League of Ireland in Europe 2016

[White Horse]

Cork certainly have more of a shout than Dundalk IMO. Very unlucky not to have gotten a better result.

Cork will get at Genk.

Genk never pressed Cork. It was the easiest possession Cork have enjoyed this season.

They just have to translate it into goals.

Bate are a much different proposition.

[pineapple stu]

Yup; Cork a far cry from the shambles in Iceland last year (or at least I presume it was a shambles; I was getting nicely drunk in a bar in Luxembourg at the time and wasn't watching. :) )

Concede at home and they're goosed, but with a full turners cross, you never know. Certainly doable anyway.

That ref needs learning what a tackle is. Gave Cork a free late on for a good Genk tackle; wasn't all one-way)

[MeathDrog]

Yup; Cork a far cry from the shambles in Iceland last year (or at least I presume it was a shambles; I was getting nicely drunk in a bar in Luxembourg at the time and wasn't watching. :) )

Concede at home and they're goosed, but with a full turners cross, you never know. Certainly doable anyway.

That ref needs learning what a tackle is. Gave Cork a free late on for a good Genk tackle; wasn't all one-way)
I thought the ref was shocking and poor for both sides throughout the game.

[DannyInvincible]

A real pity Cork couldn't convert those numerous chances into one or two goals at least. They weren't even desperate, last-gasp chances either (as is so often the case with Irish sides in Europe). They were well-worked and they looked comfortable.

Cork definitely have enough about them to pull it off in the second-leg.

[texidub]

Respectable performance. They weren't overawed.. nor should they be. Genk are no great shakes.

Tie is wide open.

[placid casual]

Cork should crowd round the referee at every decision when they play the home leg. get the cork crowd to really antagonise the $hite out of the Genk players, basically create an atmosphere that a spineless ref like the one tonight will cave in to.
they will need to keep the 18 year old quite tho, as well

[oriel]

Two hard working performances by Cork and Dundalk yet still two defeats.

However, I think both have a decent chance, but they probably have to score 2 goals while keeping a clean sheet, minimum, I just can't see both not conceding at home.

As much as I'd love to see it happening, I just can't see both Cork and Dundalk progressing, I hope I'm wrong, but I can see both both clubs losing their ties next week. Second legs can usually be the most dangerous.

[bennocelt]

Yeah I cant see it too,but fair dues to both teams for keeping the legs alive. Seems LOI teams are much more competitive these days. Gone are the dark days of 10-0 aggregate losses and losing to village teams from Wales. Thank god for small mercies

[D24Saint]

Anywhere in Dublin selling Dundalk tickets their site only says from the hatch in Oriel.

[Dodge]

Anywhere in Dublin selling Dundalk tickets their site only says from the hatch in Oriel.

Will be available on the night. They haven't even started to sell the East Stand yet

[Pablo Escobar]

Our game is likely to be sold out in advance. The crowd really needs to get at this Genk side, and I know they absolutely will. I've seen very good teams crumble in Turners Cross, hopefully we'll see something similar. Our first priority is not to concede as that will eliminate us. If we get to half time at 0-0, playing into the Shed we'll give them some game!

[swinfordfc]

It's great to see LOI sides really putting it up to these teams - that was not the norm 5 years ago in fairest - I know there was a few cases like Derry City etc.....

[redobit]

Two hard working performances by Cork and Dundalk yet still two defeats.



Exactly how I like the LOI results in Europe. A good show but no victories.
Money is too big now to be egging on your rivals in Europe. Especially when you're competing with them for a European spot in the league.

[pineapple stu]

In fairness, you have to balance that alongside Pat's nearly getting knocked out by a Luxembourg team and Cork losing in Iceland last year from 1-0 up and a man up.

Five years ago was when Rovers got into the group stages after a respectable performance against Copenhagen and after beating Partizan Belgrade, while Pat's knocked out a Kazakh team (the Kazakh league wasn't as strong then as it is now - but I think that same team knocked out Celtic the following year?) and both Pat's and Sligo put in decent shifts in Ukraine in the next round.

So swings and roundabouts really.

[White Horse]

Exactly how I like the LOI results in Europe. A good show but no victories.
Money is too big now to be egging on your rivals in Europe. Especially when you're competing with them for a European spot in the league.

I didn't realise Galway and Finn Harps were competing in Europe.

[Acornvilla]

Feels like the league has been getting similar results every year, give or take the odd anomaly, since the days when Shels, Cork and Derry were pulling off decent performances. I think in general, our teams try a bit harder than their opponents, which makes up for some of the skill gap, for whatever reason we probably see these matches as cup finals, in a way that a lot of opposing clubs don't.

The money now really could cause a far greater divide between the haves and have nots over the coming seasons, than we have ever seen before. Imagine another 2/3 years of Cork/Dundalk at the top making 500k-1.5mill each every season, it could lead to us having our own watered down version of what the SPL had for decades. The LOI has been notoriously unpredictable, for as long as I can remember, but for once, we seem to have a couple of clubs being run well within their means, and prospering, with no sign of letting up.

[dejadem]

It's great to see LOI sides really putting it up to these teams - that was not the norm 5 years ago in fairest - I know there was a few cases like Derry City etc.....

Not the best year to take as an example, 5 years ago Shamrock Rovers came back from Copenhagen with the same 1st leg result as Cork & Dundalk, 1-0 defeat.
Then of course they eliminated Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League play-off.

[usename]

quick question, if cork can get past genk is it group stages or playoff round?

[D24Saint]

quick question, if cork can get past genk is it group stages or playoff round?

The Playoff round.

[usename]

The Playoff round.

Thanks! had it in my head it was group stages till i had a look at uefa website ! :(

[gufcfan]

Thanks! had it in my head it was group stages till i had a look at uefa website ! :(

Wikipedia is your friend.

CL qualifiers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016%E2%80%9317_UEFA_Champions_League_qualifying_p hase_and_play-off_round)

EL qualifiers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016%E2%80%9317_UEFA_Europa_League_qualifying_phas e_and_play-off_round)

[redobit]

I didn't realise Galway and Finn Harps were competing in Europe.

It's the LOI, things change quickly. Dundalk the prime example there.

[jinxy lilywhite]

It's the LOI, things change quickly. Dundalk the prime example there.

And sligo :p

[Charlie Darwin]

Imagine another 2/3 years of Cork/Dundalk at the top making 500k-1.5mill each every season, it could lead to us having our own watered down version of what the SPL had for decades.
Or it could not. It doesn't take much for a team to go from finishing first to fifth, as Rovers proved. And the scale is incomparable to the SPL where there are two clubs that can command crowds 10x that of the average club.

[Philosophizer]

The money now really could cause a far greater divide between the haves and have nots over the coming seasons, than we have ever seen before. Imagine another 2/3 years of Cork/Dundalk at the top making 500k-1.5mill each every season, it could lead to us having our own watered down version of what the SPL had for decades. The LOI has been notoriously unpredictable, for as long as I can remember, but for once, we seem to have a couple of clubs being run well within their means, and prospering, with no sign of letting up.

In the case of Dundalk I imagine that any profits they make for the next few years will mostly go into sorting out the lease/stadium issues so I don't see them striding too far ahead of the chasing pack like in the SPL.
With Cork though I think it's a valid point. They already have the best ground in the league, with the best crowds, and they're squad is excellent. If they manage to win a couple of leagues and progress a few CL rounds over the next few years they could start building a sizeable gap from the rest.

[patrickccfc]

Six days till the second leg and already have over half the ground sold

http://www.corkcityfc.ie/home/2016/07/29/krc-genk-game-advance-ticket-purchase-recommended/

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Interesting comments from The Gambler.

http://www.newstalk.com/Joe-Gamble:-Cork-City-will-struggle-to-hold-onto-Greg-Bolger-amid-Swedish-interest

(http://www.newstalk.com/Joe-Gamble:-Cork-City-will-struggle-to-hold-onto-Greg-Bolger-amid-Swedish-interest)
"When I played against Valur [in the Intertoto Cup in 2007], there was a right-back who played with Iceland recently in the European Championships. I remember saying to Damien Richardson; 'We should sign this young player'. Very good player. Could have got him for €100,000 and then sell him on to England. We dont have the foresight in our league. We dont have the finances to do that."

[Mr A]

€100k for a right back? Go home Joe, you're drunk.

And mental.

[legendz]

Imagine another 2/3 years of Cork/Dundalk at the top making 500k-1.5mill each every season, it could lead to us having our own watered down version of what the SPL had for decades. The LOI has been notoriously unpredictable, for as long as I can remember, but for once, we seem to have a couple of clubs being run well within their means, and prospering, with no sign of letting up.

4 European places are available. Is it a realistic ambition for Shamrock Rovers, Sligo Rovers, Derry and Galway to close the gap?

[Viking]

Interesting comments from The Gambler.

http://www.newstalk.com/Joe-Gamble:-Cork-City-will-struggle-to-hold-onto-Greg-Bolger-amid-Swedish-interest

"When I played against Valur [in the Intertoto Cup in 2007], there was a right-back who played with Iceland recently in the European Championships. I remember saying to Damien Richardson; 'We should sign this young player'. Very good player. Could have got him for €100,000 and then sell him on to England. We dont have the foresight in our league. We dont have the finances to do that.""



That particular right-back now plays in Hammarby (Swe) They got him more or less for free, since his contract ran out with Brann (Nor) in 2014
And his estimated value is around €300-500 at this time depending on where you look. He's now 32 years old and probably has his best years behind him. Still, he's one of few quality players in that team at the moment.
Source 1 (http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/birkir-mar-saevarsson/profil/spieler/51188) 2 (http://www.fotbolltransfers.com/site/player/6293)

And Häcken denied any interest in Bolger. Take it for what it is.
Source (http://www.fotbollskanalen.se/allsvenskan/hacken-dementerar-varvningforsok-va-forsoker-haussa-honom/) (Swedish)

[gufcfan]

And his estimated value is around €300-500 at this time depending on where you look.
An estimate from Transfermarket or something? Based on nothing and completely pointless.

Re: Joe Gamble...

He gives out that they didn't sign a player that they couldn't afford even if they wanted to?

...

[outspoken]

Heading to the game Tuesday, how is the ticket situation going? anyway to get them online?

[Charlie Darwin]

Heading to the game Tuesday, how is the ticket situation going? anyway to get them online?
There will be lots of them on sale on the night in the car park. It's the east stand, unreserved seating, so no need to worry about not having one in advance.

[oriel]

I think Dundalk have sold around 2.5k so far, as of Friday.


They will prob sell more on mon and Tuesday (west stand) but I can't see this being a sell out.

[Charlie Darwin]

I think Dundalk have sold around 2.5k so far, as of Friday.


They will prob sell more on mon and Tuesday (west stand) but I can't see this being a sell out.
It was never going to sell out. Pats sold out on the morning of the Legia game but they're a local team. Rovers didn't even get to 6,000 for our first Europa game on a Thursday. The likelihood of a team from 100km away selling out on a Tuesday was always remote, which is nothing to be ashamed of.

[Nesta99]

I was told when picking up tickets that the West Stand was close to sold out and that they were about to start selling for the East Stand, then whatever remained goes on general sale at the ground on the night. It means that the West Stand will have Dundalk fans grouped together plus a few in the East stand and the 'neutrals'. By the sounds of things 4000 wouldn't be beyond possible.

[Charlie Darwin]

I was told when picking up tickets that the West Stand was close to sold out and that they were about to start selling for the East Stand, then whatever remained goes on general sale at the ground on the night. It means that the West Stand will have Dundalk fans grouped together plus a few in the East stand and the 'neutrals'. By the sounds of things 4000 wouldn't be beyond possible.
Try not to bring the torrential rain this time. They had to put in an entire new drainage system after the destruction your lot brought down for the Setanta final.

[White Horse]

I was told when picking up tickets that the West Stand was close to sold out and that they were about to start selling for the East Stand, then whatever remained goes on general sale at the ground on the night. It means that the West Stand will have Dundalk fans grouped together plus a few in the East stand and the 'neutrals'. By the sounds of things 4000 wouldn't be beyond possible.

I'd be happy with that. The game being on Eir Sport keeps a lot of the lukewarm support at home.

The important thing is that it looks like we will have good support in the ground.

[oriel]

I would say if Dundalk get 4K for this match they would be very happy. For the match v FH, the crowd was 3,200, maximum seating capacity.

Both Dundalk and Cork have a decent chance this week to really push Irish football to a level not seen for years, but both probably need to score 2 without reply, and that's a big ask, and the bigger European side rarely misses out over two legs. I'd love to see both go through, most of us would, and maybe there is momentum building up in the run up to the games, however I just can't see it.

I think even one of the two going through would be a massive achievement, all about the first goal really, you get that and you have a great chance, but the second leg is usually the most dangerous one, and the away goal might kill both clubs in the end, but you never know.

[patrickccfc]

Over 70% of tickets sold for our game on Thursday. Shaping up to be a great night, hopefully we can do it on the pitch. Big ask for both Irish clubs, but not impossible

[White Horse]

Over 70% of tickets sold for our game on Thursday. Shaping up to be a great night, hopefully we can do it on the pitch. Big ask for both Irish clubs, but not impossible

Feeling a little jealous of Cork, being able to stage their match on their own patch.

Something we have to address in Dundalk.

[patrickccfc]

Feeling a little jealous of Cork, being able to stage their match on their own patch.

Something we have to address in Dundalk.

Yeah I'm sure we'd all love to envisage a day when our clubs can host every round in Europe in our own ground. Dundalk have a good recent record in tallaght, but of course nothing can compare to playing it in oriel. We will also have this problem should we progress.

[legendz]

Both Dundalk and Cork have a decent chance this week to really push Irish football to a level not seen for years, but both probably need to score 2 without reply, and that's a big ask, and the bigger European side rarely misses out over two legs. I'd love to see both go through, most of us would, and maybe there is momentum building up in the run up to the games, however I just can't see it.

I think even one of the two going through would be a massive achievement

Bigger European teams seem to learn more and improve more from the first leg. BATE were comfortable in the second leg last year.

Dundalk and Cork will be doing well to see their games go into extra time. At least Dundalk have a Europa playoff consolation.

[Nesta99]

Try not to bring the torrential rain this time. They had to put in an entire new drainage system after the destruction your lot brought down for the Setanta final.


That was Sligo, They were in front and did a rain dance to kill the game and were very effective! I have never seen anything like the torrents of water coming in through what I presume were drains from the road through the perimeter wall and then visibly see the water rising on the pitch!

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Best shout out at that game was with about 5 minutes to go and it was back to the walls from us

"Kick it down towards the deep end"

[Pablo Escobar]

There's every chance that our game could sell out today.

[White Horse]

There's every chance that our game could sell out today.

What is the capacity for this game? 6,000, 7000?

[Pablo Escobar]

What is the capacity for this game? 6,000, 7000?
In and around 7,000 afaik.

[El-Pietro]

What is the capacity for this game? 6,000, 7000?

Probably somewhere between 6,800 and 7,200.

Away tickets obviously will be held back for Genk fans.

[White Horse]

Probably somewhere between 6,800 and 7,200.

Away tickets obviously will be held back for Genk fans.

Are many expected to travel? Presumably Cork have the usual away end reserved for them.