Leinster Senior Hurling Offaly V Galway

[backofthenet]

While its good to get a run out in Croke Park, I think the vast majority of KK, Galway and Offaly supporters would have preffered it was played in Port Laoise, This stinks of Dublin suiting dublin as they do in the football.....the GAA are just hoping the plastic dublin fans starting packing out croke park so that they have another 3 or 4 sell outs as they have with the football.

I disagree with you saying more people will travel to Croke Park rather than Portlaoise, I think the 3 / 4 hour drive to dublin, crap food in the stadium, and inflated prices just to watch what will probably be two very one sided games of hurling will not be attractive to most supporters, whereas Portlaoise is closer for the three counties, within 1 - 2 hours for most fans, easy to get to and easy to leave

I know you say financial windfalls dont dictate who plays in croke park, but the simple fact of the matter is they do. The reason this is being played in croker is to give the dublin hurlers a chance, try and build up their support and get the plastic dubs to show up drunk and late for another game.

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Also, financial windfalls or expected atmosphere shouldn't dictate who plays in HQ. Offaly hurlers have as much right to be there as the Dublin footballers.

You are correct in saying that financial windfalls shouldn't determine who gets to play in Croke Park but I think expected atmosphere should.
What possible advantage is there in playing a game in a half empty stadium? This applies to Croke Park on Sunday but also to our own O'Connor Park when it host club games. I just can't understand why unsuitable games are played in these empty, eerie concrete expanses. What good is the quietness for the players, the supporters, the general image of the game?

I've been to countless club group games in small, suitable venues where the atmosphere has been 'ninety'. By the same token I've been to countless games in O'Connor Park and Croke Park where I've heard my own clap echo around the stadium. It matters because I firmly believe that poor atmospheres can result in a flat, boring game.

It will be interesting to compare the atmosphere at this Sunday's games compared to last years KK .v. Galway semi final in Tullamore. That was a cracking occasion.

[Plain of the Herbs]

21 counties have hurled in Croke Park since Offaly last played there in 2005. These are listed below. It’s about time Offaly got back there. Never mind looking around ye at the nice blue seats – it’s what goes on between the white lines that counts.

Kilkenny
Wexford
Cork
Tipperary
Clare
Waterford
Limerick
Westmeath
Down
Antrim
Carlow
Kildare
London
Louth
Derry
Donegal
Roscommon
Armagh
Sligo
Meath
Tyrone

[leinsterman]

croke park has nothing to do with a field is a field clare came up and won there in 1995 Down footballers anytime they come to croker on allireland
day they have won. if your good enough you will win never seen a pitch win a match yet.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Croke Park has everything to do with it. Five years is a long time to wait for a match, and it’s been five years looking on the telly at the 21 counties listed above hurling away on headquarters. That’s not to mention the likes of San Marino and whatever else playing soccer there.

And of course the pitch can win or lose a match. There are level pitches, sloped pitches, bumpy pitches, pitches with long grass, pitches with no grass . . . plastic pitches. Then there’s Croke Park, where everyone wants to hurl. Surely Offaly, Antrim and the like are more entitled to hurl there than San Marino, Andorra or The Vatican City are entitled to kick soccer on it.

croke park has nothing to do with a field is a field clare came up and won there in 1995 Down footballers anytime they come to croker on allireland
day they have won. if your good enough you will win never seen a pitch win a match yet.

[leinsterman]

Croke Park has everything to do with it. Five years is a long time to wait for a match, and it’s been five years looking on the telly at the 21 counties listed above hurling away on headquarters. That’s not to mention the likes of San Marino and whatever else playing soccer there.

And of course the pitch can win or lose a match. There are level pitches, sloped pitches, bumpy pitches, pitches with long grass, pitches with no grass . . . plastic pitches. Then there’s Croke Park, where everyone wants to hurl. Surely Offaly, Antrim and the like are more entitled to hurl there than San Marino, Andorra or The Vatican City are entitled to kick soccer on it.

croke park has nothing to do with a field is a field clare came up and won there in 1995 Down footballers anytime they come to croker on allireland
day they have won. if your good enough you will win never seen a pitch win a match yet.

Don't forget the rugby team

[Southend]

Yeah the English rugby Team!! last time they were there they killed innocent people!!

So yes it's a great time for the county players that are going to play there!! Hopefully it will Gee them up and give a good show!!

[black and red exile]

Southend, you made a statement concerning the English Rugby team which beggars belief, I would suggest you go back to study your history books you idiot.

[Offaly2010]

Pieces falling into place for in-form Farragher
Thursday,June 17 2010


Ger Farragher is at a stage in his career when all the pieces appear to be falling into place.

The Castlegar clubman won back-to-back All-Ireland Minor with the Tribesmen in 1999 and 2000, but the graph of his career has peaked and dipped as wildly as the fortunes of Galway hurling over the last decade.

The inconsistency that stalked Farragher as a forward appears to have been eradicated and, in his new midfield role, the 27-year-old is finally maturing into the top class hurler he promised to be.

It’s been a roller coaster of a year for Farragher, who made his Championship debut against Clare in 2002, winning the Walsh Cup, back-to-back GPA Player of the Month awards and an Allianz GAA Hurling National League medal after scoring six points in the final defeat of Cork.

Farragher has repaid the faith shown in him by manager John McIntyre, continuing to take frees despite the return of Joe Canning, and striking a remarkable 0-13 in the Leinster GAA Hurling quarter-final defeat of Wexford.

Farragher played in three All-Ireland Minor finals at Croke Park (1999-2001) and he makes a welcome return this Sunday, when Galway take on Offaly in the Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship semi-final – his first appearance at GAA Headquarters since the 2005 All-Ireland final defeat to Cork.

“I haven’t played there myself since the All-Ireland final, in 2005,” says Farragher, “so I just can’t wait to play there. I know some of the lads played there in 2008 under Ger Loughnane, against Kilkenny, and they were with them for about 60 minutes before they pulled away. But it’s the place to play. I can’t wait to get back to it.”

Offaly needed extra-time to overcome Antrim in their quarter-final and Galway go into the sides' first Championship meeting since 1994 as red hot favourites to make a first Leinster final since they were parachuted into the competition last year. However, Farragher warns that Joe Dooley’s side have a point to prove on Sunday.

“They know they have a point to prove against us and, from playing Offaly down the years, I know they don’t fear Galway. They hit a lot of wides against Antrim as well and it might bring them on an awful lot, the fact that it was so close,” he adds.

“There is obviously expectation on us, after winning the league final. Every other year you hear people saying ‘it is Galway’s year, it is Galway’s year’, but the players know that it is up to themselves.

“There are no excuses saying we didn’t get to win the league or we are coming in cold because we are not in Leinster. We have everything going in our favour and it is up to the players themselves now.”

Galway beat Wexford by 11 points in the quarter-final, but Farragher has warned that if they don’t show a vast improvement against Offaly, they will be beaten.

“We knew that we didn’t produce half the form that we produced against Cork in the league final. We knew it was going to be tough and it was, but we are just happy with the result at the end of the day.

“Our games against Offaly are always close. Offaly don’t fear Galway and I know that for a fact from down through the years, neighbouring counties. We know it is going to be tough playing them and if we don’t play at a lot better than we did against Wexford the last day, we will get beaten.”

[GOOFY]

Checked it out myself, it was the english rugby team of 1921

[Bord na Mona man]

Martin Johnson fired the first shot.

[black and red exile]

So what ye are saying is the players were the black and tans in disguise who opened fire when a break came in play, jaysus Iv'e heard it all now and that doesn't include your comment BNM, I know you are only stirring it

[GOOFY]

Yep thats what wikipedia says anyway, ah no matter, we beat the sh1t out of them in 2007 as revenge.
Better late than never with the reprisals eh

[ballinamereman1]

for all ye men who cant make it.. the match is being streamed by rte..

[Georgio1]

"for all ye men who cant make it.. the match is being streamed by rte"..

Of which there will be plenty! As a matter of interest how many of the posters here will make the trip to see our hurlers play in Croker for the first time in 5 years? My guess is only bout 10 regular posters will be there.

To get the ball rolling, I will be there, (and no, I am not looking for a medal for it!). Just a fan who would like to do his bit to let the lads know their efforts during the year are apprieciated!