Your best day in Croke Park

buck65

What was your best GAA day out in Croke Park? Mine was Clare beating Cork in the 2013 Hurling Final Replay. As a Clareman it was exhillirating and there was something about an evening final as well.
I was at plenty of Clare and Galway games in Croker over the years but that was special.


Mods please change title to Your!!!! OMG

ColeTrain

Mayo vs Dublin 2006. That game had it all.

randd1

Kilkenny v Tipp 2011. Tipp were sure they were going to kick on and dominate hurling, Kilkenny mad to avenge the year before. Not the best final between the two, but despite the score line Kilkenny were just superior overall. It was the satisfaction I remember, not just that we had won the AI, but that we beat the other best side in the country and they just couldn't really do anything about it.

EICVD

18th of September 2011, no further explanation needed.

Fireball07

2007 Limerick vs Waterford in hurling, not many gave us much hope but we came out all guns blazing and roared into an early lead. Waterford came back strong, but we managed to get enough goals to hold on and reach the final. I haven't seen Limerick win in Croke Park that often, that was a great, great day.

Kristopherus

buck65 wrote: »

What was your best GAA day out in Croke Park? Mine was Clare beating Cork in the 2013 Hurling Final Replay. As a Clareman it was exhillirating and there was something about an evening final as well.
I was at plenty of Clare and Galway games in Croker over the years but that was special.


Mods please change title to Your!!!! OMG

Agree 100% with you. And the drawn game was'nt bad either. For sheer drama both of these games were my highlights. A very close 2nd would be the 1997 game between Clare & Tipp. John Leahy scuffed a ground shot he would normally have buried. 30 seconds later Jamesie got the ball out around mid-field a fired it over the bar. All-Ireland for Clare.

Kalyke

Monday July 28th 2014.........:o

PTH2009

Aug 17th 2008 Waterford beating Tipp in the All Ireland semi final

finally the hoodoo was over but the final was a different story

flasher0030

1985. First time in Croke Park. I was only 10.
Mayo V Dublin semi final. Dublin were cruising. 6 points up. And Mayo came back to draw the match. Dublin won the replay, but Padraig Brogan (Mayo) got a bullet of a goal - top corner.

Deskjockey

Beating Tipp unexpectedly on the 2008 semi final is my highlight. Cue the county going mad and Davy being carried shoulder high off the train in Waterford (facepalm) :-)

A great day though.

yop

flasher0030 wrote: »

1985. First time in Croke Park. I was only 10.
Mayo V Dublin semi final. Dublin were cruising. 6 points up. And Mayo came back to draw the match. Dublin won the replay, but Padraig Brogan (Mayo) got a bullet of a goal - top corner.

Agreed with that one, my 1st time in Croker also

Stinicker

I'm from Kerry so I've had so many great days in Croke Park that it is hard to call.

Any of the seven times we crushed Cork spring to mind, particularly the dogfight that was the 2008 All-Ireland Semi-Final Replay which saw Tommy Walsh put his name into the annal of Kerry greats.

• 2002, All-Ireland Semi-Final Kerry 3-19 Cork 2-07; 15 Points Victory
• 2005, All-Ireland Semi-Final Kerry 1-19 Cork 0-09; 13 Points Victory
• 2006, All-Ireland Semi-Final Kerry 0-16 Cork 0-10; 6 Points Victory
• 2007, All-Ireland Final Kerry 3-13 Cork 1-09; 10 points Victory
• 2008, All-Ireland Semi-Final Kerry 1-13 Cork 3-07; Draw
• 2008, Replay; Kerry, 3-14 Cork 2-13, 4 points Victory
• 2009 All-Ireland Final Kerry 0-16 Cork 1-09 4 points Victory

The 2009 Quarter Final Final annihilation of Dublin ranks as probably the greatest modern day Victory in Croke Park,Kerry were written off and dead and buried and Dublin need only collect the Sam we were told, however Gooch rocked the Hill with the ball in the back of the net inside 30 seconds. The Kerry team marched to victory that year pouring more misery upon Cork to defeat them for the fifth year in a row.



Last years epic 160mins dogfight against Mayo and our tactical masterclass which outsmarted Donegal and their puke tactics will long be remembered as the year a dead and buried Kerry team rose from the dead to reclaim the birthright of those men who wear the Green and Gold. The true keepers of the flame announced that they were back and they meant business, all would be pretenders to the throne were vanguished and on the third day of September the sun shone brightly on the Green and Gold. With Tommy Walsh home from distant lands and the footballing genius Colm Cooper rested and healed the summer looks bright and the four contenders this year are;


Kerry
Mayo
Cork
Dublin


I have a feeling it may end up a Kerry - Mayo Final for 2015 but over the border deep inside rebel territory yet another great Cork team is building and they announced this already with their masterclass over Dublin this weekend. On our lofty throne we sit but here we wish to remain and the best thing for Kerry now is to encounter a great Cork team because Cork are like the Moon they act as a gravitational force which ensures Kerry greatness all the time.

DulchieLaois

Kilkenny v Tipperary 2014 Final - it had everything

deadybai

Hard to choose between the two But the semi-final against Limerick and final against Tipp this year, were a privilege to say I attended. Two of the best games of all time.

heldel00

Being from Cavan, trips to Croke Park are few and far between but the best piece of advice I have given my younger sister is "get a boyfriend from a county that will mean you have a trip to Croker every couple of years."
It's a rite of passage I feel we are missing out on!

patmac

24th July 2004 great day and the sweetest drive home to Mullingar.

iDave

Meath v Cork All Ireland final 1999

Deskjockey

deadybai wrote: »

Hard to choose between the two But the semi-final against Limerick and final against Tipp this year, were a privilege to say I attended. Two of the best games of all time.

I was at both, and agree re the drawn final, it was an amazing game. While the weather brought something different to the semi final ( by God it was a dog of a day, and a tough day to play hurling), but I think it's a bit of a stretch to call it one of the best games of all time.

Each to their own though!

Rock Lesnar

Meath beating dublin in the 4th game in 91, i was 13 and life couldnt get any better.

Tom Joad

Any day in Croke Park is a great one for a Cavan man!! Best day I've had was the 2002 All-Ireland final and watching Armagh win their first All-Ireland. As the inlaws are Kerry people, I should have been shouting for Kerry but to see a county win their first All-Ireland and the emotion that went with it lives long in the memory.

Hesh's Umpire

2003 Leinster Football Final and Laois end a 57 year famine with my friend and clubmate in goals. Unforgettable.

ebbsy

Wicklow vs Kildare 2008. Was out of action for days after !!!!!!!!!!

littlemouse22

EICVD wrote: »

18th of September 2011, no further explanation needed.

I second that! First time crying happy tears.

meath4sam

Meath v Kerry 2001 semi final was a great day. Beating mayo in the quater final in 2009 was great as we didn't expet much. But hands down best day ever and up there with kids been born putting 5 goals past dublin in 2010.

Nidgeweasel

All Ireland Semi final 2012. Donegal dismantling Cork en-route to winning Sam. Once we were in it, we were winning it. It was getting into it that had the biggest risk for me.

That final whistle was just something else.

Brilliant day.

Poor_old_gill

1997 All Ireland final- first time that I had seen Kerry win an AI.

I was 11 and have dreamed of being Maurice Fitz for the last 18 years

D Hayes

Ireland v Poland 2008 - best atmosphere I've experienced at an Irish football game.

DoctaDee

D Hayes wrote: »

Ireland v Poland 2008 - best atmosphere I've experienced at an Irish football game.

Thanks for your 1st post in the GAA forum, you've opened the door to all the posters that attended Westlife's farewell gig now ..

saintsaltynuts

Hill 16.2011 Final. Really was a dream come true.Best All Ireland Final Ever.

D Hayes

DoctaDee wrote: »

Thanks for your 1st post in the GAA forum, you've opened the door to all the posters that attended Westlife's farewell gig now ..

You're welcome! Valid answer to the question.

Nidgeweasel

saintsaltynuts wrote: »

Hill 16.2011 Final. Really was a dream come true.Best All Ireland Final Ever.

Why do you Dubs have an infatuation with deeming things 'the best/greatest ever'?

It wasn't by the way. But you already knew that.

Joekers

May 1st 2011 League Final Dublin annihilating Kilkenny

Dirty Dingus McGee

1997 Leinster Football Final

Brilliant performance by Offaly to absoulutely destroy the reigning All Ireland champions.

Roy Malone played his best game ever for Offaly with 2 brilliant goals and Vinny Claffey scored 1-5.

Ofaly played some brilliant football that year in league and championshoip and it was the culmination of a great year for us.For a division 4 team to win a provincial championship was a huge achievement.

Tombo2001

I've been to about 12 or so finals, mostly as a neutral. I'd say the best was 2010 Tipp vs Kilkenny, but any of the Tipp-Kilkenny finals were better than any of the other games I've seen, football or hurling.

Tombo2001

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

1997 Leinster Football Final

Brilliant performance by Offaly to absoulutely destroy the reigning All Ireland champions.

Roy Malone played his best game ever for Offaly with 2 brilliant goals and Vinny Claffey scored 1-5.

Ofaly played some brilliant football that year in league and championshoip and it was the culmination of a great year for us.For a division 4 team to win a provincial championship was a huge achievement.

Was at that match. Meath had a habit back then of letting 'lesser'* teams build up a big lead and then clawing them back.

That day it just didn't happen for Meath, they never got into it and Offaly were class. It was a bit like when Galway beat Kilkenny in the Leinster final a few years back, except that Meath had no back door.

*Meath were champions at the time.

DoctaDee

D Hayes wrote: »

You're welcome! Valid answer to the question.

To give you a perspective on this... my young lad led out the teams that night, got to meet Duffer, Shay Given & Kevin Doyle. Got an autographed jersey from the squad and was interviewed by Karl Spain on TV. It was the proudest moment of my life seeing him out there - but it wouldn't have crossed my mind to recount it on a GAA thread (although I now inadvertently have )

As for the atmosphere ... yup those Poles certainly know how to support their team. Ta

castletownman

Either Rory McCarthy's last minute equalising goal vs Cork in the 2003 All Ireland hurling semi final, or Matty Forde making a fool out of Francie Bellew to goal on the way to Wexford defeating Armagh in the All Ireland football quarter final in 2008.

Two seminal moments for the purple and gold that will live in my memory for ever.

johnohanlon

I have never seen my county or country win a game at Croke Park, all the Derry games I went to there from 2001 they lost as well as the 2 international rules games I went to, I suppose the best days would have been the Derry Galway 2001 game and the 2006 international rules game.
I have better memories of Clones and Casement Park.

LilNiall

As a Donegal man I have to say the 2014 semi final. Only with 5 mins left did it even think we could do it. The whole night and bus up the next day had a big goofy smile on my face.

Other than that the 2012 final and 2011 quarter final. Great to be there and lift it although Cassidys point in 2011 was the loudest I've ever cheered in Croker.

Frankie Lee

1998 Leinster football final. Fitting for Kildare to end their long wait by beating a class Meath team that they had been through the epic trilogy the year before with.
Pure ecstasy from an exceptional bandwagon of supporters Kildare had built up too.

J Cheever Loophole

22 September 2002 - a moment I thought I would never see.

FatherTed

16 August 1981 Galway vs Limerick All-Ireland Hurling Semi Final Replay

Although I've been back many times since and seen Galway win the big one, my first time was probably my favourite. I'd always been jealous that my Dad had taken my older brothers to Galway's finals in 75, 79 and 80. But by the next year when I was 10, he finally had enough of my constant pestering to bring me up to Dublin.

It was a bright sunny summer Sunday, we drove up with 3 of my Dad's friends. I had been up to Dublin with my family before but going up to the big smoke was a big deal for me, hanging out with Dad and the lads. Had some drinks and sandwiches at the Shelbourne and then off up to Croke Park. They had tickets for the Hogan Stand but for some reason they didn't have a ticket for me. "Not a bother" my Dad said, he told me to just climb over the turnstile to get in. He went in before me but I froze when I came to the turnstile. "Jezes, will ya get in here!" my Dad shouted at me. Immediately I got my courage up, ignoring protestations from the ticket taker and jumped over the turnstile to get to the promised land. Thought I was the bees nees getting in like that. Off up to the stand the old lad.

There was a rivalry between the Galway and Limerick at the time ever since the final the year before. They had met a few weeks earlier in the first game when Galway were a bit lucky to get a draw in a low scoring but topsy turvy encounter. The big incident from the first game was the sending off of Sean Foley(who I think was the Limerick captain) for a wild chop down on PJ Molloy. So he was suspended for the replay.

This game was simply brilliant, high scoring with plenty of incident. Probably the best game that Galway team played with players like McInerney, Sean Silke, Iggy Clarke, the Connollys at their peak. Joe Connolly played his best game in maroon shirt, scoring 2-7 as Galway ran out winners by 4-16 to 2-17.

Off on the long drive home, we didn't have a care in the world. And it even didn't rain after we crossed the Shannon as it usually does when we come down from Dublin. What a day for a young lad.

fullstop

It's a toss up between the 2012 final and 2014 semi-final for me. 2012 was amazing as Donegal hadn't won it for 20 years, but it kinda felt like we'd win after some of the performances leading up to that final. Against Dublin last year it was supposed to be a walkover for the Dubs...at least that's what they were all saying the night before :rolleyes: After the shyte we had to listen to leaving the stadium after the (in)famous 2011 semi final, it was great to see the Dubs walking out dejected.

Honourable mention to the 1992 final as well, but I was too young to appreciate it fully.

zetecescort

Ladies Football final 2010. regardless of the game or grade nothing beats seeing a family member win a cup and I've been lucky enough to see it done in Croke Park

seligehgit

ColeTrain wrote: »

Mayo vs Dublin 2006. That game had it all.

Considering all the final heartbreak we have had...Same day without hesitation.Enjoyed the Mayo Donegal 2013 quarter final too.

Aongus Von Bismarck

It's an awful thing to say, but I'm too young to really remember Galway last winning the hurling All-Ireland. I have vague memories of Sylvie Linnane with blood running down his legs and Conor Hayes lifting the cup. Which I watched on TV. I've had too many All-Ireland hurling disappointments since then. How Galway haven't won the hurling AI in 26 years with the club and underage structure we have is remarkable.

So my highlight was being in Croke Park in 1998 to watch Galway beat Kildare in the football All-Ireland. This was despite me attending my first football match ever only earlier that year when Galway beat Mayo in Castlebar. I'm not from football territory or football stock. It was an amazing day though. Such emotion. It was all the better as I had moved to Dublin to go to Trinity two weeks before the final. A young and slightly homesick Aongus was so glad to spend the day with his Father in Croker, watching Galway comprehensively beat a very confident Kildare team.

SkipFC

9th October 2009

Sean St Ledger's late goal seemed to be the winner against the then world champions, Gilardino's equaliser shortly after was a stark reminder of how quickly things can change in sport and the vast range of emotions involved in such a short space of time. On reflection, I'm grateful for those few minutes where we were beating the world champions.

Consey

Tom Joad wrote: »

Any day in Croke Park is a great one for a Cavan man!! Best day I've had was the 2004 All-Ireland final and watching Armagh win their first All-Ireland. As the inlaws are Kerry people, I should have been shouting for Kerry but to see a county win their first All-Ireland and the emotion that went with it lives long in the memory.

Armagh won it in '02

RoscommonTom

Last years epic 160mins dogfight against Mayo and our tactical masterclass which outsmarted Donegal and their puke tactics will long be remembered as the year a dead and buried Kerry team rose from the dead to reclaim the birthright of those men who wear the Green and Gold. The true keepers of the flame announced that they were back and they meant business, all would be pretenders to the throne were vanguished and on the third day of September the sun shone brightly on the Green and Gold.

No offence but you cant give out about donegal and there puked tactics when kerry was even worse then them in last years final, pulling and dragging, donahy and his play acting and Keane kicking the ball away when durkin was trying to kick it out, Kerry can be pointing no fingers at anyone we after that craic, Kerry fellas might have shirt memories but the rest of us dont

Nidgeweasel

Nidgeweasel wrote: »

Why do you Dubs have an infatuation with deeming things 'the best/greatest ever'?

It wasn't by the way. But you already knew that.

It wasn't the best All Ireland final in the last 10 years, let alone ever.

The 2013 Semi Dublin v Kerry however was one of the most insane atmospheres I've ever experienced. Both teams 100% sure they were going to win the game. The 7 point margin of victory was a joke. In the end the whole game hinged upon one kickout. Eamonn Fitzmaurice is one hell of a manager. I could watch Dublin and Kerry play each other all day.

Respected Kerry after their grace in victory in 2009 (and the rest). Will always respect them after their grace in loss in 2011 and 2013.

Hammer Archer

I feel I've missed out on great days in Croke Park as a Meath fan even though we've had a few. I was too young in 91 and 96. Don't remember much from beating Kildare in 97 and couldn't get a ticket for the 99 final.
I'd have to go with the demolition of Dublin in 2010. I was suffering with an almighty hangover but forced myself to go. And what a game! Freak result without a doubt, but nearly everything went right for us that day and after so many near misses against Dublin in the last decade or so, it was a sweet result.
Obviously turned out to be a false dawn.