Replying To BarneyGrant: "It was down to stewarding. Not proper stewards from clubs but paid security who were clearly not up to task.
I was in Limerick for big games and yerrace stewards were excellent. Even nipped some potential flash points with drunken but otherwise harmless young fellas in bud with help of good Gardaí.
There is persistent pattern of gangs occuppying upper right part of Hill and throwing bottles and debris onto people below them. Could easily be solved."
Based on what you say here and what Francie81 says above, seems to me the biggest issue on the Hill is supporter behaviour.
Wonder should the GAA consider moving towards the "safe standing" model you find in English Premier League grounds? i.e. fold-down seats with a barrier in front that you can stand against, and allocated spaces for everybody.
Would solve the problem of people gravitating towards one area of the Hill when they've been directed by stewards to another. Would also make it easier to identify the culprits behind the disgraceful behaviour of throwing bottles and other items.
Replying To Cockney_Cat: ""There is persistent pattern of gangs occuppying upper right part of Hill and throwing bottles and debris onto people below them. Could easily be solved." If it's a persistent pattern, why hasn't it already been solved?"
Its a persistent pattern because it hasn't been solved. They have separate lines for bag checks with Garda presence so no excuse really for missing flares, cans, bottles etc.
Although you can't stop people bringing or buying bottled water which has been weapon of choice where ive seen people hit.
Likewise, drunks should be refused admission same as any other public venue.
Replying To Fionn: "That is a regular occurrence now Barney from non Dublin fans. Bottles and flares raining down on us from top centre right area.
As for the so called over crowding…. A lot of it is down to stewarding. Far too many teenage stewards and a lot of them girls, who are suddenly confronted by a rush of hundreds of fans coming in. I feel for them tbh. Trying to check if beer is being brought in, trying to direct them to areas where there is space, when the fans want to meet up with their pals on different areas of the Hill. There is also a part of the Hill close to the Cusack which fans are rarely allowed into.
There is another reason why fans don't want to be directed down to the lower terracing and no one has referenced it yet….. that damn plastic 20 foot barrier. You can't see the game properly from behind it. Glare in the sunshine, reflection, flowing water on it during rainy days, and generally a blurred view from the dirt on it. It is a nightmare trying to watch a game from behind it. You can't blame fans for wanting to move higher up the terracing to avoid being behind it."
Surely it is time to remove those plastic abominations at this stage…. Restricted View - no wonder no one wants to stand on the first few rows of the Hill…!