Railway Cup

Gaa_lover wrote:Leinster 3-21  Ulster 2-26 (AET)
Connacht 3-19 Munster 2-16

Lack of defending in the Railway by the looks of it. Ulster odds on for 3 in a row now.

Almost as many points as spectators. 200 in Navan...

Thomas Clarke wrote:

Gaa_lover wrote:Leinster 3-21  Ulster 2-26 (AET)
Connacht 3-19 Munster 2-16

Lack of defending in the Railway by the looks of it. Ulster odds on for 3 in a row now.

Almost as many points as spectators.  200 in Navan...

According to reports, the 200 in Navan was double the number at the other semi-final.

For the sake of tradition and the thought of what it could be, it would be nice to think that we could repackage the Railway Cup and try again. However, the public have voted, and have emphatically done so for a long time. They have less than no interest. Time to pack this competition up.

A great competition in it's time, up there with the "Suit length" tournament that was for so many years the focal point of the annual Ballinamore festival. This tournament ran it's course as there was no appetite for a "Laptop" competition and thus consigned to the bin.

Sad to see it go to this but it looks as if the Consultant has heaved a sigh and summoned the undertaker.

Boxtyeater wrote:A great competition in it's time, up there with the "Suit length" tournament that was for so many years the focal point of the annual Ballinamore festival. This tournament ran it's course as there was no appetite for a "Laptop" competition and thus consigned to the bin.

Sad to see it go to this but it looks as if the Consultant has heaved a sigh and summoned the undertaker.

It's sad when you think of some of the great players who helped make their names in it, some of those on your own signature. But we are in different times. The fatal blows have been delivered by improved Club Championships and Sigerson Cups, the SFC Qualifiers, a more seriously contested NFL, improved travel around Ireland and, of course, enormously increased television exposure.

The Railway Cup was wonderful in a different era, but the purpose it now serves is little more than enabling top county stars to hobnob together, while avoiding a Sunday morning training slog with the rest of their county teammates.

Connacht Railway Cup semi finalists 1959.
Front L-R: Jack Mahon; Cathal Flynn; PACKY MC GARTY; Sean Purcell; Willie Casey; Tom Dillon; Jackie Coyle.
Back L-R: John Nallen; Mattie McDonagh; Gerry O’Malley; Nace O’Dowd; Gerry Kirwan; Frank Evers; Mick Greally; Aidan Brady.

Boxtyeater wrote:


Connacht Railway Cup semi finalists 1959.
Front L-R: Jack Mahon; Cathal Flynn; PACKY MC GARTY; Sean Purcell; Willie Casey; Tom Dillon; Jackie Coyle.
Back L-R: John Nallen; Mattie McDonagh; Gerry O’Malley; Nace O’Dowd; Gerry Kirwan; Frank Evers; Mick Greally; Aidan Brady.

is ciaran kilkenny related to sean purcell

Boxtyeater wrote:


Connacht Railway Cup semi finalists 1959.
Front L-R: Jack Mahon; Cathal Flynn; PACKY MC GARTY; Sean Purcell; Willie Casey; Tom Dillon; Jackie Coyle.
Back L-R: John Nallen; Mattie McDonagh; Gerry O’Malley; Nace O’Dowd; Gerry Kirwan; Frank Evers; Mick Greally; Aidan Brady.

Some huge names on that side. McGarty, McDonagh, Purcell, O'Malley - to reference [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] these men were all-time greats.

Thx hun XXXX   

Champers: I don't know whether he is or not. I haven't heard anything of it to tell the truth. A fair pedigree if it's the case.

Boxtyeater wrote:Thx hun XXXX   

Champers: I don't know whether he is or not. I haven't heard anything of it to tell the truth. A fair pedigree if it's the case.

I'm 100 percent sure its one of the terrible twins

Kilkenny has a rich GAA family heritage. His father John played at all levels for Dublin, his cousin Gearóid Ryan is a prominent member of the Tipperary senior hurling side, he has two cousins, Niamh and Orla, who line out for the Galway camogie team and he is also related to former Galway football great Sean Purcell. Over the past 12 months he has established his own reputation in GAA circles.

Thomas Clarke wrote:
It's sad when you think of some of the great players who helped make their names in it, some of those on your own signature.  But we are in different times.  The fatal blows have been delivered by improved Club Championships and Sigerson Cups, the SFC Qualifiers, a more seriously contested NFL, improved travel around Ireland and, of course, enormously increased television exposure.

The Railway Cup was wonderful in a different era, but the purpose it now serves is little more than enabling top county stars to hobnob together, while avoiding a Sunday morning training slog with the rest of their county teammates.

Not sure how much the Sigerson cup has improved? the crowds that goes to those games aren't much better than Railway cup nowadays. SFC Qualifiers are losing their appeal and probably likewise with the current NFL format i presume only div 1 are getting decent crowds.

Gaa_lover wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:
It's sad when you think of some of the great players who helped make their names in it, some of those on your own signature.  But we are in different times.  The fatal blows have been delivered by improved Club Championships and Sigerson Cups, the SFC Qualifiers, a more seriously contested NFL, improved travel around Ireland and, of course, enormously increased television exposure.

The Railway Cup was wonderful in a different era, but the purpose it now serves is little more than enabling top county stars to hobnob together, while avoiding a Sunday morning training slog with the rest of their county teammates.

Not sure how much the Sigerson cup has improved? the crowds that goes to those games aren't much better than Railway cup nowadays. SFC Qualifiers are losing their appeal and probably likewise with the current NFL format i presume only div 1 are getting decent crowds.

In terms of the number of universities competing, Sigerson is twice as big as it was 20 years ago. Also, the standard is higher as students spend more time in university now. You get highlights on vimeo/youtube/television. The point I was making is that players from weaker counties get more exposure and seeing them in the railway cup is no longer a novelty.

Same with the qualifiers and the league. I'm not sure how old you are, but how many times did you see Roscommon, Armagh or Laois on television in the 70s/80s/90s? I'd venture not much, yet they all produced some good players. The Railway Cup was one of the few chances to see these players, hence people made the effort to go and watch. Nowadays, we've all seen how good Emlyn Mulligan and Jamie Clarke are, despite their counties never featuring in July or August.

Thomas Clarke wrote:

In terms of the number of universities competing, Sigerson is twice as big as it was 20 years ago.  Also, the standard is higher as students spend more time in university now.  You get highlights on vimeo/youtube/television.  The point I was making is that players from weaker counties get more exposure and seeing them in the railway cup is no longer a novelty.

Same with the qualifiers and the league.  I'm not sure how old you are, but how many times did you see Roscommon, Armagh or Laois on television in the 70s/80s/90s?  I'd venture not much, yet they all produced some good players.  The Railway Cup was one of the few chances to see these players, hence people made the effort to go and watch.  Nowadays, we've all seen how good Emlyn Mulligan and Jamie Clarke are, despite their counties never featuring in July or August.

I agree with your main point that the Railway cup novelty has worn out.

In reply to the Sigerson cup (i think) it was mainly universities that was in it. IT Sligo,Dublin IT etc would have competed in the Trench cup. The way Dublin colleges have "attracted" players and how some can stay in college for years (for example Jim McGuinness) or join late (for example Darren O'Sullivan) has turned plenty off this competition.

I seen Armagh,Roscommon a far bit back then not so much of Laois. How many times have you seen Emlyn Mulligan on a live televised game? arguably Jamie Clarke has been seen more often on television with Crossmaglen than Armagh.

Gaa_lover wrote:
I seen Armagh,Roscommon a far bit back then not so much of Laois. How many times have you seen Emlyn Mulligan on a live televised game? arguably Jamie Clarke has been seen more often on television with Crossmaglen than Armagh.

You certainly didn't see a fair bit of Armagh or the Rossies (both picked at random - replace them with Derry and Wexford if you like) on television in the 70s or 80s, certainly not in comparison to what you see now. And despite his injuries, I've seen Mulligan on a number of occasions in the championship and qualifiers. The point is that Leitrim wouldn't have been televised once in the 60s, 70s or 80s.

The Sigerson was played over a long weekend back then, whereas now it is stretched out over several weeks, and all the top sides are filled with county players. It is a bigger event than it was before, and another chance to see an amalgam of top stars playing together.

I'm not putting the decline of the Railway Cup down to any of the factors I mentioned individually, but I do think that they all come into it to varying degrees. Throw in the International Rules as well - rubbish though it is, t's another drain on money and exposure. It all adds up together, and the result is that the Railway Cup has been squeezed to death by multiple factors.

What do ye all think of Aaron Kernan's idea for reviving the Railway Cup? It's novel and I think it could work.

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Early_Ball_In wrote:What do ye all think of Aaron Kernan's idea for reviving the Railway Cup? It's novel and I think it could work.

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Honestly, I think that people have irrevocably lost interest. I find it amusing that so many people are professing their love for the Railway Cup, yet virtually none of them have bothered to go and watch it over the last decade. It's a shame, but I think it is finished.

As a supporter of the series, i am sad to say that i now have this message with regards the Railway Cup, KC says it best -



I would far rather have it than the International Rules Series to be honest but i feel it's finished.

Early_Ball_In wrote:What do ye all think of Aaron Kernan's idea for reviving the Railway Cup? It's novel and I think it could work.

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Play it on All Ireland final weekend would mean those players who are contesting the final wouldn't get playing is that fair????

The idea in theory is good in making a weekend out of it but it needs marketed properly and GAA needs to work with hotels etc to get good deals.

Plus make a point that if you buy a weekend ticket for the Railway Cup you get offered the chance to buy a ticket for the All Ireland final.

One hell of hammering for Ulster the Connacht famine over! i didn't see that coming i don't think anyone did.

Gaa_lover wrote:One hell of hammering for Ulster the Connacht famine over! i didn't see that coming i don't think anyone did.

Hmm, in the absence of television cameras to confirm this result, I'll treat it with similar incredulity to the the last time a tiny number of onlookers claimed to have witnessed an unbelievable occurrence in Connaught.

Near the end of the clip Declan muses about his father Frank and his love for the home place. As one who oppossed the fledgling Aughawillian, as Junior clubs in the early 60's, to say that Frank Darcy's spirit was episcobable to the rise of "The Willies" would be an understatement.

In an era when "hardy hoors" were princes, Frank Darcy (complete with long flowing locks) was King.

He gave them an aura of invincibility that transgressed the median of acceptability. Great families like the Priors, Gilheaneys, Flanagans and Smyths among others bought in and the rest is history.

No more than 45 years wait......good to have a man contributing.

FFS boc, what more do they want, they'll be playing in an All Ireland Final, I'm sure the players wouldn't mind missing a Railway Cup for and All Ireland Final!!

bald eagle wrote:FFS boc, what more do they want, they'll be playing in an All Ireland Final, I'm sure the players wouldn't mind missing a Railway Cup for and All Ireland Final!!

i was looking at it more from a supporter point of view BE, if the cream of the crop arent playing because of commitments in an All ireland final then that may have an affect on the number of supporters who travel to watch the game.

Mind you many of the players seem to be keen to play in it so is it fair to deny them that opportunity because they have had a successful season?????

bocerty wrote:
Mind you many of the players seem to be keen to play in it so is it fair to deny them that opportunity because they have had a successful season?????

I know you aren't advancing it Boc, but I just don't get the argument of 'the players want it'. As Philip Jordan pointed out on Twitter this week, not all players want to play in the Railway Cup. And even allowing for the fact that many do, I don't think that is a good enough reason for keeping it.

The players supposedly want the International Rules - should we keep that too? Players will always prefer playing for their province to the alternative, i.e. training with their club/county. If Sean Cavanagh wasn't playing for Ulster yesterday, mixing with other good players and getting some new gear, he would probably have been slogging his guts out at training for Tyrone or Moy. I know which I'd prefer.

Players never think about burnout, but it is a major problem. This week alone, Cavanagh played 160+ minutes for Ulster and 70 for Tyrone, all on heavy pitches. That is too much, and while Sean has had a long career, it's no wonder that so many lads are retired long before the reach 30. I mean, I was aghast this winter to see Darren McCurry called to attend U21 trials for Tyrone. This is an established Tyrone senior, yet was being called to prove himself in trial matches in December. It's just crazy - most players will always turn up to play a game when asked, but administrators and coaches have to take more responsibility and consider the bigger picture.

The GAA is far too democratic, and devolves far too much power. It's time for HQ to sort out the fixture calendar, and cut out the dead wood. Despite what the players may think, the Railway Cup should be the first thing to go.

I said on Twitter once that the GAA was too democratic and I got slated for it, despite that I argued my point (that not everything should be voted on at congress) and in the end quite a few agreed with me (first time for everything!!)

I agree with TC here, slice the Inter-pros from the calendar and free up that part of the fixture list, I'd like to see the hybrid football game gone too but that is there to stay until such times as 1) the Aussies completely lose interest & cancel it or 2) the jolly is no longer financially viable and starts to cost the association.