Is the Italy game now a dead rubber?

[NeilMcD]

No such thing as a dead rubber of an ireland game and we can win the group and we can some second and we can come third, so how the hell is this a dead rubber at home to the world champions. Go back to bed and put away your spoon you clown.

[Crosby87]

No such thing as a dead rubber of an ireland game and we can win the group and we can some second and we can come third, so how the hell is this a dead rubber at home to the world champions. Go back to bed and put away your spoon you clown.

Someone's came in off a session

[youngirish]

No such thing as a dead rubber of an ireland game and we can win the group and we can some second and we can come third, so how the hell is this a dead rubber at home to the world champions. Go back to bed and put away your spoon you clown.

Neil this is more like a post I'd do. Drink and post more often in future might liven the place up a bit.

[mypost]

Italian FA have taken 1700 tickets, and will be in the Hogan side of the Hill, with a small gap for segregation

What do we need segregation for? The Italian FA said after their game in Bulgaria, that they won't be taking an allocation for their other away games.

Not that it will stop them though. With loads of them already here, they'll probably be in large areas of the home end, and the set up will be similiar to the Poland game.

[Claret Murph]

Really some people on don't understand football at all . Dead Rubber is something that won't rub out your pencil marks .

[OwlsFan]

Dead Rubber is something that won't rub out your pencil marks .

..or a used condom?

[Stuttgart88]

An Ceannaire posts last week that his circle of mates would prefer an all-ireland win over a World Cup win.

This week he asks will Croker be anything more than half-full against Italy.

And yet everyone here falls for it, as if there's even a topic to be debated.

[Murfinator]

Uncompetitive or not I'd go along just to see the great man Andrea Pirlo in action.

[seanfhear]

Well lets just beat those World champions 1-0 then.

It won't do our players any harm to play against the World Champions.

[Mad Moose]

Its my first international of the season having failed to make Sofia and so I'm not going to have the bubble of excitement that brings burst. I can't wait and I hope its an atmosphere and occasion to savour. 12th man and all that. A victory is very very possible here. That throws things open again going into our last game.

[an_ceannaire]

the game is not even a sell out!! The Rugby can put MORE people in Croker for provincial games or games against mediocre oppsition, and we cant fill it against the world champions...... football really has fallen from its perch in ireland

[lionelhutz]

the game is not even a sell out!! The Rugby can put MORE people in Croker for provincial games or games against mediocre oppsition, and we cant fill it against the world champions...... football really has fallen from its perch in ireland

yaawn

[reder]

the game is not even a sell out!! The Rugby can put MORE people in Croker for provincial games or games against mediocre oppsition, and we cant fill it against the world champions......

So! Sounds like you are more interested in seeing a crowd than supporting the team. In my opinion, the less event junkies that turn up, the better off we are.

[paul_oshea]

yaawn

He is right though.

[shakermaker1982]

I'd be amazed if we struggle to sell out Croke Park against the reigning world champions. One of the biggest Irish games since 2002 and the Montenegro game could be the biggest of them all since Spain.

[Arnold Layne]

It is a struggle

[noddy102]

Any indication of how many tickets have been sold?

[Drumcondra 69er]

Any indication of how many tickets have been sold?

Somewhere over 70,000 so far. It's a bit of a farce selling them in pairs with Montenegro but financially I can see where they're coming from. Selling 70,000 tickets twice is better then selling 80,000 for Italy and 50,000 for Montenegro for example, at least €500,000 extra ticket reciepts there.

Very harsh on fans outside Dublin though especially with the 7.00 kick off on Wednesday.

Then again, how often does Croker sell out for the GAA or the rugby, games against Scotland and Italy in the rugby have been well below capacity in teh past and if the Dubs aren't in Croker in the GAA it sells out for the finals and that's about it.

[noddy102]

So if over 70,000 tickets have been sold, why are we even discussing this as a problem?

Where else on Saturday will there be 70,000+ fans watching a UEFA qualifier?

[gspain]

Then again, how often does Croker sell out for the GAA or the rugby, games against Scotland and Italy in the rugby have been well below capacity in teh past and if the Dubs aren't in Croker in the GAA it sells out for the finals and that's about it.

All the 6 nations games in Croke Park have been total sellouts incl Italy. I think Argentina was the only rugby game that didn't sellout.

All the Scotland rugby games in Dublin have been soldout for as long as I can recall. The early Italy games didn't but later ones in Lansdowne did.

I've been shocked at the number of people this week making arrangements to watch the game tomorrow in special places in Dublin (pubs and clubs). I've mentioned there are still tickets available but the pub seems more attractive.