Play-offs 2023.

[joey B]

Cork City in 2017.

Not sure what issue would be caused by a team in both finals!

If a men’s team was in the Cup Final and the Play off he meant….

[trevy]

I was thinking of all the play off final defeats this week and had forgotten that bizarre one v Dundalk in 2006 when Dundalk won. The game didn't matter as Dundalk weren't allowed to be promoted leading to a fan with a can of petrol protesting at FAI headquarters.
Hopefully it can be 9th time lucky tonight. Cork are rightly favourites and have the advantage of playing Premier football all season and an extra day free since their last game but we travel in hope.

[Nesta99]

I was thinking of all the play off final defeats this week and had forgotten that bizarre one v Dundalk in 2006 when Dundalk won. The game didn't matter as Dundalk weren't allowed to be promoted leading to a fan with a can of petrol protesting at FAI headquarters.
Hopefully it can be 9th time lucky tonight. Cork are rightly favourites and have the advantage of playing Premier football all season and an extra day free since their last game but we travel in hope.

It was all a total farce!

[Nesta99]

Cork City in 2017.

Not sure what issue would be caused by a team in both finals!

I think Neih meant what would happen if a team was in both the cup and play-off final if both held on the same day. Dundalk 2002 won the cup final and were 3rd bottom (3 sides were relegated that year) and another season could have been in both end of season games and if both scheduled for the same day itd be messy.

[Shearer]

I think Neih meant what would happen if a team was in both the cup and play-off final if both held on the same day. Dundalk 2002 won the cup final and were 3rd bottom (3 sides were relegated that year) and another season could have been in both end of season games and if both scheduled for the same day itd be messy.
Only realised after, my bad!

[CorribsideSteve]

What sort of a crowd is expected tonight in Tallaght? I would guess 4/5000 maybe? Looking forward to it. A Munster derby on TV with major significance attached to it. Cork have labored all season long and Waterford would have won the 1st Div any other year, only for a fairly outstanding season from Galway, and are a decent team in their own right.

[2 Year Contract]

Sure we weren't far off that scenario this year. If Cork had beaten Pats in the semi they’d be in both. I’d say the Playoff final probably would’ve been played on Wednesday this week in that scenario. Not ideal but would probably have been the only realistic option

[nigel-harps1954]

What sort of a crowd is expected tonight in Tallaght? I would guess 4/5000 maybe? Looking forward to it. A Munster derby on TV with major significance attached to it. Cork have labored all season long and Waterford would have won the 1st Div any other year, only for a fairly outstanding season from Galway, and are a decent team in their own right.

Ticketmaster showing all Waterford tickets sold out, and tickets available in every block for Cork side. Will they open up the south stand to Waterford fans without tickets?

[joey B]

https://www.ticketmaster.ie/event/18005F67CB55576B?did=water

Selling tickets for Waterford fans in the south stand there….

[JC_GUFC]

There is the list of finals below. If you to split the 28 finals by the most recent 14 finals then it's 10 victories for the First Division teams which is a trend indicates a narrowing of the gap between the divisions over the years.


I'm not sure you can really use that to judge. Some of the Premier Division clubs have been in rag order when the playoff has come around, think Galway United in 2011, Waterford a couple of years ago sacking the well-liked manager days before the match and not having a manager in place, even that Shels team that lost to Longford was in disarray. The Division 1 team obviously has never been in that kind of situation because they're on the back of a good season.

On the pitch, at least, Cork are well organised. I'd expect them to win tonight. Having the extra edge from playing good teams should stand to them. Although Waterford have got through the Division 1 playoffs in 2 games against Athlone and 1 against Cobh they've conceded in all of them and only won one of them in 90 minutes.

[2 Year Contract]

On the pitch, at least, Cork are well organised.

They may well win tonight (did so handily in the cup game between the two anyways), but that quote may well be the kindest thing anyone’s ever said about a team that conceded 64 goals in 36 games :D

[El-Pietro]

We have definitely looked better defensively since Holland took over after the Dundalk game. The exception being the Bohs game last Friday but we made wholesale changes for that game with tonight in mind.

My concern is we have struggled to score goals of late. Other than two away to UCD we haven't scored since a 2-1 loss away to Shels in September.
Part of that is we have had some challenging fixtures, Pats twice, Derry and Rovers chief among that but worrying all the same.

It also seems improbable that Waterford would lose another final. They are bound to get a lucky bounce or two sooner or later. They also come into this game with everything to play for. From their perspective this is a huge game over a rival team with a massive prize on offer.

For us there isn't as much to be excited about, the upside is relief at maintaining the status quo. It's a weird position to be in.

[Martinho II]

I was thinking of all the play off final defeats this week and had forgotten that bizarre one v Dundalk in 2006 when Dundalk won. The game didn't matter as Dundalk weren't allowed to be promoted leading to a fan with a can of petrol protesting at FAI headquarters.
Hopefully it can be 9th time lucky tonight. Cork are rightly favourites and have the advantage of playing Premier football all season and an extra day free since their last game but we travel in hope.

Sorry Trevy you have lost me about being 9th time lucky??

[culloty82]

Waterford have lost all eight of their previous play-off finals.

[Martinho II]

Waterford have lost all eight of their previous play-off finals.
Wow didnt realise that at all. Hopefully they will break their jinx soon!

[2 Year Contract]

Bad miss by Coughlan there, should’ve scored

[joey B]

Waterford have been excellent but can’t put the ball in the net….

[culloty82]

They'll only have themselves to blame if they don't win it from here - numerous chances, and looks like Keating will have to limp off at HT.

[DCSIL]

This is going to penos at this rate - awful

[TonyD]

This is going to penos at this rate - awful

I think it’s been quite entertaining. Bad miss from Waterford there. Should have scored.

[culloty82]

And Cork duly open the scoring.

[joey B]

Great strike for Waterford’s equaliser,very enjoyable game….

[ger121]

Very good game. Excellent atmosphere too.

[2 Year Contract]

For all the praise the pitch in Tallaght gets, it’s taken a goal off both Waterford and Cork with bobbles at either end

[Burnsie]

cracker of a game this

[Bunny Kelly]

Cork have made substitutions at 4 different times, I thought you can make up to 5 but only over 3 breaks?

Maybe half time changes don’t count as a break in play

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, I think it's three stoppages, and half-time doesn't count

(Five subs is too many anyway; should be brought back to three)

[Longfordian]

Who's the co-commentator? I know the voice but can't put a name to it. I only turned it on on 60 minutes.

[joey B]

Keith Treacy

[Longfordian]

That's it. Cheers Joey.

[joey B]

Did anyone think that was a soft enough penalty?

[pineapple stu]

Do the VM3 commentators think Afolabi has moved from Bohs to Cork since last week?

[Longfordian]

I've been a bit out of touch with the Premier Division but was thinking "is he a brother of the lad at Bohs?"

[Bunny Kelly]

Did anyone think that was a soft enough penalty?

He totally buys it, gets in front on of Coleman & stops running making contact inevitable

[total hoofball]

Did anyone think that was a soft enough penalty?
It wasn't a penalty end of Coughlan won that and the ref fell hook line sinker pathetic decision

[Longfordian]

Yeah in fairness I thought in real time it was a penalty but he definitely bought it.

[pineapple stu]

Crowd is a bit disappointing, no?

Especially when compared to the (Dublin derby) Cup final on Sunday

I think it was 3k last year between Waterford and UCD in Tallaght. You'd have thought swapping Cork in for us would have added more than a thousand on to the gate

[joey B]

I’d say there’s playoff fatigue on Waterford’s part and things aren’t very rosy down in Cork with the owner ….

[Nesta99]

Crowd is a bit disappointing, no?

Especially when compared to the (Dublin derby) Cup final on Sunday

I think it was 3k last year between Waterford and UCD in Tallaght. You'd have thought swapping Cork in for us would have added more than a thousand on to the gate

No, Cork have always had a limited away support, itd be no real surprise to have them well outnumbered by Waterford fans. At home there are few better but away...just cat!

[SeanDrog]

I didn’t expect that result - real kick in their teeth for Cork. Congratz Waterford

[culloty82]

Commiserations to Cork, if the squad stays together over the close season, you should be able to bounce straight back. Whatever about the away support tonight, you'd expect them to bring a sizeable cohort to Mounthawk Park next year, could make for some friendly rivalry in 2024!

[placid casual]

Cork manager making sure there's no need for a guard of honour next season anyway.
Well done wahhherfudd, a decent addition to the next season's Premier division.

[2 Year Contract]

Great game to watch for the neutral, loads of chances for both sides. Congrats to Waterford, they edged it for me performance wise and deserved the win

[D24Saint]

Disappointing to lose Cork as an away day and Waterford will be tough to beat under Long next season.

[Jack B]

Feels a complete waste of a season for Cork. Finally put it together last year and could have had a good thing going, but have flattered to deceive all season and it's all just felt a bit haphazard with the manager situation as well. Compounded now by not only relegation but the fans seemed to turn on the players on more than one occasion, including tonight. You'd imagine they'll come right back up but not sure the vibes will be particularly great.

Congrats to Waterford. They've good potential about them but only seem to put it together in moments. Will be interesting to see how they go about things.

[total hoofball]

Commiserations to Cork, if the squad stays together over the close season, you should be able to bounce straight back.
I don't think so. They were looked like a first division standard team tonight despite the dodgy penalty decision, they were really bad in all 4 games I saw them against Shels this season

I said it before here this Cork team of 2023 looked barely distinguishable or any improvement on their 2020 team that finished bottom they were lucky they had a dreadful UCD team this season propping them up off the bottom

Like with Shels after our play-off relegation 3 years ago they will need to sign about a dozen quality players to go straight back up, if Usher isn't going to put more money in or stop signing crap there is no guarantee they are coming back up

[joey B]

The way Cork left the management side of the club after Healy departed was bizarre, they deserved what they got for that alone, Usher fairly obviously hasn't a clue what he's at....

[2 Year Contract]

The way Cork left the management side of the club after Healy departed was bizarre, they deserved what they got for that alone, Usher fairly obviously hasn't a clue what he's at....

Absolute madness to think that considering their struggles all season that it’s 6 months since they’ve had a permanent manager. Some seriously inept running of a club in trouble

[nigel-harps1954]

4,032 attendance is disappointing indeed.

Thoroughly enjoyable game though. Congrats to Waterford and commiserations to Cork

[ger121]

Very happy for Long.