Kildare League Fixtures 2013

fone wrote:

Reports irish independent the dublim game could a friday night game

heard that aswell .there looking at our championship game for Friday aswell

I don't agree with our "home" matches being moved to Croke Park, especially the one against Dublin. It seems Dublin have been pushing for this to happen for the last few weeks but surely Portlaoise would have been fairer rather than playing our "home" game against the Dubs in their own county.

Now it looks like Kildare vs Dublin could be a Friday night too. As if Kildare supporters aren't being put out by this enough already. Personally I can't see the advantage to having games on Friday nights at all.

ManBearPig wrote:

fone wrote:

Reports irish independent the dublim game could a friday night game

heard that aswell .there looking at our championship game for Friday aswell

Was something not said in one of the papers a few weeks ago that the Friday night championship game was a no go for this year? The Offaly match has already been confirmed for the Saturday with the Dubs on after hasn't it?

Assume not wanting to play the league game on the Saturday is because of the 6 Nations. Why not just play it on the Sunday though? In theory it'd be much easier for people, especially families to travel up to Dublin on a Sunday afternoon rather than on a Friday evening after work / school, unless they want to suit the tv schedule and play it under lights to build it up as a good night out.

Just to show how much our CB and Chairman filled the supporters of this County with bullshit, the following is a direct quote in a newspaper today. Remember this is the man who whenever an opportunity arose coming up to his re election told us how he was determined to keep the games in Newbridge.

We’re almost complete with it now, it’s looking much more like the possibility of Croke Park now," said Kildare chief McMahon.

"It has been a process of discussions with Croke Park for some time but I’d expect an outcome very shortly now."

As for the financial boost, McMahon admitted they did require some ‘incentive’ to concede home advantage for 50% of their games. It’s understood that the money will be ploughed back into upgrading St Conleth’s Park and restoring its capacity to around 9,000.

McMahon said: "We had to look at what’s best for Kildare, best for supporters and what’s going to be in the interests of St Conleth’s Park."

He pulled the wool over the clubs that voted him back in. Do you think the result would have been the same if he came out before the convention and announced this. The election was not based on all the facts.

As for Friday night, I'm glad I won't be near the place, good luck getting Kildare supporters up to Dublin an a cold and wet March Friday night after working all day.

So what lads if we have to play in Croker,the money we get will help st conleths

Quit complaining, its happening, time to move on!

That's the attitude that has this county and country in a heap. F*ck the ordinary man, we'll do what we want and don't dare complain about it. If a few more complained we might not be in the mess we are. So no offence but I'll keep complaining for what I see is right and I'll move on as you say when I want.

Johnny Maher wrote:

Wasn't expecting any other comment from you Ogie.

Like all the other local journalists Callaghan, McNally, O'Brien you all seem to tow the party line and not ask any real hard questions of the lads at the top.

It's all very nicely nicely to get the interviews post training and post big games.

You'll not fall out of the circle with that post, rest assured.

Mwah xxx

On the plus side, Croke Park will allow for extra spectators. On the down side - there's the cost of travelling to Dublin and, inevitably, the extra cost of admission to a double header. However...the Dublin match should not be played in Croke Park...definitely not!

Ogie wrote:

Mwah xxx

Do you honestly believe Ogie that Kildare GAA in the past 18 months to 2 years has been managed adequately?

Would this be tolerated in any other County?

Look, if you ask any player on the panel where they'd prefer to play they'd say Croke Park for all the obvious reasons.

And I had no real problem with the Tyrone match being switched last year.

They way this has been handled has been shambolic, I don't think anyone can argue with that.

How great would it have been to welcome the All Ireland Champions and the Dubs to Newbrige next year, when was the last time the All Ireland Champions or indeed Dublin were in town for a National League match?

While I would prefer to have the matches in a packed Conleth's on a Sunday afternoon, Friday night in Croke Park is not bad for those who work in Dublin. And while it might put off a lot of supporters from travelling up to the game, I'm sure there'll be plenty of others who'll head up and make a night of it.

Lads if it means that next year or even later this year conleths is less of a dump then I'm happy.
I live in Dublin as do most of the lads from my area I know. Just from my view and a lot of people from mid-Kildare up give me Croker over Portlaoise.
We need to get our own house in order before giving out, and our house is a total kip that is a disgrace for a county who have had good runs and this good incomes for the past few years.
Being honest a Friday night game will see any Dublin dwellers and workers stay up for a good night out.
Does the season ticket not cover this too. If they had two game Croker deals for KE fans then it would be ok. Newbridge doesn;t offer free admission or petrol vouchers so it's not a huge extra expense.

Surely the fact that we have 2 home games and Dublin have 5 is unfair. In most sports losing home adavantage means the game is played at a neutral venue or am I mistaken on that?

season ticket are covered for croke park but club kildare members not covered FLAMINGO

fone wrote:

season ticket are covered for croke park but club kildare members not covered FLAMINGO

This is not fair. The Kildare board, in making their negotiations, should have made sure Club Kildare people were covered. Because these packages were sold on the basis of them getting into the home games.

+1 Ogie. This is a real sickener for the club kildare support

Surely some provision will be put in place for Club Kildare members?

With the finances the way they are surely Club Kildare is more important than ever and enticing as many new members as possible has to be a priority. It might only be two matches but this is the sort of thing that might even sway existing members not to renew their membership.

For me personally and if i thought that the extra revenue would go towards making St Conleths safer and raise the capacity i'd have no issue with playing all our games away in the league this year. The money is going to have to come from somewhere. I'd have no huge problems with it, been hearing about st conleths this few years better to suck it up get the extra money and invest it into county grounds

Johnny Maher wrote:

Ogie wrote:

Mwah xxx

Do you honestly believe Ogie that Kildare GAA in the past 18 months to 2 years has been managed adequately?

Would this be tolerated in any other County?

Look, if you ask any player on the panel where they'd prefer to play they'd say Croke Park for all the obvious reasons.

And I had no real problem with the Tyrone match being switched last year.

They way this has been handled has been shambolic, I don't think anyone can argue with that.

How great would it have been to welcome the All Ireland Champions and the Dubs to Newbrige next year, when was the last time the All Ireland Champions or indeed Dublin were in town for a National League match?

Listen Johnny - the county board has done loads arseways. Acknowledging they were haemhorraging money, watching it happen for another 12 months, then telling us they acknowledged it 12 months previously would be funny only it was serious. Not accommodating Club Kildare members is brutal. But I was just responding to your suggestion I was the board's bum buddy and I didn't want to go into a long-winded treatise on how ill-informed you were, so 'mwah' was just easier.

Report from todays Irish Independent



THE prospect of a Friday night league fixture under lights in Croke Park is gathering momentum after Kildare's decision to switch to headquarters for two of their four home Division 1 league matches next spring.

Kildare's move means that Dublin will have five home league matches in Division 1 next year, possibly all at Croke Park.

Dublin chairman Andy Kettle gave his backing to a Friday night date in March for the Kildare/Dublin match, one of two Kildare have agreed to move on after a lucrative financial incentive, believed to be between €60,000 and €70,000, was laid down during negotiations.

Kettle (right) feels the fixture, originally set for Sunday, March 10, "ticks all the right boxes" for a Friday night fixture that the GAA at some levels have been keen to road test.

With Ireland playing France at the Aviva Stadium at 5.0 on the Saturday evening of that weekend, a Kildare/Dublin fixture could not go ahead later on across the city in Croke Park.

Kettle believes it's an "ideal opportunity" to play a match of this nature on a Friday night and see how it works out.

"It would be a stand-alone fixture, even on a Sunday, so why not play it on a Friday night?" he said.

"You can't get two counties in closer proximity than ourselves and Kildare.

"The GAA has always said that it required teams with short distances to travel to make it happen. We think it's very possible this time."

Dublin were thwarted in their efforts to stage the Mayo league match at Croke Park less than two years ago when the GAA"s Central Competitions Controls Committee opposed the move. It was felt at the time that concerns over having to reimburse players for loss of income was behind the refusal. This time, it is believed the CCCC may be receptive to it.

Ironically, Dublin chief executive John Costello raised the prospect of Thursday and Friday night games in his annual report published yesterday and said the GAA shouldn't be afraid to stage them.

Kildare have also agreed to play their opening league match against All-Ireland champions Donegal in Croke Park and that will probably be the curtain-raiser to Dublin and Cork on Saturday, February 2.

The Kildare decision was not forced upon them over capacity issues at their own home venue, the Irish Independent understands, but the financial incentive will help them to plough money into St Conleth's Park which will enable them to stage their other league matches against Kerry and Tyrone there.

Kildare estimate they need €100,000 to bring the capacity up from 6,100 to 8,500.

Dublin were due to meet last night to discuss a third Spring Series, which is now back on the cards.

In his report, Costello hints at scepticism towards Dublin on a number of fronts, including the Spring Series and the Blue Wave document, which was the name of their strategic report released last year.

Costello says the document was met with "hostility and derision" in some quarters while he questions those who doubt the sustainability of the Spring Series in the future.

"Instead of carping that Dublin are playing in front of a two-thirds empty stadium, why not accentuate the many positives of the Spring Series?" he asked.

Elsewhere, the Ulster Council may receive an interim report at a meeting tomorrow night on the status of the investigation into allegations of racist remarks made against Crossmaglen player Aaron Cunningham in the Ulster club football final.

The Ulster Council set up an investigation and at last night's launch of the province's McKenna Cup competition, provincial president Aoghan Farrell stressed the need for expediency into the report.

"We set up the investigation and we can't instruct but we advised the people carrying out the investigation that it should be swift," said Farrell.

- Colm Keys

I'm a Club Kildare member, but this decision will make me reconsider that. If it was only these two games I'd understand, but It was the Tyrone game last year, the Limerick game last year and who knows what this year. The GAA season ticket seems to be the way to go. Unfortunately Kildare GAA is going to lose out big time I think here when people have to prioritise their money and what gets them value for money. The moving of the two games could be a nail in the coffin of the supporters club.

I wonder was this a consideration when they agreed the move, it seems not.

Something to think about, what are the financial losses if we get relegated compared to what we gain if we stay up. I digging into this deal and it is not looking all that great at the moment. Is €60,000 now worth relegation and possible multiple years again in div 2. I would hazard in the long term if we get relegated we will lose money.

Rex wrote:

I'm a Club Kildare member, but this decision will make me reconsider that. If it was only these two games I'd understand, but It was the Tyrone game last year, the Limerick game last year and who knows what this year. The GAA season ticket seems to be the way to go. Unfortunately Kildare GAA is going to lose out big time I think here when people have to prioritise their money and what gets them value for money. The moving of the two games could be a nail in the coffin of the supporters club.

I wonder was this a consideration when they agreed the move, it seems not.

i use the season ticket for 2 years for 85 euro u get all league games plus frist round of championsip, then also u get a ticket for every match until they finished with 5 euro off ticket its a great deal

That's what I'm thinking fone, but I don't think those in the higher reaches of the County Board have thoroughly thought this out. I feel a sting in the tail coming.

I could get myself and herself one and it will still save me €130.

Rex wrote:

I'm a Club Kildare member, but this decision will make me reconsider that. If it was only these two games I'd understand, but It was the Tyrone game last year, the Limerick game last year and who knows what this year. The GAA season ticket seems to be the way to go. Unfortunately Kildare GAA is going to lose out big time I think here when people have to prioritise their money and what gets them value for money. The moving of the two games could be a nail in the coffin of the supporters club.

I wonder was this a consideration when they agreed the move, it seems not.

Something to think about, what are the financial losses if we get relegated compared to what we gain if we stay up. I digging into this deal and it is not looking all that great at the moment. Is €60,000 now worth relegation and possible multiple years again in div 2. I would hazard in the long term if we get relegated we will lose money.

Our county board don't exactly have a great history of looking at things with a long term view.

I went for the season ticket this year having been with Club Kildare previously. Signed up for it before 31st Oct so got it for €75. The €300 for Club Kildare is a lot of money when you are getting very little in return and by moving home games away from Newbridge, people are getting even less. I know you are directly contributing to the team etc but they really need to make it more attractive for people to join.