First Division Run-In

[Nesta99]

Longford do not look beyond this weekend especially and then last day and in to playoffs. Grasp when the iron is hot, in form at the right time going in to playoffs. Forget about next season until next season, its alllllll about beating Cobh until that is done ok!! Enough of the distraction nr:)

[nr637]

Longford do not look beyond this weekend especially and then last day and in to playoffs. Grasp when the iron is hot, in form at the right time going in to playoffs. Forget about next season until next season, its alllllll about beating Cobh until that is done ok!! Enough of the distraction nr:)

I suppose the Longford team are a bit like the perimeter wall that was damaged recently. A bit like their season and now with the run-in it gets repaired! No distraction here Nesta99:o

[Stevie mac]

Lets all appreciate Dundalk for winning a very mediocre division. Im just so glad we won't play it next season. The season after I dont care

[ToberonaTornado]

Lets all appreciate Dundalk for winning a very mediocre division. Im just so glad we won't play it next season. The season after I dont care
You seen to understand the problem . You've gotta get out of that division before you end up in a repetitive rewind matrix kind of like hotel California & shels

Let's see what the off season brings but for right now come on dundalk c'mon the

[MoydowMonty]

Longford's play off dream is dead but the fact we were in a playoff race till the 2nd last game at all is commendable as the season looked dead 6 weeks ago. It has put a nice gloss on the season. A lot of people thought they would finish 9th or 10th and they're nowhere near that, so this is has been an acceptable season on the whole

[listowelceltic]

Congrats Dundalk. Deserving winners.

[legendz]

56 points was enough for UCD to finish 2nd last year. Currently the same number of points has them 4th with a game to go.
Cork won last year with 78 points and a comfortable gap. Dundalk have won in their penultimate game on 76.
2nd and 3rd have been stronger this season. Wexford and Treaty in head to head battle now for the final playoff spot next weekend.

[cobhlad]

Congrats to Dundalk, deserved champions over the course of the season. Hopefully the prize money helps sort out the away end…

Off to the play-offs for Cobh. In 2023 finishing 3rd was a huge success, whereas finishing 2nd two years later feels a disappointment, strange one. Bit more pressure this time as the highest ranked team. A go at the Premier is overdue, hopefully it comes soon.

[outspoken]

Congrats to Dundalk, deserved champions over the course of the season. Hopefully the prize money helps sort out the away end…

Off to the play-offs for Cobh. In 2023 finishing 3rd was a huge success, whereas finishing 2nd two years later feels a disappointment, strange one. Bit more pressure this time as the highest ranked team. A go at the Premier is overdue, hopefully it comes soon.

Don't know what the current prize money is but it used to be around 25k for winning the first division, ya wouldn't install a sink with that let alone do anything major with it

[Nesta99]

35k could build a toilet shedside or away section. Neither will happen, I wished they'd flatten that terrace and add it in to the bar space, people could drink while watching the game and have the Mono type stand run along the Carrick Goal for away fans.

[nigel-harps1954]

35k could build a toilet shedside or away section. Neither will happen, I wished they'd flatten that terrace and add it in to the bar space, people could drink while watching the game and have the Mono type stand run along the Carrick Goal for away fans.

Have often wondered something similar. Why they don't put in a small stand at that end for away fans and extend the home section all the way along the front of the stand.

[oriel]

Congrats to Dundalk, deserved champions over the course of the season. Hopefully the prize money helps sort out the away end…

Off to the play-offs for Cobh. In 2023 finishing 3rd was a huge success, whereas finishing 2nd two years later feels a disappointment, strange one. Bit more pressure this time as the highest ranked team. A go at the Premier is overdue, hopefully it comes soon.

Thank you kind sir, you should have a decent pay day next fri, hundreds of Dundalk fans travelling and loads staying over.

Ah don't get me started on away end, its a disgrace and embarrassing, still say and made point before Shels and Pats also offer not far off same, uncovered terrace for away fans, but at least they have a full view.

Its shocking at OP, toilets also and I personally even looked at an idea this year of a fan group paying for pizza's for away fans in FD home games as it was always going to be modest away crowds, but the club are not engaging with our group. We will still carry on regardless with building up a war chest, they may need us at some point.

Best of luck in play offs, history will tell us PD club will win, but would be great to buck the trend this season with a FD club making a surprise win, one less PD club for us to worry about next season !!!!!!

[oriel]

you seen to understand the problem . You've gotta get out of that division before you end up in a repetitive rewind matrix kind of like hotel california & shels

let's see what the off season brings but for right now come on dundalk c'mon the town !!

[oriel]

35k could build a toilet shedside or away section. Neither will happen, I wished they'd flatten that terrace and add it in to the bar space, people could drink while watching the game and have the Mono type stand run along the Carrick Goal for away fans.

Thats the only solution, flatten it, extend lilywhite lounge to beer garden / coffee spot, build what Pats have behind that goal, semi - perm open seating (it was there for 2 games in 2014 season and looked great) still loads of space behind for cars to drive past to get to YDC - shed side for players gym / dressing rooms / canteen / parking.

[oriel]

Don't know what the current prize money is but it used to be around 25k for winning the first division, ya wouldn't install a sink with that let alone do anything major with it

In 2023 the figure was 36k for FD winners, not sure what Cork C got last year, or what this season will pay.

[outspoken]

Had overheard the bluffer Ainscough shortly before his departure telling someone he was planning on opening a beer garden in that area outside the Lilywhite, given how his attempt at a new disabled zone turned out maybe it's better he didn't get round to it.

[nr637]

Are the First Division Play-off Semi-Finals down for the following Friday 24th October! :confused:

[outspoken]

Are the First Division Play-off Semi-Finals down for the following Friday 24th October! :confused:

They usually start straight away yep

[Neish]

Longford's play off dream is dead but the fact we were in a playoff race till the 2nd last game at all is commendable as the season looked dead 6 weeks ago. It has put a nice gloss on the season. A lot of people thought they would finish 9th or 10th and they're nowhere near that, so this is has been an acceptable season on the whole

Fair play to longford they had a great last quarter of the season. I remember when Harps played Longford in Bishopsgate back at the start of September the LOI TV commentators kept chatting about Longford's playoff chances, at the time I thought these lads are very optimistic. Longford went on the win 4 of the next 5, Harps lost 4 drew one.

[De Town]

Fair play to longford they had a great last quarter of the season. I remember when Harps played Longford in Bishopsgate back at the start of September the LOI TV commentators kept chatting about Longford's playoff chances, at the time I thought these lads are very optimistic. Longford went on the win 4 of the next 5, Harps lost 4 drew one.

Plenty of ifs, buts and maybes for every team I'm sure, but our run of taking 2 points from Kerry, Harps and Wexford around the end of August/start of September has ultimately killed us I think. 3 very winnable games and we didn't win one of them....only for us to go and beat 4 of the top 5 after that. Funny oul game.

[MoydowMonty]

Plenty of ifs, buts and maybes for every team I'm sure, but our run of taking 2 points from Kerry, Harps and Wexford around the end of August/start of September has ultimately killed us I think. 3 very winnable games and we didn't win one of them....only for us to go and beat 4 of the top 5 after that. Funny oul game.

Not even 3 games, it's the Wexford game that has killed us. 2 up then a man sent off and it ends in a draw. I didn't pass much heed at the time because I thought the season was pretty much over, but those dropped 2 points would have had us a point ahead of Wexford going into tomorrow for a 3 way showdown to get 5th. Pity about it, but I'm still really happy at such a strong end to the season.

[nr637]

SSE Airtricity Men's First Division Play-Off Semi-Finals (two-legged, home & away)

2nd place v 5th place
3rd place v 4th place

First legs to take place on Friday October 24th and Second legs to take place onm Tuesday October 28th.
The winners on aggregrate advance.

SSE Airtricity Men's First Division Play-Off Final

The two semi-final winners face off at a neutral venue to be decided depending on participating teams on Sunday November 2nd.

SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division Promotion/Relegation Play-Off

The winner of the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division Play-Off Final then faces the 9th-placed team in a one-legged Play-Off game on Friday, November 7th at a neutral venue to be decided and depending on the participating teams.





https://www.facebook.com/groups/292512121162625

[legendz]

After all teams have played each 4 times during the regular season, two legged semi finals seems excessive. 2nd could be home to 5th and 3rd at home to 4th in one legged semi finals. The highest ranked finalist on league placing could have home advantage in the final.
It's the promotion relegation playoff that should be over two legs. Two teams who haven't played each over during the regular league season.

[sbgawa]

The two legs allow both teams to make a few bob off the gate so i agree with that tbf.

I like the one off nature of the final to be honest also evens it up a bit for the first division team being a one off.
All the play off finals in the UK are one legged with 2 legged semi finals, not that im saying we should be like them but it is a normal enough format

[Nesta99]

I actually think there should be 2 automatic promotion/relegations and then a playoff final after*. The current system I think works in terms of how the 1st divison sides get there. In the past there would have been an argument for holding the play-off final before the cup final when the Aviva would be half full. I dont think league ranking should come in to the play-off final, giving a significant advantage to the Premier Division side**

*Not when Dundalk are in the Premier Division!!!
**Unless Dundalk are in the play-off final!!!

[nigel-harps1954]

I actually think the promotion/relegation playoff should be done away with altogether and it should be two automatically down and the winner of the First Division playoff promoted.

[Nesta99]

The play-off stinks totally of 'compromise' ie 2 teams down were wanted but the PD teams got that to one automoatically relegated and probably tried to do away with automatic relegation with a playoff for last spot (I actually think that was a proposal from Drogheda, at least for a certain period, until clubs stabilised financially without jeopardy of relegation, maybe its was their All Ireland league proposal, but against UEFA regs).

This isnt a pointed question Nigel, If Harps were in the PD and 2 automatic relegation was being voted on would you vote for if you were club delegate? Even if it was the fairest thing to do I dont think I would if it risked Dundalk. Why progress is so slow in LoI and the league went to the FAI to be run. How many of us would truly not be thinking my club first' in decision making.

[nigel-harps1954]

It really shouldn't be up to the clubs to decide the rules though. Probably one of the reasons the league has been in the doldrums for so long is because the teams have been the ones making the decisions for too long.

[Nesta99]

Turkey's voting for Christmas! Nicely evaded the question lol. I should probably have asked is there anyone who would vote for the best system even if that put your club at greater risk of things like relegation or losing European slots, for the greater good and all that. If things are not done democratically though whats to stop total madness, moving say the likes of Dundalk to the Aviva....or junior clubs dictating how the senior game is runs:eek: