Irish League Run-in.

[holidaysong]

Only two games to go in the IFA Premiership.. Both teams drew at the weekend - Glentoran at home to Lisburn Distillery and Linfield at home to Cliftonville. An exciting title run-in that should go down to the last day.



POS P W D L F A PTS GD
1 Glentoran 36 22 9 5 58 34 75 +24
2 Linfield 36 22 8 6 62 28 74 +34


Remaining Fixtures:

Saturday, 25th April
Coleraine v. Glentoran
Linfield v. Lisburn Distillery

Saturday, 2nd May
Crusaders v. Linfield
Glentoran v. Cliftonville

Meanwhile, Bangor didn't apply for a licence for next season so they're going down and Portadown are top of the Championship and look set to win promotion back to the Premiership at the first time of asking.
Dungannon Swifts and Donegal Celtic will probably be the two clubs in the promotion-relegation playoff. Swifts will be hoping however that Loughgall can finish as runners-up to Portadown - Loughgall haven't applied for a domestic licence and therefore there wouldn't be a playoff if they come second in the Championship.

[gspain]

Only two games to go in the IFA Premiership.. Both teams drew at the weekend - Glentoran at home to Lisburn Distillery and Linfield at home to Cliftonville. An exciting title run-in that should go down to the last day.



POS P W D L F A PTS GD
1 Glentoran 36 22 9 5 58 34 75 +24
2 Linfield 36 22 8 6 62 28 74 +34


Remaining Fixtures:

Saturday, 25th April
Coleraine v. Glentoran
Linfield v. Lisburn Distillery

Saturday, 2nd May
Crusaders v. Linfield
Glentoran v. Cliftonville

Meanwhile, Bangor didn't apply for a licence for next season so they're going down and Portadown are top of the Championship and look set to win promotion back to the Premiership at the first time of asking.
Dungannon Swifts and Donegal Celtic will probably be the two clubs in the promotion-relegation playoff. Swifts will be hoping however that Loughgall can finish as runners-up to Portadown - Loughgall haven't applied for a domestic licence and therefore there wouldn't be a playoff if they come second in the Championship.

Great finish in the Championship too. DC 4 points behinf Portadown with a game in hand. Last game of the season sees the Ports visit Suffolk road.

It would be great to see both DC and Portadown back in the top division.

[holidaysong]

It would be great to see both DC and Portadown back in the top division.

It would alright but at the same time it'd be a pity to see Dungannon Swifts drop down to intermediate football.

[Gather round]

Crusaders should secure third and a Europa place, five points ahead of Distillery with two left. I'd prefer to qualify by winning the cup.

So, Champs' League: Glentoran or Linfield?

Europa League: L or G, Crusaders, Cliftonville or Distillery?

[holidaysong]

I'd prefer to qualify by winning the cup.


Obviously. Along with the glory of winning the cup, the cup winners have the extra advantage of entering the Europa League one round after the league qualifiers.

[Gather round]

Obviously. Along with the glory of winning the cup, the cup winners have the extra advantage of entering the Europa League one round after the league qualifiers

The glory's fine for me. Entering the EC at a later stage might simply mean a heavier beating :)

[holidaysong]

The glory's fine for me. Entering the EC at a later stage might simply mean a heavier beating :)

Yes, but you automatically pick up the co-efficient points from the first round without having to play the tie.

[gufc2000]

Only two games to go in the IFA Premiership.. Both teams drew at the weekend - Glentoran at home to Lisburn Distillery and Linfield at home to Cliftonville. An exciting title run-in that should go down to the last day.



POS P W D L F A PTS GD
1 Glentoran 36 22 9 5 58 34 75 +24
2 Linfield 36 22 8 6 62 28 74 +34


Remaining Fixtures:

Saturday, 25th April
Coleraine v. Glentoran
Linfield v. Lisburn Distillery

Saturday, 2nd May
Crusaders v. Linfield
Glentoran v. Cliftonville

Meanwhile, Bangor didn't apply for a licence for next season so they're going down and Portadown are top of the Championship and look set to win promotion back to the Premiership at the first time of asking.
Dungannon Swifts and Donegal Celtic will probably be the two clubs in the promotion-relegation playoff. Swifts will be hoping however that Loughgall can finish as runners-up to Portadown - Loughgall haven't applied for a domestic licence and therefore there wouldn't be a playoff if they come second in the Championship.
Bit daft that Loughgall would go hell for leather in the League without any incentive.
Ballinamallard and Coagh really fell away after good starts.
How many teams are relegated from the Championship to the Interim League?

[holidaysong]

How many teams are relegated from the Championship to the Interim League?

The teams from the Interim League who make the cut regarding their facilities will be put in with the clubs who are currently in the Championship and then probably split into two divisions (it depends on how many teams there are in total). Those Interim League clubs who don't make the cut regarding their facilities have to go off and find some other regional league to play in.

[EalingGreen]

Bit daft that Loughgall would go hell for leather in the League without any incentive.

I see what you mean, but it may be that Loughall see the Championship as their (optimum) level, and so are content to aim for winning that.
As a village team (effectively), they may not see the point of spending scarce money on a Premier League Licence, to accommodate extra fans they don't have, to play at a level which they cannot sustain. (Or not yet, at any rate - perhaps they have plans for the future?)
It's a bit like those Junior Teams who could probably get by in Senior football, but choose not to.
Anyhow, as a Galway United fan, I'd have thought you'd appreciate teams deciding to live within their means? ;)

[holidaysong]

I'd prefer to qualify by winning the cup.


That just became a lot more achievable given tonight's result!

[gufc2000]

I see what you mean, but it may be that Loughall see the Championship as their (optimum) level, and so are content to aim for winning that.
As a village team (effectively), they may not see the point of spending scarce money on a Premier League Licence, to accommodate extra fans they don't have, to play at a level which they cannot sustain. (Or not yet, at any rate - perhaps they have plans for the future?)
It's a bit like those Junior Teams who could probably get by in Senior football, but choose not to.
Anyhow, as a Galway United fan, I'd have thought you'd appreciate teams deciding to live within their means? ;)
Ah well point taken, I'd just have thought it may have been worth because they may get higher gates, a few more locals might decide to go to games more often and there would be a larger number of away supporters travelling.

Anybody know what kind a crowds teams get in the Championship?

[gspain]

Ah well point taken, I'd just have thought it may have been worth because they may get higher gates, a few more locals might decide to go to games more often and there would be a larger number of away supporters travelling.

Anybody know what kind a crowds teams get in the Championship?

I was at Coagh v Limavady in September attendance was approx 120. Coagh is quite small though. Banbridge v Ards a few weeks back saw even less maybe 100 and mostly from Ards. I had to ask 4 locals to find Crystal Park and they didn't even know where it was. Banbridge is a decent sized town so I would have expected a bigger crowd.

[EalingGreen]

Banbridge is a decent sized town so I would have expected a bigger crowd.
My information may be out of date, but I never used to think of Banbridge as a traditionally "footballing town", in the same way as e.g. Newry, Derry or Sligo.
It has long had a successful Hockey club, plus quite a prominent (though not esp successful) rugby club.
Indeed, if you Google "Banbridge", of the 10 prompts which are suggested, by far the two most requested are "banbridge rfc" (172k results) and "banbridge council" (131k results). I think this may be to do with the main school in the town(?), Banbridge Academy. Anyhow, "banbridge fc" doesn't even feature, if that's any guide!
More generally, this feature of sport in Ireland, whereby certain towns have a particular sporting tradition (whether it be football, GAA or rugby, cricket or hockey etc), is something which is often (detrimentally) overlooked when people talk about re-organising or expanding Leagues, or introducing sporting "franchises".

[Gather round]

My information may be out of date, but I never used to think of Banbridge as a traditionally "footballing town", in the same way as e.g. Newry, Derry or Sligo

Occasionally I drop into Carrick(fergus) Rangers when visiting family. It's a rather bigger town than Banbridge, but still only attracts about 100 people to games. It's also full of Linfield, Rangers and ManU fans, including the owners of a prominent Old Trafford banner, and that pair of lunatics who changed their names to David and Victoria Beckham (the groups may be the same people, of course) :confused:

[EalingGreen]

Occasionally I drop into Carrick(fergus) Rangers when visiting family. It's a rather bigger town than Banbridge, but still only attracts about 100 people to games. It's also full of Linfield, Rangers and ManU fans
Good point. For aside from the teams across the water, Linfield "suck in" a fair degree of support from provincial towns across NI.
It must be the "glamour" which attracts them...:rolleyes:

[Gather round]

Good point. For aside from the teams across the water, Linfield "suck in" a fair degree of support from provincial towns across NI.
It must be the "glamour" which attracts them...:rolleyes:

I know. Expect you share my distress that the Plues can 'only' win at most one more pot this term...:eek:

[gspain]

Maybe Banbridge folk just watch the premiership or support Linfield/Glentoran then. I was disappointed as the attitude of one person was "what do you want to go and watch them for" and another didn't even know they had a football team.

They have a great location a short walk from the centre of the town, a nice bar and seemed to have dent people running the club. shame they get no support.

[JerseyRed]

That just became a lot more achievable given tonight's result!

On what basis? The blues have been pretty average for quite a while now. We were shocking at the start of the season but certainly have a good bit of momentum going. Don't underestimate the crowd either. By the looks of things there's going to be a hell of a lot of people going to be cheering on the Reds. They certainly were the twelfth man in the replay for the last 15 minutes.

[Gather round]

On what basis? The blues have been pretty average for quite a while now. We were shocking at the start of the season but certainly have a good bit of momentum going. Don't underestimate the crowd either. By the looks of things there's going to be a hell of a lot of people going to be cheering on the Reds. They certainly were the twelfth man in the replay for the last 15 minutes

The basis that Linfield are 13 points ahead of Crusaders and 25 beyond Cliftonville?

[Steve Bruce]

Cliftonville are not a great side and Linfield has played poorly against them with our defence and goalkeeper gifting them passage into the final.

The Crues are a better side, I have seen both teams numerous times against Linfield and the Crues have been a lot more impressive and the league table backs that up.

[SolitudeRed]

Cliftonville are not a great side and Linfield has played poorly against them with our defence and goalkeeper gifting them passage into the final.

The Crues are a better side, I have seen both teams numerous times against Linfield and the Crues have been a lot more impressive and the league table backs that up.

Well I wouldn't say that the only reason we won was because Linfield gifted us the victory to be fair we deserved to win the game. Granted we have underperfromed at times this season but I think we have a better team than you are prepared to give us credit for, what about Chris Scannell has been brilliant for us this season.

As for the league table and all this about teams being better on paper well your lot are a better team with your full timers etc but we still managed to beat you in the CAS final and then in the cup semi the other day so league form can go out the window when it comes to Cup games. Anyway as JerseyRed said we had a fairly bad patch during the first half of the season and maybe we would be a bit higher than 5th in the league if it hadn't have been for that.

[Gather round]

As for the league table and all this about teams being better on paper

Er...the league table's about which team's better on the pitch. After 36 games of 38.


league form can go out the window when it comes to Cup games

Fair enough. Crusaders have a bit more quality, Cliftonville may well play better on the day.


Anyway as JerseyRed said we had a fairly bad patch during the first half of the season and maybe we would be a bit higher than 5th in the league if it hadn't have been for that

Indeed. And maybe if yer granny had a wab...:)

[SolitudeRed]

Er...the league table's about which team's better on the pitch. After 36 games of 38.

I know I'm not disputing that but it does not always tell the whole story is all I'm saying, for instance we finished 3rd last year but in the last few games we were s**te and were playing more like a team which was battling relegation! Anyways I was refering to how a team like Linfield with all its superior resources should be walking away with the league etc but this has not been the case football isn't quite so predictable thankfully!



Fair enough. Crusaders have a bit more quality, Cliftonville may well play better on the day.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see ;)




Indeed. And maybe if yer granny had a wab...:)

She'd be a transexual? but still I'd rather have that over a web footed Shore Road inbred Granny :p

[thischarmingman]

Firm suspends Irish League bets (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8016159.stm)


Betting on all Irish League games, besides those involving Linfield and Glentoran, has been suspended by one of the UK's leading bookmakers.

[holidaysong]

Glentoran and Linfield are both winning at the moment so it looks like the title will go down to the last day.

[thischarmingman]

Glentoran are just one win away from the JJB Sports Premiership title after a crucial win away to Coleraine.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/irish/8018364.stm

[Graemerz]

David Jeffrey and his over inflated ego lost the Blues the league. I'd like to think we'll be back next year, but with that tosser at the helm, I have my doubts.

[WeeRed]

Cliftonville are not a great side and Linfield has played poorly against them with our defence and goalkeeper gifting them passage into the final.

The Crues are a better side, I have seen both teams numerous times against Linfield and the Crues have been a lot more impressive and the league table backs that up.

I don't know how you can say that, given Crusaders haven't beaten Linfield all season, while the Reds have beaten them in the ICSF and the CASF, as well as almost beating them last week in the league. In our North Belfast league derbies, we have drawn twice and lost twice and all the games have been extremely close. The Reds season started off poorly due to mainly off field events, such as having to up sticks and play at DC. To finish the way we are now is quite an achievement.

[Steve Bruce]

I don't know how you can say that, given Crusaders haven't beaten Linfield all season, while the Reds have beaten them in the ICSF and the CASF, as well as almost beating them last week in the league. In our North Belfast league derbies, we have drawn twice and lost twice and all the games have been extremely close. The Reds season started off poorly due to mainly off field events, such as having to up sticks and play at DC. To finish the way we are now is quite an achievement.

We beat Crusaders but they played us off the park each and every time.

You lot are nothing at all to write home about and the Blues where very poor against you.

[holidaysong]

Just a reminder that it's D-Day in the Irish League. Commentary as always is available on BBC Radio Ulster.

[Mr A]

Glentoran 2-0 up, they look to have it in the bag. TV coverage on BBC from 1630.

[holidaysong]

Looks like it could be over already, things are more exciting in the Championship though.

[holidaysong]

Portadown (rightfully) promoted back to the Premiership. Donegal Celtic will face Dungannon Swifts in a P-R playoff.

[Réiteoir]

Glentoran are Champions of the Irish Premier League

[AnnaghRed]

Portadown (rightfully) promoted back to the Premiership. Donegal Celtic will face Dungannon Swifts in a P-R playoff.


Total joke of a season, should have accepted the trophy today then dropped it into the nearest bin!

[Graemerz]

Total joke of a season, should have accepted the trophy today then dropped it into the nearest bin!

Not a nice trophy? :D

[holidaysong]

Crusaders won the Irish Cup today beating Cliftonville 1-0 so well done to them. Lisburn Distillery now qualify for the Europa Leage as a result.