league cup-joke

[Rory H]

ucd held trainind during their game last night...put out the reserves,so did dublin city...big crowd for dublin-120!

whats the point in this competition if this is what will happen

sligo rovers manager sean connor wants a setanta place to go to the winner to make it more appealing...maybe he is right

i want rovers to beat harps tonight,our first team vrs their first team.......i know we all have our priorites but still....that was a derby game last night[*falls over with sarcasm*}...ucd reserves vrs dublin city reserves....i bet ucd didnt want to win!

[ollie]

there is no incentive for teams to win this competition.perhaps as the sligo manager put it maybe a spot in europe or the setanta cup should be offered as a prize.if teams don't take it seriously then supporters won't either.

[Poor Student]

UCD have some of the best U-21s in the country. Last night was an important night for Mahon to get a look at them. Our side did also contain the experienced Damien Dupuy and Adrian Murphy. I have no objections to the competition except for the 15 Euro ticket price for the game. The competition gives managers a chance to experiment and for players to gain experience. What's the harm?

[Gareth]

Isn't the U21 league a chance to experiment?

[Poor Student]

there is no incentive for teams to win this competition.perhaps as the sligo manager put it maybe a spot in europe or the setanta cup should be offered as a prize.if teams don't take it seriously then supporters won't either.

I don't think it is apt to put a European place on it. The eL has a sparse amount of European places at it is. We need to have at least the top 3 of the league to get into Europe to make it competitive for lower placed teams and add interest to matches. I would however think to add meaning to the competition a Setanta place should be put on offer in an expanded competition. If the winner has already qualified by other means (as in the North) then give the place to the league.

[MariborKev]

We have six first team players injured at the minute.

That means that if if we put out our strongest first eleven it will still appear like a reserve side.

We are playing the Mayo Legaue tonight, and Drogheda on Friday. I know which I want to see the strongest team for.

[Poor Student]

Isn't the U21 league a chance to experiment?

This is a step up and you have more of a chance to mix youngsters with seniors and to play against a few seniors.

Also UCD's squad is paper thin at the moment and we vitally need to see who is capable of stepping up to senior level and we have to face Shels on Friday. Now a team like Shels could play their backups and it would still be a good team but for those of us on budgetary constraints our reserves will be U-21s.

[ollie]

We are playing the Mayo Legaue tonight, and Drogheda on Friday. I know which I want to see the strongest team for.

horses for courses.

[pete]

I think we need out best teams in the Setanta & European games so should not allow League Cup winner entry.

It is a chance for smaller teams to lay the bigger Premier Division teams. Attendances may pick up when compeition progresses.

I think its 15k for winner which isn't too shabby.

[jorge]

I think we need out best teams in the Setanta & European games so should not allow League Cup winner entry.

It is a chance for smaller teams to lay the bigger Premier Division teams. Attendances may pick up when compeition progresses.

I think its 15k for winner which isn't too shabby.
I think the winner should get a play-off in an expanded Setanta Cup (8 teams) with whoever gets the last Setanta spot in the league.

[harpskid]

We won't have our first team in Sligo tonight either,

the League Cup is seen as just being a distraction for most teams who don't want to run the risk of losing their best players to injury or suspension

[pineapple stu]

I think if people accept that they're going to see a mix of first-team fringe players and the best of the U-21s, it's an interesting tournament. If you go expecting a packed ground, great atmosphere, big name players, etc., you're going to be disappointed obviously. The tournament has given First Division teams a chance for a bit of cash and their turn in the spotlight. I do have an issue with Dublin City charging E15 in though - should be E10 max, if not E7 or so. If you don't take it seriously, it's quite enjoyable, I think.

(Waits for men in white coats... :) )

[Supersaint3]

The price is the biggest shortcoming, 15 is too steep for that kind of game, if you want bigger crowds for something that is clearly unimportant, it should be around a tenner, 7 or 8 oaps students etc

[Schumi]

i bet ucd didnt want to win!
We just couldn't help it though. :D

[anto eile]

take the league cup as a semi-reserve competition and expect pineapple stus idea then its grand.
but charging full price is a disgrace. i paid E10 student ticket into bray last night!the game was entertaining but there was no atmosphere, only about 350-400 at it, so charging prem div prices is ridiculous

[Poor Student]

The price is the biggest shortcoming, 15 is too steep for that kind of game, if you want bigger crowds for something that is clearly unimportant, it should be around a tenner, 7 or 8 oaps students etc

It was 7 Euro for students last night at least. The way it stood for the game last night, you could have offered free entry and the same people would have turned up. I think they decided to milk it knowing whoever bothered to turn up would play practically anything. Also the cup is a nice chance for us the fans to see some squad players for ourselves who don't have the opportunity or the inclination to take in U-21 games.

I dont see how you could call the tournament a distraction. If teams are sending out reserve squads then surely it is not taxing at all. The team most equipped t handle this competition Shelbourne actually got one round off guaranteed.

[goattail]

How about combining the league cup and the Setanta cup to make an all Ireland competition. That way other premier and first division teams get to play against new clubs and their would be more prize money from the combined pot. It might even show the idiots in the FAI and IFA the benefits of eventually recombining both leagues into one, not that they would ever give up their own power and expense accounts.

[sligoman]

We won't have our first team in Sligo tonight either,

the League Cup is seen as just being a distraction for most teams who don't want to run the risk of losing their best players to injury or suspension

Excuses for ye been knocked out starting already ha? :D

[paudie]

The league cup doesn't get anyway serious until the semi final stages, if at all. It's a fringe competition and everybody sees it as such.

I'd still prefer City to win it though :D

[Ronnie]

As a Longford Town fan, we wouldn't knock it. In the last 2 finals there was a great atmosphere and decent crowds, 4000plus (calm down Cork fans!) and very good games, well second half in Inchicore was very good. Its well worth winning financially for any club. Would agree that Setanta place might help it.

[Rory H]

we put our reserves out...harps put their first team...we won... i love the league cup!!!!1

[ColinR]

we put our reserves out...harps put their first team...we won... i love the league cup!!!!1
should have out your reserves out in the league last year then, you might be in the premier with harps then ;)

[Rory H]

our reserve team are better than our team last year....