Next Season

Any confirmation on whether or not the A league is running again next year? And is there any word on any other non LOI clubs that may be interested in joining?

Personally I think the A league is crucial to provide a stepping stone between non-league and LOI, but I also think that plenty of additional new clubs are needed. Hopefully Mervue/Kildare, Salthill and Tullamore will stay on. Would be great to see at least 2 or 3 more clubs sign up in the hope of emulating Mervue.

But who? The strength and the lower travel costs of the LSL and MSL will probably stop any Dublin or Cork based clubs from joining at this stage. More from Connacht perhaps, e.g. Fanad United or Castlebar Celtic. A non-Dublin LSL side? Kilkenny if their U20 season goes well? Or maybe one of the 'rural' Munster sides, e.g. Clonmel or Tralee...

The above is pure conjecture. Anyone got any concrete information?

Fanad United are not from Connacht. They are from the northern tip of Donegal, I don't think there's a windier pitch in the country

If Mervue don't accept their league place then it kind of makes a joke of the whole A Championship.. You shouldn't be allowed into the A Championship unless you have definite plans to step up to the LOI.

By right the FAI should follow the Blue Square Premier in England...have a league full of top non league teams from around the country...scrap this whole under 20/reserve teams from the Eircom Premier Division teams competing against a few non league teams...Say a team of about 12 top junior/non league teams from around the country and a promotion/relegation playoff for the winner against the bottom team in the first division...It would be an effort to promote soccer in GAA dominated areas...such as Kilkenny, Meath,Roscommon/Mayo Area, Kerry, Tipperary, Laoise/Offaly!

Agree about the idea of making it a Division Two and the start of a pyramid, but that's easier said than done. First off, you need a reserve league, and secondly, we're not baeting applicants away with a stick. Merging the two needs (reserve teams and new clubs) is the best way at the moment. It'll be back next year, and I would imagine on a very similar format.

Thread on the Cork forum about FC Carlow applying.

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Originally Posted by Black and White

By right the FAI should follow the Blue Square Premier in England...have a league full of top non league teams from around the country...scrap this whole under 20/reserve teams from the Eircom Premier Division teams competing against a few non league teams...Say a team of about 12 top junior/non league teams from around the country and a promotion/relegation playoff for the winner against the bottom team in the first division...It would be an effort to promote soccer in GAA dominated areas...such as Kilkenny, Meath,Roscommon/Mayo Area, Kerry, Tipperary, Laoise/Offaly!

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just because they do it in england doesn't make it the right way to do it!!! the current way is more in line with the likes of spain where top teams put in a reserve (or B) side in the lower leagues.

the blue sq league in england is almost all full time professional (bar Histon afaik) and the teams really really struggle to make ends meet. personally i think the A division can be successful with a mixture of reserve teams and non-league teams. although i would rather a larger number of non-league teams than the 2 or 3 this year.

i mean if players (from prem div teams) aren't getting a game for their team their is no other place for them to play. also it should mean the difference in terms of fitness and technique isn't too great for the non league teams if they do break through - as mervue proved this season when hammering an established first division team!!!

Reserve teams in the full pyramid is a bit silly. It's not hugely popular in Germany, where no-one goes to watch their games and other teams have crowds of a few thousand in the same division. It suits us at present though because we don't have a proper pyramid in place.

A pyramid system shouldn't be that hard to create..

Why not just have the provincial leagues (LSL, MSL and a combined U/C SL) underneath the LOI, with the winners of the provincial leagues playing off against each other to face the bottom placed club in the LOI?

You could then have the district leauges (e.g. the Meath and District League) underneath these provincial leagues.

The A Championship could be a good division to have between the LOI and provincial level but without a proper pyramid system in place it does look a bit stupid to me.. It's not quite non-league, not-quite LOI and not quite a reserve league..

I reckon next season is crucial for the A Championship. Got to increase the number of non-league sides or otherwise the whole thing could evaporate into a bog standard reserves league. If we can keep the current three, then throw in maybe Carlow, Kilkenny and one or two more, it should gain enough momentum to thrive.

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Originally Posted by EAFC_rdfl

Fanad United are not from Connacht. They are from the northern tip of Donegal

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Ah feck it, should've concentrated harder in geog, apologies to all from donegal. :o

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Originally Posted by holidaysong

A pyramid system shouldn't be that hard to create..

Why not just have the provincial leagues (LSL, MSL and a combined U/C SL) underneath the LOI, with the winners of the provincial leagues playing off against each other to face the bottom placed club in the LOI?

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(a) Because the provincial league teams don't want in and (b) because of the different seasons.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

(a) Because the provincial league teams don't want in and (b) because of the different seasons.

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Ah yes, those would be good reasons alright.. :o

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Originally Posted by holidaysong

If Mervue don't accept their league place then it kind of makes a joke of the whole A Championship.. You shouldn't be allowed into the A Championship unless you have definite plans to step up to the LOI.

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totally agree as this is the whole point of A league

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Originally Posted by chimpster

I reckon next season is crucial for the A Championship. Got to increase the number of non-league sides or otherwise the whole thing could evaporate into a bog standard reserves league. If we can keep the current three, then throw in maybe Carlow, Kilkenny and one or two more, it should gain enough momentum to thrive.

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Think it maybe to soon for FC Carlow and Kilkenny then are in under 20 and under 18 competitions but hopefully can make the step up in future

Is this interest in Mervue Utd.'s future plans another example of the mid-table being of more interest than bottom or top? I mean the qualifying specification of 4th-place or better, it's not 'tip-top elite' is it? I taught that it was very generous to begin with.

Maybe Mervue Utd. are right to be cautious as their successful A-League season may be disconstructated as only a good mopping up exercise in picking up points from less interested competitors.

In Kildare County the First Division have a team which is involved in improving its playing enviroment. In fact, watching the bottom-half of the table duirng the season, there was no club I wanted to see be replaced if a play-off took place. I feel there is no hurry if Mervue Utd. wish to bide their time a little longer in the A League.

Was in Kilkenny for an U-20 game at the weekend and they're in no hurry to come back in.

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Originally Posted by sadloserkid

Was in Kilkenny for an U-20 game at the weekend and they're in no hurry to come back in.

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That's a pity.

Any truth in FC Carlow making the step up to the A championship?

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Originally Posted by L37Ultra

That's a pity.

Any truth in FC Carlow making the step up to the A championship?

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No idea. But I wouldn't be surprised. It was a bit strange that they were invited into the underage section as UL ,Lifford, Castlebar, Kerry, Mullingar et al were shown the door.