National Forum

Venues For All Ireland Final & Semis

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Has the venue been decided for this years finals and semi finals. With no spectators allowed is there any need to play the games in Croke Park?? In a time when teams travel on the day is it fair one team has home advantage when opponents have to travel 3 or 4 hours to get there?

Mfs (Mayo) - Posts: 221 - 11/11/2020 10:51:41    2307473

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Replying To Mfs:  "Has the venue been decided for this years finals and semi finals. With no spectators allowed is there any need to play the games in Croke Park?? In a time when teams travel on the day is it fair one team has home advantage when opponents have to travel 3 or 4 hours to get there?"
At the end of the day it should be up to the players where they want to play. After all, they are the ones who put in the huge sacrifices required for our entertainment.

I can guarantee you every single player wants to play in Croke Park.

ConnollyDub (Dublin) - Posts: 1922 - 11/11/2020 11:03:20    2307483

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Replying To Mfs:  "Has the venue been decided for this years finals and semi finals. With no spectators allowed is there any need to play the games in Croke Park?? In a time when teams travel on the day is it fair one team has home advantage when opponents have to travel 3 or 4 hours to get there?"
Dublin out of Croke Park, not a chance. That would only level things up a bit. Donegal, Armagh or Connacht champions would gladly play in Breffni or Armagh.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 276 - 11/11/2020 11:21:04    2307494

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Replying To ConnollyDub:  "At the end of the day it should be up to the players where they want to play. After all, they are the ones who put in the huge sacrifices required for our entertainment.

I can guarantee you every single player wants to play in Croke Park."
Any other year I would agree with you but this year is not normal. Is it fair that one team has to travel 3/4 hours on the day to get to a venue while other team has home advantage. I don't know will staying overnight be an option by then but it would be a very expensive one with no room sharing allowed.

Mfs (Mayo) - Posts: 221 - 11/11/2020 11:34:21    2307500

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Replying To Saynothing:  "Dublin out of Croke Park, not a chance. That would only level things up a bit. Donegal, Armagh or Connacht champions would gladly play in Breffni or Armagh."
Level things up.? Worked for you the last two years playing you's in Omagh didnt it... Oh wait...

ConnollyDub (Dublin) - Posts: 1922 - 11/11/2020 11:35:23    2307502

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I D be open to the idea of semi a outside Croker. With no crowds etc it would make sense. Obviously some teams might want to play in Croker but maybe the team that gets Dublin é. g. Donegal might want a neutral venue which would be fair enough. The other semi might want to play in Croker for experience. It's an option. I suppose we regard Croker as the home of gaa but I suppose Thurles is the original home and maybe Thurles could be an option for finals(the hurling was played there in 1984 cos of centenary year) but for me I would want the final definitely to be in Croker and I would imagine most players would also.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 630 - 11/11/2020 11:41:02    2307504

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Replying To Saynothing:  "Dublin out of Croke Park, not a chance. That would only level things up a bit. Donegal, Armagh or Connacht champions would gladly play in Breffni or Armagh."
I'd say the Connacht champs would prefer Athlone. It all depends on who is playing who. Connacht v Munster semi in Limerick? The other side if Dublin were playing Donegal for example, Armagh or Breffni would suit.

I think depending on who is in the all Ireland final, I would have thought Thurles, Athlone, Breffni or even Castlebar are options.

BaldyBadger (Cork) - Posts: 198 - 11/11/2020 12:02:56    2307523

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The players would be concerned about two things only. The quality of the pitch in Winter and not to be unduly hampered by travel. I don't think any player would be willing to travel 4 hours to play Dublin on their doorstep with no stay over. I would think most players that are left in the competition would have played in Croker a few times and are not worried about going up there for the experience. They want to win an all Ireland.

BaldyBadger (Cork) - Posts: 198 - 11/11/2020 12:08:50    2307525

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Replying To BaldyBadger:  "The players would be concerned about two things only. The quality of the pitch in Winter and not to be unduly hampered by travel. I don't think any player would be willing to travel 4 hours to play Dublin on their doorstep with no stay over. I would think most players that are left in the competition would have played in Croker a few times and are not worried about going up there for the experience. They want to win an all Ireland."
Athlone???

sligo joe (Dublin) - Posts: 205 - 11/11/2020 12:20:56    2307530

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Has the venue been decided for this years finals and semi finals. With no spectators allowed is there any need to play the games in Croke Park?? In a time when teams travel on the day is it fair one team has home advantage when opponents have to travel 3 or 4 hours to get there?
Mfs (Mayo) - Posts: 217 - 11/11/2020 10:51:41Of course it has. It will be Croke Park. Zero chance of moving games from there
Its perfectly fair to have games in Dublin regardless of travel time.

Any other year I would agree with you but this year is not normal. Is it fair that one team has to travel 3/4 hours on the day to get to a venue while other team has home advantage. I don't know will staying overnight be an option by then but it would be a very expensive one with no room sharing allowed.
Mfs (Mayo) - Posts: 217 - 11/11/2020 11:34:21And counties would have these costs anyway and can get subsidies for them.

I'd say the Connacht champs would prefer Athlone. It all depends on who is playing who. Connacht v Munster semi in Limerick? The other side if Dublin were playing Donegal for example, Armagh or Breffni would suit.
I think depending on who is in the all Ireland final, I would have thought Thurles, Athlone, Breffni or even Castlebar are options.
BaldyBadger (Cork) - Posts: 194 - 11/11/2020 12:02:56 Why would Connacht champs prefer Athlone? How often do many of the connacht sides play in Athlone?

The players would be concerned about two things only. The quality of the pitch in Winter and not to be unduly hampered by travel. I don't think any player would be willing to travel 4 hours to play Dublin on their doorstep with no stay over. I would think most players that are left in the competition would have played in Croker a few times and are not worried about going up there for the experience. They want to win an all Ireland.
BaldyBadger (Cork) - Posts: 194 - 11/11/2020 12:08:50I dont see why players would be concerned about travel. If there is pro teams travelling to different countries to play games and travelling over and back on the same day then dont see the issue with amateur teams doing it on the same day as a game

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 11/11/2020 12:34:37    2307542

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Replying To ConnollyDub:  "At the end of the day it should be up to the players where they want to play. After all, they are the ones who put in the huge sacrifices required for our entertainment.

I can guarantee you every single player wants to play in Croke Park."
I can guarantee you that players from Donegal would not rather a 8 hour round trip to play in an empty Croke Park. There's no team busses, they have to drive themselves, catch yourself on! They would much rather a neutral venue where both sets of teams are limited equally and fairly in their preparations.

I would sincerely doubt that Cork, Mayo, Galway would either.

SurelyToGod (Donegal) - Posts: 195 - 11/11/2020 12:40:40    2307549

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Replying To SurelyToGod:  "I can guarantee you that players from Donegal would not rather a 8 hour round trip to play in an empty Croke Park. There's no team busses, they have to drive themselves, catch yourself on! They would much rather a neutral venue where both sets of teams are limited equally and fairly in their preparations.

I would sincerely doubt that Cork, Mayo, Galway would either."
There won't be a problem staying over in Hotels; owners would be happy for these to be opened for elite sports teams and the finalists will be acccomdated with restrictions in mind - single rooms etc. Some teams have already been staying overnight in hotels for long journey league games.

The All Ireland Final will be played on the best pitch in the country and I'm sure Sky/RTE will also want them played there. There isn't even a debate about this; I also expect the GAA are making plans already to use the stands for marketing purposes, ensuring the major championship sponsors are well marketed in the high stands.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 707 - 11/11/2020 16:11:37    2307658

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Outside of Croke Park, how many pitches would be guaranteed to be playable in the event of two very bad weeks of weather in December? Not many, I suspect.

midlands (Westmeath) - Posts: 221 - 11/11/2020 16:41:57    2307674

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They're not even taking Dublin out of Croker for a Leinster semi final, not to mind an All Ireland semi final.

SallinsMan (Kildare) - Posts: 69 - 11/11/2020 18:24:50    2307716

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Replying To sam1884:  "There won't be a problem staying over in Hotels; owners would be happy for these to be opened for elite sports teams and the finalists will be acccomdated with restrictions in mind - single rooms etc. Some teams have already been staying overnight in hotels for long journey league games.

The All Ireland Final will be played on the best pitch in the country and I'm sure Sky/RTE will also want them played there. There isn't even a debate about this; I also expect the GAA are making plans already to use the stands for marketing purposes, ensuring the major championship sponsors are well marketed in the high stands."
I've no doubt about that, and I don't disagree, but my assertion is that for counties on the west coast, players and management would not prefer an empty Croke Park over a neutral venue half-way between semi-finalists or finalists.

SurelyToGod (Donegal) - Posts: 195 - 11/11/2020 18:43:36    2307724

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Replying To ConnollyDub:  "Level things up.? Worked for you the last two years playing you's in Omagh didnt it... Oh wait..."
Oh wait, were ye not at League match?

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 276 - 11/11/2020 19:00:32    2307731

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I've no doubt about that, and I don't disagree, but my assertion is that for counties on the west coast, players and management would not prefer an empty Croke Park over a neutral venue half-way between semi-finalists or finalists.
SurelyToGod (Donegal) - Posts: 183 - 11/11/2020 18:43:36I would be very surprised players wouldnt prefer playing in an empty Croke Park over another ground. Name what county of those left that would pick another ground over Croke Park?

I can guarantee you that players from Donegal would not rather a 8 hour round trip to play in an empty Croke Park. There's no team busses, they have to drive themselves, catch yourself on! They would much rather a neutral venue where both sets of teams are limited equally and fairly in their preparations.

I would sincerely doubt that Cork, Mayo, Galway would either.
SurelyToGod (Donegal) - Posts: 183 - 11/11/2020 12:40:40 Where does it say players have to drive themselves?
What neutral venues would you suggest be used?


Outside of Croke Park, how many pitches would be guaranteed to be playable in the event of two very bad weeks of weather in December? Not many, I suspect.

midlands (Westmeath) - Posts: 208 - 11/11/2020 16:41:57Plenty. They have groundsmen do most not?

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 11/11/2020 19:06:35    2307738

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Replying To midlands:  "Outside of Croke Park, how many pitches would be guaranteed to be playable in the event of two very bad weeks of weather in December? Not many, I suspect."
Clones. The other semi-final could be played in Limerick.

Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 193 - 11/11/2020 19:14:38    2307740

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Yes this year is different to any other but surely playing lots of games at this time of year in a condensed championship makes the decision to play semis and final in Croker an absolute must. The only pitch which will hold up in our Winter conditions and let players perform.
On a different note.....Is it time to do away with the feckin drink breaks? Understandable when games restarted in warm weather where players were not fully fit but neither of those criteria now exist.

ponga (Mayo) - Posts: 520 - 11/11/2020 19:24:41    2307746

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Donegal v Mayo all ireland final in Markievicz Park. no point traipsing all the way to Croker.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 1076 - 11/11/2020 19:37:35    2307756

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