Setanta Cup 2006

[martyc]

Setanta Sports Cup 2006
14/11/2005
Details announced for the 2006 edition of the Setanta Sports Cup.

The Irish Football Association, in conjunction with our partners the FAI and Setanta Sports, are pleased to announce the dates of the 2006 Setanta Sports Cup.

A total of 27 matches will determine the winner of the 2nd Setanta Sports Cup. The competition will kick-off with all eight clubs playing on Monday 20th February 2006 and culminate in the final on Saturday 22nd April 2006.

Linfield FC, the holders of the trophy, will be joined by Glentoran FC, Portadown FC and Dungannon Swifts FC in representing the Carnegie Premier League in the competition.

Derry City FC, Cork City FC and two other clubs will make up the Eircom League participants.

The draw for the competition will be made on Monday 12th December 2005 in Dublin.

Monday, 20th February, 2006
Group A: IFA 1 v. FAI 1; FAI 2 v. IFA 2
Group B: IFA 3 v. FAI 3; FAI 4 v. IFA 4

Monday, 27th February, 2006
Group A: FAI 1 v. FAI 2; IFA 2 v. IFA 1

Tuesday, 28th February, 2006
Group B: FAI 3 v. FAI 4; IFA 4 v. IFA 3

Monday, 6th March, 2006
Group A: IFA 1 v. FAI 2; FAI 1 v. IFA 2

Monday, 13th March, 2006
Group B: IFA 3 v. FAI 4; FAI 3 v. IFA 4

Tuesday, 14th March, 2006
Group A: IFA 2 v. FAI 1; FAI 2 v. IFA 1

Monday, 20th March, 2006
Group B: FAI 4 v. IFA 3; IFA 4 v. FAI 3

Tuesday, 21st March, 2006
Group A: FAI 1 v. IFA 1; IFA 2 v. FAI 2

Monday, 27th March, 2006
Group A: FAI 2 v. FAI 1; IFA 1 v. IFA 2
Group B: FAI 3 v. IFA 3; IFA 4 v. FAI 4

Monday, 3rd April, 2006
Group B: FAI 4 v. FAI 3; IFA 3 v. IFA 4

Monday, 10th April, 2006
Semi-final: Winners Group A v. Runners-Up Group B

Tuesday, 11th April, 2006
Semi-final: Winners Group B v. Runners-Up Group A

Saturday, 22nd April, 2006
Final

All games (excluding the final) shall kick-off at 7:45pm

[Poor Student]

Interesting. Wasn't expecting semi finals. Draw is quite early too. Fans will know what to look forward to for a few months.

[EnDai]

27 matches! Fantastic! ;)

[crc]

The other two from FAI are Shels and Drogs, no?

There's only one leg for the semi-finals, are these going to be at neutral venues, or at the home ground of the group winners?

I like the way the games are going to be played at the same time every week. That will build up the audience because of the regularity. The first season went well I thought, but it was let down by having the final at Shels' home ground (and partly for that reason, I'm glad Linfield won).

[thejollyrodger]

Shelbourne are going to humilate everyone next season. I cant wait for it.

[A face]

Shelbourne are going to humilate everyone next season. I cant wait for it.

Crash out of Europe in the first round ?? Is that it ??

[crc]

Shelbourne are going to humilate everyone next season. I cant wait for it.
I reckon Shels will get Linfield, Glens, Cork. ("Carlsberg don't do Setanta Cup draws..."):D

[A face]

I reckon Shels will get Linfield, Glens, Cork. ("Carlsberg don't do Setanta Cup draws..."):D

Two out of that group .... winners take all !! :D

[dcfcsteve]

Shelbourne are going to humilate everyone next season. I cant wait for it.

Aye - humiliate the Eircom League is right...... :o

Nevermind - you might finish a distant 3rd in one of the Setanta groups.... :p

[martyc]

There's only one leg for the semi-finals, are these going to be at neutral venues, or at the home ground of the group winners?

Yep, group winners get home advantage in the semi-finals.

[pete]

With expanded Setanta Cup i think the top Premier teams are now playing too many games.

33 League Games
Up to 8 Setanta Cup games
5+ FAI Cup games
4-6 European games
+ League cup

Cork City will have played 52 games by end of this season.

[Bald Student]

With expanded Setanta Cup i think the top Premier teams are now playing too many games.

33 League Games
Up to 8 Setanta Cup games
5+ FAI Cup games
4-6 European games
+ League cup

Cork City will have played 52 games by end of this season.Then field your U21s in the league cup like the rest of us.

[mchurl]

can only be good for the league with all these axtra games on tv

[pete]

Then field your U21s in the league cup like the rest of us.

That makes 50 games in current season.

[holidaysong]

Splendid, can't wait until it kicks off. :)

[Ronnie]

Pete, Longford Town played over 50 competitive games in 2004. Over 36 weeks its less than 3 games a fortnight, which for full timers isn't too bad -I'd say players would prefer it to training!

[A face]

Then field your U21s in the league cup like the rest of us.

You have a point !!

[lefty]

With expanded Setanta Cup i think the top Premier teams are now playing too many games.

33 League Games
Up to 8 Setanta Cup games
5+ FAI Cup games
4-6 European games
+ League cup

Cork City will have played 52 games by end of this season.

Stop whining, look at the money your going to get, its an invitational tournament no obligation so why dont you start lobbying for them to pull out of the Setanta Cup, plenty of other teams would take your place.

[pineapple stu]

With expanded Setanta Cup i think the top Premier teams are now playing too many games.

33 League Games
Up to 8 Setanta Cup games
5+ FAI Cup games
4-6 European games
+ League cup

Cork City will have played 52 games by end of this season.
Sure in Divisions 1-3 in England there's 46 league games, the League Cup (first round is two-legged, I think, so that's at least two more games), the FA Cup (a decent team will get to the Third Round from the First, so that's another three games) and the LDV Vans Cup or whatever it's called now. The top Irish teams are full-time, so no reason why they can't take it. 52 games assues you're going to get to the Setanta Cup Final and the FAI Cup Final as well, do it's a maximum.

[EnDai]

I reckon Shels will get Linfield, Glens, Cork. ("Carlsberg don't do Setanta Cup draws..."):D
That'd be one hell of a group! :) Be some great matches! Howver, the other group might seem a little lightweight in comparison?

[Sheridan]

Pete, Longford Town played over 50 competitive games in 2004. Over 36 weeks its less than 3 games a fortnight, which for full timers isn't too bad -I'd say players would prefer it to training!
Pete's post was a reflex action, Ronnie, he probably didn't even consciously click "submit." I'm surprised you haven't learned to filter such things out yet. If a Corky isn't oppressed by officialdom at least ten times a day, his eyes bulge and his tongue begins to swell.

[pete]

If a Corky isn't oppressed by officialdom at least ten times a day, his eyes bulge and his tongue begins to swell.

Its actually 5 times a day. Typical FAI tried to scupper our success with fixture congestion.

[Risteard]

Are Shels not definate yet?
I thought it was Shels Derry, City and either Bohs or Drogs.
Looking forward to this as much as Europe

[pete]

The only game that affects anything is the title decider. No other result can affect any money as last 5-6 in league get same prize money.

Shels guaranteed 3rd place
Drogs guaranteed 4th place & therefore last Setanta place.

[noby]

Drogs guaranteed 4th place & therefore last Setanta place.

Not guaranteed yet. Probably, but not guaranteed.

[Bomb Landsdowne]

whats the prize money?

[derrymac]

I thought the cup final was on the 4th December? The winner of the FAI cup gets a Setanta place. So it could be Drogs get it as cup winners.... and Cork get their place as 2nd place in the league.

[ndrog]

we have to lose on fri to waterford and the gypos have to score 10 goals.Were gonna go into Setanta as cup winners anyway so happy days.:)

[pete]

we have to lose on fri to waterford and the gypos have to score 10 goals.

Yes. Thats as guaranteed as they get as no chance that happening.