Kilkenny GAA Thread Part 3 **MOD NOTE POST 1***

Hawkeye6

I am in the camp that questions firstly, the timing of calling off the game. The weather was forecast as far back as last Thursday and below is the text from Met Eireann’s website before I left for the match;

Rain in the southern counties will spread northwards to most areas by this afternoon, turning heavy in parts of Munster and Leinster where there is a risk of spot flooding. The rain will turn to sleet and snow in places as the day goes on with the winds becoming northeasterly in direction and temperatures dropping to between 1 and 5 degrees. Significant accumulations will, however, be largely restricted to higher ground. A clearance will develop in the west this evening.

So it should have been of no surprise to anyone that the weather would continue to be bad. I went anyway as no word had come through of a cancellation. However, when I got to Wexford before 1pm, I was informed there was now a “possibility” that the match would be cancelled. I saw the referee Alan Kelly and his linesmen inspect the pitch at that stage. He then went back in. So, my assumption at that point was it would go ahead when there wasn’t an immediate announcement. About 20 minutes later he appeared out again and looked at the other end of the pitch. Then he went back in and then at 1:25pm the game was called off! What in the name of God, did the referee Alan Kelly think was going to happen in that 20 minutes to make the situation better? I was also talking to a man who lives about 200 yards from the pitch and he told me it had been bad all morning and yesterday. The wet spots on the pitch were there long before that inspection… so surely the someone in authority could have got word out much earlier using a combination of looking at the Met website and people on the ground. This decision could have been made before at least noon and save a lot of people travelling.

The second item I would question is the “health and safety” and “player welfare” aspect. I know people are aghast at questioning that. But what exactly was the “Health and safety” issue? It was raining. Loads of matches have been played over the years in the rain. 1999 All-Ireland for example. If it’s raining, should the game always be cancelled? There were puddles of water on the pitch. Is this anymore dangerous than playing in Thurles the previous Sunday when the pitch was solid but extremely slippery, We all saw plenty of lads slipping and sliding there, It was greasy like and ice-rink. At least if you have a puddle to land in it will be soft. Or what about Cork playing the first game of the league in a ploughed field. The point I’m trying to poorly make is that if it was “health and safety”, there is no point in fixing matches at this time of the year at all!. And there have been Irish summers where the same applies. Unfortunately, we live in a world were PC and Health and Safety is gone mad…

I’d also ask what is the difference between rain and snow. It seems there were no “health and safety issues” in Ennis or Killarney where hurling matches and a football match went ahead. Maybe those players welfare wasn’t that important. As Cyril Farrell said on the radio, the GAA only do “player welfare” when it suits. Unfortunately, even on the radio so many people were saying it was the “right decision” without really questioning the basis and all the wrong decisions in the run up to the “right decision”

To my mind three things, need to happen. 1. A clearer definition of what is unplayable conditions needs to be agreed across the board. At least that would manage expectations. 2. If there is any suspicion, the decision should take place more than three hours in advance (That would cover most travel plans). 3. If it goes inside the three hours, home venue should be conceded for the refixture.

I am going to be bold now and predict the league final will run into April.

Grats

Hawkeye6, couldn't agree more. There was a rainfall warning issued forecasting precisely what we experienced. In addition to your comments throw in the gates opening later than publicised, the season ticket scanner breaking down and delaying people further in the rain, lack of stewards and rain pouring into the stand through holes in the roof. Crazy stuff.

Topcat32

Village87 wrote: »

Going on today results kk have to win or draw to make knock out stages

Still depends on Tipp Cork, if Tipp win and we lose you will have 3 teams on 4 points and it will come down to scoring differences.

Comerman

Health and safety me hole, there was what looked like an U13 football match on in Inistioge when we were passing through. I bet there was a nice few bob made from programmes, tea, coffee and sweets in the ground and plenty more outside for parking.

Pretty.Odd.

It was all a bit of a shambles in Wexford Park today. My Grandfather's ticket was taken from him going in to the grounds today. We went back to that stile on way out as he now has no ticket for next weekends game. Us and at least 10 others said it at the gate about the guy taking the full ticket but he just shrugged and said "dunno what you're on about, I have no tickets in my box."

Pigeon Chaser

Topcat32 wrote: »

Still depends on Tipp Cork, if Tipp win and we lose you will have 3 teams on 4 points and it will come down to scoring differences.

No, OP was correct from what I can see. If Tipp win and we lose its Limerick Wexford Clare and Tipp through to QF.

If we lose we are bottom 2.

Topcat32

Pigeon Chaser wrote: »

No, OP was correct from what I can see. If Tipp win and we lose its Limerick Wexford Clare and Tipp through to QF.

If we lose we are bottom 2.

Yeah I was mistaken, I had assumed that Tipp would have a worse scoring difference after 3 defeats but they are at -1 so will qualify if they win and we lose. Should have looked at the table first.

blackcard

Pigeon Chaser wrote: »

Topcat32 wrote: »

Still depends on Tipp Cork, if Tipp win and we lose you will have 3 teams on 4 points and it will come down to scoring differences.

No, OP was correct from what I can see. If Tipp win and we lose its Limerick Wexford Clare and Tipp through to QF.

If we lose we are bottom 2.

Yes, Tipp would have the best points difference of the 3 teams on 4 points.

Comerman

Pretty.Odd. wrote: »

It was all a bit of a shambles in Wexford Park today. My Grandfather's ticket was taken from him going in to the grounds today. We went back to that stile on way out as he now has no ticket for next weekends game. Us and at least 10 others said it at the gate about the guy taking the full ticket but he just shrugged and said "dunno what you're on about, I have no tickets in my box."

We were told on the way in to keep our tickets in case it's called off

Cornerback1

Pretty.Odd. wrote: »

It was all a bit of a shambles in Wexford Park today. My Grandfather's ticket was taken from him going in to the grounds today. We went back to that stile on way out as he now has no ticket for next weekends game. Us and at least 10 others said it at the gate about the guy taking the full ticket but he just shrugged and said "dunno what you're on about, I have no tickets in my box."

Is it not usual in a case like this that it is free in the next game?

Cornerback1

Pretty.Odd. wrote: »

It was all a bit of a shambles in Wexford Park today. My Grandfather's ticket was taken from him going in to the grounds today. We went back to that stile on way out as he now has no ticket for next weekends game. Us and at least 10 others said it at the gate about the guy taking the full ticket but he just shrugged and said "dunno what you're on about, I have no tickets in my box."

Is it not usual in a case like this that it is free in the next game?

Or will Wexford GAA lose out?

Comerman

Cornerback1 wrote: »

Is it not usual in a case like this that it is free in the next game?

If tis free I'm running a bus

Joe Daly

When do ye reckon the match will be Saturday, or Sunday.

brookville

Joe Daly wrote: »

When do ye reckon the match will be Saturday, or Sunday.

thought i heard saturday today but a decision will be made in the morning.

Pretty.Odd.

Comerman wrote: »

We were told on the way in to keep our tickets in case it's called off

Yeah heard this from someone 20 minutes after we entered. Wasnt mentioned on the way in to him or any others going in his turnstile. We have season tickets so he didn't go in our stile.

Pretty.Odd.

Cornerback1 wrote: »

Is it not usual in a case like this that it is free in the next game?

Or will Wexford GAA lose out?

Hardly would be free? Regardless I'll be contacting headquarters on his behalf in the morning.

laneykin

Match rescheduled to Sunday 10th March 2pm in Wexford Park

bamayang

Game should be free as they will have collected what they would have been originally budgeting for before yesterday. If they charge for the replay match then they are in 'bonus' area (getting paid twice for the same product), which is wrong.
Also, if its free it makes all their lives immensely easier in terms of lads saying "I was there the last day but couldnt get my ticket stubb back".

Joe Daly

Did they say yesterday over the public address that you had to go through headquarters for a refund this week.

Hawkeye6

bamayang wrote: »

Game should be free as they will have collected what they would have been originally budgeting for before yesterday. If they charge for the replay match then they are in 'bonus' area (getting paid twice for the same product), which is wrong.
Also, if its free it makes all their lives immensely easier in terms of lads saying "I was there the last day but couldnt get my ticket stubb back".

It also makes it very easy for lads who didn't bother travelling on Sunday to get in free. Not a popular option in my view.

In relation to retaining your ticket, You should Always get part of your ticket returned to you. The GAA rewards scheme allows you to enter the barcode only on the Monday afterwards to claim reward points. I know a lot of guys on the stiles are still keeping all of the ticket. I had a lad in Thurles who tried to keep mine. If for any match someone tries to keep part of you ticket other than the stub I would suggest note the stile number and report it to the county board.

You can only submit 4 tickets per match but maybe these lads are collecting them for their friends and family.

Martin567

Hawkeye6 wrote: »

It also makes it very easy for lads who didn't bother travelling on Sunday to get in free. Not a popular option in my view.

As a season ticket holder, I was there yesterday but I can't make it next Sunday.


So I had the time and cost of being there and I also got soaked. Presumably I will now be marked 'unattended' for this tie. Is that fair either?

Hawkeye6

Martin567 wrote: »

As a season ticket holder, I was there yesterday but I can't make it next Sunday.


So I had the time and cost of being there and I also got soaked. Presumably I will now be marked 'unattended' for this tie. Is that fair either?

If the game went ahead you will still have the time and cost and got soaked.
The "free in" proposal will not help you anyway.
And have you checked officially the story on your season ticket?

Martin567

Hawkeye6 wrote: »

If the game went ahead you will still have the time and cost and got soaked.
The "free in" proposal will not help you anyway.
And have you checked officially the story on your season ticket?

Yes, but I would have seen the match which was the whole point of being there!


I will send the Season Ticket office a message later. I would have expected to receive a mail from them by now as presumably other people have the same question.

Joe Daly

Some people reckon for different reasons the match shouldn't be free, the gaa hicked their ticket prices for the league this spring to me it would be like putting up the two fingers to the punter who braved the elements yesterday for all three matches that were cancelled .

Grats

I was in Wexford Park yesterday as were about 3000 other supporters. We all paid our entry fee. If the weather is okay next Sunday I imagine there'll be up to 7k there, and possibly even more if it's free. Why should the thousands, who didn't attend yesterday, get in for free? I don't think they'd even expect to get in for free as they had the good sense to stay at home yesterday.

Cornerback1

Grats wrote: »

I was in Wexford Park yesterday as were about 3000 other supporters. We all paid our entry fee. If the weather is okay next Sunday I imagine there'll be up to 7k there, and possibly even more if it's free. Why should the thousands, who didn't attend yesterday, get in for free? I don't think they'd even expect to get in for free as they had the good sense to stay at home yesterday.

True but I thought there was cases like this, when the match was free the second time around.

Can anybody think of any? I think there was a few cases but I can't remember exactly!

Grats

Cornerback1 wrote: »

True but I thought there was cases like this, when the match was free the second time around.

Can anybody think of any? I think there was a few cases but I can't remember exactly!

There may have been cases where there was more or less a full turnout the first day. Yesterday was different, more than half the supporters had the good sense to stay at home. Mostly Wexford supporters as they had the luxury of deciding at the last minute. They won't mind paying this time!

gobo99

Kk v tipp league fixture at semple stadium was called off at the last minute around 8 or 9 years ago due to snow. Was played on the Monday night with free admission.
I paid at turnstyle for original fixture and couldn't make the Monday. There wasn't any refunds made.

Actually now that I think about it I think the Monday fixture was called off aswell due to the weather.

Realt Dearg Sec

gobo99 wrote: »

Kk v tipp league fixture at semple stadium was called off at the last minute around 8 or 9 years ago due to snow. Was played on the Monday night with free admission.
I paid at turnstyle for original fixture and couldn't make the Monday. There wasn't any refunds made.

Actually now that I think about it I think the Monday fixture was called off aswell due to the weather.

Yeah I remember I was living in Dublin and decided to stay in Kilkenny the extra few days to go to the replay only for that to be cancelled as well, followed by the same conversations we're having now, about how the game could very easily have been called off earlier. Am I right in saying that the home team can declare pitch unplayable up to the day before a match, but on the day only a ref can declare it? That was the case in Dublin club hurling a few years back, I remember being burned by it a few times. Silly set up anyway, means you can't just cancel a match in plenty of time so people don't waste their day, when a ref won't see the pitch until very close to start time

Comerman

Murphy
2.Paul Murphy
3.Conor Delaney
4.Tommy Walsh
5.Conor Fogarty
6.Paddy Deegan
7.Jason Cleere
8.Padraig Walsh
9.Alan Murphy
10.John Donnelly
11.Walter Walsh
12.Ger Malone
13.Billy Ryan
14.Liam Blanchfield
15.Martin Keoghan

Subs
Enda Morrissey
Conor O'Shea
Conor Browne
Michael Cody
Richie Leahy
Richie Hogan
James Maher
Pat Lyng
Conor Martin
Ciáran Wallace
Niall Brassil