Whats the biggest derby in Irish football [Archive] - Page 3

Erstwhile B�z

31/03/2008, 1:16 PM

Linfield and Glentoran is probably bigger than Bohs and Rovers. It goes back way longer, as well.

No Bohs match against any other Dublin team comes within the bawl of an ass to it.

Having said that, though, most people probably don't have anything to compare their own derby to, really -- the only other derbies I've been are the odd non-Bohs Dublin one and I thought they were crap because I had no interest. So you're probably talking about league-wide coverage and buzz, and Bohs-Rovers probably gets more of that than any other tie.

They mention Linfield-Glentoran every five minutes on every single BBC and UTV programme ever, though.

dcfcsteve

31/03/2008, 3:01 PM

But you have to factor in the fact that Harps and Derry have played far less frequently than Bohs and Rovers, and so there is more of an element of novelty involved.

Would Harps and Derry derbies maintain current attendance figures if they played every year?

Osarun - we had Harps pretty much every single year in the League Cup as well, and also other North-west competitions.

It's nonsesense to say there's a "novelty" in playing them. We've played Harps c. 56 times in our 23 LOI seasons. That's an average of twice a year. Where's the novelty/rarity value in that.....? :confused:

dcfcsteve

31/03/2008, 3:05 PM

if there's one thing us supporters of the "Big Club"� and the "Most Famous Club in the League"� agree on - it's that of the biggest derby in the League.

If we are to start disallowing derbies due to the "violence" that surrounds them then we'd better discount the Old Firm shindig (remember seeing a police charge sheet after one such game a few years ago - which listed amongst the offences committed by one set of fans a "cleaver attack"), CSKA - Spartak in Moscow, and 98% of all derby matches in Argentina and Brazil.

Bohs - Rovers is the biggest rivalry and derby in the South - no question

No-one mentioned disallowing derbies due to violence - just that that's the only 'big' claim the Dublin derby has to its name. Though at least you don't try to bury your head in the sand like BohDiddley.

If Bohs-Rovers is the biggest derby - then why doesn't it atract the biggest derby crowd in the league ?? :confused: Surely that's the definitive answer as to what the sporting public consider the biggest game of the EL calendar....?

BohDiddley

31/03/2008, 3:34 PM

at least you don't try to bury your head in the sand like BohDiddley
Tabloid clich�s again, and factory seconds at that. You seem to be conveniently unable to conceive of a rivalry that isn't based on violence.

dcfcsteve

31/03/2008, 3:38 PM

Tabloid clich�s again, and factory seconds at that. You seem to be conveniently unable to conceive of a rivalry that isn't based on violence.

I can. Every single one in Ireland, bar Bohs-Rovers and Linfield-Glens - both of which have been occassionally blighted by violence. And I'm happy to say 'occassionally', as that's all it has been.

Conversely - I'm still waiting for you to even acknowledge that there has historically been a problem on occassion with the Bohs-Rovers fixture. Hence the 'head burying' accusation.

You're the only one chucking around cliches and side-stepping fact here BD. Get over yourself...

Steve Bruce

31/03/2008, 3:40 PM

osarusan

31/03/2008, 3:42 PM

Osarun - we had Harps pretty much every single year in the League Cup as well, and also other North-west competitions.

It's nonsesense to say there's a "novelty" in playing them. We've played Harps c. 56 times in our 23 LOI seasons. That's an average of twice a year. Where's the novelty/rarity value in that.....? :confused:

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I meant league games, rather than regional tournaments which frankly aren't so important.

I'd imagine cup game (not league cup) would be the best though, for crowds and atmosphere. Has that happened often?

Mr A

31/03/2008, 3:52 PM

Not that often- twice that I can remember off the top of my head. The biggest one was obviously the promotion relegation playoff matches. The atmosphere at those was pretty mental.

I do agree with the point that not having played quite so often helps the crowd. Can anyone recall whether the first league game between Bohs and Rovers after Rovers promotion had an extra large crowd?

BohDiddley

31/03/2008, 3:55 PM

I can. Every single one in Ireland, bar Bohs-Rovers and Linfield-Glens - both of which have been occassionally blighted by violence. And I'm happy to say 'occassionally', as that's all it has been.

Conversely - I'm still waiting for you to even acknowledge that there has historically been a problem on occassion with the Bohs-Rovers fixture. Hence the 'head burying' accusation.

You're the only one chucking around cliches and side-stepping fact here BD. Get over yourself...
You want a ritual acknowledgement of 'violence' every time Bohs and Rovers are mentioned in the same thread? I don't see why we should comply with that demand, and certainly I don't apologise for not to sharing your tabloid-driven, knee-jerk perception.
Bohs-Rovers derbies are real derbies. They are heated. They are intense. They are 99.9% a footballing occasion and less than 0.01% idiots who choose to see them the way you do.
You've succeeded in turning yet another football discussion on this forum into a dim-witted drone about eL's 'hooligan problem'. Congratulations.

p�l-dcfc

31/03/2008, 4:24 PM

Not that often- twice that I can remember off the top of my head. The biggest one was obviously the promotion relegation playoff matches. The atmosphere at those was pretty mental.

Great great matches. Two of the games that got me going to the Brandy again after a long absence.

Mr A

31/03/2008, 4:32 PM

Woeful, woeful matches. Great occasions though. :)

dcfcsteve

31/03/2008, 4:36 PM

You want a ritual acknowledgement of 'violence' every time Bohs and Rovers are mentioned in the same thread? I don't see why we should comply with that demand, and certainly I don't apologise for not to sharing your tabloid-driven, knee-jerk perception.
Bohs-Rovers derbies are real derbies. They are heated. They are intense. They are 99.9% a footballing occasion and less than 0.01% idiots who choose to see them the way you do.
You've succeeded in turning yet another football discussion on this forum into a dim-witted drone about eL's 'hooligan problem'. Congratulations.

Show me other threads where I have, as you claim, turned a football discussion into one about EL's 'hooligan problem' ? I certainly won't hold my breath for your response....

I suspect you just cut and paste hackneyed retorts and abusive comments from a little stock-pile you have, that you resort to whenever anyone dares mentions this topic - without even acknowledeing anything they're saying or having a clue about how often they've raised the issue before.

You're therefore not worth wasting keyboard strokes on any more. Good day BD....

BohDiddley

31/03/2008, 5:06 PM

Show me other threads where I have, as you claim, turned a football discussion into one about EL's 'hooligan problem' ? I certainly won't hold my breath for your response....
I was referring to the general tendency on the board.

I suspect you just cut and paste hackneyed retorts and abusive comments from a little stock-pile you have, that you resort to whenever anyone dares mentions this topic - without even acknowledeing anything they're saying or having a clue about how often they've raised the issue before. You're therefore not worth wasting keyboard strokes on any more. Good day BD....
Yes. I stockpile them along with the machetes and the attack dogs with which all us nasty, blood-crazed Bohs and Rovers fans are armed.

I'm sorry if you thought my comments were abusive. I actually don't think they were in the least bit so. Maybe you reached that extraordinary conclusion because I had the temerity to disagree with your point of view. You seem to an umbrage-taker par excellence, but not so good at moderating your own comments, being as you are happy to characterise Bohs-Rovers games as being primarily about violence.

I thought at this point in the discussion you might have the grace to acknowledge the fact that there is or even might be much more to them than that, and possibly even more that is good about them than not.

But you couldn't.

Greenforever

31/03/2008, 5:20 PM

Rather interesting how many people here are scrambling to deny or dilute or just defame the Bohs v Rovers derby.
With some of these posters, we don't need a tabloid press to do down League of Ireland.

The fact a lot of posters reckon there are derbies to compete with Rovers Bohs or are even bigger is surely a plus for the league not a minus

fbtn

31/03/2008, 10:36 PM

Jeeez, good to see the synonyms feature is getting plenty of use :D

Erstwhile B�z

31/03/2008, 10:45 PM

dcfcsteve, you may have been inadvertent in so doing, but you technically said that the rivalry of Bohs and Rovers is "based on violence".

Erstwhile B�z

01/04/2008, 12:16 PM

Well Linfield and Glentoran are the same religion, you see.

HarpoJoyce

01/04/2008, 12:33 PM

Well Linfield and Glentoran are the same religion, you see.

That's true, they're both Christian. I know I was in Belfast before. While, Bohs-hoops are pagans and copy rituals from central Europe and the Alps.

Dodge

01/04/2008, 12:41 PM

Sam_Heggy

01/04/2008, 1:02 PM

Couldn't give a flying fig about Bohs-Rovers, Linfield- Glens, Cork-Cobh or any other game if Harps aint involved or if it doesn't affect us.
Harps - Derry is the biggest fixture on our list, its the one we look out for every time the fixture list comes out.
Who gives a rats arse which game is the "biggest derby"?

Dodge

01/04/2008, 1:03 PM

Who gives a rats arse which game is the "biggest derby"?

The orginal poster

cheifo

01/04/2008, 1:26 PM

FFs lads, nobody outside of Derry/Donegal thinks that the biggest game in the league. just like nobody outside Waterford/Cork thinks thats the biggest game in the league. Its possibly the biggest game for those respective fan bases but in real terms, no one else gives a toss.

Typical ridiculous thread...

Dodge, if people are having a discussion on which Derby game is the biggest then its to be expected the one with the largest attendance will be offered as an answer by people.I agree however that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.More games like Cobh/Cork and Drogs/Dundalk will help the league.

micls

01/04/2008, 3:08 PM

FFs lads, nobody outside of Derry/Donegal thinks that the biggest game in the league. just like nobody outside Waterford/Cork thinks thats the biggest game in the league. Its possibly the biggest game for those respective fan bases but in real terms, no one else gives a toss.

Typical ridiculous thread...

I dont think anyone in Cork thinks its a derby either.

Bohs v Rovers by a mile.

Harps and Derry can brag about crowds but its a bit different when your not playing each other as often. If harps can stay up for a few years and yere still getting that crowd in 5 years time then maybe it should be considered

WoodquayBoy

01/04/2008, 3:14 PM

The one I'd sit down to watch would be Rovers v Bohs. The one I'd love to go to would be Harps v Derry. On the island, probably Glens v Linfield.
Does that cover all the bases!?

R�iteoir

01/04/2008, 3:29 PM

Harps fans suffering from a hefty dose of Corkiecrowditis.

Next they'll be telling us there were 82,000 at the play-off matches...

Block G Raptor

01/04/2008, 3:35 PM

Harps fans suffering from a hefty dose of Corkiecrowditis.

Next they'll be telling us there were 82,000 at the play-off matches...

Word of the Month

R�iteoir

01/04/2008, 3:42 PM

Plus aren't decent Derby matches supposed to be in the least bit competitive?

This kinda suggests otherwise: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/reiteoir/screen.jpg

Mr A

01/04/2008, 3:51 PM

Who ever said that? Liars to a man.

Anyway- Cockhill Celtic V Illies Celtic is the derby of Irish Football.

Rovers1

01/04/2008, 3:56 PM

end of the day its up to the individual and who s/he supports.... i like Rovers V Shams myself.....sorry Sligo Rovers Vrs. Shamrock Rovers :p

Steve Bruce

01/04/2008, 4:00 PM

Watched a Linfield/Glens match on sky a few months. Hard to tell what the crowd might have been but it was definetly not small. While it had a good atmosphere, colour and a good spectacle as a game I dont think it was as intense as a rovers/bohs match.

Try being in the ground.

deecay

01/04/2008, 4:08 PM

end of the day its up to the individual and who s/he supports.... i like Rovers V Shams myself.....sorry Sligo Rovers Vrs. Shamrock Rovers :p
Exactly,GUFC fans hate us more than we hate them and we hate Harps but their big game is Derry

AnnaghRed

01/04/2008, 6:09 PM

Bit of a rivalry for a Portadown v Glenavon encounter.

15 years ago you'd have had 6000 at a match, now you'd be very lucky to see 2000 :(

dortie

01/04/2008, 7:12 PM

Im going to go against the grain here, Derry v Harps is not the biggest derby, for a few reasons, the first has been mentioned already, there is no rivalry in terms of the actual football, look at the damn statistics, i never ever ever go to one of these games fearing defeat or even a draw, sad really.

In terms of real hatred, its there with about 33% of the fans (im one ;))...there is a 'love-in' between the rest.

Maybe in terms of attendance, yes we do pull excellent crowds, personally i think Rovers v Bohs is one of the best. Id have rated Derry v Shels as one of my favorites of times gone by - for rivalry that is.

Greenforever

02/04/2008, 2:44 AM

FFs lads, nobody outside of Derry/Donegal thinks that the biggest game in the league. just like nobody outside Waterford/Cork thinks thats the biggest game in the league. Its possibly the biggest game for those respective fan bases but in real terms, no one else gives a toss.

Typical ridiculous thread...

The bigest game and the biggest derby are different, the biggest game surely is that between the 2 top contenders for th eleague in a given season.

Anyway isn't Football a game of opinions!

GavinZac

02/04/2008, 3:10 AM

Cork - Waterford by far

cork-waterford isn't a derby :confused:

R�iteoir

02/04/2008, 12:04 PM

And the results of the League Website poll are in - and they speak volumes:

Which fixture is the biggest derby in Irish football?

Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers 55%
Derry City v Finn Harps 13%
Cork City v Cobh Ramblers 7%
Drogheda United v Dundalk 6%
Shamrock Rovers v St. Patrick's Athletic 5%
Bohemians v Shelbourne 4%
Bohemians v St. Patrick's Athletic 3%
Galway United v Sligo Rovers 3%
Cork City v Waterford United 3%
Other 2%

Lim till i die

02/04/2008, 12:17 PM

Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers 55%
Derry City v Finn Harps 13%
Cork City v Cobh Ramblers 7%
Drogheda United v Dundalk 6%
Shamrock Rovers v St. Patrick's Athletic 5%
Bohemians v Shelbourne 4%
Bohemians v St. Patrick's Athletic 3%
Galway United v Sligo Rovers 3%
Cork City v Waterford United 3%
Other 2%

In fairness, a lot of the respondents were clearly morons which kind of invalidates it a little.

GavinZac

02/04/2008, 12:19 PM

In fairness, a lot of the respondents were clearly morons which kind of invalidates it a little.

Yes. Theres a better class of poster on Foot.ie, you see.

Dodge

02/04/2008, 12:19 PM

In fairness, a lot of the respondents were clearly morons which kind of invalidates it a little.

I take it you don't agree with general election results either

Sam_Heggy

02/04/2008, 12:20 PM

Galway United v Sligo Rovers 3% :eek:

Sam_Heggy

02/04/2008, 12:21 PM

I take it you don't agree with general election results either

Who would? Look at our government for instance :o

Lim till i die

02/04/2008, 12:32 PM

Yes. Theres a better class of poster on Foot.ie, you see.

I never said that :p

I take it you don't agree with general election results either

Was it Winston Churchill who said something along the lines of "The biggest drawback of Democracy is that everyone is allowed vote"

GavinZac

02/04/2008, 12:35 PM

Was it Winston Churchill who said something along the lines of "The biggest drawback of Democracy is that everyone is allowed vote"
No. You've made that up. Churchill said "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the other ones that have been tried."

Lim till i die

02/04/2008, 12:37 PM

No. You've made that up. Churchill said "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the other ones that have been tried."

Someone definitely said something like that :confused:

Unless it was just me.........

In which case, GO ME!! :D

Nesta99

02/04/2008, 1:01 PM

Drogs v Duns is a huge game for all concerned .And if they get out of the graveyard next season its gonna attract massive crowds .Hopefully they dont though :D

I know im late to this topic but imo,there is little history to this Derby. It only took on real significance for Dundalk fans with Drogheda's recent success. Prior to this golden era for the Drogs it would have been percieved in the same light as Monaghan v Dundalk is now...a bloody nuisance where a team plays out of their skin in what is their biggest game of the season. Was it 96/97 Drogheda Put Dundalk out of the cup 2nd round....Dundalk fans embaressed and Drogheda fans comparing to being as goodl as being league runners up once........huge potential for the future if Dundalk get their act together.
Not a Derby but over the years Dundalk v Rovers always had a real bite.