Any news on groups, commencement dates, etc.?
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Any news on groups, commencement dates, etc.?
Clubs have got fudge all as of yet. There was to be a meeting on this to arrange fixtures etc but nothing. It's to start mid April so I'd Imagine the fixtures will be out the week before it kicks off.
No mention of the Futsal either?
Last year, it didn't begin until the end of May, but when there's no A Championship Cup this year, maybe it'll be brought forward. As for the groups, the Northern Section will likely include Bohs, Derry, Drogheda, Dundalk, Fanad, Finn Harps and Sligo, while the Southern Section will have Bray, Carlow, Cobh, Limerick, St. Pat's, Shamrock Rovers, Tralee and UCD, the only question marks being firstly which sections Galway A and Shelbourne will be in, and whether there will be 17 or 18 teams involved.
Why is there no A Championship Cup? I thought the whole idea was to give the teams more games? The number of games is a joke. They should at least play an extra series of games in the groups.
ive heard this is our group: (sligo rovers)
Bohs
UCD
Dundalk
Derry City
Sligo Rovers
Finn Harps
Fanad United
Drogheda United
Group 1
Bohemian FC
Derry City FC
Drogheda United FC
Dundalk FC
Fanad United FC
Finn Harps FC
Sligo Rovers FC
UCD AFC
Group 2
Bray Wanderers AFC
Cobh Ramblers FC
FC Carlow
Galway United FC
Limerick FC
Shamrock Rovers FC
St. Patrick's Athletic FC
Tralee Dynamos FC
Fixtures out Friday.
League starts on weekend of 3rd April.
Top 2 Teams qualify for second stage instead of winners like last few years. Final will be at end of August.
Fair play to Finn Harps and Limerick for taking part once more when they don't have to.
Any official word on the ending of the competition and the future plans for it?
why arn't galway in group with Sligo rovers, finn harps etc.
whhat happened tullamore?
Tullamore Town Withdraw from Licensing Application.
Tullamore Town has withdrawn its application for an FAI Club Licence for the 2011 season. After weeks of deliberation the club has decided it would be in it's best interest not to take part in the 2011 "A" Championship. This year's "A" Championship will be the last after four seasons. Tullamore Town has found the "A" Championship beneficial over the last three seasons, but feels now is the right time to withdraw in light of it being the final season of the competition.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlapjackJoe
Will they try and join the league next year?
No idea, I just copied that statement from their official site...Quote:
Originally Posted by cornflakes
Quote:
Originally Posted by legendz
Im hearing it could be replaced with an under 21 league again with 3 overage players allowed.
Because it's only fair to split the division. It's over 4 hours by bus from Ballybofey to Galway. It's only 3 to Dublin. Limerick are closer to Galway than Sligo are.Quote:
Originally Posted by colinf
it'd be 3 hours max from ballybofey. one way. i see what you mean though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam_Heggy
3 hours if there's no traffic. It can take a lot longer than that!
If that's the road they want to go down so be it. We'll have to wait and see what happens. Castlebar and Tullamore have hinted at the uncertainty for their reason for not taking part this season. The reserve league seems a better move than U21. Most reserve teams would probably be made up of players of that age group anyways.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam_Heggy
majority of sligo rovers A team would be under 21 anyways, same with most sides id say, think we have about 5 or 6 who are 21/over 21
For arguments sake if only Shamrock Rovers and Limerick fielded an A side and 4 first teams like Cobh, Tralee, Carlow and one other took part, if they played over 4 series they'd get 20 games, more than this season. I know it's not ideal but if it was put to the clubs as a way to continue, they might be for it?
i think it should remain next season in some form, without an age limit, ten premier teams still having to participate. wouldnt see the problem with just having all premier team compete against eachother. the journeys wouldnt be much different. upto dublin a few times anyway, and drogs/dundalk too. derrys only up the road. let first divison teams in if they want too, theres only two this season anyways. would make it 12 team league, 20 games a season. let the first team clubs maybe join FD if they want if thats being expanded
Agreed, it should remain in some form. I know last season some Premier clubs wanted the A Championship ended. I don't see why they can't just remove the stipulation of having to field an A side.
The FAI should consult Cobh, Tralee, Carlow, Fanad and the two clubs who opted out of this season. If a national league is an issue with all the travel and logistics clearly it won't work. If clubs want to make it work though the FAI should assist. Opening up the league through the A Championship was a move forward. Any move away from that is a regressive step.
The move to a U19 league should strengthen the A Championship in some respects. Clubs joining will be doing so because they want to. Surely most progressive clubs will wants to field an A side for the 19-23 age group.
Fixtures due out today. Any word as yet?
i think clubs should have to have the A team. if not, some wouldnt bother, wheres the local players going to go then? stay in junior football and probably never progress? this gives certain players a chance to break into a first team and maybe have a chance of something then. no one ever looks at junior games anymore, in sligo anyways, no scouts etc. obviously some players wont ever make it further than the A league, (myself included), but its important that the chance is there at that level for those who may be good enough for the first team
The FAI can't spoon feed clubs either though. It's up to every club to get their house in order. Clubs fielding A sides when they don't want to isn't good for the game. They should participate for the right reasons. The U19 league should be a good addition. If clubs can't see the advantage in having a reserve team on top of that, it's going to be their own problem in the long run.
yeah its only going to help clubs in the long run.
fixtures due out today, looking forward to it. UCD a tough addition to our group. will bohs be as strong as last year? id assume they will be? maybe even stronger with some players being involved in 1st team training/squads
Courtesy of DundalkFC.com
Quote:
DUNDALK FC RESERVES 2-1 DROGHEDA UNITED FC RESERVES
Saturday 12 March 2011: Oriel Park, Dundalk
Goals in either half from captain Johnny Breen gave Dundalk Reserves a 2-1 win over their Drogheda United counterparts in a friendly match at Oriel Park on Saturday afternoon as preparations continued for the start of the A-Championship season, which gets underway at the end of March. After pressing the visitors, the Lilywhites eventually took the lead on 34 minutes when Mark Griffin played a superb through-ball to his strike partner who finished coolly. Drogheda responded within seconds of the second half starting when substitute ‘keeper Alex Reilly committed a foul in the box and ex-Dundalk youngster and former Shelbourne midfielder Colly O’Brien stood up to convert the spot-kick to the top corner. However, Dundalk secured a deserved victory midway through the second half when Breen finished brilliantly to the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Dundalk had six first-team players involved from the start – Peter Cherrie, Michael Hector, Stephen Maher, Stephen McDonnell, Breen and Griffin.
Shortly after full-time, Reserve team manager Darius Kierans gave his reaction to dundalkfc.com. Listen now at: http://audioboo.fm/boos/300600-darius-k ... a-reserves
DUNDALK FC RESERVES (4-4-2): Peter Cherrie (Alex Reilly HT); Ahmed Karabalarov (Glen Trainor 67), Keith Finnegan, Michael Hector (Darren Meehan 86), Stephen Hutchinson (Jamie McCaul 86); Anto Hewitt (Gary Clarke HT), Stephen Maher (Chris Kerr HT), Philip Duffy (Kieran Clinton 78), Stephen McDonnell; Johnny Breen ©, Mark Griffin.
Goals: J Breen (34, 66).
Unused Subs: Conor Macken.
If the A Championship removes the stipulation that Premier clubs have to field an A side, how many will be likely to do so?
Limerick and Finn Harps in Division One do so already. UCD and Shamrock Rovers might be the only other clubs likely to do so?
On Tralee's website, they have Group 2 fixtures:
POOL 2
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 3
rd
APRIL – SERIES NO. 1
FC Carlow v Bray Wanderers
Limerick v Galway United
Shamrock Rovers v Cobh Ramblers
Tralee Dynamos v St. Patrick’s Athletic
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 10
th
APRIL – SERIES NO. 2
Bray Wanderers v Shamrock Rovers
Galway United v Cobh Ramblers
St. Patrick’s Athletic v FC Carlow
Tralee Dynamos v Limerick
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 1
st
MAY – SERIES NO. 3
Bray Wanderers v St. Patrick’s Athletic
Cobh Ramblers v Tralee Dynamos
FC Carlow v Limerick
Shamrock Rovers v Galway United
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 8
th
MAY – SERIES NO. 4
FC Carlow v Cobh Ramblers
Limerick v Bray Wanderers
St. Patrick’s Athletic v Shamrock Rovers
Tralee Dynamos v Galway United
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 15
th
MAY – SERIES NO. 5
Cobh Ramblers v Bray Wanderers
Galway United v FC Carlow
St. Patrick’s Athletic v Limerick
Shamrock Rovers v Tralee Dynamos
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 22
nd
MAY – SERIES NO. 6
Bray Wanderers v Galway United
Cobh Ramblers v St. Patrick’s Athletic
FC Carlow v Tralee Dynamos
Limerick v Shamrock Rovers
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 12
th
JUNE – SERIES NO. 7
Galway United v St. Patrick’s Athletic
Limerick v Cobh Ramblers
Shamrock Rovers v FC Carlow
Tralee Dynamos v Bray Wanderers
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 26
th
JUNE – SERIES NO. 8
Bray Wanderers v FC Carlow
Cobh Ramblers v Shamrock Rovers
Galway United v Limerick
St. Patrick’s Athletic v Tralee Dynamos
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 3
rd
JULY – SERIES NO. 9
Cobh Ramblers v Galway United
FC Carlow v St. Patrick’s Athletic
Limerick v Tralee Dynamos
Shamrock Rovers v Bray Wanderers
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 10
th
JULY – SERIES NO. 10
Galway United v Shamrock Rovers
Limerick v FC Carlow
St. Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers
Tralee Dynamos v Cobh Ramblers
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 17
th
JULY – SERIES NO. 11
Bray Wanderers v Limerick
Cobh Ramblers v FC Carlow
Galway United v Tralee Dynamos
Shamrock Rovers v St. Patrick’s Athletic
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 24
th
JULY – SERIES NO. 12
Bray Wanderers v Cobh Ramblers
FC Carlow v Galway United
Limerick v St. Patrick’s Athletic
Tralee Dynamos v Shamrock Rovers
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 7
th
AUGUST – SERIES NO. 13
Galway United v Bray Wanderers
St. Patrick’s Athletic v Cobh Ramblers
Shamrock Rovers v Limerick
Tralee Dynamos v FC Carlow
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 14
th
AUGUST – SERIES NO. 14
Bray Wanderers v Tralee Dynamos
FC Carlow v Shamrock Rovers
Cobh Ramblers v Limerick
St. Patrick’s Athletic v Galway United
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 21
st
AUGUST – SEMI-FINALS
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 11
th
SEPTEMBER – FINAL
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 3rd APRIL – SERIES NO. 1
Bohemians v Dundalk
Derry City v Drogheda United
Fanad United v Sligo Rovers
U.C.D. v Finn Harps
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 10th APRIL – SERIES NO. 2
Bohemians v U.C.D.
Dundalk v Fanad United
Finn Harps v Drogheda United
Sligo Rovers v Derry City
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 1st MAY – SERIES NO. 3
Derry City v Finn Harps
Drogheda United v Bohemians
Fanad United v U.C.D.
Sligo Rovers v Dundalk
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 8th MAY – SERIES NO. 4
Bohemians v Finn Harps
Dundalk v Derry City
Fanad United v Drogheda United
U.C.D. v Sligo Rovers
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 15th MAY – SERIES NO. 5
Derry City v Bohemians
Drogheda United v Sligo Rovers
Dundalk v U.C.D.
Finn Harps v Fanad United
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 22nd MAY – SERIES NO. 6
Drogheda United v Dundalk
Fanad United v Bohemians
Sligo Rovers v Finn Harps
U.C.D. v Derry City
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 12th JUNE – SERIES NO. 7
Bohemians v Sligo Rovers
Derry City v Fanad United
Finn Harps v Dundalk
U.C.D. v Drogheda United
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 26th JUNE – SERIES NO. 8
Drogheda United v Derry City
Dundalk v Bohemians
Finn Harps v U.C.D.
Sligo Rovers v Fanad United
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 3rd JULY – SERIES NO. 9
Derry City v Sligo Rovers
Drogheda United v Finn Harps
Fanad United v Dundalk
U.C.D. v Bohemians
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 10th JULY – SERIES NO. 10
Bohemians v Drogheda United
Dundalk v Sligo Rovers
Finn Harps v Derry City
U.C.D. v Fanad United
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 17th JULY – SERIES NO. 11
Finn Harps v Bohemians
Derry City v Dundalk
Drogheda United v Fanad United
Sligo Rovers v U.C.D.
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 24th JULY – SERIES NO. 12
Bohemians v Derry City
Fanad United v Finn Harps
Sligo Rovers v Drogheda United
U.C.D. v Dundalk
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 7th AUGUST – SERIES NO. 13
Bohemians v Fanad United
Derry City v U.C.D.
Dundalk v Drogheda United
Finn Harps v Sligo Rovers
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 14th AUGUST – SERIES NO. 14
Drogheda United v U.C.D.
Dundalk v Finn Harps
Fanad United v Derry City
Sligo Rovers v Bohemians
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 21st AUGUST – SEMI-FINALS
WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY, 11th SEPTEMBER – FINAL
Anyone know what ground Carlow are playing at this year? Ballon again?
Reserves update including fixtures from Dundalk at: http://www.dundalkfc.com/reserves-du...eport-reaction
Not sure how it would have worked, but it would have been more useful for clubs to play a third round of fixtures - after all, assuming the division is scrapped as expected, teams would have no fixtures for seven months and would then be expected to be ready to face the First Division teams on level terms.
Limerick fixtures;
http://www.limerickfc.ie/fixtures/achampionship.html
Agreed 100%. A third round of fixtures should have been scheduled. The number of games, the lenght of the season and off season is a joke.Quote:
Originally Posted by culloty82
Do Fanad United have an upto date website/facebook page etc.?
This doesn't seem to have been updated since before Christmas, and their Facebook pages are three copies of their Wikipedia entry.
Quote:
Originally Posted by colinf
Not really, is there any info you're after?
nah nothing really, just for a we look at them. we're playing them saturday eveningQuote:
Originally Posted by Sam_Heggy
Interview with Dynamos' management in today's Kerryman, saying they're aiming for the First Division, but that it could take a couple of seasons. So, either they haven't been told about anything happening to the division, or else it could take them that long to earn the licence.
Galway Utd away to Limerick this weekend. No details of the fixture out yet though
2pm kick off Saturday 2nd.Quote:
Originally Posted by gufc2000
Venue changed to Cassidy Park, Ennis as far as I know.