Leitrim GAA is at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
5 hours ago
Full Time Score
Leitrim 2-12
Longford 0-17
Special Thanks To All The Supporters Who Travelled To Get Behind The Lads And Management Today In The Glorious Sunshine In Glennon Brothers Pearse Park In Longford 💚💛
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NO GO
For a sports nut like me, this is the time of year when the multiple choices you have are a pure joy, the GAA, the soccer, the rugby, the hurling, not to mention the golf or cricket (the cricket season starts on the 5th April and finishes on the 29th September, just like the old All Ireland GAA Championships). I know all my readers are mad about the cricket.
Last weekend I attended the Tailteann Cup game between Leitrim and Waterford in Ballinamore. You can't beat been there. For ten months of the year I go to matches wherever they are and when I return home I explain to my wife where I have been. The only question she will ask is 'who won'. A few years ago while on holiday in France I suggested I could fly home on Saturday night, go to the match on Sunday and fly back Monday morning. Ever since that suggestion my wife 'minds' my passport while we are on holidays.
The other two months of the year, May and June is family time and in particular holiday time. July August is too hot so May June it is. I have no say. This worked reasonably ok before the split season and matches were spread out a bit more. Now it is a disaster. As we came to France on Saturday I am going to miss the biggest local derby of the weekend, Leitrim v Longford in the Tailteann Cup. When I mention this huge game to my wife, she shrugs her shoulders and says 'can't you watch it on the GO Channel or listen to it on Ocean FM or Shannonside '. A practical suggestion one would think, except the match isn't on GAAGO. As a GAA fanatic, why isn't this match on GAAGO. Leitrim has the same right to be on GAAGO as any other county. Some counties don't want to be on GAAGO but every GAA Supporter should have the option of watching their county playing on GAAGO especially now the holiday season is upon us.
I feel like staging a one man demonstration here in France and carrying a placard' PUT ALL GAMES ON GAAGO' or 'Mettez tous les jeux sur GAAGO'. I am not sure if the locals will join me. Maybe it is safer not to do so.
At this time of year one of the big events in the South of France is the Cannes Film Festival, ten minutes by train from Antibes. You should go to Cannes, if you can. The Festival De Cannes is reserved for film industry professionals. You must have accreditation to attend and gain access to the festival area. That does not stop 'ordinary people' from hanging around the main theatre and having a gawk. The place is buzzing, the ladies dress to impress and the men do what they are told. You have to look important to get noticed. As a man living in a ladies house I know they love the style and the razzmatazz and of course people watching. For me I would rather be watching Leitrim v Longford in the Tailteann Cup. The match on GAAGO would be cheaper than buying a pint here in Cannes. I can't do a match report if I can't see the match
Over the last twenty years Leitrim GAA have gone to Croke Park for funding for the new Stand in Avant Money Pairc Sean MacDiarmada, for funding for the Centre Of Excellence in Annaduff, and currently a new surface is been laid in Pairc Sean, all funded mainly from GAA Central funds. Based on my experience attending these meetings, the GAA give out money only when it is shown that the money will be spent wisely. You go to these meetings prepared otherwise you will be told to come back when you have all the facts and figures. The more money the GAA takes in, the more money they can give out (83%) to counties, and clubs. Counties and clubs are depending on the GAA to fund these projects. Our GAA facilities for supporters and players are the envy of every sporting organisation. The reality is all these facilities cost money. You can pay to watch a match if you want to see it , if you don't want to watch it, it doesn't cost you anything. It's like any other product.
PT Barnum said, 'money is a terrible master but an excellent servant'. The GAA over the years have been blessed with people who had the financial intelligence to invest in assets for the benefit of everybody, the GAA, the supporters and the players and the results are there for everybody to see. We are all the beneficiaries. It is a most unusual family dispute, that beneficiaries in the GAA family are asking the benefactors not for more money but no money at all by requesting that games are not shown on GAAGO.
The sooner all our games are on GAAGO the better. You can make up your own mind if you want to pay for it.
Eamonn Duignan
PS - In case you don't know Leitrm beat Longford 2-12 to 0-17. I didn't see it or listen to it and to celebrate I will take a walk on the red carpet. C'est La Vie.
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