Supporting Your (GAA) Neighbours ?

Plazaman

Some day Sligo will be in the All Ireland Football Finals. I said SOME day not Sunday (maybe our childrens children will be alive to see it :eek: ).

Anyhow this weekend, us Sligoians are geographically sandwiched between the finalists and the hype and anticipation is definitely seeping into our county with various flags flying around the place.

So will you be shouting for Donegal because your Grannys Uncle is from there or you just like the fact that The Diamond in Donegal Town is neither a gem nor diamond shaped or the fact that Jimmy is winning matches

or

Will you be shouting for Mayo because your Uncles Granny is from there or you just like it as a condiment on your burger or you once got hammered in Westport and met this gorgeous local girl/boy for a roide.

Installing a Poll, feel free to give reasons (and yes those of you that don't give a toss can join in too sure this thread will be invalid after Sunday anyway).

red sean

I'm leaning towards Donegal because it's closer to me, but could'nt really give a fiddlers one way or the other.
Sligo Rovers winning the league should be more important to Sligo people on this forum.
C'mon the bit'o'red!

Son Of A Vidic

The last time Donegal won I was fully behind them, but that was only due to the absence of a team from Connaught playing in the final. I'll usually support an Ulster team if there is no Connaught representation left in the championships. But it would be good to see the Football title being won by a team from Connaught team. So I'll be supporting Mayo this time around.

Mint Sauce

Donegal, cos I'm from there.

Pete M.

Away in a manger,
no crib for a bed,
the little lord jesus,
sat up and he said...

MAYO cha cha cha MAYO cha cha cha MAYO cha cha cha

I'm a native.

If you cut me I bleed green

red

And go on the bit o' red as well!!!

Henlars67

Wouldn't Sligo class Mayo as big rivals?

I don't get the gaa attitude of supporting your biggest rivals when your team has been knocked out.

It's ridiculous

Gipo3

Henlars67 wrote: »

Wouldn't Sligo class Mayo as big rivals?

I don't get the gaa attitude of supporting your biggest rivals when your team has been knocked out.

It's ridiculous

The thing about gaa is that there is no hatred. like in soccer where players on your rivals/opponents team are abused etc but supported when playing for country. And when fans have to be segregated because of the general hatredness in the game.

mongoman

Henlars67 wrote: »

I don't get the gaa attitude of supporting your biggest rivals when your team has been knocked out.

It's ridiculous

O.K you don't get it, but calling someone's preference here ridiculous, ironically enough is quite ridiculous.

Mayo knocked Sligo out, so I'll support Mayo. And as Corvus said, It would be good to see the title going to a team from Connaught for a change.

bennyc

Well I suppose if I was from Sligo then I would be supporting Mayo for several reasons, mainly counties generally support their own provence. Also the fact that Sligo had Mayo up untill the last ten minutes even if mayo were poor, then it makes sence that a Sligo person would be looking for the All Ireland Champions to be the team that beat them.


However being from Donegal and living in Sligo I have the green and gold in the lawn and I will be on the Hill on Sunday with my young fella so I suppose he is a Sligo man supporting Donegal so I will give him the plus 1 for the poll.

sara-lou

Leitrim woman so will be supporting my other neighbors!

That and i hate Mayo in general, love to see any county beat them so hoping Donegal give them a good hiding.

Son Of A Vidic

At the end of the day it's really a win win situation, because I'm happy as long as Dublin or Kerry don't get their paws on Sam.

Mint Sauce

Jimmy's winning matches
Jimmy's winning games
Jimmy's bringing Sam back to Donegal again

fillefatale

There'll be a Mayo flag outside my house, I was born into it so I have no choice.

Henlars67

Gipo3 wrote: »

The thing about gaa is that there is no hatred. like in soccer where players on your rivals/opponents team are abused etc but supported when playing for country. And when fans have to be segregated because of the general hatredness in the game.

Segregation is unnecessary for the vast majority of games but i'm still glad it's there as it creates a better atmosphere.

Nobody wants to be sitting amongst a load of opposition fans celebrating a goal.

You obviously are commenting on something you know very little about. Aside from games involving Shams there is very little hatred on display.

Buford T Justice

Henlars67 wrote: »

Wouldn't Sligo class Mayo as big rivals?

I don't get the gaa attitude of supporting your biggest rivals when your team has been knocked out.

It's ridiculous

Its simple. This isn't Soccer, its Football and there has been a history of great sportsmanship from the fans for as long as I can remember. I remember going to croker for Sligo to get hammered by Kildare, and we were in the pub with the Kildare fans before the match and after the match and there was a great atmosphere. No hard feelings between anyone even after we were thrashed.

Listen to the managers at the end of the games, they generally always say the better team won.

Personally I'll be rooting for Donegal to win. Hard to say why really, but just my preference. Should be a great match tomorrow.

Mint Sauce

Buford T Justice wrote: »

Its simple. This isn't Soccer, its Football and there has been a history of great sportsmanship from the fans for as long as I can remember. I remember going to croker for Sligo to get hammered by Kildare, and we were in the pub with the Kildare fans before the match and after the match and there was a great atmosphere. No hard feelings between anyone even after we were thrashed.

Listen to the managers at the end of the games, they generally always say the better team won.

Personally I'll be rooting for Donegal to win. Hard to say why really, but just my preference. Should be a great match tomorrow.

Absolutly. I've drank in some of the pubs around Croker a few times before and after the matches supporting Donegal and Fermanagh, no trouble what so ever. Along with Rugby, its a totally different mentality compared to Soccer.

Right now, considering I wont get to see the game start to finish due to work commitments, I'm getting very excited, and looking forward to hopefully a trip back to Donegal tomorrow night or Monday morning.

DONEGAL ABU!!

Henlars67

irish-stew wrote: »

Absolutly. I've drank in some of the pubs around Croker a few times before and after the matches supporting Donegal and Fermanagh, no trouble what so ever. Along with Rugby, its a totally different mentality compared to Soccer.

Right now, considering I wont get to see the game start to finish due to work commitments, I'm getting very excited, and looking forward to hopefully a trip back to Donegal tomorrow night or Monday morning.

DONEGAL ABU!!

Totally different mentality how?
I've drank in pubs beside LOI grounds all around the country and have never encountered any trouble.
The fans of other clubs that I've met are very friendly.

You haven't a clue what you are talking about.

Mint Sauce

Henlars67 wrote: »

Totally different mentality how?
I've drank in pubs beside LOI grounds all around the country and have never encountered any trouble.
The fans of other clubs that I've met are very friendly.

You haven't a clue what you are talking about.

I've drank around a few LOI grounds as well, and granted have never seen trouble in the pubs. But inside the ground I have seen objects thrown onto the pitch at opposing players, and verbal abuse aimed at them, can you hand on heart say you haven't. I have yet to see it at a GAA or rugby match.

Have you ever heard of Holganism between fans at GAA or rugby? Whilst in soccer you get serveral stories a year from around the world, and its a main concern at every international tournament. Have seen abuse at the ref in all games, but that, and this conversation should really be for another day.

Getting back on topic. Congrats Donegal, the party has started.

Henlars67

How many referees get assaulted each year in gaa? what about the case where a referee got locked in the boot of his own car by gaa supporters.
Things like that are conveniently forgotten about.

There's loads of thuggery in the gah

Son Of A Vidic

Henlars67 wrote: »

How many referees get assaulted each year in gaa? what about the case where a referee got locked in the boot of his own car by gaa supporters.

That's actually a fair point, at times quite a few referees have required Garda protection from fanatical lunatics.

Anyone remember the Dublin Football supporters and their antics? Because they've wrecked the train to Wexford on more than one occasion.

gustavo

irish-stew wrote: »

I've drank around a few LOI grounds as well, and granted have never seen trouble in the pubs. But inside the ground I have seen objects thrown onto the pitch at opposing players, and verbal abuse aimed at them, can you hand on heart say you haven't. I have yet to see it at a GAA or rugby match.

Have you ever heard of Holganism between fans at GAA or rugby? Whilst in soccer you get serveral stories a year from around the world, and its a main concern at every international tournament. Have seen abuse at the ref in all games, but that, and this conversation should really be for another day.

Getting back on topic. Congrats Donegal, the party has started.

Truly a great bunch of lads.

Gipo3

Well done to Donegal. Bit disappointed they didn't go home through Sligo this time. Was watching the 92 homecoming on YouTube couple of days ago. There was more at that than at the Sligo Rovers cup homecoming's there last couple of times.

Henlars67

Gipo3 wrote: »

Well done to Donegal. Bit disappointed they didn't go home through Sligo this time. Was watching the 92 homecoming on YouTube couple of days ago. There was more at that than at the Sligo Rovers cup homecoming's there last couple of times.

the gaa attracts much more bandwagoners, don't think anyone will dispute that.

bennyc

Henlars67 wrote: »

the gaa attracts much more bandwagoners, don't think anyone will dispute that.

The only reason that statment is correct is that the GAA get a massive following in the first place compared to Soccer but % wise the bandwagon balances. U have to agree that 3200 in the showground is heavilly populated by bandwagoners 50% maybe. If Rovers loose the first three homes games of a season and the 3200 wil not be long going back to 1500.

Also not to mention the crowd that went to the Aviva the first year, Sligo had a massive majority of the 36000 so again bandwagoners must be making up the majority of that possibly 5 times a normal full house.
I reckon % wise the amount of bandwagon supporters to a normal championship opener would be similar for both codes. Donegal would get close to 20,000 to the first game of the championship , Sligo mabe 12-15K so double that for the final and % wise rovers are hoping for the same when they are doing well, but a lot more for cup finals and marquee games.

bennyc

Henlars67 wrote: »

How many referees get assaulted each year in gaa? what about the case where a referee got locked in the boot of his own car by gaa supporters.
Things like that are conveniently forgotten about.

There's loads of thuggery in the gah

Have to agree with this , there are always loads of little scuffles at games but hopefully the GAA will never have to seperate crowds.
Its amazing the contrast to underage soccer v underage GAA , The GAA can be nuts with parents going hell for leather into each other and poor Johnny getting roared at to get stuk in, in comparrason to the Soccer its rare to find a heated match with parents roaring at kids and heated exchanges off the pitch. I have been following both codes for years in the underage circut and soccer is by a mile the best managed. A parent / coach even step onto the line and the game will stop. In contrast manager in the GAA seem to be allowed 10 yards onto the pitch and nothing said.