Turkey Anyone for the U17 finals

Anybody else going to Turkey for the U17 finals.

Games are in Antalya.

I'm booked for the 3 group games and 2 mates are heading out for the 2nd and 3rd group games and a possible semi final.

Flight options are either through Germany (most airports) or Turkish airlines Dublin - Istanbul and connect on from there. Flights are pricey unless you are flexible which unfortunately I can't be.

Great deals on hotels - 5 Star hotel Ozkaymak Falez Hotel which I understand is near the smaller stadium for less than €20 per night B&B for a single room on www.holidaynights.co.uk. Less than €15 per night for a twin.

I'm assuming tickets won't be a problem unless we draw the hosts. Even still I'm sure getting into the stadium won't be an issue.

The draw is next week.

What are the dates of the games?

The tournment runs from the 4th to the 16th May.

Hopefully Setanta might show some of the games. No doubt RTE won't (unless we get to semi final or better)

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Originally Posted by Hibs4Ever

Hopefully Setanta might show some of the games. No doubt RTE won't (unless we get to semi final or better)

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With MNS doing a highlights package of the qualifiers I wouldn't be over surprised if RTE had at least some highlights.

Eurosport usually show them afaik.

Group games are May 4th, 7th and 10th - seems to be the same for both groups. Semis are May 13th and final is may 16th.

Draw is on Thursday. France became the latest team to qualify. The last 2 qualifiers will be known today.

Serbia and Spain both qualified today to complete the lineup.

Turkey (hosts)
Spain
Serbia
Holland
Scotland
Switzerland
France
and Ireland.

I assume Spain will be strong as holders. turkey have a decent underage system at the moment too as hosts.

I've heard that the parents and families of the players are chartering a plane (grapevine so may not be reliable).

I've actually refereed in the smaller of the two stadia being used (the one attached to the World of Wonders Hotel in Antalya - the whole complex and attached hotel are actually owned by Russians - and this seems to be where the rich Muscovites take their summer holidays)

Cracking complex with the main stadium and 4 training / artificial turf pitches - all impeccably kept by a resident ground staff.

The surrounding area is one of the poorest I've been in ever - people living in breeze-block houses with plastic sheeting for a roof.

The World of Wonders hotel is top class - all-inclusive as well. If you can book up a room in there you're in for a cracking stay and will be only a 10 minute drive from the one stadium.

And the best bit of the hotel? It's an exact replica of Red Sqaure in Moscow!

http://www.wowhotels.com/kremlin/

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Originally Posted by Réiteoir

I've actually refereed in the smaller of the two stadia being used (the one attached to the World of Wonders Hotel in Antalya - the whole complex and attached hotel are actually owned by Russians - and this seems to be where the rich Muscovites take their summer holidays)

Cracking complex with the main stadium and 4 training / artificial turf pitches - all impeccably kept by a resident ground staff.

The surrounding area is one of the poorest I've been in ever - people living in breeze-block houses with plastic sheeting for a roof.

The World of Wonders hotel is top class - all-inclusive as well. If you can book up a room in there you're in for a cracking stay and will be only a 10 minute drive from the one stadium.

And the best bit of the hotel? It's an exact replica of Red Sqaure in Moscow!

http://www.wowhotels.com/kremlin/

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Man that is one ugly Hotel. I can't think of a worse holiday than being in a hotel full of uneducated drunken new-rich Russians.

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Originally Posted by Irish_Praha

Man that is one ugly Hotel. I can't think of a worse holiday than being in a hotel full of uneducated drunken new-rich Russians.

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Being in a hotel full of uneducated drunken new-rich Irish? At least the Russians won't wake you up singing "come out ye black and tans" at confused pool cleaners. :D

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Originally Posted by GavinZac

Being in a hotel full of uneducated drunken new-rich Irish? At least the Russians won't wake you up singing "come out ye black and tans" at confused pool cleaners. :D

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Maybe you have a point there :)

Stadiums being used are in Kundu approx 15KMs east of Antalya. They are approx 5 KMs apart.

See here

http://www.tff.org/default.aspx?pageId=666

The Mardan one looks nice 3 tiers but just 7,000 capacity.

We don't play in the main city stadium unless we play Turkey in the semi finals or reach the final.

Tickets are free apparently.

Anybody else going?

Eurosport are showing the France game live next weekend.

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Originally Posted by endabob1

Eurosport are showing the France game live next weekend.

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anyone got times and dates of our games?

04/05 Grp B France 15:00 Republic of Ireland
07/05 Grp B Republic of Ireland 15:00 Switzerland
10/05 Grp B Republic of Ireland 19:00 Spain

Times in BST eg Irish time are

04/05 Grp B France 14:00 Republic of Ireland (eurosport live)
07/05 Grp B Republic of Ireland 14:00 Switzerland (not on tv)
10/05 Grp B Republic of Ireland 18:00 Spain (eurosport live)

Unfortunately it's Eurosport 2 which I don't have.

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Originally Posted by gspain

Anybody else going?

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I'm not going myself, but I know of about 10 people from Ballybofey that are travelling.

Young Johnny Dunleavy is the Captain and is from Ballybofey. However, I think he's out of the first game through injury and is a doubt for the rest of the tournament.