FAI Cup 2014

Not all about travel times though Nesta. It's the expense of travelling. I know, for myself, having a young family, I have to get priorities right. It's a case of some weeks, money can be tighter than others, and it's a toss between heading off to Wexford for a Harps game, or an extra 50 quid to help feed the kid.

10 years ago, when Dundalk were in the First Division, we hadn't the same financial mess of a country we do now.

Its 3 hours from Cork to Dundalk if there is no traffic and you are driving in your own car. Most fans travel by bus to games and its a lot longer than 3 hours from Cork to Dundalk.

The other big thing is that Friday games mean getting to away matches (or in my case home matches) is difficult because it eats into the work day for a lot of people. It's ok to take a half day now and again, but doing it regularly really eats into scarce holidays.

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Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

10 years ago, when Dundalk were in the First Division, we hadn't the same financial mess of a country we do now.

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The pain of the FD is still so intense it even seems more recent then 5 season out of it (2008)

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Originally Posted by Ezeikial

The pain of the FD is still so intense it even seems more recent then 5 season out of it (2008)

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Dundalk were in the First Division in 2004, correct or not? ;)

Close to the bottom Nigel, I think we finished 2nd last that season, as we were firmly in the midst of a seven year stretch.

I think that's a fair point about Sligo and Cork travelling, also it certainly suits teams based on the east coast for away trips as between Dundalk and Bray this is where 7 of the 12 PD sides are located, possibly 8 next season.

Yup all very valid points! We were spoiled at Dundalk with a subsidised bus to away games organised by the now defunct travel club during 1st division days. Also I was a student 10 years ago so half days on a Friday werent a problem personally. I still think though that proportionate to home support certainly with Sligo and Cork that 50-80 fans could be mustered on a reasonably regular basis. With this game i'd have been of the opinion that the cup has that bit more of a draw that could see a couple of hundred travelling support. The cup certainly sees the extra 'floating' Dundalk support out. I genuinely wonder how clubs in England get so many die hards being at every game home and away with the cost involved, lower leagues too (Luton promoted from the conference is a significant loss to other clubs such was the level of travelling support).

I should add that the financial mire the country is in is nothing compared to the mess Dundalk FC was 10 yrs ago, relatively speaking of course but ye now what I mean;p

Don't forget also, public transport in the UK is a damn sight better than it is here.

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Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Don't forget also, public transport in the UK is a damn sight better than it is here.

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Hmmm ok there are better intercity links but damn pricey! If you wanted to get a return London to Manchester(or any city north of Birmingham) train Thursday off-peak (advance purchase, non anytime) cost ye about £150 minimum up to over £300 flexi ticket. Next week £80-100. Wouldnt even bother looking at a friday. Can be cheaper flying tbh.

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

Hmmm ok there are better intercity links but damn pricey! If you wanted to get a return London to Manchester(or any city north of Birmingham) train Thursday off-peak (advance purchase, non anytime) cost ye about £150 minimum up to over £300 flexi ticket. Next week £80-100. Wouldnt even bother looking at a friday. Can be cheaper flying tbh.

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Clubs often put on chartered trains and buses there too. Even in the lower leagues, there might be a mix of three or four different clubs travelling on the same trains to different places.

So if clubs here ran supporters buses at affordable prices would more people travel?

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

So if clubs here ran supporters buses at affordable prices would more people travel?

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I'd imagine so yes. A lot depends on results too, but at the end of the day, you can't compare English League teams to League of Ireland.

Well i know its like comparing apples with pears, i was more teasing out the discussion or peoples opinions on cup match attendance and why i probably naively would have thought a cup match would draw a bigger away following as a once off blue riband match, albeit close to the league fixture.

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

All valid points regarding travel I suppose and maybe something we take for granted east coast. I do think though that Irish people in general see distance to travel as a much greater challange, or more prohibitive than it actually is, certainly in comparison to say England. People commute 2+ hours to work in other countries without it being considered a major problem. Roads have improved and roadblocks like Drogheda are by-passed but attitudes are the same as when hours were spent stuck in Abbeyleix, Dunleer and the like. Certainly in Dundalks 1st division days you nearly always had at least a coach load travelling to Cobh, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Donegal & not quite as far, Longford and Athlone(of course thats when we were in the hunt for promotion). Dundalk to cork is a little over 3 hours, Sligo 2.5hrs not crazy prohibitive. Anyway just my opinion that we overthink the perception of travel times.

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Totally agree with this, anything I tell someone I'm going to an away game that might only be 2.5 hours away the response you generally get is ''Jesus that's a long old trip'' it's an Irish thing for some reason.

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Originally Posted by outspoken

Totally agree with this, anything I tell someone I'm going to an away game that might only be 2.5 hours away the response you generally get is ''Jesus that's a long old trip'' it's an Irish thing for some reason.

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'Who are Pats playing this weekend?'

'We're down in Cork' '

You're not going all the way down there are you?'

'Yeah I'm heading down to it'

'to watch that?, you're mad'

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

Well i know its like comparing apples with pears, i was more teasing out the discussion or peoples opinions on cup match attendance and why i probably naively would have thought a cup match would draw a bigger away following as a once off blue riband match, albeit close to the league fixture.

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Quarter final or semi final would expect a good crowd to travel but would think it would be just the usual couple of hundred for last 32.

Well a couple of hundred wouldnt be so bad for the 2nd round - other Sligo lads were suggesting much less than that.

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Originally Posted by El-Pietro

you can only take so many Friday afternoons off

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Did more people travel in the First Division when you had more teams around you, or is the travelling time to Waterford more or less the same as to Dublin?

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

Yup all very valid points! We were spoiled at Dundalk with a subsidised bus to away games organised by the now defunct travel club during 1st division days. Also I was a student 10 years ago so half days on a Friday werent a problem personally. I still think though that proportionate to home support certainly with Sligo and Cork that 50-80 fans could be mustered on a reasonably regular basis. With this game i'd have been of the opinion that the cup has that bit more of a draw that could see a couple of hundred travelling support. The cup certainly sees the extra 'floating' Dundalk support out. I genuinely wonder how clubs in England get so many die hards being at every game home and away with the cost involved, lower leagues too (Luton promoted from the conference is a significant loss to other clubs such was the level of travelling support).

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50-80 City fans do travel to just about every game. We just don't go to Dundalk.