antrim fans are not going to add too many to the crowd (there was only 25,000 odd at the Dublin double header last weekend, and I'd figure Antrim supplied by far and away the least numbers).

So basically what you're saying is, who gives a fnck about Antrim and their supporters? Why should the loyal Antrim hurling fans have to travel to pretty much the opposite end of the country to see their hurlers contest their first All Ireland quarter final in 6 years?

aidan24326

DH2K9 wrote: »

I think the breakeven point is 20,000 but it depends on the ticket prices.

22K was what I heard a while back as the average breakeven figure for summer championship games. But like you say it would vary from one game to another. But the idea that Croke Park always need 30K at any game to break even is a myth. If that was true they'd have lost money the last two weekends, and you can be pretty sure that they didn't (even though profits were surely way down due to the disappointing attendances).

An Citeog

An Citeog wrote: »

So basically what you're saying is, who gives a fnck about Antrim and their supporters? Why should the loyal Antrim hurling fans have to travel to pretty much the opposite end of the country to see their hurlers contest their first All Ireland quarter final in 6 years?

exactly and if your going to promote hurling in weaker counties then you have to make it more accessible to them

Patser

An Citeog wrote: »

So basically what you're saying is, who gives a fnck about Antrim and their supporters? Why should the loyal Antrim hurling fans have to travel to pretty much the opposite end of the country to see their hurlers contest their first All Ireland quarter final in 6 years?

Deleted User wrote: »

exactly and if your going to promote hurling in weaker counties then you have to make it more accessible to them

You have to admit that in terms of Hurling counties Antrim is very isolated and that versus any other Hurling team they will have to travel at least half the country to see any game, even if that means Dublin. What your suggesting is that no Antrim game can be played anywhere except Antrim or Dublin regardless of how much that messes up the opposition fans or how financially unsustainable it is.

Ever think that maybe the Antrim fans might have enjoyed a trip to somewhere different for change? And if we're all so concerned for weaker counties having to travel, I look forward to the opening of the new stadium in Wales so that London only have half the distance to travel.

All I was saying is that it's harsh on Cork fans to be asked to travel for 4 seperate games over 2 weekends, but sure it's all fixed and set now and I look forward to seeing the hordes of Saffron around Dublin on Sunday.

hisholinessnb

homerdog wrote: »

Surely Dundalk or Navan should have been considered, but, hey, that would mean Dublin fans actually having to travel to a game, and we can't have that, can we ?

With respect that is bull, most Dublin fans I know are sick of playing in Croke park every time and are crying out for a road trip.
Before the draw most of the guys I know were hoping to draw Roscommon or Limerick so we could get a good trip down the country and after the draw against Louth were calling for Navan to be the ground (Dundalk is no more neutral that Croke Park).

Yes it is bull that the Dubs keep getting put in Croke park but cut the crap about Dublin fans not wanting to travel, we do. This is purely a money thing to play in Croke Park and you can be very sure that neither the Dublin management, team, county board or fans are given a say in where the games are played.

p.s. I never heard so many Meath fans hoping for a Dublin win as I have in the past few days

homerjay2005

My Predictions.


Limerick v Cork, Cork by 3 Points, but i would not be surprised if limerick won.
Louth v Dublin, Dublin, by quite some time.
Monaghan v Kildare, Kildare, in a terrible terrible game.
Sligo v Down, Down, sligo will be well rattled after losing to Ros.

cant see why louth and dublin is being played in croker, this should be played in navan. Neutral venue my a*s

Ephie

Wino82 wrote: »

Any news on tv coverage? kildare v monaghan could be a good one.

Louth v Dubs live on TV3, Monaghan v Kildare and Limerick v Cork on RTE and the two Hurling Quarter Finals are on RTE on Sunday too.

Two days in a row in Croke Park again this weekend for me, love it!

DH2K9

hisholinessnb wrote: »

With respect that is bull, most Dublin fans I know are sick of playing in Croke park every time and are crying out for a road trip.
Before the draw most of the guys I know were hoping to draw Roscommon or Limerick so we could get a good trip down the country and after the draw against Louth were calling for Navan to be the ground (Dundalk is no more neutral that Croke Park).

Yes it is bull that the Dubs keep getting put in Croke park but cut the crap about Dublin fans not wanting to travel, we do. This is purely a money thing to play in Croke Park and you can be very sure that neither the Dublin management, team, county board or fans are given a say in where the games are played.

p.s. I never heard so many Meath fans hoping for a Dublin win as I have in the past few days

I'm getting sick of Croker. No Dublin fan would turn down a trip to Navan or Crossmaglen or Thurlas.

FastFuse

DH2K9 wrote: »

I'm getting sick of Croker. .

There's an easy way to rid yourself of the sickness.

Myself, I'm like many others in that I was hoping that a qualifier would see us off down the country somewhere. Sadly, it wasn't to be. So I will go to Croke Park and try to enjoy the match in the nice big fantastic stadium.

My predictions:

Dublin to beat Louth
Cork to overcome Limerick
Monaghan to beat Kildare - just
Sligo to down Down

BERBA

FastFuse wrote: »

My predictions:

Dublin to beat Louth
Cork to overcome Limerick
Monaghan to beat Kildare - just
Sligo to down Down

don't understand why people reckon dubs will beat louth , looking at it logically meath fell over the line againt louth (literally!:D) and they should have blown their match up early against the dubs they beat em up so embarrassingly. Dublin are very average.

FastFuse

BERBA wrote: »

don't understand why people reckon dubs will beat louth , looking at it logically meath fell over the line againt louth (literally!:D) and they should have blown their match up early against the dubs they beat em up so embarrassingly. Dublin are very average.

Question of opinion. There is a case for Louth, sure. They've played well and certainly with more fluidity and conviction than Dublin, for the most part. I think Louth's flaws were showing in the Leinster Final just Meath seemed unable to take advantage. Until, well y'know.

While in Dublin's match with Armagh we actually saw a team playing. Lots of hard work, effort and playing for each other. Not that it was magical stuff, but it got the job done and gathered momentum.

Tough one to call alright, but I think Dublin will win it.

BERBA

FastFuse wrote: »

Question of opinion. There is a case for Louth, sure. They've played well and certainly with more fluidity and conviction than Dublin, for the most part. I think Louth's flaws were showing in the Leinster Final just Meath seemed unable to take advantage. Until, well y'know.

While in Dublin's match with Armagh we actually saw a team playing. Lots of hard work, effort and playing for each other. Not that it was magical stuff, but it got the job done and gathered momentum.

Tough one to call alright, but I think Dublin will win it.

The 'neutral' venue could well swing it for the dubs alright

FastFuse

BERBA wrote: »

The 'neutral' venue could well swing it for the dubs alright

:rolleyes:

The 'neutral' ref could well swing it for the wee county.:D