Irish amateur sports final the equal of any pro championship

Posted on Monday, September 06, 2010 at 09:00 AM

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Yesterday's hurling final represented the third Sunday in a row that the GAA provided edge-of-your-seat sports excitement. In yesterday's game, underdog Tipperary beat Kilkenny to end the latter's bid for five straight championships.

You don't have to be an expert on hurling to have appreciated yesterday's contest. It was a replay of last year's final in which Kilkenny came from behind to go past Tipperary to win their fourth straight title. Yesterday for much of the game it looked like it might be more of the same as Tipperary led most of the game, but they just couldn't put Kilkenny away.

Then the magic moment arrived. Last year as the game entered the final few moments Kilkenny uppped the pressure and Tipperary buckled, lost their discipline and Kilkenny went past them for victory. Yesterday, when the critical moment arrived Tipperary held firm, found an extra step and buried Kilkenny with a late flurry of scores to make the final totals look lop-sided. The champions had been dethroned.

What's amazes me is that because Tipperary had won the game with a couple of minutes to play it was actually a let down in terms of late excitement compared with the two football semi-finals played the previous two Sundays. Both of those games were in doubt until the last minute and, in fact, the Down vs Kildare game was only settled when a last second shot at goal hit the crossbar.

Thrilling, heart-stopping stuff in front of 80,000 fans and hundreds of thousands watching on TV. You can't beat it, but the fact that the GAA is an amateur organization and all the players have to earn a living outside of sports only enhances the enjoyment. Of course professional sports are exciting, but they don't provide more excitement than what this great amateur body offers.

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Buffalobrave | Sep 08, 2010, 05:50 PM EDT

That's the problem with Pro sports today. Players get paid ridiculous sums of money and there is no incentive. And they are paid before they prove themselves. It's a scam!

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GeorgeDillon | Sep 07, 2010, 01:22 AM EDT

There is no doubt about it. The GAA is one of the few things of which the Irish can be proud. In fact, they ought to let the GAA run the country--these guys are winners.

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Ajreaper | Sep 06, 2010, 10:30 PM EDT

One of my fondest memories of my trip to Dublin was attending the Sr club hurling finals at Croke park on St Pats day. I have attended every pro sport played here in the U.S. and many a college game but that afternoon at Croke park watching students, fireman, policeman, teachers, accountants and the like battling it out while their fans cheered them on was impressive- playing for the pride of your club, your town or county speaks to what sports should be about.

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Niall O'Dowd | Sep 06, 2010, 02:22 PM EDT

coudn't agree more, the fact that they are amateur is an extraordinary tribute to them and the GAA

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TheYank | Sep 06, 2010, 12:53 PM EDT

Liam,

I'm not naive and I know there's a lot of pressure to reimburse players. From what I understand the commitment they have to make today is far greater than it was a generation ago.

However, I think the GAA will be greatly diminished if they go the professionalism route. I think the "open doors" are fine, but from what I've seen quite a bit of money goes back into the sports, no? I mean, any GAA club I've ever been to or seen is better appointed than the rival near-by soccer club.

It's not a million miles from the arguments that rage around college football, only there seems to be less skulduggery in the GAA.

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Liamkeyes | Sep 06, 2010, 12:09 PM EDT

Yes Gaelic Games are Amateur. However, in effect and strictly speaking, it opens a lot of doors for the participants. Many of the Players get good job offers because of their sporting status. While we're on the subject, The time is almost here when Players will be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses and other items. Over 81,000 people were at the All Ireland Hurling Final and the same amount if not more will be at the Football Final, do the math, that ends up at around 164,000 ball park figure(No pun intended). It begs the question, where does all the money go? The question has never being fully addressed by the powers that be at Croke Park. Management and Players are too well educated to-day for the wool to be pulled over their eyes.

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