Fixture changes.

[Charlie Darwin]

They are not all out to get us. Well except for one person and its not who you think.
Is it Stephen Bradley? Because if it is I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[nigel-harps1954]

Whole raft of fixture changes again.

Sligo v Harps rescheduled fixture has been rescheduled again because a Pats v Sligo game has been rescheduled to the date of the rescheduled Sligo v Harps rescheduled game.

[White Horse]

The league has been well and truly messed with this year.

We have to figure out a way of leaving enough gaps and spaces in the calendar in future seasons. This may mean extending the season by a couple of weeks.

[Charlie Darwin]

The league has been well and truly messed with this year.

We have to figure out a way of leaving enough gaps and spaces in the calendar in future seasons. This may mean extending the season by a couple of weeks.
Which is why it won't happen. There's not enough money in the league and no hope of it anytime soon.

[nigel-harps1954]

As a result of this latest change, Harps have to play Galway away on Saturday 1st and Sligo away Monday 3rd. Wonderful.

[Mr A]

Sligo V Harps now fixed for 48 hours after Galway v Harps (was previously moved to the Saturday night). Cheers league authorities.

[El-Pietro]

Whole raft of fixture changes again.

Sligo v Harps rescheduled fixture has been rescheduled again because a Pats v Sligo game has been rescheduled to the date of the rescheduled Sligo v Harps rescheduled game.

Can you explain why this is possible? Again I have a problem with a game being moved to make room for another game. The integrity of this league campaign is being constantly undermined.

[Martinho II]

Sligo V Harps now fixed for 48 hours after Galway v Harps (was previously moved to the Saturday night). Cheers league authorities.

I remember in Stephen Kennys first season in charge of us in the top flight in 2000/01 the exact same thing happened to us. We played Bray away on the Friday and lost 3-1 I think and then we played Cork City in the FAI Cup on the Sunday in the FAI Cup replay and won it !I cant remember the reasons for it at the time tbh!

[outspoken]

Town V Dundalk scheduled for the 1st of October is now postponed with Dundalk in cup semi final action the next day. Don't know why it took unail now to announce it. No new date set yet

[brendy_éire]

The league has been well and truly messed with this year.

We have to figure out a way of leaving enough gaps and spaces in the calendar in future seasons. This may mean extending the season by a couple of weeks.

Half the problem is that the league schedules matches in July that they know are definitely going to be moved. The teams in Europe should play each other midweek from March-May, leaving July fairly fixture-free.

[brendy_éire]

Derry-Shamrock Rovers rescheduled for Monday 26th at 19:45.

[brendy_éire]

Derry-Shamrock Rovers rescheduled for Monday 26th at 19:45.

Match now moved to Tuesday 27th, for some reason.

[nigel-harps1954]

Sligo vs Harps moved again again to Tuesday 4th October.

[Seagull]

Bray v Bohs scheduled for Saturday 1st October switched to Friday 30th September at 7.45.

[brendy_éire]

Bray v Bohs scheduled for Saturday 1st October switched to Friday 30th September at 7.45.

Sensible move.

[nigel-harps1954]

Dundalk v Cork moved to Tuesday 11th October with 7:05pm kick off, broadcast live on RTE.

[Yossarian]

Dundalk v Cork moved to Tuesday 11th October with 7:05pm kick off, broadcast live on RTE.

This is ridiculous. The biggest game of the season and they play it at 7:05 on a Tuesday. Why can't they insist on it kicking off at the regular time.

[nigel-harps1954]

This is ridiculous. The biggest game of the season and they play it at 7:05 on a Tuesday. Why can't they insist on it kicking off at the regular time.

Because, unless you have a time machine, I'm afraid that time has passed.

[El-Pietro]

Glad of the earlier kickoff, we'll get home a good bit earlier.

[ToberonaTornado]

Glad of the earlier kickoff, we'll get home a good bit earlier.

:rolleyes: Jaysus! Beat already!!
If yee won and were claiming your 1st league victory in ? years would you still be hotfooting it out of there?

It's a ridiculous time for a match.

[El-Pietro]

:rolleyes: Jaysus! Beat already!!
If yee won and were claiming your 1st league victory in ? years would you still be hotfooting it out of there?

It's a ridiculous time for a match.
huh? If we win it will just be another win? We will still have 4 r 5 games to play so nothing will be won or lost that night. Huge game but no reason to be hanging around in Louth for too long.

Unless you mean 1st league victory over Dundalk in .... years? We've beaten them twice in the league this year, or do you mean at Oriel? Done that already this year too.
I'm happy to think I might be able to get home to Cork for about 1 am, rather than 2. Though that depends on what method of transport I end up using to get there. Have to take time off work for the game either way like so it suits me personally.

[Yossarian]

Are there U21 internationals that weekend and if so is there a chance this could be called off if the two Cork lads are called up again?

[El-Pietro]

Looks like theres a home one on the Friday night, but thats it. We're due to travel to Galway that night.

[IsMiseSean]

Looks like theres a home one on the Friday night, but thats it. We're due to travel to Galway that night.

Since the U21s can't qualify. Is there any need for O'Connor & Maguire to be in the squad?
I'd expect mostly lads who are only eligible for the next campaign to be included.

[El-Pietro]

Harsh to say it but I hope they don't get called up. I don't think we can postpone any more games, there's no where to put them. We'll be playing twice a week as it is throughout October. In theory we could move it the Tuesday after the Semi final - 3 days earlier then its currently scheduled for but that assumes we don't draw with Pats.

The players themselves would probably love to play for Ireland again but maybe even they are torn themselves as they must recognize that the title is there to be won but we need every edge we can get.

As they say though, doesn't make sense to call up players who will be ineligible for the following campaign. Seanie is already overage so definitely no real value in calling him up. Kevin turned 21 this summer so may still be eligible, I'm not sure, can't find anything on eligibility for the next tournament. For the current one players had to be born in 1994 or later. I'd expect the next tournament to be 1996 or later so he'd be overage.

[ToberonaTornado]

huh? If we win it will just be another win? We will still have 4 r 5 games to play so nothing will be won or lost that night. Huge game but no reason to be hanging around in Louth for too long.

Unless you mean 1st league victory over Dundalk in .... years? We've beaten them twice in the league this year, or do you mean at Oriel? Done that already this year too.
I'm happy to think I might be able to get home to Cork for about 1 am, rather than 2. Though that depends on what method of transport I end up using to get there. Have to take time off work for the game either way like so it suits me personally.

OK so.

Your time's your own and it's not for me to tell you what to do with it.
Just that i'd be hanging back if we win is all.

[White Horse]

Harsh to say it but I hope they don't get called up. I don't think we can postpone any more games, there's no where to put them. We'll be playing twice a week as it is throughout October. In theory we could move it the Tuesday after the Semi final - 3 days earlier then its currently scheduled for but that assumes we don't draw with Pats.

The players themselves would probably love to play for Ireland again but maybe even they are torn themselves as they must recognize that the title is there to be won but we need every edge we can get.

As they say though, doesn't make sense to call up players who will be ineligible for the following campaign. Seanie is already overage so definitely no real value in calling him up. Kevin turned 21 this summer so may still be eligible, I'm not sure, can't find anything on eligibility for the next tournament. For the current one players had to be born in 1994 or later. I'd expect the next tournament to be 1996 or later so he'd be overage.

I'd expect the FAI to exercise the same logic in deciding not to call up Dundalk players to the senior squad.

Why would they respect Dundalk's fixture congestions and then call Cork players up to the U21 squad. While not a bad as Dundalk, Cork have a fairly congested schedule as well.

Maybe I am crediting the FAI with too much sense.

[El-Pietro]

I'd expect the FAI to exercise the same logic in deciding not to call up Dundalk players to the senior squad.

Why would they respect Dundalk's fixture congestions and then call Cork players up to the U21 squad. While not a bad as Dundalk, Cork have a fairly congested schedule as well.

Maybe I am crediting the FAI with too much sense.
its the FAI you are giving them way too much credit. I guarantee you no one sat down and said lets not call up dundalk and cork players for the run up. this is a decision that Martin came to on his own. honestly I wouldn't be surprised if he was using the run in as an excuse. he loses nothing by not calling Daryl up. there's a very good chance Duffer is in England next year. if he plays and hes on form he csn say "well I wanted to call him up before but...". if he moves and isnt playing or is playing poorly then there are no questions

[El-Pietro]

if the 21s had a game that clashed with the dundalk city game and we had players called up we would have no choice but to postpone it again.

[White Horse]

if the 21s had a game that clashed with the dundalk city game and we had players called up we would have no choice but to postpone it again.

That thread would run and run.

[White Horse]

A bit of a strange one.

Dundalk V Sligo and Galway V Cork have been put back one day to Saturday October 8th.

[brendy_éire]

A bit of a strange one.

Dundalk V Sligo and Galway V Cork have been put back one day to Saturday October 8th.

Because of cup replays on the Tuesday maybe?

I see Cork have another two U21 call-ups.....

[Dodge]

Yeah, more so the under 21 call ups. Those games on the Friday, which will free up the 2 lads for the Saturday (unlikely to both start for Ireland). Dundalk's game moved so they don't have a one day rest advantage over Cork before the big 2 clash the following Tuesday

All in all, a bit of clever think from the league

No doubt some will have issues with it

[White Horse]

Yeah, more so the under 21 call ups. Those games on the Friday, which will free up the 2 lads for the Saturday (unlikely to both start for Ireland). Dundalk's game moved so they don't have a one day rest advantage over Cork before the big 2 clash the following Tuesday

All in all, a bit of clever think from the league

No doubt some will have issues with it

Cork have a choice, go ahead with their Friday game or seek a postponement because of the call ups.

Why should an issue for Cork impact on Dundalk's schedule?

[nigel-harps1954]

Harps v Pats fixed for Tuesday 11th October.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Cork have a choice, go ahead with their Friday game or seek a postponement because of the call ups.

Why should an issue for Cork impact on Dundalk's schedule?

I'm sure Wexford could say the same about Dundalk

[White Horse]

I'm sure Wexford could say the same about Dundalk

And quite rightly too.

[jinxy lilywhite]

Bloody ridiculous calling them up when neither will be eligible for the next campaign.
Of course cork will postpone to disrupt the schedule.

Dundalk now have 4 games in 11 days as a result.

[nigel-harps1954]

Bloody ridiculous calling them up when neither will be eligible for the next campaign.
Of course cork will postpone to disrupt the schedule.

Dundalk now have 4 games in 11 days as a result.


That's terrible. Despite half the league bending over backwards and moving fixtures around for Dundalk since July, Dundalk fans can still complain about someone else moving fixtures.

Oh, and by the way, in comparison, Harps have 5 fixtures in 12 days.

[jinxy lilywhite]

That's terrible. Despite half the league bending over backwards and moving fixtures around for Dundalk since July, Dundalk fans can still complain about someone else moving fixtures.

Oh, and by the way, in comparison, Harps have 5 fixtures in 12 days.

Harps have 4 in 14 days. Huge difference.

To be fair I am questioning the justification for selection players for the u21 on a campaign we have no chance to qualify with players who will be ineligible for the next campaign. Noel king should be told by the powers that be to feck off

[Charlie Darwin]

Harps have 4 in 14 days. Huge difference.

To be fair I am questioning the justification for selection players for the u21 on a campaign we have no chance to qualify with players who will be ineligible for the next campaign. Noel king should be told by the powers that be to feck off
They have the rescheduled Pats game in the middle there so it's 5: Galway, Sligo, Bray, Pats, Cork.

[nigel-harps1954]

Apologies, yes, it's not 12 days. But it's 5 games. Galway, Sligo, Bray, Pats and Cork from 1st to 14th October. Ridiculous for a totally part time team who are already down to the bare bones.

[jinxy lilywhite]

Didn't see the pat's reschedule on my app. Apologies.

Thought what has harps rescheduled games habe to do with dundalk?

[White Horse]

Interesting take by Stephen Kenny on the reluctance to extend the season by a few days. He appears to suggest that the FAI want to maximise the value to the sponsor by not diluting the impact of the two sponsored events.

The FAI are hardly putting money before player welfare.


Kenny said that Dundalk had already presented a case to the FAI to extend the campaign but he hinted that the Dublin Marathon, due to be held on October 28, had proved to be an obstacle.
“We’ve done that (spoke to the FAI) but it doesn’t seem to matter. Nothing seems to have happened and it doesn’t seem to have done anything. We haven’t gained one thing from it. It has been mentioned that the SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon is on the Sunday but you can’t be putting sponsors before players. Player welfare is more important that sponsors’ welfare.

“We’re involved in a proper marathon. That’s a great event and I wouldn’t take away from it but it shouldn’t really affect when our season starts and ends.”

http://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/news/home/218126/kenny-upbeat-despite-seeing-a-two-goal-lead-slip-away.html

[Charlie Darwin]

I'm sure it could theoretically be extended if the teams who had to play were compensated.

[El-Pietro]

We're up to 3 players in that U21 aquad now, though the third is Eric Grimes who is our second/third choice keeper so won't have too much of an effect.

The senior squad is being shorn of players by the day. McGeady a doubt now, I wonder if Horgan would be considered? He probably shouldn't be, especially if he's not going to play, but theres no doubt hes earned a call up.

[White Horse]

I'm sure it could theoretically be extended if the teams who had to play were compensated.

Teams would have to be compensated for incremental costs incurred. Ultimately the money would have to come out of the UEFA money being earned by Dundalk.

[legendz]

Were any games brought forward ahead of LoI clubs being involved in Europe? Were LoI games only pushed back when the team involved in European competition only had less than 7 days between 2 European games?

[nigel-harps1954]

Were any games brought forward ahead of LoI clubs being involved in Europe? Were LoI games only pushed back when the team involved in European competition only had less than 7 days between 2 European games?

Pat's v Harps was brought forward ahead of the European schedule.

[White Horse]

Were any games brought forward ahead of LoI clubs being involved in Europe? Were LoI games only pushed back when the team involved in European competition only had less than 7 days between 2 European games?

We brought forward one game but found it difficult to bring forward more than that. Teams are always looking for a competitive advantage. In addition, midweek games are not attractive to clubs who rely on home gates as their main source of revenue. The additional week of the summer break due to the euros has become quite significant.