Can Dubs tell the time?

[kerryman]

It was an absolute joke that the Dublin game started late on Saturday. People sit for hours in a car to get to matches on time. Dublin "fans" at most spend an hour getting to the match and can't even do it on time. What are the GAA going to do about it?

I'd suggest starting the game on time and putting in proper crowd control at the gates on the way in. Nicky Brennan was seething before the game and rightly so. Hopefully he'll put his money where his mouth is and stop surrendering to the blue army.

[Chinatown]

Agree it is a disgrace...but not sure what you can do about it. options as follows:

1. Start the game on time and if people are not in stadium 15 mins before the game starts then they should not be allowed in....I would say the boys in blue (not the dubs this time) would have some crack placating the crowd..could end up fairly nasty/

2. Start the game and let people stream in during the 1st half..very disrupting to those in the stadium and could lead to panic at the turn stiles.

3. Let people into the stadium but do not allow them take their seats until half time, ..like 1. only probably worse.

4. For Dublin games start them earlier (1:00) the problem seems to be getting people out of the pubs. This is not probably fair on counties who have to travel great distances.

I think the latter is all th GAA can do, will not solve it fully but would lead to at least the game starting on time. on the other hand you could argue that this merely putting a "plaster" on the problem..but I am not sure what you can do. Maybe and just maybe Dublin supporters might learn from the bad press but I am not so sure?

[buck02]

Problem is that if they started the game on time and somebody got injured or worse in the panic to get it the GAA would be in much more trouble.
A sizeable minority of the so called Dublin fans who stand on the Hill see the game as just a small part of a days drinking. Anybody who saw their antics in Thurles will vouch for that.

[ruralgaa]

you could see a load of budweiser cans raised in the Hill on tv pictures saturday!

[stuckintipp]

all season games have been delayed for them. the only way they'll learn is it start on time and leave them arrive when they do. the 'fans' won't make the same mistake for the next game

[Chinatown]

Potential solution/future fix.

GAA to Advertise that if the next outing with Dublin is delayed due to supporters coming late, that the GAA will carry out post game review to see what set of supporters are to blame . If it is seen the the winning team's set of supporters are to blame, reduce their future allocation of tickets to next game by 10%.

While this may impact the "real supporters" one could also argue that the last 10% to get tickets are not core fans and potentially are those who are the cause of the delay?? - In fairness I do not have any evidence to support this comment so no sure how "fair" a comment this is?

Ssomething has to be done and there is no ideal "fix" and this might work!!!!

Then if it happens again and you would hope it would not, up the % to 20??? The message would get home fairly quickly!!

What do you think..bit dramatic???...worth floating pass the powers to be at GAA

[inforthebreaks]

Lads.. was our game against longford nto delayed as well becasue of crowds in Killarney coming to the ground late.. We weren't complaining then

[Chinatown]

Absolutely agree and Kilarney has had this problem a couple of times in recent past e.g. couple of hurling games

..however the delay for the Longford game was that the crowd was bigger than expected and people could not logistically get to the Kilarney/game.. I will admit, I was not there unfurtunately, as I was on hols, but that is the feedback I got on it???

...the difference with the Croker debacles ( i believe) is that the supporters are within a few hundred yards of the game, in pubs enjoying the pint..different scenario???.

Furthermore When Dublin are playing, they know it is full house, know the delays(traffic) will be there and I do believe they have taken consideration for all of that and gotten to within a few hundred yards in time ...the problem is getting the last few hunbdred yards!!! Dublin supporters have the least excuses as they are dealing with the least variables (expected attendance - aways max, traffic always hectic, distance - least to travel)....and they seem to be the biggest culprits

Also I would suggest putting this in place for all games, that would focus everyone...

[eastciarrai]

i agree. its one thing having a game delay for a crowd delay on one occasison but its almost a habit at this stage. any smart manager now is going to factor in a delay to his preparations. and what happens when the dubs start to think " ah sure it wont start till quarter past anyway. they'll all arrive even later. it 's got to be nipped in the bud.

[buck02]

The delay the day of the Longford game was caused primarily because of the reduced number of styles that were open that day, I dont think the munster council will get too many awards for how they managed the stadium that day. Add in the traffic congestion and thats why the Longford game was delayed.
The single reason that Dublin games get delayed is cos the crowd leave it until 10 minutes before the match to leave the pubs. Its as simple as that.

[Chinatown]

Any other view on the 10% approach is it worth floating...or is it none of our business?

[zugly]

The delay in Killarney was because everyone had to pay in and they didn't have enough people at the stiles.

[trueblue]

As a Dub I totally agree with starting the match on time, it is up to the supporters to get there on time for the throw in. All supporters with a genuine interest in the game will make sure they're there for the national anthem. As for the security issue I reckon it is within the capabilites of the
Gardai to supervise and organise entrance to the ground no matter how many arrive together.
On a seperate subject an earlier post said "A sizeable minority of the so called Dublin fans who stand on the Hill see the game as just a small part of a days drinking" I don't understand how this is adding to this discussion bit of a cheap shot I think!

[Chinatown]

trueblue said:

As for the security issue I reckon it is within the capabilites of the
Gardai to supervise and organise entrance to the ground no matter how many arrive together.

- We are alll in agreement that in ideal world that the Game should start on time and that any late comers should be dealt with appropriately...however the comment above while sounds good, is running the risk of causing Chaos and might be a little simplistic if there are significant numbers coming in late.

So in summary we have defined the problem quite well, are all in agreement that it should not continue...what we are possibly lacking here are some solutions!!!!

[austinstacksabu]

buck02 said:

The delay the day of the Longford game was caused primarily because of the reduced number of styles that were open that day, I dont think the munster council will get too many awards for how they managed the stadium that day. Add in the traffic congestion and thats why the Longford game was delayed.
The single reason that Dublin games get delayed is cos the crowd leave it until 10 minutes before the match to leave the pubs. Its as simple as that.

Funnily enough, the Munster council had nothing to do with the Longford qualifier. That's run by the county board under the supervision of the GAA HQ as it's a central fixture and not a provincial fixture.

[austinstacksabu]

michaell said:

trueblue said:

As for the security issue I reckon it is within the capabilites of the
Gardai to supervise and organise entrance to the ground no matter how many arrive together.

- We are alll in agreement that in ideal world that the Game should start on time and that any late comers should be dealt with appropriately...however the comment above while sounds good, is running the risk of causing Chaos and might be a little simplistic if there are significant numbers coming in late.

So in summary we have defined the problem quite well, are all in agreement that it should not continue...what we are possibly lacking here are some solutions!!!!

Simple, ignore RTE's requests to have the game at 3.30 / 4pm, and have the game at 2pm. RTE had the game changed despite Garda request for a 2pm throw in.

Start it earlier.

[trueblue]

At most events the terms and conditions say something to the effect of: Every effort to admit latecomers will be made at a suitable break in the event, but admission cannot always be guaranteed.
So during a break in play the stewards could let people into the stand area hopefully not disrupting others too much.

[Chinatown]

Part of me agrees with the early throw in and part of me does not. i.e.

- Yes will probably solve the problem but
- this is "giving" into the "supporters" who are not turning up.
- roll forward to the final if Dublin get there.. Senior Game at 2:00 and thus the minor game @ 12:15..not very fair on the minors expecting their supporters to come to such an early game......although can you assume if Dublin make it to final it will not be a problem i.e. they will turn up on time...reason would suggest they will...therefore is this only a problem for the Semi?

Also a 3:30 start is tradition and definitely would not to have that changed for a final.....having the minor match after Senior..definitively do not think that would work.

Go with "threat" of the 10% reduction in tickets allocation?

[austinstacksabu]

For the final, Dublin will get the same number of tickets as everbody else. Now, they'll hover up an extra 20% but you won't have the mass last minute rush that you have for semis etc.

Bring forward the semi to 2pm.

[Alan]

While this is being highlighted this year by the Dubs,there is an age old problem in the GAA with people coming into matches late and it should have been tackled years ago.

I can go back to my first All Ireland ('82) and it has not improved one bit since then. For the life of me I can't understand why a simple rule can't be enforced - if you are not in your seat 30 minutes before throw in, you do not get in.

This would stop the annoyance of people coming in late and disturbing people who have been there on time. I love to watch the first few minutes of a game to see is there any positinal changes, any change in tactics etc and then some gob sh1te is climbing all over you to get to his seat.

[kerrydoc]

agreed alan. the 10 or 15 mins before a match are great- watching the warm up, the teams named, the parade... all part of the atmosphere to be savoured. if it was enforced that noone was allowed in beyond 15 mins before throw in, then the crowd would get there in time. giving into them is ridiculous. it might cause shaos the first time it was done, but it should be widely publicised beforehand that this was going to be done, and then theyd have no excuse.
i remember a girl in my class in college who was a little bit "alternative" and who was consistently late for lectures, would come in 10 or 12 mins late, and create max disruption, purely for attention seeking purposes. one yr we had a professor who used lock the door at 5 mins past the hour, and surprise surprise she always made it on time to his lectures.
i think the gaa should call the bluff of the dub fans.its a disgrace that the players are expected to twiddle their thumbs while the blue brigade finish their pints.

[mafi97]

Lets be blunt about this. In Croke Park this delay is caused by the "Dub" supporters - primarily the Hill 16, Big Day Out Merchants. The contributor who stated that these guys see the match as only one component in the "Big Day Out" is bang on the money. I have lived in Dublin for 40 years and these people are the bane of the normal Dublin supporters. I can assure you that these denizens of the Hill have no idea where Parnell Park is.
Effectively we are dealing with bullies here - they are bullying the system and they are bullying us (including the average Dub supporter.
Appeasement and appeals are completely uesless when dealing with bullies.
Draconian measures are called for.
Dublin are back in Croke Park for a Semi-Final in two weeks.
Announce NOW that if the match has to be delayed that Hill 16 will be closed (for safety reasons!!!!!!!) for the next Dublin match in Croke Park.
And it is about time that the Guards started acting as if they are in control - not the beer bellies from the local pubs. What is the point in having a couple of young (male and female) Guards prancing about on horses providing photo opportunities. Are they there to do a job; are they trained to do the job; or just trained to look good?.
There are two Dubs - let's make it clear which Dub it is that we want to facilitate.

[Chinatown]

I have been thinking about this thread on the way into work this morning.

This thread seems to be getting more emotive and do we need to stand back and look at the priorities..In some respects, while the late start is an issue for the GAA and all of us as GAA supporters should our attention be more focused on the next game v Cork..In some ways are we getting wound up about this issue because we are assuming we will be meeting Dublin in the final and our conncerns then. Maybe we should focus on next Sunday and get over that which will not be easy and then IF Kerry make it through and subsequently Dublin, then worry about it then..maybe the message is getting through to Dublin and it may not be an issue and in the meantim focus on next Sunday..

Now don't get me wrong and think I am getting up on my moral high horse on this...I have been more guilty than most in contrbuting to this thread with the 10% reduction in allocation strategy and probably underlying this was the view is that it would work in our favour come AI day...So in summary maybe let this go..let the winners of Mayo and Laois take up the batton on this topic....

[kerrydoc]

michaell said:

I
..maybe the message is getting through to Dublin and it may not be an issue
.

in fairness, i dont think the message is getting through to them... remember the kerry v dublin game in thurles in ? 2001 - same story there, the dubs ringing rte radio whinging thet they were delayed en route, and hey presto the match was delayed. in the 5 yrs since then have the dubs learned that travelling to matches takes time? no. they have learned that if they stay in the pubs til the last minute the match will be delayed to accommodate them. as long as they persist in this behaviour and get away with this, then nothing will change.

[kerrygold]

buck02 said:

Problem is that if they started the game on time and somebody got injured or worse in the panic to get it the GAA would be in much more trouble.
A sizeable minority of the so called Dublin fans who stand on the Hill see the game as just a small part of a days drinking. Anybody who saw their antics in Thurles will vouch for that.

and en route to thurles,the grass verge and bushes between portlaoise and thurles were well fertilized also.

[kerrygold]

inforthebreaks said:

Lads.. was our game against longford nto delayed as well becasue of crowds in Killarney coming to the ground late.. We weren't complaining then

that was because a huge crowd turned up and they were taking cash at the stiles,totally different thing.

[animal]

Its a problem peculiar to GAA it seems. The rugby and soccer always start on time and the majority of the crowd are Dubs. You do get a large number of people coming in late at the start of the match but they normally have a section of terracing put aside for this. What annoys me is that it shows huge disrespect for the opposition team and followers. I wonder did any westmeath fans miss trains home due to the delay? Has to be sorted out.

[kerrygold]

start the game on time and have proper barriers in place at the top of all the entrance roads to keep them out.

[RashersTierney]

Its really beneath my dignity responding to the acres of anti-Dub bias on this post. As if no other fans dont turn up late. Answer me this - How many other matches have 80,000 people, or a full-house? There was how much, 20,000 in Killarney, and yis couldnt even manage that, and yet you just brush it off, "oh that was totally different".

Get off the stage and stop thinking up excuses to rubbish our support and our team's achievements. In fact, on this very subject, where exactly has the Kerry support been this year? Must have stayed home afraid they were going to be late and get a slap from teacher

[kerrydoc]

bigal said:

As if no other fans dont turn up late.

in fairness, the dubs are nearly always one of the teams involved - thurles 2001 is the first i can remember but there may have been more before that. and this year and last year there have been many more incidences. granted, the kerry - longford match was delayed but as stated above there were problems at the stiles and also the guards had, in their "wisdom" put up blocks and diversions.
turning up late for matches is disrespectful and despicable. stop defending the indefensible.