2009 League Tables

[FlapjackJoe]

The season is now at its halfway point - except for 3 postponed fixtures.

The standings are:

Group 1
1.  Salthill Devon             8   6   1   1  18   8  +10  19
2.  Derry City 'A'             8   4   1   3  17   9   +8  13
3.  Drogheda United 'A'        8   4   1   3  13  11   +2  13
4.  Castlebar Celtic           7   4   0   3  13  11   +2  12
5.  Sligo Rovers 'A'           8   3   2   3   6   7   −1  11
6.  Tullamore Town             8   3   1   4   6  11   −5  10
7.  Finn Harps 'A'             7   2   2   3  10   8   +2   8
8.  Dundalk 'A'                7   2   1   4   9  13   −4   7
9.  Galway United 'A'          7   0   3   4   3  17  −14   3

Group 2
1.  Bray Wanderers 'A'         8   5   1   2  18   6  +12  16
2.  Cork City 'A'              8   5   1   2  14   9   +5  16
3.  Bohemians 'A'              8   5   0   3  14  11   +3  15
4.  Shamrock Rovers 'A'        7   4   2   1   9   4   +5  14
5.  Tralee Dynamos             7   4   0   3   8   5   +3  12
6.  Sporting Fingal 'A'        8   3   1   4   9  13   −4  10
7.  St Patrick's Athletic 'A'  8   2   2   4   7   8   −1   8
8.  Cobh Ramblers              8   1   2   5   5  11   −6   5
9.  FC Carlow                  8   0   3   5   6  23  −17   3

[harps1954]

I know there's a long way to go, but if the tables stay as they are, Salthill Devon will play Kildare County for a place in next season's First Division. Imagine, three teams from Galway in senior football (and all could be in the First Division). Madness. Is this what the A-League set out to achieve?

[pineapple stu]

Is this what the A-League set out to achieve?

I think it's better than the idea of pick a club from a random area and hope they do well.

[gufc2000]

I know there's a long way to go, but if the tables stay as they are, Salthill Devon will play Kildare County for a place in next season's First Division. Imagine, three teams from Galway in senior football (and all could be in the First Division). Madness. Is this what the A-League set out to achieve?

Well perhaps if more regional teams entered that would solve the problem. At the moment, Laois, Clare, Leitrim, Cavan, Kilkenny, Roscommon, Meath and Tipperary are not represented.

[Mr A]

I think with 3 Galway clubs in the league it wouldn't be long before one bombed out again.

No guarantee that Salthill would want to make the step up in any case.

Also- if Tralee win the game in hand they'd be playing Salthill for the right to play the bottom D1 team (if the table stayed the same obviously, and if the rules are the way I remember them).

[gufc2000]

I think with 3 Galway clubs in the league it wouldn't be long before one bombed out again.

No guarantee that Salthill would want to make the step up in any case.

Also- if Tralee win the game in hand they'd be playing Salthill for the right to play the bottom D1 team (if the table stayed the same obviously, and if the rules are the way I remember them).

Correct. They may just be happy to remian where they are for now. They would also probably need to play in Terryland, as their ground, Drom, is a training complex, and would require alot of work to make a proper stadium in it

[KidA]

I think with 3 Galway clubs in the league it wouldn't be long before one bombed out again.

No guarantee that Salthill would want to make the step up in any case.

Also- if Tralee win the game in hand they'd be playing Salthill for the right to play the bottom D1 team (if the table stayed the same obviously, and if the rules are the way I remember them).

I am confused by rules also, can anyone clarify or send like to rules?
Would there still be a playoff with D1 if the non 'A' teams (tralee, cbar, salthill) finished in the bottom half of their leagues?
Anyway, I wont go into any more what ifs.

Note entirely convinced the A Champs is a great idea.
I would be more in favour of having seperate leagues
1. for all the loi 'A' teams and
2. for all the non loi clubs, this league would offer one play off spot for the winners.

I can only guess that there would be a high % change in the starting 11's for the loi A teams and this wouldnt lend itself to getting a true reflection off the non loi teams that could be either playing a very strong or weak A team depending on how the loi first team is fixed

Any positive/negative comments from people the non loi team countys on how it has/will affect your own county leagues etc?

First post on foot ie, nice and short I know

[culloty82]

Wikipedia is hardly known for accuracy, but their page on the 2009 season and section on the A Championship says that the highest first team goes into the First Division playoff, so if, as looks likely, Salthill win the Northern Section, Dynamos would have the stiff task of winning the Southern Section to force a preliminary playoff, the winners playing the bottom D1 team. Strangely, they're only the second best team in Kerry, Lisselton having completed the League and Cup double.

[KidA]

Wikipedia is hardly known for accuracy, but their page on the 2009 season and section on the A Championship says that the highest first team goes into the First Division playoff, so if, as looks likely, Salthill win the Northern Section, Dynamos would have the stiff task of winning the Southern Section to force a preliminary playoff, the winners playing the bottom D1 team. Strangely, they're only the second best team in Kerry, Lisselton having completed the League and Cup double.

Thanks culloty, my reading of wikipedia would lead me to believe that there could be two playoffs at end of season.
If 2 'A' teams win their group, they would play off to see the overall winner and if say, Salthill and Tralee were to both finish second, they would play off to see who would play the b.......Kildare

Think I got it now!

Anyone got any comments on how it how it is affecting/will affect the likes of county leagues as a result of Tralee, Carlow etc entering?

In relation to Lisselton point, and I might get a bit of stick from Castlebar Celtic fans, but I would have to say that Westport, have been and still are a better team than them. The worry I would have for them and the Mayo League is that they are more or less left in a one horse race now and I can see them and their players losing interest in it very fast without the serious competition Celtic offered.
For the record, Castlebar would be a far more progressive club and have the underage structure to make this move work out for them in the long run over westport.

[hoop4life]

i think its very early to be talking about promotion. there is a lot of football to be played yet and seeing as a lot of the teams are of a similar enough standard, there will be a lot of twists and turns before the season finishes.
as i have said in the next post, i think our strongest 11 now would be stronger than westports strongest 11 as our a league team is a lot better than last years super league team

[KidA]

agree Hoops, way too early and I wasn't intending to speculate, i just wanted to clarify the rules so I would know what the situation was as the season progresses.
Well done anyway for doing you're bit for the mayo league, hope it goes well for ye!

[tralee_dynamo]

Strangely, they're only the second best team in Kerry, Lisselton having completed the League and Cup double.

Even though Lisselton completed the double, with all due respect the Kerry League has really taken a back seat in our club since joining the A Championship and our current run in the FAI cup. Key players were missing for both final games, and none of the new players that have joined us since are eligible to play for us in the Kerry League games.

Fair play to Lisselton for winning the double, they deserved it - however I still believe that our first Kerry team is better, and with newly registered A Championship players, even better again.

Also, with Lisselton having no underage structure/facilities in place - it is virtually impossible for them to join the A Championship

[hoop4life]

Even though Lisselton completed the double, with all due respect the Kerry League has really taken a back seat in our club since joining the A Championship and our current run in the FAI cup. Key players were missing for both final games, and none of the new players that have joined us since are eligible to play for us in the Kerry League games.

Fair play to Lisselton for winning the double, they deserved it - however I still believe that our first Kerry team is better, and with newly registered A Championship players, even better again.

Also, with Lisselton having no underage structure/facilities in place - it is virtually impossible for them to join the A Championship

virtually the same as here except westport have a youth structure just no where near the standard of ours.
i feel our a league team would beat their first team with all of our new players

[swinfordfc]

virtually the same as here except westport have a youth structure just no where near the standard of ours.
i feel our a league team would beat their first team with all of our new players

interesting comment - tough game there and you a small bit bias

[hoop4life]

interesting comment - tough game there and you a small bit bias

bit bias alright ya!!
would be a very good game though.
i still think we would just pip it!! we'll never know though

[KidA]

I'm up in dublin for a while now and so a bit out of touch, have Westport expressed any interest in going into A league?

[Schumi]

If 2 'A' teams win their group, they would play off to see the overall winner

This is correct. That happened last year with UCD beating Bohs in the final.

and if say, Salthill and Tralee were to both finish second, they would play off to see who would play the b.......Kildare.

This is also correct but I thought (could be wrong) that if, say, Salthill won their section and Tralee came second in theirs, behind a reserve team, they'd have to play off in that situation too. If one section had a very strong reserve team, it would be more difficult for a non-reserve team to have a chance of promotion.

[Mr A]

That's my understanding too. I think a non-reserve team has to be first of the non-reserve in their group and be in the top four- once they do that they have a chance of promotion.

[Schumi]

That's my understanding too. I think a non-reserve team has to be first of the non-reserve in their group and be in the top four- once they do that they have a chance of promotion.

It's top-three this year I think.

[hoop4life]

It's top-three this year I think.

ya thats what i heard around the club aswell