limerick could play at thomond park.

[thomas72]

So no seated area with cover available to away fans?

Not the terraces behind the goal it will be the ones covered by the stand

[Jofspring]

You can go in behind the terrace were there is a bb's and bars. Not sure if they will be open though. The terrace is pretty well covered on the east and west side unless there is a strong wind blowing the rain in.

[Dodge]

Not the terraces behind the goal it will be the ones covered by the stand

You have to offer some seats to away fans. Not to all away fans, but a percentage.

No idea about the set up of Thomand so not sure if that's do-able and still have segregation

[Jofspring]

You could section of a side of the stand easily enough and only allow fans through a specific turnstile.

[eelmonster]

You could section of a side of the stand easily enough and only allow fans through a specific turnstile.

This sounds like a more suitable/practical arrangement. What kind of crowds are you expecting/what was your last crowd of the season? With respect, you'll find it difficult to fill that stand for every home game, and if home supporters are seated in the stand directly behind away supporters it could get messy.

Not that I have any objection to standing in the terrace, I'm looking forward to a trip down to Limerick.

[Jofspring]

I'd say we'd be doing very very well to have 2,000 and that would no where near fill one stand. If a few away teams bring decent support we could have more. Thomond Park may be a factor in decent support but times and days of kick off will also affect it.

Last home game had 1,400 in Jackman Park.

The stand can be sectioned off so fans are side by side rather than above and below each other. It would be more likely that the away fans would be in the stand and terrace below depending on what section they wanted to go into.

[nigel-harps1954]

Call me crazy, but for some reason, a big draw like Cork for their first game of the season could see upwards of 4,000ish at the game in Thomond.

The stadium will be a draw for stay-aways, the first game back in the Premier League will be a draw, and the game being against Cork with a large away support too would also drag in a crowd.

Something like this can only be good for the league in general if you ask me.

[thomas72]

In fairness its a fantastic stadium with amazing facilities away fans will really enjoy it.
As for possible attendance Limerick were getting between 700 to 1000 for home games last season with teams outside longford and waterford who prob only bought 100 if that other teams had bought zero support. Playing top teams will bring in more support for Limerick on top of the great away support of the likes of cork, shams, st pats, bohs, sligo will bring with them add in the excellent facilities i can see healthy attendance.

[Jofspring]

Call me crazy, but for some reason, a big draw like Cork for their first game of the season could see upwards of 4,000ish at the game in Thomond.

The stadium will be a draw for stay-aways, the first game back in the Premier League will be a draw, and the game being against Cork with a large away support too would also drag in a crowd.

Something like this can only be good for the league in general if you ask me.

The ideal opener for us would be cork at home in the first game of the season. If there is good value family packages then there could be a very healty support.

[Dodge]

Any 1 of Cork, Rovers or Sligo would be good IMO. Sligo would bring the TV cameras

[sligoman]

Can see Limerick being a popular choice for TV games next season if they're playing in Thomond, better facilities for RTE etc.

[Jofspring]

Can see Limerick being a popular choice for TV games next season if they're playing in Thomond, better facilities for RTE etc.

We could possibly go from not being on tv (Barr the man city game) in nearly 20 years to a regular on it.

Thomond Park would suit for the Sligo, Shamrock Rovers and Cork games.

[nigel-harps1954]

As for possible attendance Limerick were getting between 700 to 1000 for home games last season with teams outside longford and waterford who prob only bought 100 if that other teams had bought zero support. .

Ahem..care to rephrase? ;P

[bluewhitearmy]

Ahem..care to rephrase? ;P

In fairness to Harps ye brought the same if not more then Waterford who had nowhere near 100.

[nigel-harps1954]

Put it this way, there was more Harps fans in Limerick in March than there was Limerick fans in Ballybofey in August ;P

Not that I even care in the slightest.

[El-Pietro]

Any 1 of Cork, Rovers or Sligo would be good IMO. Sligo would bring the TV cameras

Sligo don't really travel down south, they had a big crowd for our game at the end of the season but there were less than 50 in the summer. Might be a crowd for Limerick for the novelty, but Pats would bring far more than they would I'd imagine.

[Dodge]

Sligo don't really travel down south, they had a big crowd for our game at the end of the season but there were less than 50 in the summer. Might be a crowd for Limerick for the novelty, but Pats would bring far more than they would I'd imagine.

Perhaps, but I'd imagine the first game of the seaosn for the Champions would have a far greater travelling support than usual.

[Charlie Darwin]

Sligo don't really travel down south, they had a big crowd for our game at the end of the season but there were less than 50 in the summer. Might be a crowd for Limerick for the novelty, but Pats would bring far more than they would I'd imagine.
No direct bus route you see.

[El-Pietro]

Perhaps, but I'd imagine the first game of the seaosn for the Champions would have a far greater travelling support than usual.
I doubt it to be honest, but I suppose its possible.

[BonnieShels]

The ideal opener for us would be cork at home in the first game of the season. If there is good value family packages then there could be a very healty support.

Precisely... So I reckon you will have Bray...

Can't wait to hit Thomond for a game of soccer.

[Jofspring]

Precisely... So I reckon you will have Bray...

Can't wait to hit Thomond for a game of soccer.

More like Shamrock Rovers Away, Sligo Rovers Away, St.Pats Away and round off the first month with UCD at home.

[Charlie Darwin]

More like Shamrock Rovers Away, Sligo Rovers Away, St.Pats Away and round off the first month with UCD at home.
A difficult itinerary but I'm sure Guus Hiddink will guide you through it unscathed.

[Jofspring]

A difficult itinerary but I'm sure Guus Hiddink will guide you through it unscathed.

He'll have to fight off the mighty Jason McAteer for the job first.

[redobit]

Sligo don't really travel down south, they had a big crowd for our game at the end of the season but there were less than 50 in the summer. Might be a crowd for Limerick for the novelty, but Pats would bring far more than they would I'd imagine.


True that. Its the 11 to 12 hour round trip to Cork that usually puts people off.

Looking forward to going to Thomond. There will be a novelty value to it for fans of most clubs this season. League Champions v FD champions in Thomond, on the box, would be a nice curtain raiser for the new season.

[wonder88]

This should give a boast to the limerick support. I have never been inside the stadium but it looks impressive from outside and on tv. I have often been to Croke Park when its less than quarter full and the atmosphere is not bad at all. There was a great atmosphere at the Cup final this year with less than 1/3 capacity, could Limerick have any hope of getting crowds of around 5k ? One problem that might arise is that the catering facilities are not opened up due to the small crowds resulting in the casual fan staying away especially families.

[patrickccfc]

No direct bus route you see.
http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1315559683-53.pdf
used this route for sligo and derry away its grand gets ya there like

[nigel-harps1954]

http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1315559683-53.pdf
used this route for sligo and derry away its grand gets ya there like

You'd almost be as quick walking.

[dong]

:D.....

[Longfordian]

This should give a boast to the limerick support.

They do enough of that already..

[patrickccfc]

You'd almost be as quick walking.
yeah the derry one was a nightmare.. good thing i found a quicker alternative.. but that route is an option for sligo fans going to limerick

[mrtndvn]

People say it's the facilities that are the major problem with the league, then people debate whether playing in Thomond park is a good thing.

[White Horse]

People say it's the facilities that are the major problem with the league, then people debate whether playing in Thomond park is a good thing.

Perhaps, it is because we are fans and prefer a good atmosphere in a small ground rather than a sterile stadium that is practically empty?

I don't go to matches to study architecture.

[NeverFeltBetter]

This should give a boast to the limerick support. I have never been inside the stadium but it looks impressive from outside and on tv. I have often been to Croke Park when its less than quarter full and the atmosphere is not bad at all. There was a great atmosphere at the Cup final this year with less than 1/3 capacity, could Limerick have any hope of getting crowds of around 5k ? One problem that might arise is that the catering facilities are not opened up due to the small crowds resulting in the casual fan staying away especially families.

Only if we are serious title contenders.

[Charlie Darwin]

Perhaps, it is because we are fans and prefer a good atmosphere in a small ground rather than a sterile stadium that is practically empty?

I don't go to matches to study architecture.
I really don't think the size of the stadium has much to do with the atmosphere. I'd much prefer to stand in a 3/4-empty Thomond Park and enjoy some decent facilities than walking half the length of Tolka Park to take a **** against a brick and then have to wash my hands in rain water.

[adamd164]

The toilets in Tolka deserve a thread all of their own to be fair. The licensing committee should make Shels store a supply of penicillin in case some bloke catches knob rot taking a leak in there.

[BonnieShels]

They truly are awful.

I try to avoid it at all costs though sometimes the squeeze for the queues mire entertaining than what's out on the pitch.

[adamd164]

I really don't think the size of the stadium has much to do with the atmosphere. I'd much prefer to stand in a 3/4-empty Thomond Park and enjoy some decent facilities than walking half the length of Tolka Park to take a **** against a brick and then have to wash my hands in rain water.
I'd agree with this. I think the only reason that Thomond isn't ideal is because of how it'll appear on telly with small crowds or maybe to the casual bandwagoner who goes along for the bigger games.

But then you'd have to ask would a full Jackman Park actually give off a better image? Probably not!

[Jofspring]

All it will do is highlight how poor LOI crowds really are. 6,000-7,000 in Thomond park would even look poor on telly not to mind the crowds we might get.

If its a choice between pumping money into Jackman park and only having max crowds or 2,200 or playing a season in Thomond park I'd pick Thomond any day. A least we will have bar facilities, media facilities, decent toilets and a decent surface to play on.

I wouldn't worry too much about the atmosphere, shur the place will be so empty there will be a decent echo in the stands.

[bluewhitearmy]

All it will do is highlight how poor LOI crowds really are. 6,000-7,000 in Thomond park would even look poor on telly not to mind the crowds we might get.

If its a choice between pumping money into Jackman park and only having max crowds or 2,200 or playing a season in Thomond park I'd pick Thomond any day. A least we will have bar facilities, media facilities, decent toilets and a decent surface to play on.

I wouldn't worry too much about the atmosphere, shur the place will be so empty there will be a decent echo in the stands.


would that not be terrible considering its a rugby pitch? I've never really payed any attention to it.

[Charlie Darwin]

would that not be terrible considering its a rugby pitch? I've never really payed any attention to it.
Why would it be any different? Pitches for football and rugby are the same. They will presumably be alternating weeks with Munster so there will be plenty of time for the surface to recover.

[Jofspring]

would that not be terrible considering its a rugby pitch? I've never really payed any attention to it.

Between March and May Munster would probably only have about 5 games and from August to the end of October similar so there shouldn't be too much rugby on the pitch. At the moment it's in excellent condition but I have seen it shocking at times.

[bluewhitearmy]

Why would it be any different? Pitches for football and rugby are the same. They will presumably be alternating weeks with Munster so there will be plenty of time for the surface to recover.

Rugby does far more damage to a pitch then soccer would surely with all the scrums and other crap tearing up the pitch.

Very little games according to Jofspring so should be fine really.

[Charlie Darwin]

Yeah, I forgot about the seasons not overlapping as well. Rugby bangs up a pitch but once it's maintained properly it's as good as any other football pitch. It's not like Limerick will be playing 24 hours after Munster or anything.

[thomas72]

Yeah, I forgot about the seasons not overlapping as well. Rugby bangs up a pitch but once it's maintained properly it's as good as any other football pitch. It's not like Limerick will be playing 24 hours after Munster or anything.

munster have top grounds keepers it is a fantastic playing surface as another poster said munster will only have a hand full of games left to play at thomond they play alot in musgrave park in cork aswell pitch won't be a prob.

[peadar1987]

Will the atmosphere really be worse with 2000 people and 18000 empty seats than it would be with 2000 people, a cow field, the back of a centra, and a stand that's closed because it belongs to the rats now?

[wonder88]

Is there any hope that the uncovered seats (tv gantry side) in Dalymount will open again. It should not cost that much to do that side of the ground up. It would be a nice place to sit on a fine summers evening.

[Dodge]

Is there any hope that the uncovered seats (tv gantry side) in Dalymount will open again. It should not cost that much to do that side of the ground up. It would be a nice place to sit on a fine summers evening.

Apparently it'd costs the guts of 40k to bring it up to current health and safety standards. Thats not including extra security costs etc for opening up that side of the ground. Considering Bohs can't fill hald their excellent Jodi stand most weeks, fair to say its not a priority

[brendy_éire]

It would be a nice place to sit on a fine summers evening.

It'd a nice place to break your neck after slipping on the moss on the steps too.
Horrific stand, probably the most dangerous in the league.

[nigel-harps1954]

If only someone had a bit of money to do up Dayler. Would be fantastic too see it restored to it's 'heyday' as such.