All Ireland Semi Finals and Finals outside Croke Park

rebs23

With all the controversy surrounding the All Ireland Semi Final being played in Limerick, it might be timely to remind ourselves of the times when All Ireland Semi Finals and Finals used to take place outside Croke Park. Yes believe it or not there are and were venues right throughout Ireland that held such games.
Maybe not on a regular basis but they were certainly unique occasions that I attended;
1984 All Ireland Hurling Final Thurles
1983 All Ireland Football Semi Final Replay - PUC Cork
Anymore?

IMO its great to have these types of matches at locations outside of Dublin that are easy to get to for supporters (sometimes much easier than Corke Park), they benefit the local economy enormously and create a unique atmosphere.
It would be great to see more All Ireland semi finals especially in other towns and cities.

adrian522

I think there should be more games away from Croke Park. There is no need for the Leinster Hurling final to be there most years. Same goes for the All Ireland semi finals (again, most of the time depending on matchups).

But county boards, fans and players alike throw a strop if games are held elsewhere. I really don't see the issue with moving more games out of there.

T0001

Definately the Leinster finals don't need to be there every year. Surely if Kilkenny v Galway it would be better played in Tullamore. Capacity of about 30,000 it is perfect for a Leinster final of this sort.

DDC1990

I think in general, all Quarter Finals - Final in Football and Semi Final/Final in Hurling should aim to be in Croke Park.

If like this weekend, its not an option, then I don't see the harm in having a game in Thurles/Limerick/Clones/Fitzgerald Stadium

thelad95

I've always said the Leinster hurling final could be played in Thurles.

I think the A-I semi's should be played in Croker. It's the business end of the Championship and teams deserve to play on the better surface at that stage.

The football QF's should be nowhere near Croke Park.

T0001

T0001 wrote: »

Definately the Leinster finals don't need to be there every year. Surely if Kilkenny v Galway it would be better played in Tullamore. Capacity of about 30,000 it is perfect for a Leinster final of this sort.

Tullamore is probably a tad small.

The games this year included one sell out and that was for a semi final.
The first game wasn't far off a sell out either.
There problem with Tullamore is there's next to no room behind either goal.

I think Portlaois could work though.
Nice big stand and decent terraces the other three sides of the pitch.

I wouldn't say it's much more than 30k though and it's bigger than Tullamore.
I'd have thought Tullamore was closer to 20k tbh.

EDIT:
Google quick search shows 20,000 Tullamore and 27,000 O'Moore Park. I'd have thought there was more than a gap but I suppose it's still around 30% and not far off what would be the max draw to a Leinster Final.
May need an extra few 1000.

T0001

gilberto_eire wrote: »

Tullamore is probably a tad small.


EDIT:
Google quick search shows 20,000 Tullamore and 27,000 O'Moore Park. I'd have thought there was more than a gap but I suppose it's still around 30% and not far off what would be the max draw to a Leinster Final.
May need an extra few 1000.

My mistake, I thought the attendence at the Replay this year was 28k but must have been 18k

FatimaKid

rebs23 wrote: »

With all the controversy surrounding the All Ireland Semi Final being played in Limerick, it might be timely to remind ourselves of the times when All Ireland Semi Finals and Finals used to take place outside Croke Park. Yes believe it or not there are and were venues right throughout Ireland that held such games.
Maybe not on a regular basis but they were certainly unique occasions that I attended;
1984 All Ireland Hurling Final Thurles
1983 All Ireland Football Semi Final Replay - PUC Cork
Anymore?

IMO its great to have these types of matches at locations outside of Dublin that are easy to get to for supporters (sometimes much easier than Corke Park), they benefit the local economy enormously and create a unique atmosphere.
It would be great to see more All Ireland semi finals especially in other towns and cities.

Wasn't at the '84 game but did go to the '83 replay in Cork. Unique journey, unique atmosphere, unique experience. Yet, I would love it to lose its uniqueness - don't think Dublin should play only in Croker (championship) - I'd like to get out a bit more during the Summer.

TCDStudent1

thelad95 wrote: »

I've always said the Leinster hurling final could be played in Thurles.

I think the A-I semi's should be played in Croker. It's the business end of the Championship and teams deserve to play on the better surface at that stage.

The football QF's should be nowhere near Croke Park.

Not sure of the ins and outs of how gate receipts work. But I remember before Galway joined Leinster, the Leinster council did not want them to have home games as there would be an issue over gate receipts of a Leinster match played in Connacht. Eventually, when Galway did come in, they played at neutral venues.

So I think it could be an issue playing a Leinster final outside Leinster. Then again, a Connacht and Ulster team play in Leinster so why not?! Galway v Antrim in the Leinster final played at Thurles!

The Lost Sheep

Think All Ireland series(1/4s on) should always be in Croke Park apart from the odd quarter final or two if it means bigger crowd will be in attendance.

Leinster hurling final should be moved on occasion

Fr Tod Umptious

thelad95 wrote: »

I've always said the Leinster hurling final could be played in Thurles.

I think the A-I semi's should be played in Croker. It's the business end of the Championship and teams deserve to play on the better surface at that stage.

The football QF's should be nowhere near Croke Park.

I totally disagree.

Quarter finals fit the bill for the 'guys who dream of playing in Croke Park'

Since the qualifier we have seen a lot of smaller counties play in Croke Park due to the quarter finals being there, Fermanagh, Tipp, Cavan, Limerick
Plus we have seen a good few 'infrequent' provincial champs play there there, Donegal (19 years between Ulster titles remember), Sligo, Roscommon, Westmeath, Laois, Monaghan

For football QFs onwards should be in Croke Park, with the exception of QF or SF replays where a provincial may make better sense logistically.
For example if Mayo and Kerry drew a SF they could play the replay in Limerick.

dobman88

I don't see the problem playing any game, apart from the final, outside Croke Park. I suppose I can see the point of people saying that players have earned the experience to play in Croker for a . But for replays and provincial finals then a provincial ground is more than suitable.

Hotfail.com

Thurles is as good as Croker imo, easy to get to as well providing it isn't Donegal or someone that far away from Tipp who are playing. Would like to see the football QFs put on there maybe every second year, or in Cork once the stadium is redeveloped.

The double-header hurling QFs are a great day out in Thurles.

BonnieSituation

Hotfail.com wrote: »

Thurles is as good as Croker imo, easy to get to as well providing it isn't Donegal or someone that far away from Tipp who are playing. Would like to see the football QFs put on there maybe every second year, or in Cork once the stadium is redeveloped.

The double-header hurling QFs are a great day out in Thurles.

Yup.

I wish more of our games were outside Croker. Last away championship game I was at was the Derry qualifier in Clones in 2003.

Would love the QFs spread around a bit tbh.

Dirty Dingus McGee

T0001 wrote: »

Definately the Leinster finals don't need to be there every year. Surely if Kilkenny v Galway it would be better played in Tullamore. Capacity of about 30,000 it is perfect for a Leinster final of this sort.

Tullamore at most holds about 20,000.So it wouldn't be suitable for a Leinster final.

ciarriaithuaidh

The 1937 All Ireland Hurling final was held in Killarney also.

Fr Tod Umptious

ciarriaithuaidh wrote: »

The 1937 All Ireland Hurling final was held in Killarney also.

And I believe a hurling semi back in the 20s was held at Galway racecourse.

We need more racing/GAA double headers.

Tom Joad

True Story - Cavan have a 100% record in All Ireland Senior football finals held outside Ireland by winning the 1947 Final in the Polo Grounds in New York. One record I can confidently say that will never be broken .

rebs23

Just found this list here. Never knew All Ireland Hurling final held in Dungarvan on 2 occasions!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_All-Ireland_Senior_Hurling_Championship_finals

Sunnyisland

The Dubs have no problem with traveling, never had, It's not Dublins fault, It's all about the money the Gaa get from Dublin playing in croke park. Also Dublin's home ground is Parnell Park. The GAA have to accommodate the numbers that wish to go to the fixture, Dublin draw a larger audience than what Parnell holds and so the games get moved to Croke Park, you also have the issue that a lot of other teams want to have there day in croke park like Mayo have for there replay.

thelad95

I think once Belfast and Cork are re-developed we will begin to see more QF's and SF's away from Croke Park.

At the minute is there anywhere that's really at a necessary standard to host large games? Limerick and Thurles have fantastic playing surfaces but are outdated stadia.

Stinicker

The Kerry V Dublin Quarter Final of 2001 was held in Thurles and its subsequent replay, I remember the throw-in time being delayed to accommodate late Dublin supporters. Thurles is a fine stadium but Limerick was better geographically located for Kerry V Mayo.

Kerry and Cork have met in a few All-Ireland semi-Finals which both sets of supporters were agreed could have been played in Thurles or Limerick.

I am glad I won't have to drive over 200miles and awake at 6am to drive from Kerry to Croke Park tomorrow and leaving my house at 12noon for a Kerry game is a great relief.

Fr Tod Umptious

Stinicker wrote: »

The Kerry V Dublin Quarter Final of 2001 was held in Thurles and its subsequent replay, I remember the throw-in time being delayed to accommodate late Dublin supporters. Thurles is a fine stadium but Limerick was better geographically located for Kerry V Mayo.

Kerry and Cork have met in a few All-Ireland semi-Finals which both sets of supporters were agreed could have been played in Thurles or Limerick.

I am glad I won't have to drive over 200miles and awake at 6am to drive from Kerry to Croke Park tomorrow and leaving my house at 12noon for a Kerry game is a great relief.

Stinicker in sensible post shocker !

AndyP

Stinicker wrote: »

The Kerry V Dublin Quarter Final of 2001 was held in Thurles and its subsequent replay, I remember the throw-in time being delayed to accommodate late Dublin supporters.

Don't think it was delayed. Anyway it was a bank holiday with major roadworks on the way out of Dublin.