Game Off

[Jofspring]

Derry city who are a pro outfit had no problem with it last week at the league cup final but lim37 are too good for this.

according to another poster derry complained and where allowed warm up on the main pitch before kick off so don't know what your talking about there.

[Magicme]

To be honest I think its not very good PR for the club. Once the referee had indicated that the match could go ahead and the team sheets submitted, then there was no reason it shouldn't. There is no rule in the book that states the main pitch has to be used for the warm up, and since no other EL team has warmed up on it for a league match, then why should we be made an exception? If it's true that Mick Wallace allowed the use of the main pitch 40 mins before kick off, well that just makes the situation worse.

Putting the squad back on the bus and going home was embarrassing and childish. We should have fulfilled the fixture, then made our complaints to the relevant authorities in the correct manner. That way we would have come out of it with our heads held high, with credibility intact and not open to any 'allegations of unrest in the camp' or whatever. We will lose the points, no doubt about this, and also face a hefty fine.

I don't agree with having to warm up on a badly lit back pitch either, but as everyone else has done it, including ourselves for the previous 4 or 5 times we've played there, we should have known well in advance that this was going to be the situation.

Mick Wallace should also learn to keep opinions about what he thinks about LIMERICK 37 team affairs to himself, and not air them on national radio.

Most rational post yet.

[manalishi]

according to another poster derry complained and where allowed warm up on the main pitch before kick off so don't know what your talking about there.

Just another point to the know alls who keep defending the situation,
at 7.00pm or just before that it is still bright enough to train as any one will
tell you who is training at the moment.There is more to this story than people
know but the whole country seems to have been there last night to witness the events.

[Jofspring]

Just another point to the know alls who keep defending the situation,
at 7.00pm or just before that it is still bright enough to train as any one will
tell you who is training at the moment.There is more to this story than people
know but the whole country seems to have been there last night to witness the events.

thats why i'm going to wait till the final outcome before giving an opinion. I'm not defending any situation, i was just pointing out that that part of your post was incorrect.

[gspain]

Even those of us that were there were still in the dark as to what exactly happened.

[oldyouth]

Just another point to the know alls who keep defending the situation,
at 7.00pm or just before that it is still bright enough to train as any one will
tell you who is training at the moment.There is more to this story than people
know but the whole country seems to have been there last night to witness the events.

I have to say that by 7pm last night, given the rain and low clouds, it was fairly dark in Wexford.

[Jofspring]

Further statement up on www.limerickfc.ie regarding this.

Hopefully this helps clear up some of it. Puts the ball back in Wallaces court.

[manalishi]

You surely are, Limerick should be awarded the points!

Come down from the clouds man,to claim the points you must have a valid reason.
Running away home crying will not wear with the fai.
Bad management by kerley who should take the flak for this as he must have had the final say in matters on this.

[dublin_owl]

Just in case Mick Wallace is reading this the reason that Gary Sheehan and John Tierney were listed as subs is because the prevailing opinion is that your team is fairly crap and with fixtures piling up it made sense to rest them for this one as opposed to a more uh... tricky fixture.

Granted we don't have a great record against Limerick (not surprising since ye get a 37 goal head start against whoever ye play - as is my understanding of the situation).

In my humble opinion Micks comments about the team selection were inappropriate, but it was certainly not a nothing game as far as Wexford Youths, Kildare County or Athlone Town are concerned, and had we gotten a point or three then similar comments could have been forthcoming from the other clubs fighting against relegation.

[Magicme]

Even those of us that were there were still in the dark as to what exactly happened.

So no lights in Limerick either? Good pun!

[Lionel Ritchie]

Just another point to the know alls who keep defending the situation,
at 7.00pm or just before that it is still bright enough to train as any one will tell you who is training at the moment.There is more to this story than people
know but the whole country seems to have been there last night to witness the events.

I doubt that. I wasn't there but I got the twenty past six bus from Limerick city center to thomond park last night and noticed it was getting dark when I got off the bus which can scarcely have been later than 6.30. By 7pm last night I'd say you're in twilight at least. I'm going home at the same time this evening so I'll be paying careful attention.

This might've been a spat of silly buggers (no pun intended) that got out of hand but I just gravely doubt he took a bus full of lads who had to sign out of work early all the way to Wexford to pull a stunt he'd have known could result in a points deduction ...and to what end? ...where's the percentage? ...hardly have been thinking Limerick would be awarded the points eh?

[Jofspring]

So no lights in Limerick either? Good pun!

no he was there, hence why he was in the dark

[manalishi]

Every team that plays at Jackman are given the courtesy of warming up on the pitch.That should be afford to us when we travel.
Next time the funboys come to Limerick they can warm up in the Peoples Park.

Have you not noticed but there is no training pitch at jackman park.
And on the health and safety policy that the ultras keep harping on about
jackman park is no oasis,the away dressing room is fit for only 7 players at a time,and one entrance in and out of the grounds which is another potentially dangerous obstacle, so don`t slag off other teams facilities please until you have your own grounds.

[jebus]

Have you not noticed but there is no training pitch at jackman park.
And on the health and safety policy that the ultras keep harping on about
jackman park is no oasis,the away dressing room is fit for only 7 players at a time,and one entrance in and out of the grounds which is another potentially dangerous obstacle, so don`t slag off other teams facilities please until you have your own grounds.

Who's slagging off their facilities? The issue is them sending us up to an inadequate pitch when there was a perfectly adequate one sitting empty. Why do you have a Limerick avator as well when you refer to the club as them?

[joeSoap]

Everybodys got opinions and feelings about this, and in the aftermath it's very easy to blow off steam. What I feel its going to come down to at the end of the day at any subsequent hearing is the following:

1). Wexford broke no rule by initially not letting us warm up on the pitch.

2). We must have known going down there that this would be the situation. It has been the situation for us in the past, and for all other clubs too.

3). It would have looked a whole lot better for us if we played the game (under protest) and officially complained afterwards.

4). A feasible explanation is owed to the fans who travelled as to why the offer of a 40 minute prior to the game warm up wasn't accepted. The referee would surely have allowed a 15 minute delay under the circumstances. Our failure to do this and subsequent jumping on the bus and heading home has left us wide open to speculation as to the 'real reason for our departure'.

5). It is not Mick Wallaces place to speculate on other clubs affairs, especially on national radio and he should be fined for doing so.

In summation, Wexford deserve the points. They were prepared to fulfill a fixture that we were not. We will also be fined, but so too should Mick Wallace for his comments.

Our comments about 'Health and Safety' issues are hogwash. They were stupid and ill-advised comments that now have the club at the scrutiny of Health and Safety Officers of other clubs every time they visit Jackman. And that could be sticky for obvious reasons....

[manalishi]

Everybodys got opinions and feelings about this, and in the aftermath it's very easy to blow off steam. What I feel its going to come down to at the end of the day at any subsequent hearing is the following:

1). Wexford broke no rule by initially not letting us warm up on the pitch.

2). We must have known going down there that this would be the situation. It has been the situation for us in the past, and for all other clubs too.

3). It would have looked a whole lot better for us if we played the game (under protest) and officially complained afterwards.

4). A feasible explanation is owed to the fans who travelled as to why the offer of a 40 minute prior to the game warm up wasn't accepted. The referee would surely have allowed a 15 minute delay under the circumstances. Our failure to do this and subsequent jumping on the bus and heading home has left us wide open to speculation as to the 'real reason for our departure'.

5). It is not Mick Wallaces place to speculate on other clubs affairs, especially on national radio and he should be fined for doing so.

In summation, Wexford deserve the points. They were prepared to fulfill a fixture that we were not. We will also be fined, but so too should Mick Wallace for his comments.

Our comments about 'Health and Safety' issues are hogwash. They were stupid and ill-advised comments that now have the club at the scrutiny of Health and Safety Officers of other clubs every time they visit Jackman. And that could be sticky for obvious reasons....

At last someone with a balanced view who is talking some sense and not going along with the rest of the sheep on this thread.
Kerley(roy keane in disguise) what were you thinking?the fai have helped lim37 out before but your on thin ice now.

[blinkx]

The phrase "Beggars can't be choosers" springs to mind...

Got to applaud Kerley's diplomacy or lack there of on the matter...

[PinBallWizard]

I see from the website that the clubs public relations people and the players are not exactly singing from the same hymn sheet

'Further Statement'

Limerick 37 changed back in to their team suits at 7.20 and had boarded the team bus when they were finally given a grudging and unofficial permission by Mick Wallace to go on to the main pitch at 7.25pm.

Players Statement by Pat Purcell:

At no time prior to leaving at 7.30 were we informed that we could warm up on the main pitch.

At least they could get their stories straight.
This is a hugely embarrassing fcuk up.

[PinBallWizard]

See here.

"In response to yesterday evening’s cancelled eircom League of Ireland, first division match between Wexford Youths and Limerick 37, the FAI will review the detail of the referee’s report and the match delegate’s report and under disciplinary procedures, both clubs will be asked to provide a full response to those reports within the next three working days. After this the matter will be put before the FAI Disciplinary Committee. Speaking today, Fran Gavin, Director of the eircom League of Ireland said:

“We are deeply disappointed and dissatisfied that this match did not go ahead and we will be carrying out a full review and disciplinary process to take appropriate action. We will not be in a position to comment further until this case is heard.”

[Footsoldier]

I think Wallace was out of order for suggesting that the Limerick squad wasn't fully united or whatever. It was none of his business and he's lost some credibility with me for that.
I do find it strange that Limerick have come to Wexford 5 times previously (I think) and only now has it become an issue. If they had a problem before now they should have let Wexford and the FAI know about it before they arrived.
In relation to the Derry game, the running of the event was taken over by the FAI. As far as I know, they said it was ok for both teams to warm up on the main pitch (however, they didn't insist on it). Wexford warmed up on the back pitch as usual, for all the good it did them!
Both Limerick and Wexford come out of this looking very stupid.