FAI Cup 2014

[bennocelt]

Just curious if anyone knows the draw date for the first round, as I think it was the end of March last season. Cheers:cool:

[littlebray]

End March seems about right. The First Round has to be decided in time for the 2nd, which is scheduled for the weekend of 8 June.
In case it helps, on the assumption that the arrangements of previous years hold again, the sixteen teams that qualify for the First Round from the Intermediate Cup are: Avondale United, Mayfield United, UCC, Carrigaline United (all Munster Senior League), Tolka Rovers, Malahide United, Drumcondra, St Patricks CY, St Mochtas, Belgrove/Home Farm, St Francis, UCD, Bluebell United, Leixlip United, Phoenix (all Leinster Senior League) and Cockhill Celtic (Ulster Senior League).
The four teams that will qualify from the FAI Junior Cup have yet to be decided. The Quarter-Finals are:
Sheriff YC v Geraldines
Ballynanty v Liffey Wanderers
Carew Park v St Michaels (to be played this weekend)
Collinstown v NUI Galway

I haven't details for the others though they, too, are due any day now.

[nigel-harps1954]

I have a feeling there may be two Ulster Senior League clubs in the first round this year. I think Swilly Rovers may be in it. Would have to double check that however.

[littlebray]

Swilly went out in the Third Round:
Swilly Rovers FC 1-6 UCD FC

Full details of the Intermediate to date are here (http://http://www.braywanderers.com/showarticle.php?id=673).

[Dodge]

Yeah, Swilly Rovers are in and UCD aren't (from littlebray's list).

The 16 Intermediate sides are;
Cork;
Avondale United
Mayfield United
Carrigaline United
UCC

Leinster;
Tolka Rovers
Malahide United
Drumcondra
St Patrick's CY
St Mochta's
Belgrove/Home Farm
St Francis
Bluebell United
Leixlip United (only non Dub team from Leinster)
Phoenix

Ulster;
Cockhill Celtic
Swilly Rovers

Swilly were beaten in the last 32 of the FAI intermediate Cup by UCD but UCD can't enter enter the FAI Senior Cup.

The draw was early March last year (before the Junior cup semis). The draaw this year is complicated by there being only 19 LOI teams competing so they've to get 20 non-league teams into 13 spots. (

[nigel-harps1954]

I knew there was some sort of reason behind that alright. Cheers for clearing it up.

Don't Salthill Devon and Mervue get included in the FAI Cup too?

[Dodge]

I don't think so but couldn't say for certain

[Dodge]

Sheriff, Ballynanty, St Michaels and Collinstown qualified for the 1st round today

I think 6 sides will receive a bye and 14 will play for the remaining 7 spots in round 2

[BonnieShels]

Can someone explain that Swilly Rovers-UCD scenario to me?

UCD FC as quoted above are an intermediate side whereas UCD AFC are the senior side? Am I right in thinking that?

The FAI page shows "FC" playing 2 rounds and then "AFC" beating Swillly. This hasn't helped my confusion.
http://www.fai.ie/domestic-a-grassroots/competitions/fai-umbro-intermediate-cup/fixtures-results-2013-14.html

[Sam_Heggy]

I presume it's seen as something like Derry City and Harps who both have Intermediate sides in the USL but can't compete in the same competitions as our Senior sides.

[Dodge]

UCD FC as quoted above are an intermediate side whereas UCD AFC are the senior side? Am I right in thinking that?


They're seen as the same club. Don't be worrying about the use of FC or AFC. In previous years Home Farm's LSL team qualified and couldn't play in the FAI Senior Cup.

Likewise Shamrock Rovers B can't play in the Cup.

[Ezeikial]

They're seen as the same club. Don't be worrying about the use of FC or AFC. In previous years Home Farm's LSL team qualified and couldn't play in the FAI Senior Cup.

Likewise Shamrock Rovers B can't play in the Cup.

UCD, Home Farm, Shamrocks... clear anti-Dublin bias here

[razor]

draw today at 5pm

[outspoken]

draw today at 5pm

Another thing we've lost due to soccer republic live cup draws

[Dodge]

Another thing we've lost due to soccer republic live cup draws

Great point. I'm not sure this round was ever on TV but the next few rounds (ie involving league clubs) has to be on TV. Maybe back to the six one news

[razor]

FAI Senior Cup 1st rd draw

St Michaels v St Francis
Malahide v Tolka
Swilly Rvrs v UCC
Belgrove v Drumcondra
Leixlip v St Pats CY
Avondale v Carrigaline
Bluebell v Phoenix

Ballynanty Rovers – BYE
Mayfield Utd – BYE
St Mochtas FC – BYE
Sheriff YC – BYE
Collinstown FC – BYE
Cockhill Celtic – BYE

[brendy_éire]

Draw to be made on Sunday Sport on Radio 1 this week, shortly after 16:00.

[patrickccfc]

UCC at home would be good

[sligoman]

Why is the draw on the radio? Could they not have it on the 6 o'clock news like it was before MNS.

[Darklordsbane]

When do the 1st div and prem teams join the draw

[brendy_éire]

When do the 1st div and prem teams join the draw

This round.

[White Horse]

Sligo at home. Nice one.

Fancy our chances on a decent surface, unlike yesterday.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

FAI Ford Cup - Second Round Draw
Dundalk v Sligo Rovers
Belgrove/Home Farm v Finn Harps
Drogheda United v Cockhill Celtic
Limerick FC v Bohemians
Cobh Ramblers v Derry City
Athlone Town v Longford Town
Wexford Youths v Bray Wanderers
Shelbourne v Waterford United
St Patrick’s CY v St Patrick’s Athletic
Mayfield United v Malahide United
Ballynanty Rovers v Phoenix FC
UCC v St Michael’s
UCD v Galway FC
Collinstown v Avondale United
Cork City v St Mochtas
Sheriff YC v Shamrock Rovers

[KeepersBall]

Nigel Harps, me auld segotia.
Cockhill Celtic, isn't that the team that had a lad sent off less than a minutes after coming on as sub v Harps last year.
He bucked the ball at the ref didn't he.

[Sam_Heggy]

Nigel Harps, me auld segotia.
Cockhill Celtic, isn't that the team that had a lad sent off less than a minutes after coming on as sub v Harps last year.
He bucked the ball at the ref didn't he.

That's them. A very decent side, not to be taken lightly.

[outspoken]

Not very often I get the exact draw I wanted 👍

[nigel-harps1954]

Nigel Harps, me auld segotia.
Cockhill Celtic, isn't that the team that had a lad sent off less than a minutes after coming on as sub v Harps last year.
He bucked the ball at the ref didn't he.

One of the more mental things I've seen in Finn Park in recent years alright yeah. League Cup game at the start of the year.


On another note, a trip to Whitehall will be nice, albeit a pretty poor draw for us.

[Darklordsbane]

Not very often I get the exact draw I wanted 

You know the old Chinese saying
Be careful what you wish for

[Martinho II]

Belgrove/Home Farm when did they amalgamate ??

[disgruntled]

Sligo at home. Nice one.

Fancy our chances on a decent surface, unlike yesterday.

Why ? Are ye moving the game to a neutral venue ;)

[oriel]

Belgrove/Home Farm when did they amalgamate ??

2012, Belgrove were playing out of Whitehall for some years. 2004 I think.

[Nesta99]

I'd presume that Sligo fans will travel for this moreso than the Setanta final? If so then it would be disappointing not to get around 3000 in attendance. Its obviously a tough draw but once its at home and I hate drawing non-league sides....still haunted by Ashtownvilla.

[poster]

I'd presume that Sligo fans will travel for this moreso than the Setanta final? If so then it would be disappointing not to get around 3000 in attendance. Its obviously a tough draw but once its at home and I hate drawing non-league sides....still haunted by Ashtownvilla.

We'll bring the usual 100/150. Two trips to Dundalk in the space of three weeks. :sweat:

[White Horse]

We'll bring the usual 100/150. Two trips to Dundalk in the space of three weeks. :sweat:

Sligo have consistently one of the best home attendances in the league. Yet the % of those fans who travel to away games is low. Why is that?

Most of the other well supported teams appear to bring more fans to Sligo than Sligo bring in the return fixtures.

[PartySaint]

Sligo have consistently one of the best home attendances in the league. Yet the % of those fans who travel to away games is low. Why is that?

Most of the other well supported teams appear to bring more fans to Sligo than Sligo bring in the return fixtures.

I'd imagine is the distance they have to travel every second week, same with Derry and Cork (albeit it's easier for Sligo to travel to Dublin). Fans would have to pick and choose which away games they're going to go to as it would be difficult to get to most of them.

[El-Pietro]

I'd imagine is the distance they have to travel every second, same with Derry and Cork (albeit it's easier for Sligo to travel to Dublin). Fans would have to pick and choose which away games they're going to go to as it would be difficult to get to most of them.

you can only take so many Friday afternoons off

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Sligo have consistently one of the best home attendances in the league. Yet the % of those fans who travel to away games is low. Why is that?

Most of the other well supported teams appear to bring more fans to Sligo than Sligo bring in the return fixtures.

Based on that logic Cork should be bringing the most away support to every away game.

Distance and timing of the games makes a huge difference. Dundalk have 6 away games that are closer then our nearest one for example.

For all the Dublin/Louth clubs from what I can see they make a day and night out of the trips to The Showgrounds as it's the best fixture around to do such a thing as people don't need to take time off work.

[White Horse]

Based on that logic Cork should be bringing the most away support to every away game.

Distance and timing of the games makes a huge difference. Dundalk have 6 away games that are closer then our nearest one for example.

For all the Dublin/Louth clubs from what I can see they make a day and night out of the trips to The Showgrounds as it's the best fixture around to do such a thing as people don't need to take time off work.

That makes sense.

Most of our away games are 1-1.5 hours away so people get in the habit of going.

[nigel-harps1954]

It's very difficult in this part of the country to get any sort of away support. Likewise, it's strange to see a large away support travelling up here.

For us, this season, we're lucky to get anything over than 50 or 60 people travelling to an away game, and everyone has to pick and choose which games they're able to attend. It was fantastic in the first series of games for us to be able to go to Dublin twice in the space of three weeks. Shelbourne fans will complain about the length of journey to Finn Park, but for us, that was a short journey to Tolka.

Our shortest journey this season is Longford, 2.5 hours away, and we couldn't bring any sort of a crowd to the following away game in Waterford the week after due to the expense of travelling so much in two weeks.

[Nesta99]

All valid points regarding travel I suppose and maybe something we take for granted east coast. I do think though that Irish people in general see distance to travel as a much greater challange, or more prohibitive than it actually is, certainly in comparison to say England. People commute 2+ hours to work in other countries without it being considered a major problem. Roads have improved and roadblocks like Drogheda are by-passed but attitudes are the same as when hours were spent stuck in Abbeyleix, Dunleer and the like. Certainly in Dundalks 1st division days you nearly always had at least a coach load travelling to Cobh, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Donegal & not quite as far, Longford and Athlone(of course thats when we were in the hunt for promotion). Dundalk to cork is a little over 3 hours, Sligo 2.5hrs not crazy prohibitive. Anyway just my opinion that we overthink the perception of travel times.

[nigel-harps1954]

Not all about travel times though Nesta. It's the expense of travelling. I know, for myself, having a young family, I have to get priorities right. It's a case of some weeks, money can be tighter than others, and it's a toss between heading off to Wexford for a Harps game, or an extra 50 quid to help feed the kid.

10 years ago, when Dundalk were in the First Division, we hadn't the same financial mess of a country we do now.

[El-Pietro]

Its 3 hours from Cork to Dundalk if there is no traffic and you are driving in your own car. Most fans travel by bus to games and its a lot longer than 3 hours from Cork to Dundalk.

[Mr A]

The other big thing is that Friday games mean getting to away matches (or in my case home matches) is difficult because it eats into the work day for a lot of people. It's ok to take a half day now and again, but doing it regularly really eats into scarce holidays.

[Ezeikial]

10 years ago, when Dundalk were in the First Division, we hadn't the same financial mess of a country we do now.

The pain of the FD is still so intense it even seems more recent then 5 season out of it (2008)

[nigel-harps1954]

The pain of the FD is still so intense it even seems more recent then 5 season out of it (2008)

Dundalk were in the First Division in 2004, correct or not? ;)

[oriel]

Close to the bottom Nigel, I think we finished 2nd last that season, as we were firmly in the midst of a seven year stretch.

I think that's a fair point about Sligo and Cork travelling, also it certainly suits teams based on the east coast for away trips as between Dundalk and Bray this is where 7 of the 12 PD sides are located, possibly 8 next season.

[Nesta99]

Yup all very valid points! We were spoiled at Dundalk with a subsidised bus to away games organised by the now defunct travel club during 1st division days. Also I was a student 10 years ago so half days on a Friday werent a problem personally. I still think though that proportionate to home support certainly with Sligo and Cork that 50-80 fans could be mustered on a reasonably regular basis. With this game i'd have been of the opinion that the cup has that bit more of a draw that could see a couple of hundred travelling support. The cup certainly sees the extra 'floating' Dundalk support out. I genuinely wonder how clubs in England get so many die hards being at every game home and away with the cost involved, lower leagues too (Luton promoted from the conference is a significant loss to other clubs such was the level of travelling support).

[Nesta99]

I should add that the financial mire the country is in is nothing compared to the mess Dundalk FC was 10 yrs ago, relatively speaking of course but ye now what I mean;p

[nigel-harps1954]

Don't forget also, public transport in the UK is a damn sight better than it is here.

[Nesta99]

Don't forget also, public transport in the UK is a damn sight better than it is here.

Hmmm ok there are better intercity links but damn pricey! If you wanted to get a return London to Manchester(or any city north of Birmingham) train Thursday off-peak (advance purchase, non anytime) cost ye about £150 minimum up to over £300 flexi ticket. Next week £80-100. Wouldnt even bother looking at a friday. Can be cheaper flying tbh.