The County Board have now issued ticketing details for next Sunday’s quarter-final against Donegal at Croke Park, full details of which are here. Tickets go on sale at MacHale Park tomorrow morning from 9.30am and the ticket office there will remain open all week, up to and including Saturday lunchtime. Tickets are priced at €30 for adults (€25 for Cáirde Mhaigheo members) and €5 for kids with the usual concessions. Tickets are being made available for both upper and lower levels in the Hogan, Cusack and Davin stands but it’s not planned to open the Hill or the Nally terracing for Sunday’s double-header.
UPDATE: Terry Reilly of the Irish Examiner has just tweeted that it’s been decided to open Hill 16 for both the Saturday and Sunday matches. A welcome outbreak of common sense.
Really? Not planning to open the Hill?
God I thought it was going to be close to a full house. Suppose it’s just optimism but I thought Donegal, Mayo and Cavan would bring big crowds. I am surprised with that.
Leave it to some eegit in Croke Park to ensure they will be a empty feeling in Croke Park on Sunday. An empty hill and Nally is a poor decision from an atmosphere standpoint.. My guess is that there will be at least 50,000 there. Surely they should open the terrace.
They won’t open the terraces for a quarter-final (or even for two QFs together). Especially when Kerry are involved – Kingdom fans haven’t a notion of coming up to see a game they know they’ll win.
WJ, I take it that the County Board tickets will actually be decent ones? As I live outside the county and won’t be able to get to Castlebar to pick up tickets before Sunday, I’ve been trying ‘tickets.ie’ and Ticketmaster to try and get some ticket approaching the halfway line but all that’s up on either site are crap tickets in the corners.
If it was an All-Ireland Final I wouldn’t care but for a QF, knowing that the ground won’t sell out anyway, it’s bloody frustrating. I wouldn’t mind but I got decent tickets for both quarters and semis for 2011 and 2012 via the same ‘tickets.ie’!
Would I have a better chance of a decent ticket by going to a ticket van outside Croke Park on the day? Has that been the experience of other people here?
It might be worth giving the MacHale Park ticket office a ring, Davy, and ask them what sections they have. As far as I know, they’re selling the tickets on a first come, first served basis so if you get your shout in early you should get a decent seat. Their number is (094) 925 0487.
I have the same problem. Living in Meath so was hoping to pick up tickets online but they’re stuck in a gulley in the corner of Croker. All I’ll see from there is the Donegal corner forward being physically intimidated.
Feckn hell… The flag is too big for the stand. I always go to the Hill unless the jacks r playin’. Feckn idiots who called this. Open the stadium and let ppl go where they please.
Never go on the hill but was planning on a banner, had even started it but it can’t go into the stand.
I got lower Hogan stand tickets last week section 330, I was going to go irrespective of who was playing. My guess is that at this point you will not see seats like that online. Good luck though. I really hope Mayo people go en mass. It was embarrassing last year at the all ireland final. we were way outnumbered by Donegal folk big time.
I suppose each of the 4 counties would get about 20,000 tickets each. No doubt Kerry will return about 19900 of theirs unsold. We could snap them tickets up too meaning there is no reason why there cant be 40,000 + Mayo people swamping Croke Park on Sunday. Indeed if enough of us turn up with or without tickets they will open the hill. No excuses not to go. Real big support will be needed. The Ulster referee could be their 16th man. The red and green masses on the terraces should be our 16th man creating a roar that will spur us on to glorious victory.
I’m baffled at why people think there is going to be such a big Mayo crowd in attendance, don’t get me wrong, i hope ye are right and i’m way off the mark.
2011 v Cork , small crowd maybe in the region of 8k mayo max.
2012 v Down, unbelievably small green and red army travelled , 4-5 k max.
The high profile game that this is being billed as will bring more but i really don’t think it will be near what people think. 12k max Mayo.imo
We really need to get it out there that Mayo support is needed in croker, not on the high stools of Mayos public houses.
Donegal will bring 20k, thats for sure.
There wont be as many supporters as many people think, but like willie joe I was very dissapointed with the Mayo supporters compared to the number of Donegal supporters at the final, but i knew this was going to happen as there was a great passion in Donegal last year for there football, unlike in Mayo where the year seemed to just blow by, only one decent game for the whole year the semi final. However this year it feels different, theres that buzz in the air, ‘Mayo for Sam’ appearing across the globe, theres a passion in the Mayo supporters this year, a belief. I just hope this translates into numbers of supporters that travel. I can only imagine how disappointing it must have been for some of the fellas last September when they ran out onto the pitch.
I agree tom and i’m singing this hymn for years, it’s the 16th man and its a lot more important than a lot of people think. Funny how Andy rallied for support in his speech too for croker, don’t underestimate people, be there .
Regardless of capacity, travelling fans really should have the option of cheaper or standing tickets. While the tickets are reasonably priced compared to provincial tickets, you won’t see much change out of a hundred quid if you’re paying for stand tickets for a family.
Have also had a bit of a moan both to the twitterverse and to the GAA season ticket folks re the piss-poor options for Bring a Friend. You get a choice of upper Cusack (703 near the Hill – Row Y was the only option available when I looked), or the lower Davin over in the corner. Meanwhile, you can still pick up Lower Hogan tickets as normal over on tickets.ie (though admittedly they’re not the most central at this stage). Where’s the incentive for season ticket holders to bring more people along, when the GAA are crying out for people to attend? Opted for the Davin, but frankly I’d nearly prefer to be on the Hill.
And given Kerry won’t bother their arses travelling, it’s unlikely that even what capacity there is open on the day will sell out.
Anyway, the important thing I suppose is that we’re there and we’re vocal on the day – the support is needed and while Donegal numbers won’t be what they were last year they are good travellers, and this time I’d like if we were the ones making the noise.
Sean Burke well said. Sadly i think you will be proven right with your figures of Mayo people at the game. A lot who could go will stay at home. 8 or 10 thousand from Mayo in an 83,000 stadium is no good to the guys on the field. The final last year was like a home game for Donegal. A bit of a shock to the system for us after outnumbering Kerry by 4 to 1 in our previous 3 finals. Once the 2 early goals went in they completely took over in the stands. The 20,000 Mayo folk who did not go to this years Connacht final in our own home ground because it was a foregone conclusion and they would wait for the quarter final, well now your time has come. Your county needs you. Bring as big a flag as you can get too. On so many occasions in the past has the 16th man (whether he is the man in the middle dressed in black with the whistle in his mouth or the huge support in the stands) has helped a team cross the winning line. History shows our 16th man will only be found in the stands. No excuses. Just be there.
This is just to let everyone know that a new all-time high in terms of daily hits on the site will be set today. The previous high of 7,124 was set the day after we beat the Dubs last September but today’s count (at 8.40pm) is already 7,506 so it looks as if the 8k daily barrier is about to be breached for the first time. As well as that, another 7k or so tomorrow will take the cumulative tally over the 2 million mark. As I said on Twitter a short while ago these are truly humbling numbers.
Agree with Sean Burke and Jim Flag that support vital.
Can we win?Yes! Will we…Yes .Why? Because we are ready,have learned from last year,and have better footballers.
This year though we cannot be phased by good or bad start.just keep at it.Donegal can be beaten even if they go ahead.Thinking they cant is a myth.
We are better…end of.People still believed Kilkenny couldnt be beaten again too but once cracks show they get wider.Thats reality.
AWESOME WJ! Congrats!
Yes WJ.A tribute to you!
Just updated the post to include the news, courtesy of Terry Reilly of the Irish Examiner, that the GAA have tonight decided that the Hill WILL be open on Sunday after all.
First and foremost, congrats Willie Joe. This site is outstanding and puts all other GAA sites to shame. We can have proper debates and discussions on Mayo football without descending into insult throwing etc. like what happens on Hoganstand and GaaBoard. It’s a credit to you and it’s no wonder that when the word got out about it, it gathered such huge numbers.
Secondly, I have never seen such hype all year about a team. Maybe Donegal last year had hype about them all year but I think Mayo this year have surpassed them. Hardly a week goes by without a ‘Mayo for Sam’ sign appearing at a sports event, concert etc. Even today, there is another picture doing the rounds of some Home and Away star with a Mayo flag. I have been at Croke Park several times this year (when Mayo haven’t been playing) and have seen Mayo jerseys on display every time. Mayo have had huge attendances at both the Connacht semi final and final, considering there was no more than a thousand fans either day from Roscommon or London. Very few counties bring over 17,000 fans to matches which were pretty much foregone conclusions that were also on television.
My point is that this furore has to be translated into proper support on Sunday. This is why I was astonished that Hill 16 was to be closed. With Cavan, Mayo and Donegal all promising to bring big support, it simply had to be open. I will also be amazed if the hype surrounding Mayo isn’t translated into huge support on Sunday. The teraces has to be the first victory for Mayo on Sunday.
100% agree Anne Marie with regards the terrible allocation of ‘bring a friend’ tickets from use of the gaa season ticket. There should be some sort of loyalty towards season ticket holders on first come first served seating especially when they introduce such a scheme into it.
And many congrats WJ. I’ve really only used your site since the debacle in 2010 in Longford and its been a great service since, especially as our county are back amongst the best again 🙂
At last. Common sense prevails re the hill. Sean Burke you can continue making that banner which you had started. On a different note how is it that our minor game V Westmeath is at the “neutral venue” of Tullamore? I suppose our county board agreed to that. Cant they use the word “no” now and again. Surely Hyde Park might be a bit more central and fair. Look how close Tullamore is to the Westmeath border. Practically a home game for them.
Congrats Willie Joe.. Truly a brilliant site
I really really believe there’s gonna be a big Mayo turn out for this game and we’re gonna rock the rafters
JC and Ann – Marie, as a fellow season ticket holder i agree to a point…However…My niece is going to her first game in croker on Sunday for €5.. (after serving her time at many a league game), and I was able to get Row A 703, so i guess it was on first come first served, in fairness they can only sell every seat once. But location not the best i give ya that,
About the Mayo crowd… i reckon 12k max… a lot of the Connaught semi and final crowd was because of weather, easy for kids etc etc.. the fact is, like most county’s we have a hard core.. 4 – 5 k and the rest are “not as committed” shall we say…
One last point if I May… i think some are all getting to carried away with the AIF crowd,yes Donegal outnumbered us, but the two goals in first 7 minutes left a lot of us shell shocked with that De ja vu feeling so that i feel is why we were so quiet that day..
Def my last point… let us all not go down to the level of the “hoganstand”… slagging other supporters, managers, etc… that’s gutter standard and i for one feel this blog is better than that… Maigh Eo Abu….
Mighty man, Willie Joe, mighty man!!!
Great news about the hill been opened up!
Everyone who’s thinking about going should now commit, otherwise we will be outnumbered on the Hill by Donegal…again!
Good man Sean, looking forward to seeing the big banner!
Nice one!
LETS GET EARLY AND TAKE THE HILL!!!
Sean Burke..make that banner! Ill have the big flag I’ve had since ’96…and I’ll be behind the goals.
Lets do it! Keep the focus.
Paul McD, in that regard your right in that you got the ‘best’ of the seating for the stands provided by season-ticket and hopefully your niece has a memorable time at her first match in Croke Park. Ah I suppose Croke Park have to distribute the prime seats around especially with there being four participating counties on the day too and cant complain too much either as all of us signed up have got the value out of the card at this stage..with more games to come 😉
thanks WJ for the updates, Please mayo fans beg, steal or borrow the money and turn out, lets give our boys full support, roar as loudly as you can and lets have a rousing rendition of the green and red AFTER WE WIN
Congratulations WJ.
Wail till we win sam wj. The site will melt down!
Fair play on the site getting all those hits, its a credit to ya WJ.
Wheres the John Cuffe buck these days? I feel i owe him a bitten of an apology for slatin his piece the last time, i was out of order in reflection.
For my ticket on ticket after and stuck down in the corner. Doesn’t matter tho, main thing is being inside the ground and cheering on Mayo from any vantage point.
Finally getting something on the big flag I had in the hill for the Dubs game last year. Keep an eye out for a Simpsons themed banner in corner of cusack/canal making its debut before and after the game (probably wont get to put it up during the game as it is 12ft wide)
Hon Mayo!