UEFA Draw

[kingcolers]

anybody watching?

[fosterdollar]

yep, taking them a rather long time to put Domzale in as last team (by default)

[fosterdollar]

Fook, page wasn't refreshing. New window open

[pete]

Yup. southern section done. central almost done...

[1 9 8 4]

Longford Vs Carmarthen (Wales)

[1 9 8 4]

Ekranas (Lithuania) Vs Cork City

[Citygirl]

ekranas

[Mine'sABulmers]

ekranas
Ekranas?

[liamon]

Never heard of them before.
I guess that's a good thing.


Quick google search returned this:
Futbolo Klubas Ekranas is a Lithuanian football club, playing in the town of Panevezys.
The club was founded in 1964.

It has won Lithuanian championships in 1985 and 1993. Notable players have included:


M. Stankevicius (to Brescia in 2001);
E. Cesnauskis (to Dynamo Kiev in 2002);
D. Cesnauskis (to Dynamo Moscow in 2000);
V. Slekys (to FC Wil (Switzerland) in 1993);
E. Majus (to FC Zenit St Peterburg in 2004);
D. Gleveckas (to Shakhtar Donetsk in 1998).

On 5 November 2004 the club was expelled from the first division by the National Football Club Association (NFKA) for alleged match fixing, but reinstated it a day later.


The last bit is quite interesting

[1 9 8 4]

Power house of Lithuania football... Maybe...

[Citygirl]

they're from lithuania!

[Mine'sABulmers]

Their Home Page (http://www.fk-ekranas.lt/index_en.php?pid=13)

[Hibs4Ever]

Flights from Dublin on www.airbaltic.com

[1 9 8 4]

Played Won Draw Lost GD Pts
Ekranas 16 13 2 1 +31 41
Kaunas 15 10 2 3 +27 32

There top of the league with one current full international: Aurimas Kucys (midfielder)

[liamon]

From UEFA.com

Ekranas open eight-point gap
Wednesday, 8 June 2005
By Kestutis Gimbutas

FK Ekranas have established an eight-point lead over champions FBK Kaunas after 12 rounds of matches in Lithuania.

Ekranas flying
Having lost just three games last season - all against Ekranas - Kaunas have suffered three defeats already in 2005, while the league leaders have gone from strength to strength. Ekranas are scoring with a brand of attacking football which is taking the A Lyga by storm.

Tactical reshuffle
The Panevezys side are constructed around the skills of central midfielders Aurimas Kucys and Mantas Savenas. "Before the start of the season we rebuilt our team play," explained coach Virginijus Liubšys. "It seems to me that we play much faster football as a result."

Kaunas sinking
While Ekranas are soaring, second-placed Kaunas's spirits are sinking. Defeats by FK Vilnius, FK Vetra and Ekranas prompted Valdas Ivanauskas's departure as coach, but his replacement - Russian Aleksandr Piskariov - is not enjoying much success.

...

[1 9 8 4]

Tactical reshuffle
The Panevezys side are constructed around the skills of central midfielders Aurimas Kucys and Mantas Savenas.

...

Should be an interesting battle in midfield.
Gamble & O'Callaghan Vs Aurimas Kucys & Mantas Savenas

[shedite]

Stadium (http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/europe/lithuania/kaunas_girenas.shtml)

And by the way, Ryanair fly London - Kaunas

[kingcolers]

home or away first? and what are the dates?

[kingcolers]

okay, seen it:

FK Ekranas (LIT) v Cork City FC (IRL)

First leg: 14 July 2005
Second leg: 28 July 2005

[dcnags]

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapshells/europe/lithuania/lithuania.htm

map of lithuania, i think we're looking for panevezys.

Roughly 150 km from vilnius which i think is the capital. lots of different ways to travel, what are people looking at? Many going?

[Citygirl]

they're based in Panevezys. its north of kaunas..

[kingcolers]

Stadium (http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/europe/lithuania/kaunas_girenas.shtml)

And by the way, Ryanair fly London - Kaunas

No flights available in and around those dates...

[kingcolers]

look slike they're top of their league too. by a mile...


No. Team Mp W D L +/- Points
1 Ekranas 16 13 2 1 +31 41
2 Kaunas 15 10 2 3 +27 32
3 Atlantas 16 7 4 5 +5 25
4 Suduva 15 5 5 5 +5 20
5 Vilnius 15 4 7 4 -2 19
6 Vetra 14 6 1 7 -4 19
7 Silute 15 5 4 6 -5 19
8 Zalgiris 15 5 3 7 -6 18
9 Siauliai 14 3 3 8 -8 12
10 Nevezis 15 0 3 12 -43 3

[dcnags]

look slike they're top of their league too. by a mile...


No. Team Mp W D L +/- Points
1 Ekranas 16 13 2 1 +31 41
2 Kaunas 15 10 2 3 +27 32
3 Atlantas 16 7 4 5 +5 25
4 Suduva 15 5 5 5 +5 20
5 Vilnius 15 4 7 4 -2 19
6 Vetra 14 6 1 7 -4 19
7 Silute 15 5 4 6 -5 19
8 Zalgiris 15 5 3 7 -6 18
9 Siauliai 14 3 3 8 -8 12
10 Nevezis 15 0 3 12 -43 3


They're only 2 points more ahead than we are in our league.

Goal difference of +31 :eek:

I found dublin-vilnius with airbaltic but that cost over 500 euro!

Might have to wait for a later round to make a trip ;)

[shedite]

Last time people went to Metalurgs in Latvia (next to estonia), I think some people tried to be cheap and fly to Helsinki and get a boat across. The boat never sailed coz of weather and they ended upin Finland for a week.

In the past people would have expected this to be our only European game this year, but nowadays, it's probably expected that we'll beat them so some might hold off for the next round. Still though, travel if you can!

[shedite]

Also, the rest of the draw....

Shels V Glentoran
Longford V Carmarthen
Liverpool V TNS

...looks like we definately got the short straw :mad:

[ger121]

I have to say you did ok out of the draw seeing as you were not seeded. I think all 3 clubs could go through, now whether they will is another thing. You beat far better clubs in the intertoto last year and you've a strong squad this year. Where's the Cork arrogance we are used to on this board :D

[shedite]

Where's the Cork arrogance we are used to on this board :D

Ah it's Friday...we're tired :D

I'm not as confident for a few reasons.

We'll be favourites.

Ekaunaus will know all about our European adventure last year and won't underrate us

Ekaunaus are on fire too - well top of their league.

Ekaunaus have one latvian international and 4 U-21's so they won't be bad.

Our fixture list is absolutely huge!

Still though, we're on fire at the moment so we should go through if we play like we are at the moment.