The Big Match - Wales v Northern Ireland

**bluemovie** · 26/05/2011, 3:03 PM

Is everybody as excited as I am about the big match tomorrow? Wales and Northern Ireland is such a big occasion so it's great that all League of Ireland fans have been happy to switch our games to Thursday. So what if our attendances suffer, it'll be worth it when this magnificent event happens in Lansdowne tomorrow with interest on a similar scale to the visits of Her Majesty and Barack O'Bama.

The Blues have a home match so it doesn't put me out personally too much although my nephew mightn't be able to go as it's a schoolnight, but I'm sure there are lots of happy awayday travellers around the country today. We have Monaghan coming to the RSC, Athlone are in Ballybofey, Wexford in Longford, Drogheda travelling to Galway, Mervue to Cork and Derry to Dundalk. Obviously, Sligo fans will get their usual flight to Dublin for the St Pat's match. But it will all be worth it as all of our eyes will be glued to the match on Sky tomorrow night - those of us unfortunate not to secure a ticket for Lansdowne. Having watched Northern Ireland play on Tuesday, I'm sure we're guaranteed a feast of football on Friday once these pesky League of Ireland games are out of the way.

**Dunny** · 26/05/2011, 4:31 PM

Your on fire today bluemovie!

**The Lep** · 26/05/2011, 9:06 PM

I was there last night and looking forward to tomorrow's game. Would have gone to Galway tonight if Fingal was still in.

Did the change make much of a diffrence ?

**nigel-harps1954** · 26/05/2011, 10:41 PM

Made a fair difference in Finn Park anyway. In around 350 at the game tonight where we've been getting a steady 500-odd this season

**Pablo Escobar** · 26/05/2011, 10:43 PM

We've had over 2,000 at every game this year. 1,200 tonight.

**The Lep** · 27/05/2011, 1:29 AM

Would the games on Monday have something to do with moving the games back 24hrs rather than because of the Wales game ?

**mypost** · 27/05/2011, 2:09 AM

Originally Posted by bluemovie

Is everybody as excited as I am about the big match tomorrow? Wales and Northern Ireland is such a big occasion so it's great that all League of Ireland fans have been happy to switch our games to Thursday.

The Blues have a home match so it doesn't put me out personally too much although my nephew mightn't be able to go as it's a schoolnight, but I'm sure there are lots of happy awayday travellers around the country today.

I'm sure the Wales and Norn Iron fans are delighted to sample what we LOI-fans call "Friday Night Football" tomorrow night. Just have to find a halfday from the University of Cardiff and from work in Llannngfderytugt, or alternatively nip out of work from Lisburn at 6.30 in order to make ko.

The crowd will be as expected, given the strenous efforts, fans of both sides are prepared to make, in order to watch the game from the Stand rather than from the Skybox. After 2 hours of watching insipid drivel, they'll ask the more dis-interested LOI-crowd, "Just how do you manage to travel such distances to see these games on a weeknight every week?" And they'll simply say "Well em, we don't. But now you know what the rest of us have to put up with."

**harps1954** · 27/05/2011, 8:44 AM

Originally Posted by The Lep

Would the games on Monday have something to do with moving the games back 24hrs rather than because of the Wales game ?

No. Teams are well used to playing on Friday's and then the following Monday.

**Rasputin** · 27/05/2011, 8:57 AM

Originally Posted by bluemovie

Sligo fans will get their usual flight to Dublin for the St Pat's match.

We have actually since invested in Mypost's rocketship program.

**marinobohs** · 27/05/2011, 9:42 AM

Originally Posted by mypost

I'm sure the Wales and Norn Iron fans are delighted to sample what we LOI-fans call "Friday Night Football" tomorrow night. Just have to find a halfday from the University of Cardiff and from work in Llannngfderytugt, or alternatively nip out of work from Lisburn at 6.30 in order to make ko.

The crowd will be as expected, given the strenous efforts, fans of both sides are prepared to make, in order to watch the game from the Stand rather than from the Skybox. After 2 hours of watching insipid drivel, they'll ask the more dis-interested LOI-crowd, "Just how do you manage to travel such distances to see these games on a weeknight every week?" And they'll simply say "Well em, we don't. But now you know what the rest of us have to put up with."

Travel no excuse for welsh/ norn iron fans - if you get a flight from Cardiff airport you are in Dublin airport in 20 mins and allowing 15 mins for....................

**GCdfc** · 27/05/2011, 9:54 AM

I'm just disappointed that none of the news services are running live trackers of the build up on their websites. I want to know everything about where the teams visit, what pub they will drink/look at a pint of Guinness in and how many babies they hold.

**Real ale Madrid** · 27/05/2011, 11:25 AM

When I saw the thread title I thought ITV were making a Sunday afternoon football comeback.

**The Lep** · 28/05/2011, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by marinobohs

Travel no excuse for welsh/ norn iron fans - if you get a flight from Cardiff airport you are in Dublin airport in 20 mins and allowing 15 mins for....................

Cardiff airport is not an option for fans from North Wales. Its anything up to a 2 hr drive to Holyhead and then 2 to 3 and a half hrs by boat depending which one you get and the weather. After saying that, attendances at the Wales's home games havent been great lately.

**TheBoss** · 28/05/2011, 12:57 AM

In case anyone was wondering, the attendance at tonights game was, wait for it........529

**BonnieShels** · 28/05/2011, 1:12 AM

Originally Posted by TheBoss

In case anyone was wondering, the attendance at tonights game was, wait for it........529

I heard a thousand but that is spectacular. Fair dues to all involved.

**bullit** · 28/05/2011, 1:21 AM

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

I heard a thousand but that is spectacular. Fair dues to all involved.

Craptacular if you ask me. (and Homer or was it Bart?)

**Cymro** · 28/05/2011, 1:31 AM

It was Bart, and yes, craptacular would be about right.

**BonnieShels** · 28/05/2011, 1:53 AM

Does spectacular have to be positive or does another adjective have to be added in order to grammatically use it in the negative...

Either way, the game and the crowd were gash.

**osarusan** · 28/05/2011, 3:37 AM

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

Does spectacular have to be positive or does another adjective have to be added in order to grammatically use it in the negative...

Used as an adjective, it all depends on the noun being modified - "a spectacular success" versus "a spectacular failure".

As an adverb, it all depends on the adjective being modified - "spectacularly good" versus "spectacularly bad".

Talking about the crowd, the game, and maybe even the tournament in general, I'd say the usage would be overwhelmingly negative.

**Fester** · 28/05/2011, 1:00 PM

And the official attendance at the Wales v N. Ireland game in the Aviva is 529 spectators. BBC sport described it as something akin to being played behind closed doors.