Ireland v Italy kick off time?

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Originally Posted by SuperDave

you're right, i double checked... my bad. Didn't know about the italian fans. Good and bad, in that it means more Irish fans, but more bandwagoners expecting entertainment...

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there are about 30,000 true national team fans and the rest are bandwagoners.

the FAI, the fans and a sponsor like eircom need to get together and ensure croke park is a sea of green and the noisiest place on earth on oct 10th. i fear too many will find it cold and wear their winter woolies rather than don their green shirt that night. ive always thought everyone should be given those €5 carrolls Irish flags on the way into the ground someday or a green and white scarf to hold aloft during the anthem and after

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Originally Posted by jbyrne

there are about 30,000 true national team fans and the rest are bandwagoners.

the FAI, the fans and a sponsor like eircom need to get together and ensure croke park is a sea of green and the noisiest place on earth on oct 10th. i fear too many will find it cold and wear their winter woolies rather than don their green shirt that night. ive always thought everyone should be given those €5 carrolls Irish flags on the way into the ground someday or a green and white scarf to hold aloft during the anthem and after

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100% agree on this. I was just saying to a few mates over the weekend that the Ireland-Italy game from Giants Stadium should be running on the big screen before the game and then 5 minutes before kick-off bring Ray Houghton and Paul McGrath onto the pitch to stir up the crowd.

Depending on tonight's Italy-Bulgaria result this could be an even bigger game than Holland in 2001 and the atmosphere at that game was the best I have experienced at any Irish home game.

Of course we are going to beat Italy and Cyprus will beat them too so we will come first in the group.

However if Cyprus don't do the business and we end up in the play-offs the dates are Saturday 14th November and Wednesday 18th November. But the rugby lads are playing Australia on Sunday 15th November at Croker.

So what happens if we are drawn to play at home in the first leg ? Will the good GAA people and the guards allow 2 games in 2 days ?

Yes. Already sorted. There will be two games and there will be no standing tickets for the rugby as they will have the bucket seats in from our game on the Sat.

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Yes. Already sorted. There will be two games and there will be no standing tickets for the rugby as they will have the bucket seats in from our game on the Sat.

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Woud our first leg definitely be at home?

No that is not for certain but they can accomodate either draw. If we are at home on the Wednesday, it just means they need to put the bucket seats on the Monday morning or the week before and the rugy people have to put up with bucket seats. When they sent out the forms to rugby they were told that there was a possibility that terrace tickets may be actually bucket seats but at the same price.

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

No that is not for certain but they can accomodate either draw. If we are at home on the Wednesday, it just means they need to put the bucket seats on the Monday morning or the week before and the rugy people have to put up with bucket seats. When they sent out the forms to rugby they were told that there was a possibility that terrace tickets may be actually bucket seats but at the same price.

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Nice one Neil, seems the FAI/IRFU have had decent foresight on this one.

Just also want to clarify I am not one of the people that is on the IRFU's block booking system or if they have one I dont know. Before a terrible rumour gets out.

Come to think of it, I spotted you accidently break into a 'LLLLEINNNSTERRRR' chant at the game in Bari :eek: Old habits die hard Neil ;)