FAI Cup 2013

[DannyInvincible]

Drogs given a lifeline with eight minutes of stoppage time.

Edit: Bejaysis! Well-taken equaliser.

[White Horse]

What an end to a game. Is it over at 3-2?

[Nesta99]

What a game lol i dont want it to end either Rico...

[DannyInvincible]

Cracking finish.

Looks like Derry will be in Europe next season too then.

[White Horse]

Cracker of a second half. Well done to both teams. Quality counted in the end.

[Nesta99]

I actually feel sorry for Drogs, a little bit. Watching online in UK so suffered time lag - damn confusing when on here too.

[Jofspring]

Great finish to it. Hopefully a few non-loi fans tuned in for that second half.

Well done Sligo.

[nigel-harps1954]

I love the irony of Drogheda getting cheated out of it, but what an absolute cracking end to the game. One of the all time classics.

Was the attendance announced? Seemed poor enough.

Pat Dolan suggssting there should be 55,000 there though was laughable.

[Nesta99]

May I say in advance, I hope Dundalk fans are above gloating now, quietly smirk, but was gutted after what happened in the Semi and to have a ref again maybe influence the result well embaressing again for LoI refereeing.

[Jofspring]

Was the attendance announced? Seemed poor enough.


I saw it mentioned somewhere something like 17,500.

What is Dolan on about there? Of course you can hook the ball in the air in one motion without touching it twice, jesus.

[Nesta99]

Pat Dolan is nuts!!

[Lim till i die]

Luckily for Pat the crowd was so miniscule theres no one to contradict his "double movement" theory.

[geysir]

I've never liked this free kick whistle/no whistle sham of a rule, a sneaky shot when defenders are looking at a ref guiding a wall back 10m and goalie watching the angles of the wall, why don't they just have the set rule and wait for the whistle?
The game fairly lit up in the 2nd half and built up to a crescendo of sorts in injury time. Deserved win by Sligo, just about, but I was impressed by Drogheda's performance on the day.

[fionnsci]

I've never liked this free kick whistle/no whistle sham of a rule, a sneaky shot when defenders are looking at a ref guiding a wall back 10m and goalie watching the angles of the wall, why don't they just have the set rule and wait for the whistle?


The laws shouldn't protect the interests of a team that has committed an infringement. If you commit a foul you've disadvantaged the other team; they're entitled to reclaim that advantage.

[Fivesilver]

I think the point Dolan was trying to make (and making a pig's micky of) was that there should be a distinct striking motion. Not sure if that's actually in the rules. Someone else can check - I've champagne to drink.

[White Horse]

I saw it mentioned somewhere something like 17,500.

The crowd wasn't bad. 17,500 is quite good considering Drogheda were one of the teams.

[DannyInvincible]

ErrTÉ strike again...

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc12/poguemahone85/errte_zpsb137b3f9.png

[jinxy lilywhite]

Karma is a bitch ha ha ha ha

what's claret & blue and goes beep beep?

Drogheda United's victory bus reversing back into the garage

must be a record for Sligo though. 3 cup wins and not winning the games after 90 mins

[Candystripe]

Well done Sligo, was a great game.

Derry City qualify for Europe!

[Ezeikial]

May I say in advance, I hope Dundalk fans are above gloating now, quietly smirk, but was gutted after what happened in the Semi and to have a ref again maybe influence the result well embaressing again for LoI refereeing.


Karma is a bitch ha ha ha ha



There is nothing to gloat about. In the semi-final, Dundalk were done over by the ref not the opposition.

Paul Tuite had a good game up until that crazy, game changing decision.

Great final, congrats Sligo (& Derry)!

[legendz]

Congrats to Sligo on winning the cup!

[geysir]

The laws shouldn't protect the interests of a team that has committed an infringement. If you commit a foul you've disadvantaged the other team; they're entitled to reclaim that advantage.
Yes and they were entitled to reclaim the advantage in the the old rule in an organised fashion with a free shot against the goal and a wall placed 10m away. There was nothing that wrong with that procedure, that we have to be inflicted with a piece of anarchy, to be regarded as redressing the imbalance of the advantage lost in the first place to the attacking team.
What happened out there was a sham, not redressing an imbalance. What we saw was one team being able to take advantage of a ref's incompetence in controlling a set piece situation. What happened out there would be similar to a penalty taker taking his shot while the ref is telling the goalie not to move off his line.

[fionnsci]

Yes and they were entitled to reclaim the advantage in the the old rule in an organised fashion with a free shot against the goal and a wall placed 10m away. There was nothing that wrong with that procedure, that we have to be inflicted with a piece of anarchy, to be regarded as redressing the imbalance of the advantage lost in the first place to the attacking team.
What happened out there was a sham, not redressing an imbalance. What we saw was one team being able to take advantage of a ref's incompetence in controlling a set piece situation. What happened out there would be similar to a penalty taker taking his shot while the ref is telling the goalie not to move off his line.


"The old rule"? It's not as if this law has been amended. It's 10 yards, not 10 metres. I think in general you could do with brushing up on your knowledge of the laws before attempting to criticse them.

All players are aware of the laws; every team has taken quick free kicks. The team fouled is free (as in free kick, understand?) to do what they wish with the ball. Defenders will often concede frees on purpose to avoid a threat on goal, knowing that the alternative (a free kick with a wall and after the defence has had an opportunity to crowd the area) is beneficial to them. I'd have policy concerns over the idea of protecting a team that concedes frees in the manner you've suggested.

Finally, your analogy is ludicrous; penalties and free kicks are fundamentally different beasts with different laws applied. Any defence should be on their guard to protect against a quick free.

[SeanDrog]

Just back - mentally exhausted, cracker of a game , congratz Sligo.

Really enjoyed that game .

[White Horse]

Just back - mentally exhausted, cracker of a game , congratz Sligo.

Really enjoyed that game .

Fair play. Drogheda really played well and with a bit of luck…..

[MeathDrog]

I think a few lads are missing the point over the free kick. The referee failed to blow the whistle after the substition which he is required to do to restart play. He didn't do it and the free kick should have been retaken until he did so.

[geysir]

"The old rule"? It's not as if this law has been amended. It's 10 yards, not 10 metres. I think in general you could do with brushing up on your knowledge of the laws before attempting to criticse them.

All players are aware of the laws; every team has taken quick free kicks. The team fouled is free (as in free kick, understand?) to do what they wish with the ball. Defenders will often concede frees on purpose to avoid a threat on goal, knowing that the alternative (a free kick with a wall and after the defence has had an opportunity to crowd the area) is beneficial to them. I'd have policy concerns over the idea of protecting a team that concedes frees in the manner you've suggested

Finally, your analogy is ludicrous; penalties and free kicks are fundamentally different beasts with different laws applied. Any defence should be on their guard to protect against a quick free.

Maybe I misinterpreted the situation, but was the ref not instructing the Drogheda players to move back 10m (sorry, 9.144m) away from the placed ball?

[sheao]

It is days like today which make me wonder why the League Of Ireland is so poorly supported by Irish people.

Today's game was fantastic entertainment to watch from a neutral point of view.

[fionnsci]

Maybe I misinterpreted the situation, but was the ref not instructing the Drogheda players to move back 10m (sorry, 9.144m) away from the placed ball?

I'm speaking generally about not needing to blow the whistle for a free to be taken not this incident in particular. I've been couped up on a fecking bus all day, no chance to see it yet.

[MeathDrog]

Maybe I misinterpreted the situation, but was the ref not instructing the Drogheda players to move back 10m (sorry, 9.144m) away from the placed ball?

Just after watching it there (its on RTE player now btw), the referee marks out 10 yards.

[TheBoss]

Pat Dolan suggesting there should be 55,000 there though was laughable.


Only 6 countries achieved more than 55,000.

Cup Finals Attendances in Europe



1
England
86,254



2
Spain
85,000



3
France
77,000



4
Germany
75,420



5
Italy
70,000



6
Poland
64,416
(2 Legs)


7
Scotland
51,254



8
Netherlands
50,000



9
Belgium
43,000



10
Ukraine
40,003



11
Portugal
36,850



12
Croatia
32,000
(2 Legs)


13
Romania
29,343



14
Greece
28,980



15
Russia
28,000



16
Switzerland
27,290



17
Denmark
26,194



18
Norway
24,217
(2012)


19
Sweden
21,819



20
Azerbaijan
20,000



21
Turkey
18,250



22
Republic of Ireland
17,753



23
Austria
16,500



24
Serbia
15,000



25
Cyprus
13,000



26
Kazakhstan
11,500
(2012)


27
Northern Ireland
9,825



28
Albania
9,000



29
Israel
8,621



30
Bosnia and Herzegovina
7,800
(2 Legs)


31
Bulgaria
7,800



32
Slovakia
6,569



33
Belarus
6,000



34
Hungary
5,000



35
Iceland
4,318



36
Malta
4,276



37
Finland
4,032



38
Moldova
4,000



39
Montenegro
4,000



40
Estonia
3,521



41
Czech Republic
3,000



42
Georgia
3,000



43
Faroe Islands
2,884



44
Armenia
2,500



45
Lithuania
2,500



46
Luxembourg
2,353



47
Wales
1,732



48
Slovenia
1,500



49
Liechtenstein
1,300



50
Latvia
1,100



51
Andorra
500



52
San Marino
500



53
Macedonia
0

[geysir]

I'm speaking generally about not needing to blow the whistle for a free to be taken not this incident in particular. I've been couped up on a fecking bus all day, no chance to see it yet.
Then maybe you would be advised to see it before commenting on my post and jumping on the high horse.
Just how is any defending team supposed to respond when a ref instructs them to move back 9.144m? They assume that the ref is in control and any defiance to the ref's instruction could be penalised with a yellow card or worse. I've seen it result in a penalty being awarded against the defending team.
When a good ref can't apply the free kick rule properly, then one can question the raison d'etre of the current interpretation of the rule, as in, the potential of it being fcke up, even by very good refs.

Read 'law' for 'rule' if you wish :)

[White Horse]

Can someone please explain to me how Mick Cooke is now unemployed after coaxing that performance out of players who, on paper, are nowhere near Sligo's level?

[fionnsci]

Then maybe you would be advised to see it before commenting on my post and jumping on the high horse.
Just how is any defending team supposed to respond when a ref instructs then to move back 9.144m? They assume that the ref is in control and any defiance to the ref's instruction could be penalised with a yellow card or worse. I've seen it result in a penalty being awarded against the defending team.
When a good ref can't apply the free kick rule properly, then one can question the raison d'etre of the current interpretation of the rule, as in, the potential of it being fcke up, even by very good refs.

Read 'law' for 'rule' if you wish :)

The word law was drilled into me while training to be a ref. The laws are the ref's only friend...

I jumped on the high horse alright but in relation to a general discussion about the law, not this incident. Never claimed to have seen it. Looking forward to MNS anyway.

[White Horse]

If an attempt was made to keep Cooke on would he consider it? "No. I've been treated like a leper.Onto pastures new"

Cooke is bitterly lashing out at Drogheda United in his post match interviews.

[Aaron]

Cooke is bitterly lashing out at Drogheda United in his post match interviews.

He has applied for the Derry City job

[Finlay Harp]

He has applied for the Derry City job

But Mike Newell has got it!

[NeverFeltBetter]

Great game for a neutral, super atmosphere in the Aviva. Premium was well worth it! Arrived at M Stile with light smoke around and fire alarms going off but was told not to worry about it by staff!

Great advertisement for the league, the second half more so. Felt it was a fair result on balance of play. Sligo played some lovely attacking football in the last 20 minutes, a real pleasure to watch. Really wanted another 30 minutes, but can't begrudge the finale.

Really wanted to smack some of the Sligo fans behind me giving the lineswoman dogs abuse for that disallowed Elding goal though. She was dead right, but all they cared about was her gender.

[DannyInvincible]

I think a few lads are missing the point over the free kick. The referee failed to blow the whistle after the substition which he is required to do to restart play. He didn't do it and the free kick should have been retaken until he did so.

Generally, there is no legal requirement obliging a referee to blow a whistle to signal a go-ahead for a team to take a free-kick; a free-kick can be taken as quickly as the awarded team wishes. There is an exception, however, when an appropriate distance is required. Indeed, a referee is also obliged to blow a whistle after a substitution has been made in order to signal the recommencement of play.

Guidelines on usage of the whistle are outlined on page 82 of the Laws of the Game 2013/2014 (http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/footballdevelopment/refereeing/81/42/36/log2013en_neutral.pdf):

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc12/poguemahone85/whistle_zps7d1b11b3.png

From what I can make out, there were two reasons for the referee to have blown his whistle. They were:


i) to indicate that the Drogheda wall's position satisfied the appropriate distance so that the free-kick could be taken. He was shepherding them back, after all, which would indicate that the wall's position was a paramount concern of his.
ii) to signal the re-starting of play after the substitution of Gaynor for Greene.

[BonnieShels]

Excellent game for what I saw through hungover eyes.

Wished I had have gone.

VILE RUM!

Well done Sligo.

[CityRebel]

Only 6 countries achieved more than 55,000.

But why can't Ireland be one of those countries to get over 55,000? Pat is dead right. We need to get away from the small time mentality that plagues Irish football. Sure the capacity of Lansdowne is less than 55,000, but still. Next week we'll appoint a new management team that will cost the guts of €2m per year. The total prize fund for the national league (20 teams) is about 10-15% of that. Why not invest that money into the game here instead and appoint Liam Buckley on a sensible salary? Four of the starting eleven in Germany came from the LOI before moving abroad, and that number is only going to increase. We can't be relying on English clubs to develop players anymore, they have their own problems. Will O'Neill and Keane solve the fundamental issues in Irish football? We're only delaying the inevitable and throwing good money away. Pat Dolan is a hero.

[DannyInvincible]

What is Dolan on about there? Of course you can hook the ball in the air in one motion without touching it twice, jesus.

Dolan was talking balderdash. Even if Dolan personally thinks it's physically impossible to touch the ball just once when it's lifted like that, the rules expressly permit such an action and acknowledge it is possible. N'do clearly lifted the ball in one clean swoop regardless. In fact, he could have used two feet to lift the ball if he'd wanted.

Law 13 (on page 131) (http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/footballdevelopment/refereeing/81/42/36/log2013en_neutral.pdf) states: "A free kick can be taken by lifting the ball with a foot or both feet simultaneously."

[galwayhoop]

Generally, there is no legal requirement obliging a referee to blow a whistle to signal a go-ahead for a team to take a free-kick; a free-kick can be taken as quickly as the awarded team wishes. There is an exception, however, when an appropriate distance is required. Indeed, a referee is also obliged to blow a whistle after a substitution has been made in order to signal the recommencement of play.

Guidelines on usage of the whistle are outlined on page 82 of the Laws of the Game 2013/2014 (http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/footballdevelopment/refereeing/81/42/36/log2013en_neutral.pdf):

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc12/poguemahone85/whistle_zps7d1b11b3.png

From what I can make out, there were two reasons for the referee to have blown his whistle. They were:


i) to indicate that the Drogheda wall's position satisfied the appropriate distance so that the free-kick could be taken. He was shepherding them back, after all, which would indicate that the wall's position was a paramount concern of his.
ii) to signal the re-starting of play after the substitution of Rusk for O'Conor.

It was Gaynor who came on. Rusk was on earlier. Great points otherwise.

[SkStu]

Congrats to cup specialists Rovers.

[DannyInvincible]

It was Gaynor who came on. Rusk was on earlier. Great points otherwise.

Sorry, yeah; my error. Corrected. :)

[wonder88]

Back from Dublin, a great game and some entertainment for those lucky to be there. Well done to both set of fans for creating a superb atmosphere. Two great finals in a row, and large numbers of people leave the country to go and watch soccer matches. With return bus ticket for 20e and 10e to get in plus 5e for a programme (which I have not read yet) I think I got value today. Well done Sligo and hard luck Drogheda.

[MiniMourinho]

Can someone please explain to me how Mick Cooke is now unemployed after coaxing that performance out of players who, on paper, are nowhere near Sligo's level?

Because behind the scenes he is a liar and got into bed with people who want to take over the club and try to turn the new stadium into a cash cow. The same people who nearly killed the club in 2007. Despite his wonderful results the club weren't willing to gamble the future of the club like has been done so much in the past LOI clubs. Unfortunately people are so blinded by Micks public face that they cant or wont believe it is true.

[TheBoss]

But why can't Ireland be one of those countries to get over 55,000? Pat is dead right. We need to get away from the small time mentality that plagues Irish football. Sure the capacity of Lansdowne is less than 55,000, but still. Next week we'll appoint a new management team that will cost the guts of €2m per year. The total prize fund for the national league (20 teams) is about 10-15% of that. Why not invest that money into the game here instead and appoint Liam Buckley on a sensible salary? Four of the starting eleven in Germany came from the LOI before moving abroad, and that number is only going to increase. We can't be relying on English clubs to develop players anymore, they have their own problems. Will O'Neill and Keane solve the fundamental issues in Irish football? We're only delaying the inevitable and throwing good money away. Pat Dolan is a hero.

Welcome to foot.ie, Pat !

[dejadem]

Gutted.
It was a great game.
Well done Sligo.

[harpin]

Going on about attendance, why did the FAI have Junior Cup matches scheduled for yesterday, the ones in Limerick kicked off at 2pm so only got home for the second half...idiotic but what do you expect