North-South Cup ..... green light!!!?

[Lux Interior]

A prominent Belfast-based sports reporter has just confirmed to me that a North-South Cup will take place this season involving 8 teams .....

Glens/Blues/Ports/tba from Irish League and - so far - Bohs from EL.

What's the word on the street, if any?

[A face]

None yet ... but we're all ears !!

Great stuff !!

[eoinh]

HMM, I wonder will City be involved?

[Lux Interior]

I don't see why not.

Speculation is rife about who our fourth club might be (Cliftonville - last season's League Cup winners? Coleriane - last season's fourth-placed and Irish Cup finalists? Or Lisburn Distillery - last season's third).

Speculation also about whether Derry City should receive a place, on account of their 'special status', although I don't think PSNI would be over the moon about policing in potentially massive away followings.

Speculating myself that Cork and St Pats will get the invite.

[Cosmo]

Invite??? Should it not be on merit - like top4 league places or top3 and the cup winners or something like that

[gspain]

City will have to be invited too. Probably based on top 4 in LoI - remember it will have to be a pre-season tournament for us so Irish League teams already determinded by league position.

[eoinh]

look at the prize money on offer!!!! :)

See here (http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/sport/story.jsp?story=546899)

[DolansWaistcoat]

300,000,thats the fcuking job.We'll have some of that,thanks very much. :cool:

[adamcarr]

300,000 and competitive games pre-season. Come on City.

[Lux Interior]

Invite??? Should it not be on merit - like top4 league places or top3 and the cup winners or something like that

Well, "merit", ideally, would be nice but if £200k is being pumped into this, I can't imagine the bankrollers being too tumnescent over the prospects of Ards versus Longford (no disrespect, like).

[dortie]

The only reason Derry would get an 'invite' would be to secure massive crowds at potential Derry v Glentoran/Linfield matches. Im involved in a supporters club myself not sure if we would risk a bus into east -belfast to be perfectly honest...Neutral venues would have to be considered.

[Slash/ED]

Superb news. I'm really looking forward to this. I would say Cork would be certinantys to be in the competition aswell, can't imagine them not getting an invite.

[Lux Interior]

The only reason Derry would get an 'invite' would be to secure massive crowds at potential Derry v Glentoran/Linfield matches. Im involved in a supporters club myself not sure if we would risk a bus into east -belfast to be perfectly honest...Neutral venues would have to be considered.

To be honest, I wouldn't be too happy "risking" a bus into the Brandywell without the required PSNI presence (your stewards may be well voiced in all aspects of stewarding but, lets be honest, we wouldn't be dealing with a couple of hundred daytrippers here).

The route into East Belfast is not as contentious as you might think. Motorway M2, M3, Sydenham By-Pass (park buses there) and a short walk, via now-empty houses to ground).

But, in my opinion, a Derry 'invite' should be dependant on a healthy league finish/cup placing and not some sentimental bullsh'ittery.

[Cosmo]

Agree sduffy - as i said before clubs should only be invited to take part in it on merit, be it league position. cup winners, etc

[eoinh]

All we need is a trendy less cumbersome name & sponsor......Aer Lingus,Guinness,Sinn Fein ;) .

Doubt if Sinn fein would be interested. They are "real" Irish Patriots. Thats why you see them going round in Celtic of glasgow tops all the time :rolleyes:

[iceman]

Have to agree with DavidDrog that it should in all fairness go on merit...ie top 4 in the Premier Division. No guarantee that Bohs will be in top four though. I would guess (going on present league form) that the top 4 , in alphabetical order , would be Bohs , Cork, Drogs and Shels. What 4 from the Irish league would you predict Lux ?

[Lux Interior]

Have to agree with DavidDrog that it should in all fairness go on merit...ie top 4 in the Premier Division. No guarantee that Bohs will be in top four though. I would guess (going on present league form) that the top 4 , in alphabetical order , would be Bohs , Cork, Drogs and Shels. What 4 from the Irish league would you predict Lux ?

Glens, Blues, Ports are already there and one from either Ballymena, Coleraine or Distillery.

I honestly DON'T believe the eventual participants will be decided on merit. Sponsors will dictate where the support is and where the major population centres will be.

I've spoke to a few Glenmen and all are really excited at the prospect of pitting our wits against the best the island can offer.

Cork away - no problem. The distance should deter any potential dickbats from travelling, leaving a good four figure hardcore away.

[Pablo]

Glens, Blues, Ports are already there and one from either Ballymena, Coleraine or Distillery.

I honestly DON'T believe the eventual participants will be decided on merit. Sponsors will dictate where the support is and where the major population centres will be.

I've spoke to a few Glenmen and all are really excited at the prospect of pitting our wits against the best the island can offer.

Cork away - no problem. The distance should deter any potential dickbats from travelling, leaving a good four figure hardcore away.

i'd imagine sponsorship will dictate.

you'd have to say on that score that it'll be Shels bohs, Rovers and City from the south-no question

the north? from my limited knowledge of the North i'd say Linfield, Glentoran, Portadown and Coleraine?

The south should be too strong i'd imagine

[Pablo]

all Jokes aside though, will there be security issues? I know down here we've been getting huge crowds lately and have aa large travelling support.

i dunno would i feel comfortable going to watch linfield away? I couldnt care less what a persons background is , like all Cork city fans(unless your a dirty dub ha ha)

its a genuine concearn. fear of the unknown i guess??? or have i it all wrong?

[Ruairi]

it's
expected the eight will be the top two from the four divisions.If thats
the case the eircom League quartet will be Shelbourne,Bohemians,Dublin City
and Finn Harps.

don't know how much truth is in that

[sullanefc]

I was a bit iffy about the comp at first. Thought it was another league cup in disguise. But havin seen the prize money :eek: go for it lads!! :D I suppose top 4 in the league would be the entrants unless you want to have the top 3 and the cup winners.

What time of the year would you play it though??? I'd prefer, start of our season/end of theirs like march/april. I'd hate for it to be a distraction from our league run in. And keep it well away from Euro comps. We don't want to be playing Linfield away after getting to the intertoto qf and then to play a league game two days later. :rolleyes:

[eoinh]

ild say it willl take place in October as its starting this season. It will keep the EL season going for a few weeks more which is good. The break this season was waaaay too long.

[sullanefc]

Well it should be played once our season is finished. We don't need extra fixtures at a time when we're marching for the title :cool:

[brendy_éire]

I honestly DON'T believe the eventual participants will be decided on merit. Sponsors will dictate where the support is and where the major population centres will be.

A lot would depend on who the sponsors actually are. If they are any exclusively northern sponsors, someone like Halifax bank for exampe, I'd guess they'd push to have ourselves included. From they're point of view they'd have an extra team and supporters to target, they won't ignore the 120,000 person market in Derry.
However if it's sponsors who operate on an AI basis, say eircom or East BT, can't see any reason to include ourselves, other than our unusual circumstances.

[GalwayFrancis]

any body know what the ireland cup will be called???any clue of the sponsors???and who is actually organising???

[Lux Interior]

A lot would depend on who the sponsors actually are. If they are any exclusively northern sponsors, someone like Halifax bank for exampe, I'd guess they'd push to have ourselves included. From they're point of view they'd have an extra team and supporters to target, they won't ignore the 120,000 person market in Derry.
However if it's sponsors who operate on an AI basis, say eircom or East BT, can't see any reason to include ourselves, other than our unusual circumstances.

AFAIK this is an FAI initiative, who lined up the (as yet, unnamed) sponsors before making their appraoch to the IFA.

[Lux Interior]

Any good nights out in Phibsboro? :eek:

[Lux Interior]

Doyles Corner,when it's Bohs.v.Rovers :rolleyes: .......though small beer compared to L*nfield v.Glens.... ;)

I've yet to see a pig's heads land by the corner flag ;)

[dortie]

To be honest, I wouldn't be too happy "risking" a bus into the Brandywell without the required PSNI presence (your stewards may be well voiced in all aspects of stewarding but, lets be honest, we wouldn't be dealing with a couple of hundred daytrippers here).

The route into East Belfast is not as contentious as you might think. Motorway M2, M3, Sydenham By-Pass (park buses there) and a short walk, via now-empty houses to ground).

But, in my opinion, a Derry 'invite' should be dependant on a healthy league finish/cup placing and not some sentimental bullsh'ittery.


You would have no trouble in the Brandywell provided some of your supporters left their paramilitary flags etc at home. See the difference with Derry City fans is we dont see the need to fly 'National flags' at soccer games, the only tricolours we have produced recently really have been in Cyprus for the european game.

I know the route into East Belfast, but facing reality for us to run buses into it we would need to go in disguise. Lets get real here, this competition is what most Irish soccer fans have wished for North and South but there is serious potential for trouble unless neutral venues are chosen. You know as well as i do it could lead to murder.

Great to see, but neutral venues throughout the country need investigated.

BTW: I agree that we should progress via merit, but I can tell you now it depends on the sponsors and what they are looking for......lets face it ..Derry City v Glentoran/Linfield in a competitive competion again would pull the biggest crowd, dont you agree. Think back to the 60s.

[eoinh]

Details of the competition will be unveiled tomorrow morning by the FAI. See here (http://breakingnews.iol.ie/sport/story.asp?j=112963530&p=yyz964z36&t=soccer)

[Lux Interior]

You would have no trouble in the Brandywell provided some of your supporters left their paramilitary flags etc at home. See the difference with Derry City fans is we dont see the need to fly 'National flags' at soccer games, the only tricolours we have produced recently really have been in Cyprus for the european game.

I know the route into East Belfast, but facing reality for us to run buses into it we would need to go in disguise. Lets get real here, this competition is what most Irish soccer fans have wished for North and South but there is serious potential for trouble unless neutral venues are chosen. You know as well as i do it could lead to murder.

Great to see, but neutral venues throughout the country need investigated.

BTW: I agree that we should progress via merit, but I can tell you now it depends on the sponsors and what they are looking for......lets face it ..Derry City v Glentoran/Linfield in a competitive competion again would pull the biggest crowd, dont you agree. Think back to the 60s.

Not suggesting there wouldn't be trouble but for your 'disguise' suggestion re: route to the Oval, ditto to the Brandywell and that is the only ground I would have any reservation in visiting.

The tri-colour flying doesn't bother me one jot, what would concern me is the lack of PSNI in the ground to avert any potential trouble from the less desirable elements in both supports.

No PSNI - No Glens - that is the reality.

Derry City at the Oval in the 60s was never a 'big' fixture and my da, who travelled to the Brandy, never thought that special either. However, things have moved on and this fixture now WOULD be big business - and Ive a sneaking suspicion that this is what the sponsors will be attracted to.

[Lux Interior]

Just heard that it's three clubs each. Irish League reps - Champs, Runners-Up, Cup Winners, ergo Linfield, Portadown and Glentoran.

[harry crumb]

are any of the teams in the irish league professional. Do they get better crowds than the southern teams?

[sullanefc]

Just heard that it's three clubs each. Irish League reps - Champs, Runners-Up, Cup Winners, ergo Linfield, Portadown and Glentoran.

3 teams each? sounds stupid to me. 4 teams each would be better surely.

[Lux Interior]

are any of the teams in the irish league professional. Do they get better crowds than the southern teams?

Nope, although there is a smattering of full-time professionals throughout the League.

Due to 'financial constraints', Glens have NO full-time professionals (we had two last season but one has gone and one has had his contract 'restructured'). Top wage at the club would be in the region of £450-500.

Crowds - hard to compare - but deffo down from the high of the early 90s. Probably for reasons like this, that the North-South has been initiated.

Glens have a good, solid fanbase but only come out in their entirity for Linfield and, lesser extent, Ports. Unfortunately we haven't undertaken any major surgery on the league structure - like the EL - to try and maximise these crowds.

[Macy]

Due to 'financial constraints', Glens have NO full-time professionals (we had two last season but one has gone and one has had his contract 'restructured'). Top wage at the club would be in the region of £450-500.
€680ish to €760ish. eL Clubs not the only ones being ripped off by the players. Is that nett or gross? My other pet hate about the eL wages....

I wonder how the eL are going to chose the entrants - last seasons positions and cup winners, or this seasons? Hopefully last season, using the same critea as the IL. ;)

[corkharps]

There was a simular competition in the 1970's(President's Cup?).Harps beat Linfield in the final on penos in the mid seventies,unfortunately there was a full scale riot afterwards.Have things moved on enough since?The thought of Union Jack clad away supporters arriving in busloads would still be a red rag to many!Maybe if the tickets were only distributed through official supporters clubs, the threat of violence would be limited?I would love to see it work and be expanded.How can the FAI get TV coverage and massive prizemoney for this ,yet they are unable to do ANYTHING to promote the EL? :confused:

BTW I think Derry should be the first name on the list,because they're great! :rolleyes:

[eoinh]

Its going to be known as the Setanta Cup. 8 teams involved, knock out

[namloc]

Its going to be known as the Setanta Cup. 8 teams involved, knock out

6 teams involved (3 from eL and 3 from IL), split into 2 groups of three teams. teams play each other home and away in the groups and group winners play each other in the final.

[dortie]

No PSNI - No Glens - that is the reality.




Looks like its on merit now anyway so theres no worries on our behalf.

As for No PSNI - No Glens -
You may consider our last meeting in the Irish league as the last time you will play Derry in the Brandywell then. Thats never going to happen.

[dortie]

BTW I think Derry should be the first name on the list,because they're great! :rolleyes:


Alot greater than the lowly Harps anyway. Maybe if Harps got into this cup they would manage more than 600 miserable souls in Ballybofey. Dont think the sight of union jacks would bother a large portion of your support anyway.

[thecorner]

live on setanta sports

correct me if im wrong but isnt that station pay-per-view

cant see many bar-stoolers paying for that

[Schumi]

setanta sports ... isn't that station pay-per-viewIt's part of the standard package on NTL in Dublin anyway, don't know about the rest of the country.

[tiktok]

correct me if im wrong but isnt that station pay-per-view

It's free-to-air with the NTL package from August (when they'll broadcast on weekends, it'll switch to more extensive coverage from January). They're currently in negotiations with Sky and Chorus.

From what I hear, it could well be free to air on Chorus too, but it'll be a subscription channel (as opposed to pay per view, i.e. a monthly rate) on Sky.

[dortie]

Its part of the 'sports pay per view' on sky.

I see another Setana 2 or something which is a pay per view channel though like premiership plus

[tiktok]

Its part of the 'sports pay per view' on sky.

I see another Setana 2 or something which is a pay per view channel though like premiership plus

This is a brand new channel, not the current Setanta 1 channel that's pay per view on sky.
I think it's going to be a separate monthly subscription €9.99 or something like that.

[paudie]

How long does the tournament last for???
Starts in April and ends when???

If its over within a 2 month period then subsrcibe for 2 months and then cut it off is what I'll do...

I'd say they'll try to run if off in a month. Its only 13 or 14 games (depending on 1 or 2 leg final) so they should try to run it off quickly to keep interest up.

[parnell ranger]

There was a simular competition in the 1970's(President's Cup?).Harps beat Linfield in the final on penos in the mid seventies,unfortunately there was a full scale riot afterwards.Have things moved on enough since?The thought of Union Jack clad away supporters arriving in busloads would still be a red rag to many!Maybe if the tickets were only distributed through official supporters clubs, the threat of violence would be limited?I would love to see it work and be expanded.How can the FAI get TV coverage and massive prizemoney for this ,yet they are unable to do ANYTHING to promote the EL? :confused:

BTW I think Derry should be the first name on the list,because they're great! :rolleyes:

it was called the Tyler cup and was a disaster trouble wise.
Athlone reached the final twice,winning in 79/80 and hosting Linfield in St Mels,had the usual tri colour burning etc but i feel the climate is right now for such a competition.
since its invitational i think both derry and longford should be in it with shels and cork.

[corkharps]

it was called the Tyler cup and was a disaster trouble wise.
Athlone reached the final twice hosting Linfield in St Mels,had the usual tri colour burning etc but i feel the climate is right now for such a competition.
since its invitational i think both derry and longford should be in it with shels and cork.
Derry,Longford and Cork.Why? :confused:

[patsh]

At one point it was also called the Blanxnit Cup. They use to make football socks