inter-universities league starts next week

[JR_Ewing]

first fixture for ucd defending the title at home to Coláiste Íde on October 17.

[CollegeTillIDie]

All the Colleges have only competed in a '' federal'' Third level league in recent years. Before that Universities had a League, and other Third Level colleges had their own League. PLC's, Technical Colleges etc.

[alans view]

any first team players or 21s playing in first match?

[JR_Ewing]

They haven't named the team yet, but the u21s that are in college do play in in it.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Can't see first team players being used in it. That hasn't happened since about 1994 when the Doc ran the Colleges League selection. The players in the first team had been used in the Collingwood and that particularly competition screwed up not one, not two but three successive attempts at getting promoted out of Division 1. That was when it stopped. Since that time it's been a combination of Intermediates and members of the Under 21 squad, usually those who do not make the first team squad even as subs.

[Poor Student]

Did we always use first teamers in the 1980's aswell? How exactly do you attribute first teamers involvement in the Collingwood as screwing up promotion chances? Did key first teamers get injured in it?

[Schumi]

The games clashed with league games afaik.

[CollegeTillIDie]

The games clashed with league games afaik.

Poor Student

The Collingwood used to be a 5 day tournament. There were three days when the group games were played semi-finals on Thursdays and Final on Fridays. In those days UCD played League games on Sundays. Results were always crap after the Collingwood. And as I said in my previous postings three promotion campaigns suffered as a result. 1991/92; 1992/93 and 1993/94 seasons. In 1994/95 The first teamers didn't play more than two Collingwood games. We didn't win the thing but we won the First Division instead.

To answer your other point yes we did play First teamers in the 1980's a little but there were a lot of grads in the First team at the time so it was only 3-4 players who were adversely affected towards the end of the decade.

[lefty]

What crap cup is there for VECs and Senior Colleges and the like? I presume the one UCD enter is obviously the best but is their like a lower one?

[JR_Ewing]

UCD won 2-1 - apparently should have been more.

[superfrank]

DIT play in the Collingwood and we are not a university. AFAIK, we are the only college to play in it. All colleges and universities play in the league.

Do any of you lads have any more information about the Collingwood Cup controversy that could result in DIT being left out for 2008?

[CollegeTillIDie]

I have no information on the DIT situation but I can make enquiries

[superfrank]

I have some but it's all very vague and at times contradictory, nothing concrete.

[JR_Ewing]

UCD drew 1-1 away to DCU today. u21 players apparently rested with the games next Sunday and next Wednesday coming up. UCD still should have throttled them from what I hear.

[Titan]

Beat College of Surgeons 4-2 at home today

[superfrank]

Just to say, if any of you are interested in the DIT Collingwood Cup story I can PM it to you.

[superfrank]

For those interested in the DIT story, this is an article that I helped write for the DIT News on it:

DIT SOCCER CLUB BOOTED OUT OF COLLINGWOOD CUP

After losing an appeal to the FAI on October 22nd, the DIT soccer club have been kicked out of the Collingwood Cup. The move by the IUFU (Irish Universities Football Union) to evict the DIT team came as a huge blow to the team and managers.

DIT have played in the Collingwood Cup, a competition run by the IUFU, since 1999 when they were invited to join.

The Cup is for university teams, but DIT was always the exception to this rule. "Year after year they would send us correspondence regarding the summer meeting, the draw for the Collingwood Cup, emails about fees etc. The same as every other team in the competition," recalls DIT soccer club manager, Tony O'Connor.

However leading up to and during the competition last February, rumours were spreading that DIT's place in the cup was not certain.

On September 5th Pádraig Murray, secretary of the IUFU sent an email to the DIT manager informing them of their changed status: "In order to compete in the Collingwood Cup in future they [DIT] would have to apply for guest status on a yearly basis."

The email went on to suggest that to avoid this, the team could apply for full membership, allowing them to compete in all IUFU competitions but only on the condition that they first resign from the CFAI.

Having talked unofficially to various managers of other university members of the IUFU, O'Connor found out that DIT were later voted out of the Collingwood Cup by a majority of 6-3 in a secret ballot in a meeting held in September this year. This annual meeting, which DIT had always attended before, went ahead without their knowledge.

As the vote to kick them out of the contest was taken at tis meeting in their absence, co-manager O'Brien feels it was against natural justice, while the very fact that they were not informed shows that the decision to evict them had been made in advance of the meeting.

"We were always invited every other year. They had already decided to kick us out by not inviting us," he says.

DIT soccer has an excellent reputation for discipline and have never received a red card during a Collingwood Cup match. O'Brien doesn't tolerate bad behaviour. "We are very strong on discipline. The team has the best record on and off the field. The players never cause any trouble where we go to stay."

As well as having a great reputation for discipline, DIT are als one of the top three college teams in the country.

There are several youth internationals on the side, and the IUFU brought three DIT players (Paul Whelan, Killian Gallagher and Stephen Roche) to Thailand for the World University games.

"They [IUFU] should be protecting a member like us, not discriminating against us," says O'Connor. O'Brien accuses the IUFU of "trying to move the goalposts," in their treatment of DIT this year.

The players are very upset by the decisionas DIT have done well in the tournament and feel they should be in it.

Captain of the DIT team and Monaghan United player, Paul Whelan says it should be about the football, not intervarsity politics. " A lot of the players are disgusted as the Collingwood Cup is the tournament they want to be in. No one can believe what's happening," says Whelan.

He suggests other teams may have been wary of how well DIT were playing. Trinity, one of the founders of the Collingwood Cup, are believed to have been highly vociferous against the acceptance of DIT into the 2008 Collingwood Cup, which is organised by the IUFU and run on an invitational basis. DIT were the only CFAI to participate in 2007.

Whelan believes DIT earned a place on merit after their fine performances in 2007. A 4-1 victory over Trinity on October 17th proves this form.

After the unsuccessul appeal to the FAI, DIT management are considering their next move.

[CollegeTillIDie]

superfrank

If DIT have been turned down by the IUFU and FAI then logically the next step is to appeal to UEFA and that will be a very costly exercise. I would counsel getting a legal opinion before taking it on that far.

[superfrank]

superfrank

If DIT have been turned down by the IUFU and FAI then logically the next step is to appeal to UEFA and that will be a very costly exercise. I would counsel getting a legal opinion before taking it on that far.
AFAIK, DIT are considering legal action if viable.

[Titan]

Beat DIT 2-1 After extra time today. I missed the first 70 minutes we were 1-0 down and Evan missed a pen with about 10 mins to go before Ronan Finn equalised in stoppage time. We scored about 5 mins into the extra time to win it. Dont know the lad who scored but he came on as a sub Paul Someone I think.

[JR_Ewing]

Disappointing loss today (to Coláiste Íde, I think) - pointless match though - just to finish the group - both teams go through.

[CollegeTillIDie]

JR_Ewing... It's still disappointing to lose to Finglas Tech :D

[JR_Ewing]

great win 3-1 after extra time in letterkenny today - a long way to go to win.

[CollegeTillIDie]

great win 3-1 after extra time in letterkenny today - a long way to go to win.

Well done the lads.. Come on College .... UCD UCD UCD UCD !

[JR_Ewing]

won league semi on penalties against athlone it in tullamore - 2-2 aet

UCD 2-0 down with 10 mins to go to 2 poor goals before pulling it back late.

[pineapple stu]

Who was playing?

[JR_Ewing]

UCD v Athlone :p

not sure of the line ups. will find out..

[JR_Ewing]

make of this as you will:
Billy
Stan
Rory
Ev
Bourkey
Whealo
Hartey
Finner
Ger
Fran
Davey

:D

[DmanDmythDledge]

Billy Brennan
Stanley Rojack
Rory
Evan McMillan
Whealo
Kieran Harte
Ronan Finn
Ger O'Calaghan
Fran Moran
Davey

;)

[U-C-D]

Billy Brennan

Stanley Rojack (Pat Mullins)
Rory Keavney (Mick Leahy)
Evan McMillan
John Bourke

Mark Whealan (Connor McEvoy)
Kieran Harte
Ronan Finn
Ger O'Calaghan

Fran Moran
David McMillan (Paul Curtain)

McEvoy scored 2 of the bench i believe

[pineapple stu]

McEvoy scored 2 of the bench i believe
Jesus, wouldn't want to have been one of the subs!:eek:

[U-C-D]

Final against Colaiste Ide is scheduled for this wednesday in home farm's whitehall ground at half 7, i think!

[JR_Ewing]

win for ucd on penos after 0-0 in extra time. 2 goals disallowed (at least one , if not both, was a harsh decision) and open goal header. Throw in a sending off in extra time and it sounds an exciting game. It was a good game but the quality of football was unfortunately low, which is a bit disappointing given the high standards the team have set themselves ove rthe last year. But another win is a nother win and after the pain of losing on penos in the collingwood, winning a final on penos here is a good comeback - second penos win in a row in a final too after the u21s final last year!

[DmanDmythDledge]

http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3005&Itemid=9

[John83]

Well done lads.

Is David McMillan anything to Evan?

What's this about a "scoreless 110 minutes" being followed by a penalty shootout? Did they really play only twenty minutes of extra time?

[DmanDmythDledge]

He's his brother.

[alans view]

is there any pictures on the internet from wednesday nights final? i know there were photographers there, cant find any pics though

[John83]

is there any pictures on the internet from wednesday nights final? i know there were photographers there, cant find any pics though
Thursday's Indo had a photo, if you can get hold of a copy.

[JR_Ewing]

i have access to photos - if you're looking for them, pm me