Game Off

[clownboy]

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'


Players Statement by Pat Purcell:


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

It all depends on the timing .I presume if the players got changed at 7.20 and were on the bus for 7.25 , by the time everything and everyone was packed up the bus probably pulled away at 7.30 therefore there is no need to get anything 'straight'.

[Youths4Ever]

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....

Perhaps the best summary of events that I have read.

Agree Wallace should not have suggested that Limerick had internal squad problems no ones business but Limerick's if there where any

Can see both teams being fined Limerick for not fulfilling fixture and Wallace for his post match comments and a replay ordered.

[The Optimist]

I think it is fair to say that most people agree Wallace should not have made his post match comments.
But these comments didn't cause the game to be called off.The fact is that Limerick 37 left the ground approx 30 mins before the scheduled kick off time!

[LFC in Exile]

Why don't Wexford allow teams to warm-up on the pitch before the game?

The Limerick statement said that the referee refused to warm up on the back pitch. If true there must have been an issue with the lighting or something.

The fact that Limerick have warmed up on the back pitch without any problems in the past indicates that there was something 'special' about last night. It was a very damp and dreary night (at least in Cork) so it's not unreasonable to think that there were problems with inadequate lighting that wasn't an issue on previous visits.

[L37Ultra]

.
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.
.

Different management last season so there wouldn't have been a 60 minute warm up like Kerley does.

[sadloserkid]

Referee and his team apparently wouldn't warm up on the back pitch either, Wallace has kept that part quiet.

Whole affair is looking bizarre now in the cold light of day. Looking at it I would have preferred if Limerick had played the fixture but to suggest that the players were given adequate time to change, warm up and prepare for the game at 7.30 isn't good enough either.

I honestly think that if Mick Wallace is going to be so precious about his pitch then he needs to light up the area of the second pitch properly. The feedback that I've gotten from people who were there last night on both sides of the divide has been that the practice pitch wasn't lit well enough. Wallace has got a thing for gestures of nothingness and last night proved it. Derry City warmed up on the main pitch at the weekend, Wexford's stewards prevented our players for doing the same. Wtf like?

[gspain]

Different management last season so there wouldn't have been a 60 minute warm up like Kerley does.

Mike was manager for our game there earlier in the season though.

Complaining about H&S issues at other clubs isn't a smart move when we've relied on goodwill in the past with other clubs overlooking a lot worse.

I don't think it ever went public but we threatened not to play in another game under a previous regime because of an aspect of the home club's facilities. A senior FAI official who was present said "Fine but you are out of the league if you don't play tonight". We played. That game (as last night's) was of little consequence at the time.

[L37Ultra]

Mike was manager for our game there earlier in the season though.

Yes, but that was in May and it would have not have been dark at 7-7:30pm.

There is a difference between complaining about facilities (which Limerick would have some cheek to do especially as Wexford have top class pitches + facilities) and having a concern over warming up in the dark where players can get injured etc.. If it is the training pitch to the left of the clubhouse, from what I can remember the only lights are those facing the car park.

Still not a good enough reason to walk away from a match so I think more has happened than what has been reported.

[Sunny Jim]

Referee and his team apparently wouldn't warm up on the back pitch either, Wallace has kept that part quiet.

Officials are never asked to warm up on the back pitch. They use the perimeter of the main pitch.

[LK37oldskool]

Officials are never asked to warm up on the back pitch. They use the perimeter of the main pitch.

And did they warm up on the perimeter last night? At present we're led to believe that the ref agreed with our managment that the back pitch was unsafe.

[LK37oldskool]

There's another interesting piece in the Limerick FC statement that says they were kept waiting an hour in their dressing room waiting for access to warm up facilities.
This seems rather odd?
Surely if this is true its a totally unacceptable situation.

[Jofspring]

There's another interesting piece in the Limerick FC statement that says they were kept waiting an hour in their dressing room waiting for access to warm up facilities.
This seems rather odd?
Surely if this is true its a totally unacceptable situation.

i think maybe you touched on a good point there. Some people are saying it was an overreaction from Limerick (which maybe it was) but also it could be a combination of them waiting around for an hour followed by not being allowed on the main pitch followed by being told 30 or 40mins before kick off that they could use it that made them just decide preperations had be disrupted and weren't right for the match, enough is enough and that they would not fulfill it. So thats an hour and a half before anything was decided.

In saying that i think they should have played and sorted it out later.

[gael353]

Even though it was bright when warming up i just thought i'd point out that limerick warmed up on athlones back pitch a few weeks back without any complaints.

reason being two days earlier the pitch failed a pitch inspection and on that back pitch it did put an end to Shane Tracys knee

My two cents are that its good to see so many posters back on foot such as pinballwizard last night the pitch offered to limerick was pitch dark. A mist had come down and it was raining and had made the street lights and the glimmer of the main floodlights beams inadaquate so MK the ref and his team and our team (who also made a statement) didnt fancy it and the H&S line was first mooted by the ref. Some people are going on about what about jackman, yea its a dump but the pitch is good and no games are called off, it is also offered to all teams to warm up on, and i saw someone mention jackman doesnt have a training pitch so who are we to complain....Liverpool, man u, spurs etc stupid and rubbish point. i think the main pitch could have been used last night without damaging the pitch. wex behind goal and sidelines are miles from the perimeter wall why wasnt that used for warm up and drills? no good saying if its good enough for all the other teams why isnt it good enough for limerick? bull****. Derry and now limerick...shows who puts up with **** and who doesnt. unprofessional and professional! My bet is a replay in a few weeks time with a slap on the rist for both, appeals and all brused under the carpet at seasons end.

ps undeer 20 fixture this weekend in hogan park, Limerick Vs......Wexford

[ramblers]

All I can say is fair play to a team who do a 60minute warmup!!

Imagine how good the team might be if the cut it down to 30 minutes. I have been to most grounds and watch a lot of warmups but have to say I have never watched a 60 minute warm up by a team.

[Battery Rover]

reason being two days earlier the pitch failed a pitch inspection and on that back pitch it did put an end to Shane Tracys knee

I am amazed that someone involved directly with a club would write something like that especially on a public forum. By writing that you are saying that the pitch was the cause of his injury.

Our second pitch is of UEFA standard and is the exact same dimensions and surface as the main pitch with UEFA standard floodlighting. Our 20s and 17s play on this weekly.

All teams visiting Lissywoolen this season and that includes all the international teams so far this season warm up on the second pitch without any problem. Why are you the only one complaining about it.

Maybe when your club owns something you will relise the cost of maintaining pitches and facilities

[da bishop]

I am amazed that someone involved directly with a club would write something like that especially on a public forum. By writing that you are saying that the pitch was the cause of his injury.

Our second pitch is of UEFA standard and is the exact same dimensions and surface as the main pitch with UEFA standard floodlighting. Our 20s and 17s play on this weekly.

All teams visiting Lissywoolen this season and that includes all the international teams so far this season warm up on the second pitch without any problem. Why are you the only one complaining about it.

Maybe when your club owns something you will relise the cost of maintaining pitches and facilities

should not be that amazed,we are quite used to that down here,gaels our EL expert,goes to it all,does it all,knows it all and can still despite ALL that make the comment above.now as for warmups i can forget my dinner for our next home game as the warmup will start at approx 6.30 to 6.35.never seen a warmup as i normally get to jackman around 7.40,but i am not going to miss this one,it lasts an hour.

[wexfordseagull]

our players trained for an hour after the match failed to go on,no one injured etc,the match officals always run the perimiter of the main pitch,no issue there,i would suggest most of us have played football at some time,we all know if you want to ruin a pitch you kick about around the goal,everyone wants to kick the ball in the net.what annoys me is that those poor limerick fans who made the journey were not even thought about in this scenario,yes you may have a point over the 2nd pitches lighting,maybe someone from lim37 should have insisted on a later kick off,as your manager was not happy,but to get on the bus and leave at 7.30,30 mins before kick off,is distrepectful to everyone there.

[gael353]

I am amazed that someone involved directly with a club would write something like that especially on a public forum. By writing that you are saying that the pitch was the cause of his injury.

First up im a fan and thats it to say im from limerick and support limerick is fine and if thats been directly with the club so be it. Now i was making the point that Limerick did have to warm up on a reserve pitch once in athlone as the pitch had failed a pitch inspection and Shane Tracy injured his knee while on it. Whats the problem? Have no other players from athlone or other ever got injured while playing or training on that pitch? Is this pitch so good and coated in rubber that no player can ever get injured on it? Less defensive there boy, you have a fine place but no need to remind us of it all the time

[gael353]

should not be that amazed,we are quite used to that down here,gaels our EL expert,goes to it all,does it all,knows it all and can still despite ALL that make the comment .

obsessed!

[jebus]

I am amazed that someone involved directly with a club would write something like that especially on a public forum. By writing that you are saying that the pitch was the cause of his injury.

Gael's a volunteer and a fan, nothing else, so he's entitled to offer his opinion as nothing other than that

All I can say is fair play to a team who do a 60minute warmup!!

Imagine how good the team might be if the cut it down to 30 minutes. I have been to most grounds and watch a lot of warmups but have to say I have never watched a 60 minute warm up by a team.

Ever wonder why Cobh are dead certs to be relegated?