Fixture Clash this Saturday

[Bord na Mona man]

After some teams waiting 2 months for their qualifier game, it all goes a bit mad with some of them then playing several weeks in a row.

[BUFFALO]

Surely common sense will prevail in this instance.
It is in the interests of the GAA to enable the people of Offaly to view both games if they so wish.
If a fixture clash does result I for one know what game I'd be watching...

[Bord na Mona man]

It is in the interests of the GAA to enable the people of Offaly to view both games if they so wish.

Sadly not.
There would only be a few hundred Offaly people who would attend both.
The GAA probably aren't going to disrupt their tight schedule to suit them.

[D Corner Flag]

What about Sean Ryan? is he not still involved with the hurlers?

If so, then he has to be given the chance to take in both games.

[uibhfhaili]

am after hearing here in Cork that Offaly v Waterford at 5 and Galway v Cork at 7 next Sat, Thurles

[azoffaly]

That's awful bollox. How can we get from Thurles to Tullamore in 30 minutes or less? I was at a wedding this weekend in Kerry, so I missed the Limerick game, which was a sickener. Now I'll have to choose between the hurlers and the footballers. Would it have killed them to have it at 2 o'clock in Thurles?

[BUFFALO]

Absolutely no consideration whatsoever!
An outrage I tells ya...why could they not have simply had either the hurling or football earlier?
Oh well,looks like loyalties will be divided this weekend - it will be fairly apparent that those fine Denizens of South Offaly will make up the bulk of the crowd in Tipp,while those boyos in North Offaly will almost certainly be the sole supporters in The More - a grand generalisation I know,but an accurate one at that...

[swiftpost]

Stage set for a GAA packed Saturday


Next Saturday will see an incredible 23 senior inter-county football and hurling matches take place around the country, including the All-Ireland SHC qualifier double header of Cork against Galway and Waterford playing Offaly in Thurles.

The recently redeveloped Semple Stadium will play host to the two fourth phase qualifiers, which were teed up at last evening's draw in Limerick.

The Waterford/ Offaly game will get things rolling at 5pm and the Cork/Galway clash has a 7pm throw-in. Both games will be broadcast live on RTE.

Increasing the expected drama and tension, there will be extra-time if necessary in all 23 of Saturday's senior fixtures.

Saturday afternoon and evening will see all eight of the All-Ireland football first round qualifier matches take place.

The pick of those games, the all-Ulster meeting of Monaghan and Derry at Clones will be shown live by TV3 (throw-in 3pm).

Elsewhere, recently dethroned Connacht champions Sligo will take on London in the first round of the Tommy Murphy Cup.

The second tier football competition also has three other games down for decision including the clash of Waterford and last year's winners Wicklow.

Meanwhile, the hurlers of Antrim and Laois will slug it out on Saturday afternoon in their Liam McCarthy Cup relegation play-off tie.

The losers of that game will face another play-off against the 2008 Christy Cup champions to decide who will feature in next year's Liam McCarthy Cup competition.

Also on the hurling front on Saturday, the quarter-finals in the Christy Ring Cup and Nicky Rackard Cup will be played out.

Last year's finalists, Westmeath and Kildare, will square off in the last-eight of the Ring Cup, while there are four Ulster teams, including South Down, left in contention in the Rackard Cup.

The newly-formed Fingal side will be hoping to maintain their run in the competition when they entertain Leitrim at Parnell Park.

Interestingly, none of the remaining teams have won the Rackard Cup to date. Louth came closest when they lost to London in the inaugural 2005 final.

Sunday's GAA action - just the Leinster and Ulster football finals - is relatively sedate when compared with Saturday's blitz of games.

GAA - WEEKEND'S FIXTURES:

SATURDAY, JULY 19:

FOOTBALL:

GAA FOOTBALL ALL-IRELAND SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS - ROUND 1 - Limerick v Meath, Gaelic Grounds, 7pm Longford v Laois, Pearse Park, 7pm Kildare v Cavan, Newbridge, 7pm Offaly v Down, Tullamore, 7pm Louth v Tyrone, Drogheda, 7pm Tipperary v Westmeath, Ardfinnan, 3pm Donegal v Roscommon, Ballybofey, 5pm Monaghan v Derry, Clones, 3pm (live TV3)

TOMMY MURPHY CUP -
ROUND 1 -
London v Sligo, Ruislip, throw-in tbc
Antrim v Carlow, Casement Park, 3.30pm
Clare v Leitrim, Ennis, 7pm
Wicklow v Waterford, Aughrim, 7pm

HURLING:

GAA HURLING ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS - ROUND 4 - Waterford v Offaly, Thurles, 5pm (live RTE) Cork v Galway, Thurles, 7pm (live RTE)

GAA HURLING ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP RELEGATION PLAY-OFF - Antrim v Laois, Pairc Tailteann, 2.30pm

CHRISTY RING CUP QUARTER-FINALS -
Wicklow v Mayo, Aughrim, 5pm
Down v Derry, Newry, 3pm
Kerry v Carlow, Tralee, 3pm
Kildare v Westmeath, Newbridge, 5pm

NICKY RACKARD CUP QUARTER-FINALS -
Fingal v Leitrim, Parnell Park, 3pm
South Down v Louth, Newry, 1pm
Monaghan v Cavan, Clones, 1pm
Sligo v Tyrone, Markievicz Park, 3pm

SUNDAY, JULY 20:

FOOTBALL:

ULSTER GAA FOOTBALL SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL - Fermanagh v Armagh, Clones, 2pm (live TV3)

LEINSTER GAA FOOTBALL SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL - Dublin v Wexford, Croke Park, 4pm (live RTE)

[Bord na Mona man]

Television dictates the hurling times.
The only hope is to get Down to agree to a change for the football, which is unlikely.

[Treasurer]

Television dictates the hurling times.
The only hope is to get Down to agree to a change for the football, which is unlikely.

A half an hour even would help.

[BUFFALO]

Television dictates the hurling times.
The only hope is to get Down to agree to a change for the football, which is unlikely.

Indeed.
TV rules the roost where the GAA are concerned.Money pumped in from the likes of RTV,3TV and Sellotanta means that coverage of games will take precedence over the arrangement of fixtures to suit the needs of any one county.
On the second point,I would hope that the OCB actively attempts to get Down to agree to a rearranged Throw In.
As unlikley as it seems,it would be the most reasonable thing to do.

[Bord na Mona man]

Unfortunately it looks like Offaly are going to be shafted here.
The support will be split. I don't believe it would happen to the likes of Cork of Galway.

Sadly I don't think many in the GAA world will sympathise with our situation.
Most other counties are single code, so wouldn't be bothered by the prospect.
Then you'll have the usual sages informing us that we have no right to complain since we going through the back door and that Offaly support is so poor that we don't deserve any compromise.

[Bord na Mona man]

Recommended solution for Offaly fans!

http://www.gaelichelicopters.com/charter.htm

[beirut]

I'm working on a matter transporter at the moment for said events, i'll let ye know how I get on...

[BUFFALO]

Tis the stuff of science-fiction,how to transport Offaly fans whilst ignoring the parameters of spatio-temporal reality?