2017 League/Cup format

**legendz** · 27/11/2016, 8:04 PM

The Scottish League Cup final was played today. First trophy of the season given out in the first half of the season.

Only asking the question - is it something to consider here? Some group games in February pre-season and final in May after a few knockout rounds..

**Neish** · 28/11/2016, 8:48 AM

Think there is a need for mid season break if only to give players (and fans) with children a few days to get away or even just have some time with them. Would disagree with the taking away of cup replay, for a 1st division or lower league club to get a replay with a big club, the gate receipts alone could keep them ticking over a few months

Agree with the rest of the ideas great to see and national under 15 league which will only help in the development of younger players, but there also needs to be a step at the other end of the ladder to bridge the gap between under 19's and senior level. A under 22 or 23 with a 2 or 3 of senior player allowed in the match day squad to offer younger players experience

**seand** · 28/11/2016, 9:18 AM

Originally Posted by legendz

The Scottish League Cup final was played today. First trophy of the season given out in the first half of the season.

Only asking the question - is it something to consider here? Some group games in February pre-season and final in May after a few knockout rounds..

Definitely. We should be down to the semi-finals before the start of the season

**Dodge** · 28/11/2016, 1:56 PM

fwiw, the league cup was traditionally played in the first half of the season here. The group stages were pre-season with the final usually played in November/December

No reason why it can't be played that way now with a final in May (maybe the old Setanta Cup final spot, or May bank holiday)

**pineapple stu** · 28/11/2016, 2:06 PM

I think a bigger issue is that the FAI Cup is so late. The third round is in September, which is what - two-thirds of the way through the league season?

A team in Europe and on any sort of FAI Cup run has very little space to catch up on matches, which seems to have been what hit Dundalk so badly this year in particular.

Obviously the daft divide between league and non-league football here is a problem, so you can't schedule matches for non-league pre-season, but even if they could fit one more round in before the summer, it'd be a help.

Get rid of the LSC/MSC (waste of time), and the League Cup early in the season as suggested would be good too. But I think the FAI Cup schedule is the biggest issue.

**Dodge** · 28/11/2016, 2:11 PM

The LSC/MSC is a complete red herring. Teams play reserve teams or don't bother at all. Event he finalists in the LSC only play 4 times. The MSC is pre-season. Removing won't help any fixture issues

**pineapple stu** · 28/11/2016, 2:35 PM

Sorry, yep - two separate points I guess.

Agree it's not an issue for fixture congestion if clubs are happy playing reserve teams, etc.

Still reckon it should just be scrapped.

**brendy_éire** · 28/11/2016, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by seand

Definitely. We should be down to the semi-finals before the start of the season

Though half the reason we start the season in March (or late February now) is because pitches are often waterlogged/frozen before then. I don't think starting early than that is a great idea.
Keep an eye on IL cancellations this February as a comparison.

**stann** · 29/11/2016, 7:16 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Still reckon it should just be scrapped.

Feck off with your "scrapped"!

Don't know what the general consensus in Leinster is, but we love the MSC down here. It's brilliant to have a competition that not everyone can be in, that's considerably older than the league itself, and just wildly different to everything else. Also doesn't hurt that it's been the only realistic shot at silverware for a club like ours over the last few years.
Also, as Dodge says, the first couple of rounds are usually part of pre-season or very early in the season, and if you get through them you've a final to look forward to in June - not too taxing for even the sides that don't play the reserves.

The League Cup is the one I wouldn't miss if it came to it, and probably there is a good case for playing bulk of those games early in the season, in the first few weeks, even if it meant the dreaded Mon/Tues slots.

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I think a bigger issue is that the FAI Cup is so late. The third round is in September, which is what - two-thirds of the way through the league season?

This also ^^

**Neish** · 29/11/2016, 8:26 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I think a bigger issue is that the FAI Cup is so late. The third round is in September, which is what - two-thirds of the way through the league season?

Yeah always thought it a bit odd that there is like 10 or more weeks between 2nd and 3rd rounds. Have 2nd round of FAI cup just after mid season break and play a round or two extra of the league cup and get it finished with before the break

**Mr A** · 29/11/2016, 8:53 AM

The FAI cup is arranged to accommodate the intermediates and juniors in their winter leagues. You could pull some rounds forward but the gap would remain.

**pineapple stu** · 29/11/2016, 9:53 AM

Originally Posted by stann

Feck off with your "scrapped"!

Don't know what the general consensus in Leinster is, but we love the MSC down here. It's brilliant to have a competition that not everyone can be in, that's considerably older than the league itself, and just wildly different to everything else. Also doesn't hurt that it's been the only realistic shot at silverware for a club like ours over the last few years.

Bit of a surprise!

The age of the competition doesn't really count for anything for me. Or the restricted entry - it's just like the early stages of the regionalised League Cup to be honest. The LSC was gone for almost ten years, and I don't know why it was brought back.

Anyways, opinions, yadda yadda yadda.

**cobhlad** · 29/11/2016, 10:30 AM

Fully agree with the Wateford view on the MSC down here. It's a great little competition that lets Senior League clubs play the League of Ireland four on a regular enough basis. Only the final isn't in pre-season so it has a very small effect on fixtures. Stephen Henderson has said constantly this year how winning it was a huge boost for Cobh, just to have something as a reward for their efforts.

**Martinho II** · 29/11/2016, 7:22 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Bit of a surprise!

The age of the competition doesn't really count for anything for me. Or the restricted entry - it's just like the early stages of the regionalised League Cup to be honest. The LSC was gone for almost ten years, and I don't know why it was brought back.

Anyways, opinions, yadda yadda yadda.

I personally would like the LSC to continue. Its allowed me to go to grounds that I would never have been- eg a few years back we played Shamrock Rovers(Enniscorthy) in an earlier round of it in Enniscorthy. It was my first time being properly in the place. I know the LSC is not what its used to be but continue it but maybe schedule it better.

**Longfordian** · 29/11/2016, 8:26 PM

That was the year we played Shamrock Rovers Enniscorthy, Shamrock Rovers B, and Shamrock Rovers all in the one season in competitive games. A nice little stat.

**sadloserkid** · 30/11/2016, 7:29 AM

Munster Senior Cup is only three games for senior clubs anyway. To support the Cobh and Waterford opinions above I'd like to keep it, especially when two-thirds of it is pre-season for us.

**Mr A** · 30/11/2016, 8:03 AM

I would love to see Harps play in the Northwest Cup. There were previous competitions like the Irish News Cup but currently it's only an Irish League competition.

And I'd fecking love if we could get in the County Antrim Shield. That would be class.