The failure of the gaa to grow the game of hurling is an absolute disgrace. Croke park are More interested in growing the game in america, Dubai and Britain. That abomination in Boston was some disgrace.
The all stars games should be play in Antrim or north Kerry. They should move hand over fist to get counties to put in the right systems to develop kids.
Hurling grew in some of poshest areas in Dublin. It can grow anywhere on this island.
It’s a business
Theres money to be made in Boston, not in Belmullet.
Selling the TV rights of the national sport to Sky was met with hardly a whimper.
The GAA is held aloft as a bastion of virtue but they’re as bad as all other corporations
@Lazarus , this is getting a bit creepy.
The sons and daughters of the cradle of hurling, East Galway, are largely responsible for that.
They have plenty of money and they are wasting it on developing stadiums and what not. It’s a joke.
Even in counties like limerick who are dominant there is large parts of the county where hurling is non existent.
I posted here a couple of years ago.
A very easy way to grow the game is to play the league semi finals or final above in non traditional counties every year. Let each county put in a “bid” for it and promote the games locally and give tickets to all the primary schools in the area. Send the teams up for the weekend and have them hosted by a different club the day before and the day of the match. It would cost very little but would bring huge benefits in enticing youngsters to take up the game.
But traditionally the likes of Cork would look down their nose about having to go to Mayo or Louth to play a match.
At this stage I’d make a distinction between the gaa and Croke park.
You’d certainly hope so with a name like that.
A lot of it has to do with schools no longer having Game development officers from a young age.
I presume principals are terrified what would happen if little Johnny got hit with a hurley and the parents getting the solicitors in.
Its a niche sport though. The demand for it isn’t there and hasn’t been cultivated outside maybe 12 counties at inter County level
They’re the same banner pal. I hear what you’re saying though
That will do fuck all. Hurling grows from lads and lassies from traditional hurling counties taking on coaching roles with local clubs when they move to those areas and their kids get involved.
You then need a county board that is incentivised to be interested to back hurling from teenage level on.
Kildare is an example of great strides in last few years driven by clubs coaching football and hurling and giving them equal standing with kids.
Its brilliant getting to see the road less travelled as well
Agreed that you also need coaches and structures to drive it and there are huge political issues to be overcome at club and executive levels in non hurling counties. I wasn’t suggesting that playing a few league games would solve all issues. But it is a very low cost and low effort way of growing the game and giving it exposure in areas where is simply doesn’t get it today.
It has gone under the radar but a well overdue nod for Seamus Flanagan too. Does an amount of dog work inside there to create space/scores for others.
Utterly unselfish. Kiely spotting a diamond in the rough and giving him his chance in December 2017 - when he couldn’t make the u21 team that year - was inspired management.
Du du du du du du…
That was a memorable day. I was sitting in the covered stand right behind the Cork dugout. To say they were taken aback was an understatement. The Rock hit Jack Foley some shoulder. James Butler scored a great goal for us. It was dangerous getting out of the stand after the match, there was a crush in the tunnels on the way out.
I think most hurling fans from the Liam McCarthy counties would enjoy the novelty factor of it and the opportunity for a long weekend away. Certainly better than playing in a quarter full Croke Park with no buzz
That’s fair.
100%. There can be a kind of a chore element to trudging up to thurles for a 15k attendance qualifier of a dreary Saturday evening, if you’re going bad
If the same game was on in OMoore or even below in Kerry there’d be great little kick to it
I honestly think that in 50% of counties the tradition, base and interest simply isn’t there and never will be. Throwing money and resources into these areas would be futile, I’m afraid.
The starting point should be strengthening the game in the counties where the 3 factors above are already in place. Offaly, Laois, Carlow, Kerry, Antrim, Down, Derry, Meath & Westmeath should be targeted first in an effort to develop and have them more competitive. You could make a special case in one or two places that are showing green shoots (Kildare, the most obvious example)
Strengthening the base rather than widening it should be the first step.
Has that actually ever happened