A prominent Belfast-based sports reporter has just confirmed to me that a North-South Cup will take place this season involving 8 teams .....
Glens/Blues/Ports/tba from Irish League and - so far - Bohs from EL.
What's the word on the street, if any?
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A prominent Belfast-based sports reporter has just confirmed to me that a North-South Cup will take place this season involving 8 teams .....
Glens/Blues/Ports/tba from Irish League and - so far - Bohs from EL.
What's the word on the street, if any?
None yet ... but we're all ears !!
Great stuff !!
HMM, I wonder will City be involved?
I don't see why not.
Speculation is rife about who our fourth club might be (Cliftonville - last season's League Cup winners? Coleriane - last season's fourth-placed and Irish Cup finalists? Or Lisburn Distillery - last season's third).
Speculation also about whether Derry City should receive a place, on account of their 'special status', although I don't think PSNI would be over the moon about policing in potentially massive away followings.
Speculating myself that Cork and St Pats will get the invite.
Invite??? Should it not be on merit - like top4 league places or top3 and the cup winners or something like that
City will have to be invited too. Probably based on top 4 in LoI - remember it will have to be a pre-season tournament for us so Irish League teams already determinded by league position.
look at the prize money on offer!!!! :)
See here
300,000,thats the fcuking job.We'll have some of that,thanks very much. :cool:
300,000 and competitive games pre-season. Come on City.
Well, "merit", ideally, would be nice but if £200k is being pumped into this, I can't imagine the bankrollers being too tumnescent over the prospects of Ards versus Longford (no disrespect, like).Quote:
Originally Posted by Daviddrog
The only reason Derry would get an 'invite' would be to secure massive crowds at potential Derry v Glentoran/Linfield matches. Im involved in a supporters club myself not sure if we would risk a bus into east -belfast to be perfectly honest...Neutral venues would have to be considered.
Superb news. I'm really looking forward to this. I would say Cork would be certinantys to be in the competition aswell, can't imagine them not getting an invite.
To be honest, I wouldn't be too happy "risking" a bus into the Brandywell without the required PSNI presence (your stewards may be well voiced in all aspects of stewarding but, lets be honest, we wouldn't be dealing with a couple of hundred daytrippers here).Quote:
Originally Posted by dortie
The route into East Belfast is not as contentious as you might think. Motorway M2, M3, Sydenham By-Pass (park buses there) and a short walk, via now-empty houses to ground).
But, in my opinion, a Derry 'invite' should be dependant on a healthy league finish/cup placing and not some sentimental bullsh'ittery.
Agree sduffy - as i said before clubs should only be invited to take part in it on merit, be it league position. cup winners, etc
Doubt if Sinn fein would be interested. They are "real" Irish Patriots. Thats why you see them going round in Celtic of glasgow tops all the time :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by davros
Have to agree with DavidDrog that it should in all fairness go on merit...ie top 4 in the Premier Division. No guarantee that Bohs will be in top four though. I would guess (going on present league form) that the top 4 , in alphabetical order , would be Bohs , Cork, Drogs and Shels. What 4 from the Irish league would you predict Lux ?
Glens, Blues, Ports are already there and one from either Ballymena, Coleraine or Distillery.Quote:
Originally Posted by iceman
I honestly DON'T believe the eventual participants will be decided on merit. Sponsors will dictate where the support is and where the major population centres will be.
I've spoke to a few Glenmen and all are really excited at the prospect of pitting our wits against the best the island can offer.
Cork away - no problem. The distance should deter any potential dickbats from travelling, leaving a good four figure hardcore away.
i'd imagine sponsorship will dictate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lux Interior
you'd have to say on that score that it'll be Shels bohs, Rovers and City from the south-no question
the north? from my limited knowledge of the North i'd say Linfield, Glentoran, Portadown and Coleraine?
The south should be too strong i'd imagine
all Jokes aside though, will there be security issues? I know down here we've been getting huge crowds lately and have aa large travelling support.
i dunno would i feel comfortable going to watch linfield away? I couldnt care less what a persons background is , like all Cork city fans(unless your a dirty dub ha ha)
its a genuine concearn. fear of the unknown i guess??? or have i it all wrong?
don't know how much truth is in thatQuote:
it's
expected the eight will be the top two from the four divisions.If thats
the case the eircom League quartet will be Shelbourne,Bohemians,Dublin City
and Finn Harps.