Adding to the promotion and atmosphere

**Fivesilver** · 15/08/2007, 7:19 AM

Originally Posted by avvenalaf;

He should have spoken to John Murphy before he issued the invite and he would have discovered that it would be difficult for County Board to accept the invite and there the story would have ended.

This may be true, but doesn't it just go to show how absurd the whole hostility to "foreign games" is? This is 2007. Paisley and McGuinness are sitting down together. Yet intelligent people take it as natural that club officials should sneak around secretly asking if it's okay to invite their counterparts to be congratulated.

And I don't suspect for a moment that Toolan was trying to score propaganda points by deliberately issuing the press release. He's always been friendly toward the GAA, despite being first and foremost a Rovers supporter since the 60s.

The idea that Central Council would refuse to allow the Nestor Cup in the Showgrounds suggests the Ban is alive and well. With the kind of goodwill that exists across the codes in Sligo, it's an awful pity that some people in high places can't shake off their primitive mindset.

This celebration would be great for the image of both of these teams representing Sligo. Let's hope the official explanation was true and the GAA team and trophy make an appearance in the Showgrounds before the end of the year.
Who can it possibly hurt?

**avvenalaf** · 15/08/2007, 11:08 AM

Not suggesting for a minute that Michael was acting in anything other than the right spirit but whether we agree or not we have to recognise that this invite put john Murphy in a very difficult situation and the outcome was predictable - and avoidable if a bit more thought went into it.

**avvenalaf** · 15/08/2007, 12:43 PM

Well Sligoman should remember that the other guy got sent off as well.

**Guts&Glory** · 15/08/2007, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by avvenalaf

No, there is a very sensitive issue here and Michael Toolan put the County Board in an unfair position with the press release. He should have spoken to John Murphy before he issued the invite and he would have discovered that it would be difficult for County Board to accept the invite and there the story would have ended.
OK, Sligoman, you can cut loose on this if you want but in fact the invite and the publicity surrounding it only created problems for all concerned.

Sensitive issue my backside.

What sensitive issue?

They either did or did not want to attend.

Simple as that.

No excuses obviously somebody somewhere said it cant happen.

Toolan even invited the team to just attend the game get a mention over the PA and a warm round of applause form the crowd without the need to parade on the pitch if thats all they wanted to do.

Leave the neantheratal idiots in the GAA to it and let them live happily still in 1888.

...and before anyone replies I was there at all the Sligo County matches again this year because I love the game and my County but its being seriously held back by some idiots.

**biscuit** · 15/08/2007, 12:59 PM

here here...G&G...
its an absolute disgrace that deserves no defence.
the sligo county board a backward bunch of oul bo**oxes.
im glad rovers do come out of this with the right PR for once.
They extended an olive branch to Sligo GAA, to show that both sports, and the country as a whole has moved on, yet certain people, and anyone who nows Sligo Gaa knows who they are, are intent on holding things back. What people have to realise is that the alot of the general GAA public will look at this,, and see it as a reason not to come and see a rovers game.thus effecting the good work done to promote the club.

**avvenalaf** · 15/08/2007, 2:07 PM

Well that takes the biscuit.

**biscuit** · 15/08/2007, 2:56 PM

**Redzer** · 15/08/2007, 3:00 PM

From what I hear in GAA circles. Tommy and the lads had no problem attending, it was Murphy's call!!!!

**Fivesilver** · 15/08/2007, 4:04 PM

Meanwhile the English rugby team get to play at Croke Park. The decision having nothing, of course, to do with the serious shillings that landed into GAA coffers.
Time to wake up and smell the 21st century.

**jamie m** · 16/08/2007, 11:52 AM

if anyone sees any posters for the bray game could ye take them down because i might be wrong but as far as i know there are pretty hefty fines for each poster not taken down after an event has taken place, not sure how many days after it you have to take them down though

**Kivlehan** · 27/08/2007, 3:28 PM

Originally Posted by Fivesilver

Meanwhile the English rugby team get to play at Croke Park. The decision having nothing, of course, to do with the serious shillings that landed into GAA coffers.
Time to wake up and smell the 21st century.

It probably is more of a business decision than a tradition-based decision. If the GAA has a very tight grip on the sports consciousness in Connacht as I have read, then some with the GAA may feel it dangerous to "legitimize" Sligo Rovers by associating with them at all. If they feel that there are limited sports entertainment dollars to be earned, they may not want Sligo Rovers encroaching on their share of the market.

If that is the case, then Sligo Rovers handled this brilliantly. They come out looking like generous, community-oriented folks while the GAA look a bit petty.