Photo: Hogan Stand (Inpho/Mike Shaughnessy)
It’s official: this year’s All-Ireland U21 football final will, indeed, be played at Cusack Park, Ennis, on Saturday week (April 30th). Throw-in at the Clare venue is set for 6pm. Now all we need is for the lads to produce a display like the one they provided the last time we crossed swords with the Rebel County at the same location when this title was up for grabs.
No excuses, get down there with your whole family or whoever else will travel and wave the flag/roar your head off or just wear the colours and support the team.
Great memories of our final there 10 years ago and the year the followed was a memorable one (bar the final) for our senior team. Man where have those 10 years gone…scary stuff.
Hope a huge Mayo following goes down. We completely outnumbered Cork 10 years ago….l think the swell in support for Mayo the past 5 years will mean we will have even more in Ennis this time around.
Don’t be fooled that easy there will be plenty of rebel supporters in attendance in Ennis. And they know the ground better than we do. Important we get a big support out, as these lads deserve every bit.
Ah what a super day in Ennis – I remember driving back Billy Fitz nearly crying on the radio! Where have the years gone indeed… We’ve gone so close to Sam since then. Those boys came into a senior set up that was very healthy having reached a senior final in 2004 and would again later in 2006. So many of those young lads of 2006 have been our mainstay at senior for many years now and have done us all very proud – and there’s a few years still in some of them….which is good as the current u21 crop need a strong senior set up in order to bring them through properly.
Under 21 to senior is still a significant step up and we’ve seen it time and time again the importance of having a quality senior team to really get the best out of young talent.
So, the timing is key – we’ve had very little come through onto our senior team over the past 3/4 years and so hopefully this year and over the next few, we’ll have lots of real competition for places.
A win in two weeks time will be a real boost to the senior set up but regardless of the result, it’s good for morale in the camp. Pep in the step etc…
Looking at that video again makes think though how much of a loss Aiden Kilcoyne was – he never really got a full run at things at senior and that injury a few years ago was terrible. He was the main attacking force on that team and he was pivotal to Mayo winning the u21 final in 2006. A fit Kilcoyne in 2012/13 may have made a difference – we can only speculate.
Having been at all our 21 games this year, the numbers have only been ok – we could do a lot better so get the word out….FORWARD TO ENNIS!!!
I remember there being almost no Cork supporters in Ennis in 2006, probably under 100 in total. Which meant the place was very quiet when Mayo were playing poorly in the first half. To be honest I doubt there will be many more than that there from Cork this time either. On the other hand Mayo’s support base has significantly increased in the last few years and has been far better mobilised through Club 51 etc. I expect us to bring a huge crowd and have the place pretty much to ourselves for this one.
Declan – Mayo support to date this year has been very poor for this team
Jaysus Higgins looked anout 12 back then!!. Unfortunately will be in England on that day, anyone over there on this blog know, if its possible to watch Tg4 by whatever means over there?? I know I could get midwest online but would love to get to watch it live…
Would agree Declan. Less than 100 from Cork will be there again. No reason why there cant be 30,000 from Mayo there. Turning it into a “home” game for us.
The best supported county in Ireland, coupled with it being an All Ireland Final should mean the place is packed to overflowing with green and red.
Ha! The capacity is probably 20,000 at most!
It would be great to see a big mayo crowd – anything over 6,000 Mayo supporters would be a sizeable turnout. Realistically. These lads deserve double that though.
Jim – 30000 from Mayo. There was not 300 mayo supporters at first game in Leitrim and maybe double that in Sligo. Poor crowd too in Tullamore. Would love to see a big crowd in Ennis. Would be good if county board, clubs and schools promoted this match and brought young teams and players down. Gaa won’t do much to promote it as this is penultimate year and they won’t want much fuss about it.
Won’t get the crowd they deserve unless it’s promoted from this early week onwards , every club in Mayo should be organising a coach , it won’t happen though . Can’t get my head around the 4,500 season ticket holders , surely they are all Mayo gaa fans who would want to support our 21s too ? Anyway tbh although it was a small enough crowd in tullamore we outnumbered all others involved and it felt like genuine passionate supporters were all there. Bring that big flag with ya mayonaze.
No point having a go at season ticket holders…was in Sligo myself only but was otherwise engaged with work this weekend. It’s a commitment in itself to get to most league games and costly too. I predict we will get over 10,000 fans to Enbis for the final though.
Didn’t mean to be harsh on st holders per se and believe me I understand the cost involved travelling round the country , it’s jus if we can get 4k odd down to cork for a league opener I see No real reason why the majority of them and the extra 2-3k that would make it to home league games can’t make the effort for this final .
I hope Mayo win wonder who be favs for it.
Ya Mayonaze as Sean Burke says, bring that big flag with ya. Was it called “Big Bertha” or something like that? I think ya had it on Hill 16 for the 97 final if i remember rightly. Hope i’m not confusing ya with someone else.
@ Juan try Hola.org its handy for anyone having problem internet connections due to ip restrictions.
Cork are favourites just in case anyone is getting over confident!!
Cork 4/7
Mayo 5/4
Anyone remember the replay against Derry in Irvinestown in 83? At the height of the rubles a huge Mayo support crossed the border to cheer on the boys. No fvckin excuses not to go down to Ennis.
#MayoDay in Ennis!! Loads of “selfies” in the Green & Red of Mayo and tag them #MayoDay #MayoDay16
Yep was there Whitey in a bus with a bunch of old characters who used to travel to everything at the time! Thinking back they had witnessed a barren period since 51 and now were heading on towards some hope with all these new stars! Irwin FordeMaughan Finn Gazelle like P Bbrogan Durkan E Gibbons Capt. And the one really great we were to lose to the Us …G Grraghty . He was to be the missing link for yrs after that. You de still feel he could come back! Time , you old gentleman…if you de only stay a while longer !
That bunch of supporters is all gone now and for many years!!
And so it is guaranteed we ll be having the same bunches in Ennis soon hoping for the same result ! Let us hope we have plans for Hurley and his cohorts …..they appear to know well where the posts are!!!
Don’t get me going, lads – as I’ve said before that 1983 team is one of my all-time favourite Mayo teams and that All-Ireland winning campaign was a special one to follow. On the way to the final there was the thumping they gave Roscommon in the Connacht final and beating Kerry in the semi-final at Ennis with fourteen men after Padraig Brogan had been sent off, before almost winning the final against Derry the first day up in Carrick until Damian Barton goaled directly from a 14-yard free right at the death. And then the replay in Irvinestown, the first ever time an All-Ireland final was played north of the border – we got a bus up from Claremorris, stopping in Blacklion on the way and were then stopped again, this time by the UDR, just across the border. We went four points behind soon after the break but rallied brilliantly and Sean Maher’s bullet of a goal sent us on our way. It was a real party atmosphere on the bus on the way back – we stopped in the Sligo Park Hotel (I least I think that’s what it was called) where the team and hundreds of supporters had regrouped. I thought we’d never make it back onto the bus for the last bit of the trek home.
They were a wonderful, wonderful team – Gabriel Irwin, Peter Forde, John Maughan, John Finn, Sean Maher, Ger Geraghty, Padraig Brogan, Kevin McStay, Noel Durcan, Brian Kilkelly and Joe Lindsay all featured on it. I’d agree totally with you, Inbetweener, about Ger Geraghty: his loss to the seniors in the years that followed was absolutely enormous. He was an incredibly talented player. It was my great honour to meet him the night of the 2012 All-Ireland and to reminisce with him about that great 1983 team.
Sorry to change the subject slightly but is everyones opinion on the way the london game is being handled….
statement from the CB
“Following discussions between the London County Board and the Connacht Council, Mayo GAA can confirm we have received a limited allocation of tickets to cover players, management and sponsors for the upcoming Connacht Senior championship game on May 29th in Ruislip.
The size of the allocation means we cannot supply tickets to our clubs nor will we have tickets for sale through Elverys MacHale Park. Unfortunately this means some fans may not have access to tickets. We will endeavour to work with the London County Board and the Connacht Council and should more tickets become available we will notify clubs immediately”
I’d have no problem, JB, with how it’s being handled by our County Board – the bottom line is that it’s a small venue and demand for tickets to the game are sure to exceed supply, perhaps by a wide margin. Maybe the organisers in London should have considered moving the match to a bigger venue (I was at a Gaelic match in Brentford one time but I’m not sure if you could play there nowadays and it’s only a soccer ground so the pitch dimensions would be too small) but I’m not sure how feasible that would be, especially at this stage.
Willie Joe,
I also had the privilege of attending Carrick in Shannon, on drawn game, which we had won, only for the late 14 yds, free to the top corner of the net, for Derry .
The young Mayo Guards in Blacklion ( I was one of them ) had a Mayo flag flying on the checkpoint , for the Mayo supporters travelling to the game. It was flying high on the way back.
Mayo, were the better team on both days, but on the replay,they held on until the end.
Eddie Gibbons, Capt. was sent off , just before the end , and as such , couldn’t be presented with the cup, it was presented to the vice captain Ger Geraghty, who handed in over , straight away to Eddie, to the delight of our supporters.
Yes , after the game, most of the supporters stopped in the Bush Bar Blacklion ( Bohola connections ) and from there to the Sligo Parke, for more refreshments and the winning Mayo team , stopped in as well , meeting the supporters.
Great memories.
Looking forward to Ennis, and new memories.
Something has to move! Either the date of the U21 final, or the young lads First Holy Communion!! I know which one we’d both prefer to be at but, sadly, I doubt we will be 🙁
Great memories there lads, let’s hope we will have similar celebrations following the final in Ennis, and those lads go on to become household names like the hero’s of 83.
From an organisational point of view, it is not a problem of our CB’s doing. However it is quite incredible that Cairde Maigheo and season ticket holders do not even get the opportunity to purchase tickets surely?? I have travelled to London on the last 3 occasions we have played there, and it is indeed a small venue but surely the people that follow the team up and down the country should be given a realistic chance of attending the game
Pebblesmeller – can he not repeat second class?
It’s great to hear about those times from those who steeped so much of themselves in them. Tks WJ for prodding the memory. There was a box player on our bus,an exkerrian if there can be such, and that’s prob why we streamed through Blacklion and Sligo without any great need to take a pause.
I think there was some todoo with the driver who eventually pulled up at Fergus’s in Dromore
West. It was the first time I was ever in a pub with my Dad, a v proud member of the pioneers.
It was Smitwicks I had and he was on minerals…….as they were called. Happy we all were there talking to local farmers with box player and famed local flute player giging and reeling away in the corner. That’s a lovely memory!!! And I do recall that I would have been pleased if the evening had lasted a while longer……must have been happy!!Here’s wishing that there ll be many more such evenings for us all.
tommyk – the way he’s going he might have to 🙂
To be fair, I think if we did a runner he would have no mother to return home to from Ennis and I’d have no wife! Then again, if that meant winning……… ??
Just to dampen expectation, Cork were quietly confident of taking down Kerry and are where they expected to be. The two giants in the full forward line, 6’2″ and 6’6″, will take minding and our full back line will need help to cope with that.
The London thing seems to be a bit of a joke. Now one of the excuses to keep Dublin in Croke Park for every game is that Port Laoise, Tullanore, Navan, etc. could not accommodate the amount of Dublin supporters that would want to attend these games. Yet probably the second best supported team head to London and the thing seems to be sold out 2 months before the game and it’s ‘nothing we can do here’ from everyone – do you think the GAA would be sitting on their hands if it were the Dubs? And all the Sky deal thing about promoting the game abroad and they cant accommodate us mugs at home! London GAA participate in the league and championship and like everyone else the season ticket should include this match and if they cant cater for the crowd, then it should be moved. I have flight and accom booked since Christmas. Now I’m not going to spend hours on line or the phone ringing Mayo CB or London GAA and getting rebuffs. Sort it out GAA
@Mayo.Mick, thanks for that, ill give it a try!!.
Great memories of Irvinstown and that magnificent win. I will never forget the tension of crossing the border and the RUC etc etc. On the way home I reckon I made history as being the only human on the planet to get lost – in Tubbercurry! Ended up out by lough talt before copping on there was something amiss.
I can’t understand the odds on Cork! This is a 50/50 game and if I’m any judge of football I reckon our forwards will give their backs a belly full of it.
2-15 from play in their semi-final probably says something for their odds. I think Mayo are going to have to find another gear to beat them.
Cork scored 2-15 from play which is impressive but at the same time it says alot about Monaghan defence. The first half v Dub was the finest defensive display from a Mayo team in many years, tactically spot on. Loosing Cunniffe for the second half was a blow as was loosing grip on midfield. Cork wont put up that kind of score in the final. This will be a 50/50 game, with the attitude this team plays with there is no reason they cant get over the final hurdle.
I see Padraig Hughes is confirmed whistler in the middle for the final.
RE: London match, this is the first time since the 2006 All Ireland that I haven’t been able to get a ticket for a Mayo match! Twill be like the 3rd Sunday in September over in Ruislip on the 29th May.
Lads some of the commentary as regards London is way out of order. The ground holds 3,500 this is the biggest GAA ground in London. Naturally most of the tickets will be taken by Gaels living in London. If the match was moved to say Brentford and was not supported then the local GAA would be left with a massive bill. They control the gate for this match and would presumably take the loss as well. Get over it lads. You are having a first world problem I don’t want to hear about it.
Mayo certainly won’t have it easy against Cork.
They have serious forwards and have a serious physical presence around the field, something Dublin did not have. Dublin wasted a whole host of chances in the first half with some horrendous misses. Factor in too that there was a sizeable breeze. Mayo’s defence was good but they are not yet the finished article.
And whatever else they do, they need to get an awful lot more out of their full forward line. All three are serious footballers, though Reape and Duffy do look at times that they need an extra year to bulk up maybe.
Looking forward to Ennis!
First world problem because we can’t go to a game despite travelling the length and breadth of the country year in year out watching our team??? The fact that demand will outstrip supply is fine and to be expected. The fact that it appears no tickets whatsoever will be made available to mayo supporters-cairde Maigheo, season ticket holders or otherwise is absolutely beyond belief
Jese I wouldn’t be thinking Duffy needs any bulking up. He’s not tall but he’s naturally well built, very stocky.
Early on Mayo will have to keep it tight versus Cork. Big tall players tend to tire second half. This Mayo team seems to have a huge engine for the final fifteen minutes of games.
They have five goals in their last two games.
We havent really gone at a team with our full forward line. We will need to do that.
Yes wonderful memories of Irvinestown, the smash and grab up North and the tension crossing the border. Hard to believe it’s 33 years ago and hard to believe looking back at that talented team that we failed to win a senior afterwards.
When you think of all the Northern teams that have won all-irelands and carried those cups across the border and we’re the only county to do it the other way round.! A good pub quiz question me thinks.
Ennis will be tough but we’ve a 50/50 chance. If our defence can get the upper hand we can win but we need a strategy to deal with the twin towers in that full forward line.
I do think we are being offered good odds on Mayo. I did think that Monaghan sat off their opposing numbers and didn’t challenge them much. Plus their defending was a bit scattered. I also think collectively our forwards are much better than Monaghans, although that lad McGinn (I think that was his name) is handy on the ball too.
Mayo will need to work on the kickouts. Akram had a very good game but the Dubs had a habit of sending the ball his direction on kickouts and that’s a result of his height – if I’m not mistaken he’s no taller than 5:10. They won a lot of breaking ball from that area as Sharoize had to try to catch with one hand to break it down. Don’t get me wrong now – after Diarmuid I think he was our best player last Saturday, (there were many very close) and I think he was still on the minors last year so the lad has buckets of skill, speed and footballing intelligence.
We’ll need to work on converting kickouts to possession and scores.
I couldn’t watch the Dublin match live so followed on Twitter and thought to myself, great win, and by the sounds of things DO’C is the best player we’ve produced since I don’t know who.
Watched it back on TV the next morning and it was a great win and DO’C did play very well. However, we were incredibly lucky to go so far ahead in the first half. Credit to our forwards who were efficient but Dublin absolutely dominated at midfield and shot wide after wide. When they hit their stride before and after half time they tore Mayo to shreds. We have serious problems at mid field and with kickouts so lots of work to do before Cork. Not to be blasphemous as well but I thought Con O’Callaghan was the best player on the pitch – looks like a ready made replacement for B Brogan.
Anyone have 4 spare tickets please for the London game by any chance?!!!
I think people should email them in London and vent there anger at what going on with the tickets.
secretary.london@gaa.ie
@GBXI
There’s been men (&women) tarred and feathered for less……
The comments above have the memories flooding back of the trips to Carrick and Irvinstown in ’83. I remember absolutely shitting it in the back of the aul fellas car as we crossed the border at Blacklion at the height of the troubles. I was 10yrs old and it was my first time ever outside of the 26 counties. Can’t remember a whole lot of the game itself but can still see Eddie Gibbons being held aloft with the cup by the euphoric supporters afterwards. I too remember the Mayo flag proudly sticking out of a wall of sandbags at a checkpoint on the way back home. Great memories of a great day and a great team.
I would t go blaming London either…our support has swelled to its highest ever in the past few years. Not everyone can get into the ground. They are right to have it all ticket….in fact it should have been a i jet affair in the Bronx 2 years ago when a dangerous amount of people paid in as those who were there will testify. Long may our large support continue.
Bring it to wembley .
Off to Ennis I am…as the song says you can get there by aeroplane or on a fastbound train..just get there if you can.
Go Mayo!
To be honest GBXI I thought Basquel, the Dublin wing forward, was the best forward on view, apart from DOC, in the second half. Everything he touched seemed to work out. Scored serious points off either foot. And I read somewhere he would gladly have played for Mayo if he had been approached! Both parents from Mayo!
Willie Joe, I was at a Mayo match in Brentford, Mayo V Down, the then All Ireland champions St Patrick day 1992, Them years Mayo played whoever were the All Ireland champions around St Patrick day some where London. Eugen Lavin kickouts were landing into Downs penalty area, it was a soccer ground after all, There was a note worthy incident in that match, not unlike Eric Cantona in Crystal Palace Antony Larry Finnerty was eating DJ Keane of Down. As Larry once again skinned DJ close to me in the stand, a Mayo supporter beside me shouted ‘DJ your only a monkey’ As Larry ran onward ball in hand to score another goal. DJ decided to remonstrate with the Mayo fan. ‘ Say that again’ said DJ, and the Mayo fan obliged. Into the stand jumped DJ for a bout of fisticuffs with the said Mayo fan. What was funny about it was the look on Antony Finnertys face as he ran back having just scored another goal only to see his marker busy in the stand. I was wondering what the Larry would say to the Down coner back during the rest of the match, I kept an eye on the pair for the first rest, but I couldn’t hear what Antony was saying to DJ mores the pity I’m sure it was priceless. In truth it was wasn’t much more than handbags. Just wondering was that the match you were at Willie Joe?
That wasn’t the one, Leantimes, the match I went to there was in 1990 against Cork. As I recall, it was a far duller encounter than the one you’ve described!
I think I was at that one as well! Willie Joe, Can’t recall too much detail about it tough. But something tells me that Mayo won that one as well with a bit in hand!
Lads, take it easy on travelling supporters. Attending the senior games is a full-time job in itself – try fitting in real life around it, and maybe having a family and y’know, other things to do. I’d be at a match somewhere around the country or the county myself every weekend but other things would suffer, plus travelling is an expensive business. If I’d known the women would be playing in Offaly this weekend I’d probably have waited and gone to that instead over the U21s (but given the nature of the win on Saturday I’m not complaining too much!)
It doesn’t mean anyone wants these lads to win any less, but sometimes it’s just not possible to support in person. I thought we had a decent crowd (relatively speaking) in Tullamore on Saturday. That said I would hope that Ennis will see a decent turnout for the final – it’s a big day after all.
We’d take on organising a bus but the last time we tried, we had something like five takers, so will be giving that one a miss!
As regards London, I’m not sure how better this could have been handled given the capacity of the ground and the fact that London (not Mayo GAA) have responsibility for it.
I’d probably be more upset if I hadn’t got my tickets the day they went on sale! But let’s face it, this was always going to happen – if as yew_tree says New York was bursting at the seams (and a number of posters here will testify that it was dangerously overcrowded) it stands to reason that demand in London would be significantly higher.
What amazes me is that this wasn’t anticipated by London GAA, and the opportunity to make a few quid taken by moving the game to a biggger venue – surely it would have been the obvious thing to do? But it’s not the first time demand for a game has outstripped supply and it won’t be the last.
Love the memories of 1983 – slightly before my time but great to read about them. In another 30 years I hope we’ll be talking about this U21 team and the great run of All-Ireland wins they had ….
It is understandable that London cannot accomodate everyone BUT the GaA and County Board sold season tickets for all
mayo games. People made plans and have paid for travel in expectation that ticket was sorted.
The rules have been rewritten and breaches their own terms and conditions that were rammed down our throats for Connacht Final last year.
I got my ticket online but it’s just the complete disregard for paying supporters that is galling
Regarding London game,how come golf tournaments,horse riding events,even shagging paddy,s day parades can put up temporary stands to accommodate large crowd,s with the long run in to this game this wasn’t done to increase capacity, surely plenty of these type of stand,s around London to hire. I have no one to blame but myself that i went and organised flights and was in no hurry to get match tickets, . Are London still sponsored by JCB? A cherry picker parked outside would do me grand.
It’s bad that season ticket holders and chairde holders cannot get hands on tickets! The whole purpose of these schemes was that the genuine supporter would be looked after!
The season ticket was excepted in 2011 in London.
It’s up to London now to accommodate supporters and the only feasible way that this can be done is to move the venue! Surely there has to be some sort of ground capable of holding a larger crowd .mayo did play in Wembley before ya know!!!
All seems v unfortunate to me esp for those who have those season tickets. Surely the CB can’t be that insensitive and could quite easily accommodate that no that would be travelling….or am I being naive!!
Anyway, this Cork team is going to take some managing from our point of view. The issues are well announced…. Nothing to fear up to midfield but there the threat begins!! The six forwards scored. They re using two big options they have at their disposal….high ball into big FF’s Kelleher and Coakley to catch or break for fliers Hurley O Donaghue and Powter. The other option is for these chaps to take on their markers and everyone has seen how able they are!
So we have been warned and it’s going to be v interesting to see how we set up and what more we can bring to our play through the game.
T’was heartening to see the parts played by both Carr and Kelly when brought on! Kelly prob was our saviour with a v timely interception late on! Both seemed very confident in all they did.
Roll on 6oc Sat and Ennis!
The Mayo Ladies are playing Kerry on Saturday in the League semi-final in St. Brendan’s Park Birr. Throw-in is at 3.30pm after Dublin play Cork in the other semi-final.
The ladies have won seven games from seven in their league campaign to date – here’s wishing them and their manager Frank Browne all of the luck on Saturday.
Yes the cork forwards looked impressive against Monaghan kicking some great points. How good were Monaghan though? They made no attempt to deal with Hurley (no15) and left their no4 on him for the entire match despite him being beaten to almost every ball. I know a few Monaghan supporters who were very annoyed by this. Give any team enough time and space and they will look good. Tight, tigerish marking the next day with a crowded defence is what’s required. As well keeping the ball at the other end of the field is usually a good ploy!
Very hopeful and not overawed by Cork……..not yet anyway!
Well if that’s what Monaghan did then they deserved to be beaten. Solan and co should really have a spotter or two that can be trusted, those spotters are there to watch for trouble spots appearing during the game and giving the decision maker ( solan) the information and let him make the moves.
I see that Jim Gavin says that his team hold no edge over Kerry. Sunday will tell us all we need to know about that, my money is on Dublin.
Alot of posts about the London Match, I realise its a pain if anyone had flights booked but I cant see what else could be done. A change of venue is not really on, Ruislip is the biggest GAA ground available and soccer, rugby pitch is too small. Surely the fans living in London deserve a chance to go see the match. We would be pissed off if we didnt get the opportunity to attend a game in McHale if the visiting team had an overwhelming support travelling and had to be accommodated. Its Londons one home game and they should be allowed to maximise it.
Season ticket holders are not losing out, the Galway game is free in and London does not count towards attendance. I have plenty of issues with the GAA regarding the season ticket particularly the price hike this year but to be fair when they realised there was a huge demand they did send an email to season ticket holders informing them of the situation.
Yes mayomad but only 1000 tickets were put on sale online and were gone ASAP and also when ring Ruislip office they didn’t have a facility to take payment over the phone!
The idea of a season ticket is that genuine supporters can attend games.
Now I know that London Ruislip is restricted with the capacity of the ground due to a licence agreement with the local council however I can see there being a major issue if people are turned away on the day that had flights and accommodation booked months in advance of any email coming out about tickets!
Mayomad – Galway game is not free – its covered as part of the season ticket price.
Point is that Sligo had home advantage last years CF however it was moved to Hyde because Sligo’s home venue had not the required capacity. I know people speak as if London game is a bit of a novelty, but they did draw with Mayo last time around and reached the CF a few years back, so it is a proper championship game and usual requirements re attendances should apply. There has to be some solution with temporary seating, etc.
There will be a bigger issue on their hands if you have hundreds outside the gate on May 29th
Congrats to Diarmuid O’Connor on winning the GAA player of the week:
GAA.ie FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
1: Diarmuid O’Connor (Mayo) – 1674 votes (49 per cent)
2: Barry McGinn (Monaghan) – 893 votes (26 per cent)
3: Michael Hurley – 853 votes (25 per cent)
KL, re Galway game, I meant there is no additional charge as the game is counted as first round of championship for season ticket holders.
Sligo game last year got moved, but it was in the same country, Cant move the London game unless its moved to Ireland.
Regarding the amount of tickets on general sale, I assume the remainder went to the london clubs for distribution, I dont see a problem, its their one game a year to go see a championship game and the local fans should be able to attend.
The idea of a season ticket really is that supporters who attend games are rewarded for their loyalty by gaining access to an All-Ireland ticket should their county reach the final. The season ticket office is meeting their obligations in this regard to be fair.
As Mayomad said season ticket holders are not losing out on this and while I would probably be the first to point the finger at both I don’t really see what else either the season ticket office or Mayo GAA could have done in this situation.
I think Aidan is right though that there could be trouble on the day, but those of us with flights and accommodation booked all took the same chance on booking them without any info on tickets being available – there’s no-one really that can be blamed for that.
Inbetweener, Gaelic Park in New York which holds 5,000 people was bursting at the seams (and was bordering on unsafe) in 2014. Realistically, there is no way that provision could be made for all travelling season ticket holders for Ruislip – if even half of them travelled, they alone would probably account for nearly half of the capacity of the ground. That’s not taking into account LDN supporters, families of players on both sides, sponsors etc. etc. The maths is the problem here and it’s a simple case of demand outstripping supply.
Here’s hoping we can get our hands on a few tickets from London …
Initially, if I am correct both London and New York when they were allowed into the Connacht championship, it was on the proviso that they would travel to the Connacht venues. I remember Mayo beating New York in Castlebar in 1999. Perhaps it’s time to pull the plug on those trips, generally speaking they cost the counties a lot and apart from London winning is it three times since 1975 , apart from sentimentality , would it be better each year for New York, London and two other exile teams to play for their own trophy with the winners allowed into the qualifiers and in Ireland .
Re London, there’s a lot of nonsensical comment on here re moving to a higher capacity venue etc without any concrete alternatives being put forward. Reality is that no soccer/rugby grounds can accommodate a GAA game. Exceptions may have been made in the past for tournament games but this is championship. Regards erecting temporary stands, that’s ok if you have the room within the ground to accommodate the structure but my guess is that there is not. The only option I can see short of the game being televised [time for SKY to step up?] is to provide CCTV coverage in some venue in the vicinity of Ruislip to accommodate the travelling support.
I agree with John to a certain extent. I think having New York in the championship is a waste of time. It’s an expensive holiday for the team and supporters and nothing more. The match itself is a total non-event. I was there the last time around and I don’t think I’d bother again. Those involved in the GAA there would no doubt hate to see it go but surely there’s a better way to promote the games as opposed to devaluing the championship with a Sunday league team. I didn’t like the layout of the ground but I didn’t think it was dangerously overcrowded.
As for London, I think there is a better case for keeping them in the championship as geographically they aren’t that far away and they do compete in the league also. They have been competitive at times over the past number of years. An unprecedented situation where they can’t accommodate all supporters for one match in the year shouldn’t discount them, they can only work with what they have, and realistically the hassle and cost involved in changing the venue is not worth it.
WJ Delighted to read your story about your trip to Irvinstown. It mirrors that of my own on the day. The journey over the border, the stop at Blacklion and the hotel in Sligo meeting the winning team there the RUC on the bus. I especially remember the crack on the bus on the way home. We got home early in the morning. I always thought it was Geraghty that got sent off that day. I remember the Sunday morning on the Main street. Everything was very quite and there was nothing open.There was a club game on before the replay, and I think it was the worst football I have ever watched. I have not missed an U21 final since. I had a 100 reasons not to travel to Ennis in 2006, and one reason to travel. The fact that I had not missed any of the previous ones was the deciding factor and so I was back on the road. Cork’s win over Kerry in Tralee is enough for me. They should be favorites for this one based on that result alone IMO. I always like to think that Mr Paddy of the Powers is loosing his touch any one of these days. What does he know anyway.?
Pjmac Paddy Power has seen Mayo teams in the past,that were good enough to win All Irelands ,only to buckle on the day.Hopefully it’s this alone that has the odds against us.
I think these lads won’t collapse they have the guts. It might be worth a few quid !
As regards season tickets, You need 60% attendance to qualify to buy An All Ireland ticket, but I am only at the 43 % because my ticket didn’t scan for all matches. I sent an email last week but you need to do so within 10 days of the match. I knew that as the same happened last year. If Mayo were to qualify I couldn’t afford miss any championship match, not that I’m intending missing any, and I’d better be on the ball as for checking did my ticket scan? . So if and hopefully they will qualify for this year’s All Ireland Final by the front door it would give me an attendance of 7 out of 11 matches, London dosent count. Just over 60%, and but and anyone can check when the next match comes up, the way Croke Park calculate attendance, they count the upcoming match. So if you checked your attendance record having attended say every possible match, as soon as the next fixture and opponents are set in stone, your attendance % goes down, they count the upcoming match that hasn’t even taken place yet, but so if I attended every Championship Mayo play this year hopefully as far as the All Ireland semifinal, I will be calculated at having attended 7 out of 12, going by what happened last year. if they count the then upcoming All Ireland final,
Well that the way it appears on the computer screen anyhow. Wonder if anyone else is working on such tight %.margins?… Still the season tickets are great value if you go to allot of Matchs, I was at the Club finals on the season ticket, I have downloaded and printed my ticket for the League finals next Sunday, was entitled to the same for the Div 3 and 4 finals of next Saturday evening, not that I’m going to them Matchs, if fact if you have a season ticket your entitled to attend any league match, Mayo don’t even need to be involved, just make sure you check your attendance record online promptly.
If London is anywhere near as packed as NY a couple of years back, it will be no fun for anyone. I actually thought there could be a loss of life in Gaelic Park that day
Will Ennis be pay in at the gate or do I need to get my ticket beforehand?
Leantimes, I have been there with the whole ticket not scanning and no help from the GAA regarding this, presonally I think all grounds should have the self scanning systems McHale Park has, at least you know the ticket has been scanned correctly, the problem is the hand held scanners are not used correctly at times. The AI final is not counted in the final attendance record. If Mayo reach the final through the front door it will be based on 11games, 7 league and 4 championship not including replays. So 7 should be fine. I think there is a table on the season ticket site which shows the amount of games you need to attend to reach 60 percent.
Mayomad, there have been more problems with self-scanning than hand-held scanners in recent times.
This may be of interest to those of you affected with season ticket attendance record problems – to say we have had it up to the back teeth with the GAA season ticket office would be putting it mildly. We have been contacted by more than 50 people at this stage who have had problems recently and we have no reason to doubt that they are genuine.
http://mayoclub51.com/quick-update-croke-park-season-ticket-scanning-attendance-problems/
Not sure what else we can do – I know a number of individuals have gone to the Consumer Association of Ireland, Pricewatch etc. about it and we are seeking legal advice on it.
You can buy tickets on the day for the u21 final.
Adults: 20e
Students/oaps: 15e
Juveniles: free
Re: Season tickets.
I don’t like the idea of GAA season tickets. I think it should be kept within the county as much as possible.
Lads the GAA agreed that New York and London could take the gate. The money does not go to the Connacht Council or Croke Park. It is retained at a local level and fair play to them. They need all the help they can get to promote the game. This whingeing is typical. We hear the same thing when an All Ireland Final is on. All of a sudden everyone wants a ticket and the ‘I am more entitled than you’ brigade comes out. There are limited tickets – someone loses out – period. If you are not on the ball when they are put on sale – tough. Man up and take it. Stop crying. Same rubbish when it comes to refs, venues, prices, etc. We are getting more and more soccer like! – that is not a compliment.
I am fortunate to have 100% attendance correctly recorded on my Cairde Maigh Eó ticket and have never had a problem in the past. It is important that you hear the scanner “ping” when you are scanning your ticket – otherwise it is not recording. This “ping” is quite audible if you are listening for it but if your attention is elsewhere it is easily missed.
Well said Sinabhuil.
From a supporter point of view long may the NY and London away trips continue.
Great weekend for supporters and very important for links to people in those places with Irish heritage (especially the USA). Some things are about more than just money.
Hopefully our next trip over will be better handled from a county board perspective.
I see Roscommon are planning a huge fundraising drive out there.
KeepMovingForward, I much prefer the season ticket with the fans who attend games throughout the year guaranteed the opportunity to purchase a final ticket if we get there. Im sure this is preferable to the clubs recieving all tickets and the stampede and begging for tickets the ensues.
IMO whats wrong with the season ticket system is the price and the fact that they should be more available to the growing fan base.
In all fairness the price is decent for the Gaa season ticket even if it went up to €99 this year!
Still think that whoever has a season ticket should have got ist refusal on London game.say 1000 tickets that went on sale and compare that to 4500 season and chairde and the percentage of them that will go would roughy equate to 1000
Aidan, nearly 2000 went over to New York from Mayo in 2014, I’d say there’s an awful lot more going over to London (many of them ticketless).
Sinabhuil, you do realise we have been branded “Whingers”, we do have a reputation to maintain and keep up! 🙂
I would have to agree with what Sinabhuill posted.
I dont think anyone is at fault for the ticket situation in London. This is the first time this issue has come up and wont happen again for 5 years. London cant move the venue simply beacuse one does not exist to accommodate a GAA match. London cant very well tell their supporters and the fans living in LDN that no tickets are available until everyone travelling from Mayo is given one. Its their only big game in the season and badly need the revenue generated from it. Their supporters deserve the opportunity to attend and we shouldnt get so bend out of shape over it. As a previous poster said, the maths simply dont add up this time.
Any reports on the challenge game that Mayo played over the weekend? Mayo news had a brief reference to it being against Meath and that Higgins & McLoughlin had returned from injury with a few others not fit to play due to injury. Nothing on the result tho or who featured..
You gave me a good laugh there Sinabhuil with your way of telling it…..good man!?
What you say there Yew Tree is very true. The football prob means more when you re away than when you’re ensconsced in the comfort of the old place at home. I rem myself stretched on a back lawn in Wolverhampton in about 1975/6 with my lug jammed to a transistor to hear how Mayo were getting on in some game or other! I couldnt get the end of it to my dismay and the thing still stays with me . Indeedy it’s not at all about dough!
Thanks Anne Marie for illuminating so well the issue!
@mayomad
I like the idea of supporters being rewarded for their loyalty. That’s not what I meant.
I would just prefer if things could be sorted within the county instead of supporters getting messages, basically telling them to go away, from people who don’t care how loyal they are.
Ommitted to print my Cairde Muigheo ticket for League final within a specified timeframe ( 10 days before game ) and subsequent e. mails to Croke Park were met with negative response. Anyone else have this difficulty ? .No mention of having to print ticket 10 days before games in “Terms and Conditions” of Cairde membership.My ticket paid for through Cairde and therefore which I am entitled to, is not provided to me but rather will be sold to someone else for Sunday next.. Surely this constitutes a breach of contract ?
Any thoughts from fellow bloggers ??
@Outside the Pale
That’s daft, whether it’s a breach of contract or not, there is no logic behind it.
The reason why I decided not to get a season ticket this year (after having one for the previous 3 or 4 years) is:
1) The administration is in Croke Park. When I got one originally, I thought I was investing 100% into Mayo GAA.
2) If you want to go onto the terrace with friends/family, you have to buy another ticket and try to find someone who wants to go into the stand.
My Dad even offered to get me one for a Christmas present this year and I didn’t want it. The All Ireland tickets I got in 2012, 2013 were through the club anyway.