GAA measures in place to stop pitch invasions

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THE GAA have stated today that they will be hiring two Boeing AH-64 Apache twin-engine attack helicopter gunships each armed with a 30-millimeter (1.2 in ) M230 Chain Gun and two AGM-114 Hellfire and Hydra 70 rockets to deter fans from invading the pitch after next Sundays all Ireland final.

The gunships have brought criticism from fans who claim the €700k-a-day helicopters will be too noisy and will distract players away from the most important game of the year.

Kerry Footballer Paul Galvin stated today that the gunships would just ruin the atmosphere of the game.

"Sure how could you hear a whistle with them things flying over head. Both helicopters have twin engines and twin rotor blades. The down draft alone would blow the skull off ya sure." he said.

Earlier this year a safety presentation at Croke park outlined the dangers of pitch invasions so much so that it was decided to end the practice once and for all.

“It was our only option,” said a GAA spokesman about the decision taken yesterday by the GAA’s management committee. “We need to get the message across that pitch invasions, or any other breach of security, will be dealt with in a firm and direct manner.

"The gun ships will only start hovering in the last ten minutes of the game. It shouldn't affect game-play too much.

We have told the pilots to only shoot pitch invaders. However, we will make exceptions in emergency cases. Both men have been told to not use the AGM-114 Hellfire and Hydra 70 rockets unless its absolutely necessary."

"We want people to exit the stadium by the way they came in. We are doing this so nobody gets hurt. Its all about safety." he said.

Supporter of the gunships, Thomas Hardyman, stated that the GAA made the decision themselves to hire the helicopters, if they hadn't, it would have been forced on them by the safety authorities anyway.

In that case, the restrictions would probably be much more severe and might even include a reduced capacity. This would mean a huge loss for the GAA and an even harder push on referees to blow up a game while drawn.

Tens of thousands of fans are expected to travel to Croke Park on Sunday, for the minor championship semi-final between Galway and Cork as well as the senior football game

Get on Armagh for Sam 2011 after this news...Francie Bellew to make hay at full forward...

Apparently they have also put a few thousand volts through the fence too .....

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Apparently they have also put a few thousand volts through the fence too .....

That won't stop them,don't they have electric fences to keep their cattle in fields ,

Well to be fair to the GAA - They managed to stop the pitch invasion - The planning was certainly an improvement on last years debacle - Don't know if they showed it on the Telly but they had prepared a video clip
Sean Kavanagh, Marc O Sé and Pj Ryan - "What would you do if a daughter got injured in a pitch invasion etc"-
they showed it three times before the game/Half time etc. They also had three times as many stewards as last year and this they didn't all hide down near the "Nally stand" area. All seemed a lot more sensible than the last 8 odd years
Though maybe the lap of honour should have been done before going up for the cup - Not sure though there are always going to be two thirds of the crowd that leave withing 5 mins of the final whistle so either the lifting of Liam or the lap of honour will be done in front of a sparse crowd.


Does that leave Meath, Galway and Tipp as the only counties to win in the "new Croke Park" and whose fans have not invaded the pitch ?

god help us next year - i take it the stewards were not the voluntary ones who lined the whole way round the stadium?

if it was the hired goons how much will tickets rise to next year to pay them to stand on the side of the pitch.

anyway one fella made it on and ran like bejaysus they chased him for a while then gave up as he was the only one!

1 lad climbed the fence aswel.

What I've said all along is how do they plan to stop the Dubs on the Hill when they win the All Ireland next year?

RoyalGirl wrote:What I've said all along is how do they plan to stop the Dubs on the Hill when they win the All Ireland next year?

there wont be that many at the ladies final surely.............................

There will be no stopping me if Derry get far next year! Well suppose I wont have to worry about that haha

Peter Solan the Great wrote:

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THE GAA have stated today that they will be hiring two Boeing AH-64 Apache twin-engine attack helicopter gunships each armed with a 30-millimeter (1.2 in ) M230 Chain Gun and two AGM-114 Hellfire and Hydra 70 rockets to deter fans from invading the pitch after next Sundays all Ireland final.

The gunships have brought criticism from fans who claim the €700k-a-day helicopters will be too noisy and will distract players away from the most important game of the year.

Kerry Footballer Paul Galvin stated today that the gunships would just ruin the atmosphere of the game.

"Sure how could you hear a whistle with them things flying over head. Both helicopters have twin engines and twin rotor blades. The down draft alone would blow the skull off ya sure." he said.

Earlier this year a safety presentation at Croke park outlined the dangers of pitch invasions so much so that it was decided to end the practice once and for all.

“It was our only option,” said a GAA spokesman about the decision taken yesterday by the GAA’s management committee. “We need to get the message across that pitch invasions, or any other breach of security, will be dealt with in a firm and direct manner.

"The gun ships will only start hovering in the last ten minutes of the game. It shouldn't affect game-play too much.

We have told the pilots to only shoot pitch invaders. However, we will make exceptions in emergency cases. Both men have been told to not use the AGM-114 Hellfire and Hydra 70 rockets unless its absolutely necessary."

"We want people to exit the stadium by the way they came in. We are doing this so nobody gets hurt. Its all about safety." he said.

Supporter of the gunships, Thomas Hardyman, stated that the GAA made the decision themselves to hire the helicopters, if they hadn't, it would have been forced on them by the safety authorities anyway.

In that case, the restrictions would probably be much more severe and might even include a reduced capacity. This would mean a huge loss for the GAA and an even harder push on referees to blow up a game while drawn.

Tens of thousands of fans are expected to travel to Croke Park on Sunday, for the minor championship semi-final between Galway and Cork as well as the senior football game

Pardon me if I'm being over sensitive here but does the 21st of November 1920 not mean anything?

Shinners wrote:

Peter Solan the Great wrote:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


THE GAA have stated today that they will be hiring two Boeing AH-64 Apache twin-engine attack helicopter gunships each armed with a 30-millimeter (1.2 in ) M230 Chain Gun and two AGM-114 Hellfire and Hydra 70 rockets to deter fans from invading the pitch after next Sundays all Ireland final.

The gunships have brought criticism from fans who claim the €700k-a-day helicopters will be too noisy and will distract players away from the most important game of the year.

Kerry Footballer Paul Galvin stated today that the gunships would just ruin the atmosphere of the game.

"Sure how could you hear a whistle with them things flying over head. Both helicopters have twin engines and twin rotor blades. The down draft alone would blow the skull off ya sure." he said.

Earlier this year a safety presentation at Croke park outlined the dangers of pitch invasions so much so that it was decided to end the practice once and for all.

“It was our only option,” said a GAA spokesman about the decision taken yesterday by the GAA’s management committee. “We need to get the message across that pitch invasions, or any other breach of security, will be dealt with in a firm and direct manner.

"The gun ships will only start hovering in the last ten minutes of the game. It shouldn't affect game-play too much.

We have told the pilots to only shoot pitch invaders. However, we will make exceptions in emergency cases. Both men have been told to not use the AGM-114 Hellfire and Hydra 70 rockets unless its absolutely necessary."

"We want people to exit the stadium by the way they came in. We are doing this so nobody gets hurt. Its all about safety." he said.

Supporter of the gunships, Thomas Hardyman, stated that the GAA made the decision themselves to hire the helicopters, if they hadn't, it would have been forced on them by the safety authorities anyway.

In that case, the restrictions would probably be much more severe and might even include a reduced capacity. This would mean a huge loss for the GAA and an even harder push on referees to blow up a game while drawn.

Tens of thousands of fans are expected to travel to Croke Park on Sunday, for the minor championship semi-final between Galway and Cork as well as the senior football game

Pardon me if I'm being over sensitive here but does the 21st of November 1920 not mean anything?

is it Jayos Boxty or Patriques birthday???????????

OMAR wrote:Don't know if they showed it on the Telly but they had prepared a video clip Sean Kavanagh, Marc O Sé and Pj Ryan - "What would you do if a daughter got injured in a pitch invasion etc"-

Jaysus OMAR - no way would I let my daughter be a steward in Croke Park ....

Yesterdays cleebrations after the final were a bit dull. Lap of honour and blowing yellow ribbon over people is drole.

We need pitch invasions. Fook it, sur if someone falls going onto the pitch, no one asked them to run on.
And anyway yad want to be a fair clumsy egit to fall !

Point is, get everyone on after the football final. Jaysus sur invade it after the minor aswell !!
The stewards are all aul-ones. Some say they bring a bus to the convent and fill it with nuns, to do stewarding on match days.
Any man who ates a spud or two could take 3/4 of them out easy.

That fence will be tore down like the Berlin wall yet.

Yours In Sport,
Joseff

Jayo Cluxton wrote:

OMAR wrote:Don't know if they showed it on the Telly but they had prepared a video clip Sean Kavanagh, Marc O Sé and Pj Ryan - "What would you do if a daughter got injured in a pitch invasion etc"-

Jaysus OMAR - no way would I let my daughter be a steward in Croke Park ....

___________________
If you are in the know you can make sure she gets the Ard Chomairle section in the Hogan
Biffo and the auld one from Down are hardly going to encroach - The corners of the Davin are probably the short straw since they put up the Perspex fence