2017 EA Sports Cup

[sbgawa]

He wasn't used enough last night , I actually said to my mate who was with me at the match "has Brandan and Connolly had a fight with Trevor Clarke they won't give him the feckin ball" it was really obvious.
He has played a lot better this season hence the interest from abroad.
Thought for sure Shep was going to score when he was put through with about 5 minutes to go....would have been typical at the moment.
Was also convinced we were going to lose on penos ....have to start thinking more positively :)

[El-Pietro]

Yeah we thought that was our goal, but think he was absolutely wrecked at that point, almost fell over getting the shot off.

[sbgawa]

Final confirmed for 3pm on the 16th of September in tallaght.

[wonder88]

Had to leave Terryland early and so missed good part of 2nd half and 3rd Dundalk goal(og). Such a poor call by the linesman for peno, again highlights the problem of dubious decisions in the LoI. As mentioned Dundalk much the better team, but there was an encouraging performance from the young lad from Belfast which might help in the relegation battle.

[gufcfan]

Dundalk were obviously the better team but I'd imagine United would have had more motivation had they only been a goal down in the last half hour, rather than 2 and eventually 3 down due to scandalous decisions.

[Ezeikial]

Had to leave Terryland early and so missed good part of 2nd half and 3rd Dundalk goal(og). Such a poor call by the linesman for peno, again highlights the problem of dubious decisions in the LoI. As mentioned Dundalk much the better team, but there was an encouraging performance from the young lad from Belfast which might help in the relegation battle.


Dundalk were obviously the better team but I'd imagine United would have had more motivation had they only been a goal down in the last half hour, rather than 2 and eventually 3 down due to scandalous decisions.

No doubt that the penalty was a pretty mad call, but doubtful if it was game changing; Hoare also had a goal ruled out that seemed perfectly legit.

The result appeared inevitable from a very early stage

[Ezeikial]

I'm glad that the FAI got the coin toss sorted out early on.

I wonder will there be a separate coin toss for home and away dressing rooms?

[gufcfan]

The result appeared inevitable from a very early stage

Would they have deserved a draw based on what we saw? No, but teams often score against the run of play. If there was only a goal in it, they might have had a go.

[sbgawa]

I'm glad that the FAI got the coin toss sorted out early on.

I wonder will there be a separate coin toss for home and away dressing rooms?

Just did it.
Jeez that's two coin tosses in a row You be lost now.😀
How many do you think will come down for it?

[dundalkfc10]

Just did it.
Jeez that's two coin tosses in a row You be lost now.😀
How many do you think will come down for it?

I'd say 2,000-2,500.

See we have the whole East Stand.

[sbgawa]

That stand holds 3000. Where did you see that about the whole east stand

[dundalkfc10]

That stand holds 3000. Where did you see that about the whole east stand

was told up in Oriel earlier, as designated "away" side we get East Stand


We get 1 stand, you get 1 stand


Its a cup final, 50/50 split tickets is correct.

[sbgawa]

was told up in Oriel earlier, as designated "away" side we get East Stand


We get 1 stand, you get 1 stand


Its a cup final, 50/50 split tickets is correct.

Fair enough, it should sell out.

[dfx-]

That stand holds 3000. Where did you see that about the whole east stand

East Stand is slightly smaller than the West Stand. 2750ish there, 3000 in West Stand.

[sbgawa]

I'd say the ea sports people and fai will be hoovering up a good few wesr stand tickets

[oriel]

Always get this wrong, is the East stand the main stand at the Maldron side or the other one?

Anyway absolutely no problems with the selection of the venue, last final between the two in 2014 was in oriel park, so this is fair enough.

Really looking forward to it, 3pm is a little earlier time, almost sure previous ones were at 5pm, maybe there is a clash with a big EPL match. Dundalk will easily sell out their allocation, so no reason it won't be a full house.

[sbgawa]

The east stand is the stand furthest away from the maldren.
It should be a fantastic day out full house and great atmosphere.

[Charlie Darwin]

Not happy about Rovers being away from the East Stand but I suppose it'll ensure all our fans are on TV.

[dundalkfc10]

Not happy about Rovers being away from the East Stand but I suppose it'll ensure all our fans are on TV.

Was very few in it last few times we played there so understandable

[mcgonigle]

Ticketing seems very lopsided for this. Only 1000 tickets given to Dundalk, all sold and still plenty looking. Latest is there may be no more tickets coming

[White Horse]

Ticketing seems very lopsided for this. Only 1000 tickets given to Dundalk, all sold and still plenty looking. Latest is there may be no more tickets coming

Doesn't seem right, didn't Rovers get more than that for the 2014 final?

I recall we had to put up a temporary stand to ensure that they had 40% of the tickets. The split between the clubs was 40 - 40, with the FAI and sponsors getting the other 20%.

[brendy_éire]

Ticketing seems very lopsided for this. Only 1000 tickets given to Dundalk, all sold and still plenty looking. Latest is there may be no more tickets coming

This is an FAI event, it's nothing to do with you.

3,000 seats in the west stand.
Taking precedent from away matches, 55% go to the FAI suits and the "football family", 30% to fans, 15% to Abbey Travel (or whoever else takes their fancy, in this case).
That gives Dundalk 1,000 tickets for Dundalk fans. Seems about right.

If there are any scraps leftover (which there will be), you'll be allowed to have them.

[mcgonigle]

This is an FAI event, it's nothing to do with you.

3,000 seats in the west stand.
Taking precedent from away matches, 55% go to the FAI suits and the "football family", 30% to fans, 15% to Abbey Travel (or whoever else takes their fancy, in this case).
That gives Dundalk 1,000 tickets for Dundalk fans. Seems about right.

If there are any scraps leftover (which there will be), you'll be allowed to have them.

I'll keep my nose out in future so!

Also thanks for the offer of the scraps, much appreciated. I've no problem with Dundalk being allocated to the West stand and the suits /sponsor taking their cut. I don't think we'd sell out the whole East stand anyway as many won't travel to Tallaght when we're playing Rovers.

It doesn't explain why Rovers were given 2 sections of the West stand though. They are unlikely to sell their allocation meaning there'll be free seats that can't be sold to Dundalk fans even though the demand is there

[Charlie Darwin]

Doesn't seem right, didn't Rovers get more than that for the 2014 final?

I recall we had to put up a temporary stand to ensure that they had 40% of the tickets. The split between the clubs was 40 - 40, with the FAI and sponsors getting the other 20%.
The temp stand was paid for from the gate so both teams paid for it. Then the stewards (don't know if they were Dundalk or FAI) wouldn't let anybody sit in it so we were all cramped into the death trap away stand. Example #144334455 of the FAI heaping expenses on LOI teams just to make themselves feel big.

[Yossarian]

How many tickets have Rovers sold for it?

[placid casual]

Don't think the game will sell out. Most Rovers fans will just get walk up tickets on the day I'd say. I will be, anyway.
Dundalk are in form at the moment, and should be considered favourites in my book.
Rovers have won 6 in a row, but mostly against mickey mouse teams like Glenville, bluebell and cork.

[mcgonigle]

Don't think the game will sell out. Most Rovers fans will just get walk up tickets on the day I'd say. I will be, anyway.

That's the thing, the FAI have decided to seriously restrict the number of tickets Dundalk are getting, not sure how they came up with the 1000 figure being justified. Now we have a situation where Rovers are unlikely too sell their allocation but spare tickets cannot be given to Dundalk due to segregation.

This will be our 3rd final in a row that the FAI have ballsed up the ticket allocation.

On the game, we should probably be favourites and are a better team on paper but we have failed to perform against Rovers on the last two occasions and in fairness to Bradley he has no issue getting his side pumped up for the big games

[White Horse]

That's the thing, the FAI have decided to seriously restrict the number of tickets Dundalk are getting, not sure how they came up with the 1000 figure being justified. Now we have a situation where Rovers are unlikely too sell their allocation but spare tickets cannot be given to Dundalk due to segregation.

Is it a security issue, I wonder? A conscious decision by the FAI to restrict the number of "away" fans. It can't be a Rovers decision as this is an FAI event.

It would be shame if the stadium was not full while Dundalk fans are being denied tickets.

[Ezeikial]

Shamrock Rovers had won 7 in a row in all competitions scoring 15 goals and conceding only 4 in the process. This compares with Dundalk's 27 scored and 1 conceded in the same 7 match winning run

[nigel-harps1954]

Rovers don't need tickets. Fans aren't as bothered as Dundalk about it. They'll walk up on the day.

It's a different story for Dundalk, they're mad up for it, it's their cup final.

[White Horse]

Rovers don't need tickets. Fans aren't as bothered as Dundalk about it. They'll walk up on the day.

It's a different story for Dundalk, they're mad up for it, it's their cup final.

Leave it out, Stephen.

[mcgonigle]

Is it a security issue, I wonder? A conscious decision by the FAI to restrict the number of "away" fans. It can't be a Rovers decision as this is an FAI event.

It would be shame if the stadium was not full while Dundalk fans are being denied tickets.

Security is the only reason I can see. They want to keep all Dundalk fans in one half of the West stand and don't want them accessing the turnstiles at the stadium carpark to stop fans mixing but this will happen regardless so it's not a credible excuse IMO

[Yossarian]

Security is the only reason I can see. They want to keep all Dundalk fans in one half of the West stand and don't want them accessing the turnstiles at the stadium carpark to stop fans mixing but this will happen regardless so it's not a credible excuse IMO

I stand to be corrected but I believe Dundalk fans will be accessing the ground at the car park end. If this is correct then it would dispel security as a reason for the ticket allocation.

[vinnie]

I'd be surprised if they don't give Dundalk more allocation if they've already sold theirs, Dundalk will be using turnstiles at Square end, Most Rovers fans will just buy tickets on the day though so if Rovers only have say 2500 there will be a lot of empty seats which will be a shame for a cup final

[Martinho II]

pardon my ignorance but what has Abbey Travel got to do with being allocated tickets? you would imagine it would be EA Sports?

[mcgonigle]

I stand to be corrected but I believe Dundalk fans will be accessing the ground at the car park end. If this is correct then it would dispel security as a reason for the ticket allocation.

We'll be entering from the usual 'The Square' end turnstiles not the stadium carpark end.

[brendy_éire]

pardon my ignorance but what has Abbey Travel got to do with being allocated tickets? you would imagine it would be EA Sports?

Nothing, I was being facetious, drawing comparison between the FAI's arrangements for Dundalk in this final and the FAI's contempt for fans generally.

[White Horse]

We'll be entering from the usual 'The Square' end turnstiles not the stadium carpark end.

If that is the case, the cap on Dundalk fans sounds like an attempt to limit security and stewarding costs.

[oriel]

The temp stand was paid for from the gate so both teams paid for it. Then the stewards (don't know if they were Dundalk or FAI) wouldn't let anybody sit in it so we were all cramped into the death trap away stand. Example #144334455 of the FAI heaping expenses on LOI teams just to make themselves feel big.

That's not correct. I was at the other end of the ground for the 2014 final in oriel park, and plenty of rovers fans were in that temporary stand, majority refused to go to it though, preferring the usual away section, in some sort of bizarre protest about the cost of the installation of the stand. It was a ridiculous sight, maybe 150 rovers fans in the temp stand and hundreds crammed in the usual away end. Rovers also got 1/3 of the main stand.

[Charlie Darwin]

Is it a security issue, I wonder? A conscious decision by the FAI to restrict the number of "away" fans. It can't be a Rovers decision as this is an FAI event.

It would be shame if the stadium was not full while Dundalk fans are being denied tickets.
That would be silly. No justification for the FAI restricting tickets to either set of fans. If that continues to be the case, I'd say Dundalk fans could still walk up and buy tickets. Can't imagine the two stands will be blocked off if Rovers fans are in both.

[Charlie Darwin]

That's not correct. I was at the other end of the ground for the 2014 final in oriel park, and plenty of rovers fans were in that temporary stand, majority refused to go to it though, preferring the usual away section, in some sort of bizarre protest about the cost of the installation of the stand. It was a ridiculous sight, maybe 150 rovers fans in the temp stand and hundreds crammed in the usual away end. Rovers also got 1/3 of the main stand.
I was told I couldn't go into it and so were a lot of people. And there was no drink taken on my part. There were a few people in it and more seemed to get in towards the end of the first half, but plenty of us were told we had to stay in the old stand. I know we did get a chunk of the main stand - it didn't seem like 1/3 but I couldn't really tell.

[oriel]

Yeah the whole thing was bizzare for that 2014 final in terms of the split. I moved into the main stand for the second half and Rovers def had 1/3 sectioned off, it was towards the away end side. Whatever the reasons, it was ridiculous to see only 150 or so away fans in the newly erected temp stand. That was mid Sept, and if memory serves me right it was taken down and then re-installed 6 weeks later for the final league game of the season v Cork.

[White Horse]

Dundalk got an additional allocation of tickets but these have now been sold to people on the waiting list.

There are a lot of fans on the waiting list who have missed out.

I understand that the total allocation to Dundalk was 1,500.

[placid casual]

I'm not exactly sure what the problem is here. Any Dundalk fans without tickets can just go down and buy them on the day. Your fan base isn't that big that 3/4000 of youse are going to be left roaming around the wilds of tallaght ticketless. The stewards will put all the away fans together, and we'll all just enjoy a Rovers victory, inshallah.

[dundalkfc10]

I'm not exactly sure what the problem is here. Any Dundalk fans without tickets can just go down and buy them on the day. Your fan base isn't that big that 3/4000 of youse are going to be left roaming around the wilds of tallaght ticketless. The stewards will put all the away fans together, and we'll all just enjoy a Rovers victory, inshallah.

The issue is we could easily have sold near 3000 tickets

[vinnie]

The issue is we could easily have sold near 3000 tickets

If 1800 is what you consider near 3000 I'd agree with you,,,, ;)

Nah seriously though, as has been said already, there'll be no issue getting a ticket on the gate, I was on the away turnstiles when we played Drogheda in the final a few years ago and we were given bundles of tickets that were unsold to sell on the gate, I'd estimate we were given 300 - 450 at the time, I understand you have a bigger support, but yiz'll be grand

[Peaky Blinder]

I'd be pretty confident that any fan travelling down for the game will not be turned away. Still expect a crowd of around 4.5 -5k tops though, cant see it selling out.

[Charlie Darwin]

You can always do that the Koln fans did tonight and come down in Rovers jerseys :)

[Nesta99]

It might be the case that people can pay on the day but really its just a tad FAI to make a game ticket only, allocate tickets, segregate fans and then allow tickets be bought at a turnstile (i suppose that technically counts as 'ticket only'), have have mingle if tickets are on sale from the ticket booths and have fans buy a ticket for anywhere in the ground and just get shoved in with the respective groups no matter what block or stand is on the ticket.
So while one section might be rammed there will be empty seats in another which looks shíte on TV never mind the the issues with people crammed in to an area; Not just the whole safety thing but the inevitable standing on seats and them being broken, and the way ranks can be closed if some halfwit does something and stewards and gardai have no hope of singling out someone if necessary, and the furore that certain newpapers will make about any negative incidents that they can batter LoI with. If the FAI didnt bother their collective asses at all organising a final it would work out better and make a whole lot more sense.

Wasnt the 2014 final where you spent the day in The Emerald Bar Charlie and when an unfortunate incident happened on the way to Oriel with family of a deceased lady from the area. There is no doubt that a lot or Rovers fans believed that SRFC paid for the temporary stand themselves and there were murmurs of a boycott of using the stand hence. It was also suggested that it was to be a family friendly area.

How could you have tolerated The Emerald CD, the smell alone (on top of a bunch of beered up football fans)...you had to have been on the beers as ye claimed to have liked the spot at the time - impossible if sober!!??!

[Charlie Darwin]

I was in the Emerald that day when, presumably, I was one of the people Dundalk fans swore smashed the place up! I'm not ruling out the possibility some people boycotted the new stand but certainly didn't hear anything about it, nor seemingly did the many people who tried to get access to it. I will, of course, bow to the superior knowledge of Dundalk fans on what Rovers fans think in the event of any disagreement.

Now, I wouldn't dare comment on the "inevitable" Dundalk fans standing on seats as I seem to remember your lot having problems with that before :)