Fixtures published for 2022

[sbgawa]

Fair play to the "computer" in the FAI.......... Dundalk (2022) v Derry City (dundalk 2021) in the first round.
They must have lost their nerve at the Dundalk v Pats which obviously would have been the best

First round
Dundalk v Derry
Shels v Pats
Harps v Drogs
Shamrock Rovers v UCD
Sligo v Bohs

Two mondays in the first 6 rounds of games but i suppose everyone is fresh at the start

The 4 european qualifying clubs down to play each other that week

Final round is the mirror image of first round

[2 Year Contract]

Is the EA Sports Cup returning this year does anyone know? And while on the topic, is the Leinster Senior Cup going ahead?

If both are back it’ll mean a minimum of 7 competitions that Pats and Rovers are competing in during 2022 (could be 8 or 9 competitions for rovers depending on europe)

[pineapple stu]

Looks like we're going straight to the upside-down top of the league and staying there :)

Full Premier fixtures are here (https://cms.sseairtricityleague.ie/sites/default/files/inline-files/2022%20SSE%20Airtricity%20Premier%20Division%20Fix tures.pdf) and there's no mention of the League Cup or LSC

First Division fixtures are here (https://cms.sseairtricityleague.ie/sites/default/files/inline-files/2022%20SSE%20Airtricity%20First%20Division%20Fixtu res.pdf).

Edit - actually, Harps and Shels at home in the second and third rounds; I guess that gives us a chance hitting mid-table for a while. Or else we'll get the ****e kicked out of us by the bauld Ollie again and be hit with injuries for the Shels game :p

[Calcio Jack]

Looks like we're going straight to the upside-down top of the league and staying there :)

Full Premier fixtures are here (https://cms.sseairtricityleague.ie/sites/default/files/inline-files/2022%20SSE%20Airtricity%20Premier%20Division%20Fix tures.pdf) and there's no mention of the League Cup or LSC

First Division fixtures are here (https://cms.sseairtricityleague.ie/sites/default/files/inline-files/2022%20SSE%20Airtricity%20First%20Division%20Fixtu res.pdf).

Edit - actually, Harps and Shels at home in the second and third rounds; I guess that gives us a chance hitting mid-table for a while. Or else we'll get the ****e kicked out of us by the bauld Ollie again and be hit with injuries for the Shels game :p

Always remember the worst day in the Premier division is miles better than the best day in the First

[wonder88]

Looks like Cobh are having their home games on Friday night, so only Sligo and Longford have their games fixed for Saturdays. Missed opportunity by one of the Dublin clubs ? 3 games on the same time in the capital seems like a lack of ambition from the clubs to go after the casual soccer fan.

[pineapple stu]

Always remember the worst day in the Premier division is miles better than the best day in the First

10-1 in Dalymount v winning the title with a late equaliser against Harps? I know which one I'd revisit :)

But yeah, 95% of the time you're right alright!

[2 Year Contract]

One of the LOI journalists on Twitter confirmed he enquired re:the League Cup and it’s not going ahead next year. Hopefully it’s back in 2023 as it’s a decently competitive level for squad players to get a run out in and the final is always a great day for fans

[placid casual]

Let's just hope the games will allow supporters in when the new season begins.

[Calcio Jack]

Let's just hope the games will allow supporters in when the new season begins.

Extract from today’s FAI press release:

The FAI added that all Premier Division games "will be broadcast live across traditional outlets and LOITV next season with details to be announced early in the new year".

[D24Saint]

Bit disappointed by the fixtures, I thought a home game v Dundalk sold itself to the public & media. An away day in Drumcondra has a vanilla sensation to it. We have a tough enough start but should be up to speed at that stage with the Presidents cup & Unite Union cup games. A new season always brings new hope roll on 2022.

[D24Saint]

Extract from today’s FAI press release:

The FAI added that all Premier Division games "will be broadcast live across traditional outlets and LOITV next season with details to be announced early in the new year".

Great news about LOI TV.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Strange starting and finishing against the same team

[SeanDrog]

Great news about LOI TV.

Fully agree - I was afraid it would be pulled

[placid casual]

10-1 in Dalymount v winning the title with a late equaliser against Harps? I know which one I'd revisit :)

But yeah, 95% of the time you're right alright!

More importantly PS, when are UCD selling the tickets for away fans for the last game of the season, when Rovers will be handed the League trophy?
Should see another repeat of 2011..

[pineapple stu]

Ah ye'll have it won before then! The presentation will be the previous week in ye're last home game

[ger121]

Hoping to bring my little lad to his first game this season. Targeting UCD away as we’ll be able to gets tickets and also because he hates crowds.

[Kingswood Rover]

As a Hoops fan living in Kildare it was great to see lots of Bohs, Rovers and the odd Pats crested clothing while up shopping yesterday afternoon. I also work in the Carlow Kilkenny area and in the last couple of years there seems to be a growing awareness of the LOI. Are we now getting to a point where the league is not seen by most in terms as akin to the mad uncles illegitimate fruit cake recipe.

[Charlie Darwin]

Hoping to bring my little lad to his first game this season. Targeting UCD away as we’ll be able to gets tickets and also because he hates crowds.
Would he not be better off supporting them then?

[Bucket]

Rovers first game will be behind closed doors as punishment for the fireworks at Waterford
https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/8232546/shamrock-rovers-behind-closed-doors-waterford-firework-incident/

[pineapple stu]

Anyone know why there's no fixtures the 25th/26th March? It's the international weekend, but that never saw games postponed before

[ontheotherhand]

Anyone know why there's no fixtures the 25th/26th March? It's the international weekend, but that never saw games postponed before

I think I heard on a podcast that the new approach would be to avoid international weekends where possible. Too many underage call ups and disruptions due to same I think? I could be wrong....

[pineapple stu]

Could make sense alright I guess

[2 Year Contract]

It’ll also free up a few slots for other postponed games to be rescheduled into, provided it’s a game that doesn’t involve clubs that have international call ups of course

[pineapple stu]

I was thinking that, but it's very early in the season for there to be postponed games to catch up on.

(That's hoping covid is going to be less of a concern in a month's time of course)

[2 Year Contract]

I see rovers will face a behind closed doors game in the league opener against UCD

https://independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/shamrock-rovers-facing-behind-closed-doors-season-opener-as-punishment-for-waterford-firework-incident-41257585.html

A fitting punishment to be honest which will hopefully serve as a deterrent to assaulting players

[Calcio Jack]

[QUOTE=2 Year Contract;2100616]I see rovers will face a behind closed doors game in the league opener against UCD

https://independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/shamrock-rovers-facing-behind-closed-doors-season-opener-as-punishment-for-waterford-firework-incident-41257585.html


A fitting punishment to be honest which will hopefully serve as a deterrent to assaulting players[/QUOTE

What a joke from the FAI - if the incident occurred at a Rovers home match then the ban would be perhaps justifiable - What happened was a disgrace but it happened in Waterford’s ground and they not Rovers were responsible for security on the day - so we get punished because of a system failure by Waterford ( albeit it is difficult to police such matters)

In addition for the FAI to make 5,000 plus Rovers fans suffer this restriction shows poor judgement at a time when most of us have been enduring almost 2 years of lockdown restrictions that included having to having to miss attending multiple games.

Up to yesterday we’d sold 2,800 season tickets

[pineapple stu]

There is no possible way you can make Rovers out to be victims in this.

It was your fans who fired several fireworks onto the pitch (and watched and did nothing while the gun was fired again and again). Rovers again and again have this problem and can't keep fobbing it off just because they were the away team (that'll only encourage knackers at away games)

And also, I can't go to the game now because your fans thought it was a great idea to fire guns onto the pitch during a game, but that seems to have slipped you by.

[Calcio Jack]

There is no possible way you can make Rovers out to be victims in this.

It was your fans who fired several fireworks onto the pitch (and watched and did nothing while the gun was fired again and again). Rovers again and again have this problem and can't keep fobbing it off just because they were the away team (that'll only encourage knackers at away games)

And also, I can't go to the game now because your fans thought it was a great idea to fire guns onto the pitch during a game, but that seems to have slipped you by.

So it’s up to Rovers fans to act as ‘security’ ? I wouldn’t take on some knackers in that situation ? Would you? Rovers can’t search fans at away grounds? What about Dundalk as one their fans threw a firework into the pitch recently in Dayler ? Surely they should suffer a similar sanction?

To describe the individuals as Rovers fans is as you well know disingenuous; they are no different than if I was to go to a match posing as a UCD supporter and fire rockets onto the pitch- in other words they are scum who attach themselves to Rovers- making both you and all the genuine Rovers fans miss out won’t in any way change the future behaviour of them and there ilk - all it does is impose hardship on genuine fans -

All I can say is that I’ve being following Rovers for over 50 years - we’ve always had a attraction for knackers ; be they skinheads, bootboys , chavs etc and they’ve all had one thing in common ; utter knackers who don’t care about social convention , are too brain dead to even consider/care about the repercussions of their actions- and none of the forgoing is unique to us as Bohs/Pats/Derry/Limerick and others have over the years their own scumbag followers (UCD are exempt) and in all cases the clubs are not to blame- and to the best of my knowledge no stadium ban, fine, ground closure anywhere in the world has in any way modified their behaviour

[ontheotherhand]

There is no possible way you can make Rovers out to be victims in this.

It was your fans who fired several fireworks onto the pitch (and watched and did nothing while the gun was fired again and again). Rovers again and again have this problem and can't keep fobbing it off just because they were the away team (that'll only encourage knackers at away games)

And also, I can't go to the game now because your fans thought it was a great idea to fire guns onto the pitch during a game, but that seems to have slipped you by.

Ah stu, come on. We are talking about 2 clowns here. I understand the frustration as I'm sure you were looking forward to the game but "guns"? It was a firework repeater stick and the dopes were dealt with by Rovers fans and handed to the guards which was the appropriate response. They should have been criminally charged and they were banned by the club.

A game behind closed doors doesn't mean anything to the small number of idiots who show up now and then to cause trouble or, which seems more likely in this case, are just really ****ing dumb. Criminal charges and bans are the way to go when these things happen imop. Have to target the individuals as there's very little a club can do to stop some clown getting 12 cans into him on the way to an away game or bringing a firework to one on Halloween weekend. Maybe if it happened in Tallaght I could see the argument for this but punishing the likes of you, me and the thousands who were looking forward to their first game of the season does nothing at all to stop it from happening again which should be the aim surely? It's essentially a fine in terms of gate receipts gone but with added punishment for regular fans. Make the fine heftier if you want the club to pay attention but I'm still not sure what the FAI expect the club to do outside of bans.

Gutted for you all the same. I know you've been looking forward to getting back to the top table and it would have been a special night I think with Byrne back, UCD back, Whelan and Kerrigan testing themselves at the higher level and restrictions hopefully gone.

[Asterix]

There is no possible way you can make Rovers out to be victims in this.

It was your fans who fired several fireworks onto the pitch (and watched and did nothing while the gun was fired again and again). Rovers again and again have this problem and can't keep fobbing it off just because they were the away team (that'll only encourage knackers at away games)

And also, I can't go to the game now because your fans thought it was a great idea to fire guns onto the pitch during a game, but that seems to have slipped you by.

You expect someone to go and take a lit firework of someone? and do what with it exactly?

[pineapple stu]

Ah stu, come on. We are talking about 2 clowns here. I understand the frustration as I'm sure you were looking forward to the game but "guns"? It was a firework repeater stick and the dopes were dealt with by Rovers fans and handed to the guards which was the appropriate response. They should have been criminally charged and they were banned by the club.
Fair enough on the correct terminology - still, crowd trouble is a long-standing Rovers problem and it's up to the club and everyone in it to stamp it out. If this helps focus the club's mind on that, then good. I do think Waterford should get a fine as well, but Rovers don't get to wash their hands over this, however much Calcio et al would like to.

[D24Saint]

I do love a bit of Rovers bashing but would find this punishment a bit odd. I can see the logic , to act as deterrent and motivation for Rovers to root out the trouble makers. I would have seen a few away games without an allocation of away tickets more suitable for the crime. They are the league champions and to deny their fans the opening night is disproportionate I reckon.

[ontheotherhand]

Fair enough on the correct terminology - still, crowd trouble is a long-standing Rovers problem and it's up to the club and everyone in it to stamp it out. If this helps focus the club's mind on that, then good. I do think Waterford should get a fine as well, but Rovers don't get to wash their hands over this, however much Calcio et al would like to.


I get it. I just think the club did the right thing already in banning the two dopes. Waterford should have faced something as well as you say and there were plenty of things around the league that could have warranted fines etc that went ignored. The firework at Waterford was obviously the pick of the bunch in terms of stupidity but I think it was also very clearly 2 idiots who weren't out to hurt anyone. They were aiming for the roof to begin with....the one right above their own heads......I'm surprised they were able to find Waterford to be honest.

D24Saint has a fair take there I think. Banning away fans would have hurt the few idiots more than shutting everyone out of Tallaght. This smacks of a bit of a comeback from the FAI after Rovers called out their bizarre about turn on the u-14 league.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Banning them from away games would mean whoever they were playing that their fans weren’t allowed go to would be taking the financial hit.

Maybe just ban them from Dalymount for a game and save Bohs coming up with a reason to say they won’t let them in.

[ontheotherhand]

Banning them from away games would mean whoever they were playing that their fans weren’t allowed go to would be taking the financial hit.

Maybe just ban them from Dalymount for a game and save Bohs coming up with a reason to say they won’t let them in.

Fair point.

[sbgawa]

Its nonsense and sets a very bad precedent.
The first time a flare is thrown onto a pitch next season by any Muppet is when you will see what nonsense this is as the FAI will do precisely nothing.
They have in the past used photos of flares to promote the league.
It shows how out of touch the FAI are that their solution to a couple of knackers letting off flares is to ban the long suffering real supporters.
Also no equivocation or whataboutary from me .....it was unacceptable what happened but other than lifetime bans what were the club supposed to do??
Fine SRFC (and others when it happens) the equivalent of the gate receipts but don't punish and give two fingers to the real fans.

[WeAreRovers]

The gobdaws involved should get everything that's coming to them - lifetime ban from Tallaght and criminal charges - but I don't see why my 9-year-old son and his mates some of whom are new ST holders along with their dads are being punished. Just shy of 3,000 STs sold already and they are all now being collectively punished.

Not to mention the dangerous precedent set, I've read a H&S report from another ground last season where broadcast and technical staff were in fear for their lives and there were no Gardai present as the club concerned owed a significant sum to the Guards.

Official complaints were made by various parties and other than a grovelling apology from the club nothing was done - no sanctions whatsoever. Can I assume based on the precedent set that the ground involved will now be closed should there be a repeat this season? I won't be holding my breath.

Incidentally, good to see fans and officials of other clubs - including clubs that really dislike Rovers - coming out against this too.

[pineapple stu]

I get it. I just think the club did the right thing already in banning the two dopes. Waterford should have faced something as well as you say and there were plenty of things around the league that could have warranted fines etc that went ignored. The firework at Waterford was obviously the pick of the bunch in terms of stupidity but I think it was also very clearly 2 idiots who weren't out to hurt anyone. They were aiming for the roof to begin with....the one right above their own heads......I'm surprised they were able to find Waterford to be honest.
I don't think the "they were aiming for the roof" argument is valid (in the same way I don't think "firework repeater stick" really softens things either). I mean, what would happen had they hit the roof? The fireworks would have dropped down onto the crowd and caused more damage than was actually done. I also don't see any reason to introduce conspiracy theories around the U14 league tbh, or to try dismiss them with "I'm surprised they could find Waterford"; it's all a bit hand-washy for me unfortunately.

Yes, this impacts the genuine Rovers fan; yes, it's an extreme move; and yes, it's hard enough for Rovers to actually monitor this, especially at away games (stuff like trouble in pubs at away games is pretty much impossible of course). But this isn't a one-off incident of trouble, and it's very hard to separate the club from the fans. How effective is banning the guys from Tallaght going to be for example? When you go to the turnstiles with cash, do you be checked against a list of faces before being given a ticket? Would a photo ID system work better for example? Are there other options which could be considered which might be more effective than a statement of condemnation?

I've given Rovers credit where it's due on their academy structure in particular, but I think this needs to be addressed a bit more thoroughly than "it was also very clearly 2 idiots who weren't out to hurt anyone". It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye...

[sbgawa]

Dont think you are being fair their Stu.
The stadium bans work well because even if they get past the turnstiles the home stewards tend to know these guys.
Its like life in general everyone knows the local gob****es.

And what about the pyro display when UCD won the playoff game??
You know im being tongue in cheek but where does it stop?
Is it flares thrown on to the pitch? only when someone is nearly hit? only when someone is hit?
Like i said its nonsense and will be shown to be so when the FAI choose to ignore the next flares thrown onto the pitch

[ontheotherhand]

I don't think the "they were aiming for the roof" argument is valid (in the same way I don't think "firework repeater stick" really softens things either). I mean, what would happen had they hit the roof? The fireworks would have dropped down onto the crowd and caused more damage than was actually done. I also don't see any reason to introduce conspiracy theories around the U14 league tbh, or to try dismiss them with "I'm surprised they could find Waterford"; it's all a bit hand-washy for me unfortunately.

Yes, this impacts the genuine Rovers fan; yes, it's an extreme move; and yes, it's hard enough for Rovers to actually monitor this, especially at away games (stuff like trouble in pubs at away games is pretty much impossible of course). But this isn't a one-off incident of trouble, and it's very hard to separate the club from the fans. How effective is banning the guys from Tallaght going to be for example? When you go to the turnstiles with cash, do you be checked against a list of faces before being given a ticket? Would a photo ID system work better for example? Are there other options which could be considered which might be more effective than a statement of condemnation?

I've given Rovers credit where it's due on their academy structure in particular, but I think this needs to be addressed a bit more thoroughly than "it was also very clearly 2 idiots who weren't out to hurt anyone". It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye...

Well when the original argument are that some Rovers fans brought guns in and assaulted players (not your point) while all the other Rovers fans watched on in delight then I think another perspective is fair enough no? The intent doesn't diminish the risk so I'm definitely not saying it should have gone without punishment though. I just think that punishment should have been at the individual level in this case. At most the club should have been given a fine. This is a fine with an extra punishment for the fans. To punish Rovers fans and UCD fans on opening night is way over the top. Maybe we both agree that it's hard for Rovers to take any effective action here and that the punishment is therefore not only harsh but pointless as well though?

In this case it's fairly easy to separate the club from the two involved. They were identified by rovers fans (easy enough what with the cannon in their hand), given a few slaps and handed to the guards on the night. Criminal charges and bans would have been enough. Again, if it had happened in Tallaght I'd have a different take.

[Martinho II]

A great debate lads. To be honest where were the Waterford stewards in all this? If they were expecting trouble why not search all Shamrock Rovers fans going to that game coming in ? I too think its harsh on the Shamrock Rovers fans.

[Nesta99]

I'd be the first to call for some serious penalty for fans' misbehaviour, my own club included, but its always going to be harsh on the club and the vast majority of fans that behave like normal people. It wouldnt be a surprise if it was the proverbial straw after eg flares in Oriel smoking out RTE and obscuring being able to see the game, flares at most cup finals, and that this happened during a live covered game etc. I'd have thought a suspended BCD sanction would have been appropriate with a big enough fine for Rovers and a lesser one for Waterford being responsible for security. It does set an potentially awkward precedent but it would be worse if Waterford as the home club were held most culpable as it could lead to some away fans misbehaving just to get a host club sanctioned and not care about the fine for their own club. The scrotes of course wont pay or care about fine for their own club either way.

While its on a totally different level its not unprecedented for 'away' clubs/fans to be held accountable for misbehaviour. Linfield after playing Dundalk lost out on hosting a home European leg and got a hefty fine compared to Dundalk for security arrangements. All English clubs banned from European competitions for the trouble caused by one club's fans abroad. Now before I get accused of being ott in these examples Im not drawing a direct comparison and I know there was a much bigger overall problem politically and in the English game at those times - I just cant see how you can really sanction clubs other than predominantly the one whose fans have put people at risk!?

Season ticket holders, club members, could or should be allowed attend but that will be divisive in its own way to many. Maybe setting up a pilot voluntary supporters' ID scheme could have worked for the FAI and as a good opportunity for Rovers to lead the way for similar schemes across the league, incentivise signing up but then individuals can be easier excluded if they cause trouble especially at away games where trouble makers wouldnt be known. Basically to be openly proactive on ridding clubs of these cretins without the sense of clamping down needed to be done by the governing body if there is a perception of clubs being too soft. If there is an appeals process to go then Id expect this to be overturned after all the early eyeballing - SRFC/FAI havent gone away ye know!

*I should add that its extremely unfair on UCD if their fans dont get to attend, if they are then it could be the biggest ever attendance of 'UCD fans' at a league game ever!!



I've read a H&S report from another ground last season where broadcast and technical staff were in fear for their lives and there were no Gardai present as the club concerned owed a significant sum to the Guards.

Official complaints were made by various parties and other than a grovelling apology from the club nothing was done - no sanctions whatsoever. Can I assume based on the precedent set that the ground involved will now be closed should there be a repeat this season? I won't be holding my breath.

Were they all mentored by Phillip Greene by any chance...Melodramatic much?? If they were in fear of smoke inhalation in Oriel Park for example then yeah not pleasant but in fear of lives - you'd need to give insight as to how or why before this injustice sticks as an example of a lack of imbalance by the FAI!



I think it was also very clearly 2 idiots who weren't out to hurt anyone. They were aiming for the roof to begin with....the one right above their own heads...

Aiming for the roof...Is that what they claimed and you believe it, come on oth, really...?!

[ontheotherhand]

I'd be the first to call for some serious penalty for fans' misbehaviour, my own club included, but its always going to be harsh on the club and the vast majority of fans that behave like normal people. It wouldnt be a surprise if it was the proverbial straw after eg flares in Oriel smoking out RTE and obscuring being able to see the game, flares at most cup finals, and that this happened during a live covered game etc. I'd have thought a suspended BCD sanction would have been appropriate with a big enough fine for Rovers and a lesser one for Waterford being responsible for security. It does set an potentially awkward precedent but it would be worse if Waterford as the home club were held most culpable as it could lead to some away fans misbehaving just to get a host club sanctioned and not care about the fine for their own club. The scrotes of course wont pay or care about fine for their own club either way.

While its on a totally different level its not unprecedented for 'away' clubs/fans to be held accountable for misbehaviour. Linfield after playing Dundalk lost out on hosting a home European leg and got a hefty fine compared to Dundalk for security arrangements. All English clubs banned from European competitions for the trouble caused by one club's fans abroad. Now before I get accused of being ott in these examples Im not drawing a direct comparison and I know there was a much bigger overall problem politically and in the English game at those times - I just cant see how you can really sanction clubs other than predominantly the one whose fans have put people at risk!?

Season ticket holders, club members, could or should be allowed attend but that will be divisive in its own way to many. Maybe setting up a voluntary supporters' ID scheme could have worked for the FAI and as a good opportunity for Rovers to lead the way for similar schemes across the league, incentivise signing up but then individuals can be easier excluded if they cause trouble especially at away games where trouble makers wouldnt be known. Basically to be openly proactive on ridding clubs of these cretins without the sense of clamping down needed to be done by the governing body if there is a perception of clubs being too soft. If there is an appeals process to go then Id expect this to be overturned after all the early eyeballing - SRFC/FAI havent gone away ye know!

*I should add that its extremely unfair on UCD if their fans dont get to attend, if they are then it could be the biggest ever attendance of 'UCD fans' at a league game ever!!



Were they all mentored by Phillip Greene by any chance...Melodramatic much?? If they were in fear of smoke inhalation in Oriel Park for example then yeah not pleasant but in fear of lives - you'd need to give insight as to how or why before this injustice sticks as an example of a lack of imbalance by the FAI!



Aiming for the roof...Is that what they claimed and you believe it, come on oth, really...?!

Fair post.

The bit in bold is what I heard from hoops who were close to them but yeah it could just have been the first thing they claimed after they got lifted by the other fans. There was no good answer! Does it matter though? They injured 3 Rovers fans and hit a Waterford player so regardless of where they were aiming, they didn't hit the target very well unless you think they wanted to hurt both parties?

You might be right and it may have been a culmination of various dodgy events across the league but how is the punishment in any way fair if it's on only one club? Will they just let a few things build up and then dish out another punishment when they feel a tipping point has been reached or is there a hard and fast rule here? I don't like whataboutery in most cases but when multiple clubs had issues and one club gets the punishment then it's fair enough to cite the other examples. The firework at the RSC was the worst of the bunch to be fair as it was a repeater instead of a single rocket and it exploded unlike a flare although the lads in Oriel were lucky enough their effort didn't hit anyone. (https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/7820519/dundalk-warn-supporters-fireworks-banned-from-oriel-park/)Again though, if this happened in Tallaght I could see an argument for a closure.

Lastly, I think this should have been done and dusted last year. Starting the new season with this headline is no good for anyone.

[Nesta99]

I dont think its fair on club or fans but I can see why the decision was made - starkly when a player and 3 fans were injured. It pushes the boat out in comparison to previous incidents where it was purely luck that people werent injured, or those clubs would be facing BCD. Its not particularly logical to separate similar behaviour but when injuries do actually happen the kneejerk reaction follows. It should be proactive rather than reactive of course and it was only a matter of time before injury happened and for that club to bear the brunt irrespective of other previous similar incidents. I reckon clubs will be taking this a whole lot more seriously now now that the FAI are cornered in to having to react to further incidents so it may well do the job at Rovers and elsewhere!?!

Considering the leeway that UEFA have given clubs and international sides for some awful stuff by supporters and then fine Dundalk as much as the Spanish association among others, for one fan of 3000 having a Palestinian flag (which of course is recognised as a national by this country) I get the frustration and sense of the sanction being disproportionate. You have a point on it being poor PR as i'd even forgotten about it whereas now its centre stage rightly or wrongly.

[WeAreRovers]

Were they all mentored by Phillip Greene by any chance...Melodramatic much?? If they were in fear of smoke inhalation in Oriel Park for example then yeah not pleasant but in fear of lives - you'd need to give insight as to how or why before this injustice sticks as an example of a lack of imbalance by the FAI!


I never mentioned Oriel Park. My 'melodrama' is literally a direct quote from the H&S report written by the unit manager who has decades of experience of outside broadcasts. Melodramatic he ain't. Other phrases used were 'grave concern' over safety of staff and a reference to the home club having 'little or no control' over events in their own ground. it's a damning read but hey let's sanction Rovers for events in an away ground.

[kksaints]

I never mentioned Oriel Park. My 'melodrama' is literally a direct quote from the H&S report written by the unit manager who has decades of experience of outside broadcasts. Melodramatic he ain't. Other phrases used were 'grave concern' over safety of staff and a reference to the home club having 'little or no control' over events in their own ground. it's a damning read but hey let's sanction Rovers for events in an away ground.

Is this report publicly available or is it an internal document?

[WeAreRovers]

Is this report publicly available or is it an internal document?

Internal for the parties involved.

[Nesta99]

No I mentioned Oriel as an example of where I'm sure it was an uncomfortable experience for some RTE staff to work with the whole smoke thing. I didnt suggest that Oriel was the ground that this H&S report was from as obviously I dont know. You didnt mention Oriel but that doesnt rule it out and speculation beyond Oriel is going to be the Dublin Derby in Dalymount. Doesnt matter which ground really but I cant for the life of me think of an incident where TV coverage staff would have had their lives at risk, not being reported generally too and we all know how media hop on this sort of thing and supporters of other clubs would have a field day. Was anyone actually hurt? If not what grounds should that club be sanctioned. You sure you are not mixing up a report from 1995 in Landsdowne Rd as i'd have grave concerns about the validity of this 'report'.....melodramatic or BS!


Internal for the parties involved.

Convenient!

[pineapple stu]

Well when the original argument are that some Rovers fans brought guns in and assaulted players (not your point) while all the other Rovers fans watched on in delight then I think another perspective is fair enough no? The intent doesn't diminish the risk so I'm definitely not saying it should have gone without punishment though. I just think that punishment should have been at the individual level in this case. At most the club should have been given a fine. This is a fine with an extra punishment for the fans. To punish Rovers fans and UCD fans on opening night is way over the top. Maybe we both agree that it's hard for Rovers to take any effective action here and that the punishment is therefore not only harsh but pointless as well though?

In this case it's fairly easy to separate the club from the two involved. They were identified by rovers fans (easy enough what with the cannon in their hand), given a few slaps and handed to the guards on the night. Criminal charges and bans would have been enough. Again, if it had happened in Tallaght I'd have a different take.
I think on the incident themselves, the guys were handed over to the Gardaí and that's certainly a good thing. If it was a one-off incidence of crowd trouble at Rovers games, I would absolutely say that that's the end of it. But it's not, and Rovers as a club probably have to address that side of things a bit more. And absolutely it's really hard. (And in fairness, it's easy (and fun :) ) to slag Rovers, but their problem is more that they've some knackers following them rather than an organised hooligan element like you see at some European clubs, which is much more of an issue)

There's definitely arguments that while a stadium ban may make a club and its fans take more action than "just" a fine, it can also be of limited impact, and I think to be fair that's a point you're trying to make. But I think to try bring in the other arguments which you and others are doing - he was aiming for the roof (which is even more dangerous), it was only a repeater stick not a gun (I obviously didn't mean a bullet-laden handgun; a pellet gun is still a gun for example), they didn't mean any harm, I want to go and watch the game, the FAI have it in for us, blah blah covid mental health - those arguments all take away from the discussion which should be happening, and I've no real time for those.


The stadium bans work well because even if they get past the turnstiles the home stewards tend to know these guys.
Its like life in general everyone knows the local gob****es.
But how effective is that really? In a crowd of 5,000+, are you really going to spot these guys? What if they're wearing a scarf around their lower face or a hat or sunglasses or a beard? Does a steward approach someone and tell them to leave because they're banned and risk mistaken identity?


And what about the pyro display when UCD won the playoff game??
You know im being tongue in cheek but where does it stop?
Yeah, flares on the pitch is bad* and you're right that precedent-setting is always risky. But I do think a firework like yer man let off is inherently more dangerous because of how it explodes and goes any number of ways at speed and I think you could say that the punishment for that doesn't necessarily apply to a flare dropped onto the sidelines.


* - which was Bray, not us! :) UCD flares were just held up. I don't mind that, though I know others have different views on it.

[mypost]

Maybe if it happened in Tallaght I could see the argument for this but punishing the likes of you, me and the thousands who were looking forward to their first game of the season does nothing at all to stop it from happening again which should be the aim surely? It's essentially a fine in terms of gate receipts gone but with added punishment for regular fans. Make the fine heftier if you want the club to pay attention but I'm still not sure what the FAI expect the club to do outside of bans.

Are you sure you were looking forward to playing UCD? When everyone looks forward to seeing the fixture list, there are lots of games they look out for. I think UCD would not be top of many lists. It's not like the away team allocation is going to sell out.

It could have been worse, it could have been extended or a ban for a game people really look forward to. It probably will be successfully appealed anyway.