Where might new clubs come from?

They do have a fence around the pitch at Maynooth town's ground. It's the Uni pitch that has no fence. Maynooth University Town is a merger of the university team and the Maynooth town senior team.
I guess they'd need to just erect some kind of a stand at either pitch in order to get into LOI.
In terms of their training facilities they'd put most LOI clubs to shame tho. They've even used Carton house pitches in the past for scholarship trials and training etc. That's where Real Madrid among others have based themselves before so Maynooth is very well stocked with plenty of top class training facilities and gyms etc. If they can just get a stand sorted...

Do the merged team play at Maynooth Town's ground or the university's pitch?

They played their cup game against Cobh in Baldonnell

They play at Maynooth town's ground. That's where they beat Cobh on Saturday.

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Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

They played their cup game against Cobh in Baldonnell

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Maybe I stand corrected. Livescore told me it was at Rathcoffey road ground, which is Maynooth town's place.

Extratime has Baldonnell. My dream draw is a spin back to Maynooth so I was annoyed to see it isn't a possibility https://www.extratime.com/matches/detail/44105/2/

Wonder is LOITV a reason for that? Non-league Cup ties have been moved all over the shop this year (eg Liffey Wanderers playing Cobh in the UCD Bowl)

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Originally Posted by Philosophizer

Maybe I stand corrected. Livescore told me it was at Rathcoffey road ground, which is Maynooth town's place.

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Though two years ago they played Waterford in the Cup at Rathcoffey Road:

https://www.maynoothtownfc.ie/img/sc...t-21.56.09.png

They appear to have excellent playing facilities there, but little or nothing by way of a "stadium".

https://www.maynoothtownfc.ie/

You did - Philosophiser had me confused with the separate Maynooth Town/Maynooth University pitches.

I think they played this years 1st Round in the Uni pitch.

This is pure speculation but if there's ever going to be a stand built in Maynooth, you'd imagine the uni ground would be a more likely location. Universities would have easier access to funding for facilities and the likes.

How are the non-league teams that qualify for the FAI cup determined?

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Originally Posted by GUFCghost

How are the non-league teams that qualify for the FAI cup determined?

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Eight quarter-finalists of the FAI INtermediate Cup, plus four semi-finalists from the FAI Junior.

As it happens the vast majority who got through this year were from the Leinster Senior League

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

Station Rd was a nice wee ground especially with the temporary seating in. Any excuse to throw this vid up too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6JgJjHv4y8

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Hahaha the background music in that, almost gospel choir like… wtf

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Originally Posted by Philosophizer

If they can just get a stand sorted...

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And some supporters to fill it.

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Originally Posted by Philosophizer

This is pure speculation but if there's ever going to be a stand built in Maynooth, you'd imagine the uni ground would be a more likely location. Universities would have easier access to funding for facilities and the likes.

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Though less chance of developing a fanbase.

Is there anywhere else in Western Europe where students have less of an emotional connection to their university than Ireland (for both current and past students) ? The whole going home every weekend thing etc etc. UCD has a nice little ground on a big campus with a large captive audience on its doorstep, and has played some decent football and big games over the years, but has never been able to develop a crowd. I suspect Maynooth uni would be even worse in that regard, as it's much smaller.

I suppose they'd be banking on tapping into the Maynooth Town aspect of the merger there as well.

All fair points. They'd never realistically have much of a fanbase no matter where a stand is built, if they ever build one. If they joined the league I'd imagine their attendences would be similar to ucd or Cabo. The population of the town is small, only 15K. But their team has been decent since the merger and the uni started offering football scholarships, as has been proven by their results in recent years.

And the Maynooth town ground isn't even in the town. It's a bit outside the town, a 25-30 min walk from the main street.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I suppose they'd be banking on tapping into the Maynooth Town aspect of the merger there as well.

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But how likely is that when you've got university in your name and if you were playing at the campus ?

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Originally Posted by EatYerGreens

But how likely is that when you've got university in your name and if you were playing at the campus ?

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A bit easier in Maynooth than UCD have it you'd imagine/hope as they'd be the only show in town so to speak?

It'd probably depend how much local interest they could tap up, and the merger with the local club can only help in that regard. How much will it help though? I can't imagine they'd be breaking any First Division records, for sure. but yeah, as slk says, I don't see it being directly comparable to the UCD situation.

If they could join the league with a bit of momentum behind them - winning the LSL and getting promotion - that would be another help towards getting some sort of local backing. But of course we don't do that...

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Originally Posted by Philosophizer

And the Maynooth town ground isn't even in the town. It's a bit outside the town, a 25-30 min walk from the main street.

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Not as far as Longford or Wexford!

Buckley Park was no lazy stroll from the centre of Kilkenny either.

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Originally Posted by Philosophizer

And the Maynooth town ground isn't even in the town. It's a bit outside the town, a 25-30 min walk from the main street.

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Is their ground the Maynooth schoolboys ground on the far side of the Motorway? if so, feck.

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Originally Posted by legendz

Good example alright. Magic-ing up a club isn't the solution.
I see Kildare are at U17 level. At least that is a reasonable way to build.
Is the League Cup to resume? At the very least, Kerry, Cavan-Monaghan, Carlow-Kilkenny and Kildare should have a representative side in that, as Kerry League have done in the past.

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Kildare's representative side is quite decent at schoolboy level, and there is absolutely savage work done for a long time in Newbridge and Athy, while Naas have a really good setup. There are some top coaches at those clubs, with a couple of ex-LoI legends involved.
Newbridge is an ideal football town for a League of Ireland club. Station Road was a superb setup for it's time.

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Originally Posted by GUFCghost

I remember Kildare County had a tidy little ground, was it in the middle of nowhere?
Maybe they were denied a license based on the way it would compromise Klub Kildare? (A truly terrible name)
If a LOI club needs 5 youth teams and a stadium, I can't see anyway Kildare or any county could build a team without clubs collaborating

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Station Road was as perfect a location for a football ground as you could want. 10 min walk to the centre of town. Literally at the train station on the line to the capital and the majority of teams in Ireland (just about), and on the two loop roads around the town. perfect.

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Originally Posted by Kingdom

Station Road was as perfect a location for a football ground as you could want. 10 min walk to the centre of town. Literally at the train station on the line to the capital and the majority of teams in Ireland (just about), and on the two loop roads around the town. perfect.

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Sounds just like Oriel Park, perfect;)

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Originally Posted by Kingdom

Is their ground the Maynooth schoolboys ground on the far side of the Motorway? if so, feck.

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Yep, that's the one.

Interesting piece in this week's Kerryman - mentions that the Kerry District League recently took over the admin of the underage LoI teams from the Kerry Schoolboys' League, and its chairman Seán O'Keeffe states "our ultimate aim down the line is to have a senior team in the League of Ireland. While it may be a few years before we will be in a position to try and play League of Ireland football at senior level, it is attainable, and that will be our goal going into the future."

https://westernpeople.ie/2021/03/12/...ue-of-ireland/
A similar piece concerning Mayo

Maynooth is too close to Dublin and adding another Dublin team is not the answer.Maybe some clubs would follow the Cabinteely/Bray move. Longford and Athlone merge to have a real competitive club in the Longford Westmeath area. Kildare look towards Newbridge to try and avail of Naas support but also tie in with football in Laois.
Wexford and Kilkenny another option.
To get a competitive country team it will not survive just based on a local town and local support. The leagues are more difficult and expensive to play in and if Premier is the goal then funding and support are key.

I'm not sure if that post is serious Stav, I really hope it isn't.

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Originally Posted by Stav

Maynooth is too close to Dublin and adding another Dublin team is not the answer.Maybe some clubs would follow the Cabinteely/Bray move. Longford and Athlone merge to have a real competitive club in the Longford Westmeath area. Kildare look towards Newbridge to try and avail of Naas support but also tie in with football in Laois.
Wexford and Kilkenny another option.
To get a competitive country team it will not survive just based on a local town and local support. The leagues are more difficult and expensive to play in and if Premier is the goal then funding and support are key.

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I've always thought Bohs and Rovers should merge to form a Super Dub Superclub. The Shamrock Gypsies. Play in green, black and red out of the Aviva. Honestly - I'm stunned this hasn't happened already.

I'll tell you what - if we all merged, we'd be guaranteed CL football every year.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I'll tell you what - if we all merged, we'd be guaranteed CL football every year.

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Nah we would probably break some rule and have ourselves relegated ;)

The FAI, or someone giving a presentation on their behalf, was floating the idea of mergers such as between Longford and Athlone at the time they were taking over the league. Predictably went down like a fart in a spacesuit then too.

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Originally Posted by Longfordian

The FAI, or someone giving a presentation on their behalf, was floating the idea of mergers such as between Longford and Athlone at the time they were taking over the league. Predictably went down like a fart in a spacesuit then too.

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Anyone that knows anything about football would realise the futility of floating such ideas.

Merging could be an option for junior clubs who don't yet have any significant fan bases, but it would be a very difficult sell for most established league of Ireland clubs.
Still, it's happened elsewhere in Europe

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Originally Posted by GUFCghost

Merging could be an option for junior clubs who don't yet have any significant fan bases, but it would be a very difficult sell for most established league of Ireland clubs.
Still, it's happened elsewhere in Europe

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Well it's happened slightly closer to home too.