WHAT A RIP-OFF
Finalists' fury as FAI make them stump up for their own medals
by PHILIP QUINN
IRISH soccer is in such a parlous financial state that the teams in Saturday's EA Sports Cup final have been told they must pay for their own medals.
Sligo Rovers and Monaghan United, who meet in The Showgrounds, must cough up for 36 medals — 18 for each side — and also the man-of-the-match trophy in the FAI's third-biggest competition.
The clubs were sent an email from the FAI on Tuesday of a lengthy match-day expense list.
The finalists are allowed to split the gate receipts but they also share the match-day expenses. These involve standard items such as providing Gardaí, stewarding, security and first aid at the ground, plus the fees and expenses of the match officials.
But they have also been asked to cover overnight accommodation and dinner for FAI officials, a prematch meal in a Sligo hotel for and coach transfer to the game, and catering at the ground for 6 .
Other 'extras' include paying for the printing of posters, programmes, promotions costs, advertising,a PA announcer, signage and, most importantly, Portaloos.
The FAI say that this has has happened before but clubs contacted yesterday could not recall that being the case.
Sligo and Monaghan are hoping the final generates enough cash to cover the extras. early 3, tickets have been sold, so the game could generate receipts of around , . But both clubs fear there may be little left in the kitty after their expenses are tallied up.
The FAI said last night that the match-day arrangements for the final are 'not different to previous years'.
'The League department runs the match and pays for all the costs which are kept to an absolute minimum. The remaining gate is divided equally between both clubs on top of separate prize money that they both receive,' said an FAI spokesman.
The EA Sports Cup is worth 1 , to the winner and , to the runners-up. In 6, winners erry City received 1 , .
While the knockout tournament is his immediate focus, Sligo manager Paul Cook is astonished at the FAI's decision to ask Sligo's supporters to travel to Dublin on the night of Friday, October 1 for their FAI Cup semi-final against Bohemians.
Cook cannot understand why the tie with was not fixed for the following Saturday or Sunday evening, which would facilitate fans travelling from the north-west.
Instead Shamrock Rovers and St Pat's will play in Tallaght Stadium on Sunday, October 1 , even though they could easily play on the Friday night without any travel issues for fans.
'How could we want to play on Friday night at . ' he asked. 'This will affect our travelling numbers. We took the guts of 8, people to Talaght last year for the FAI Cup final on what was probably the worst day for weather we had in ages.
'So we could comfortably take big support to Dublin on Saturday or Sunday with coaches leaving in the morning and people not being asked to take time off work.
'We want every supporter we can get to go to Dalymount because we want to try to have more fans there than Bohs.
'And on a Saturday afternoon I am convinced we might have that. And that would only benefit the League. Now we will be lucky to take people.
'Asking our fans in the middle of a recession to take time off work and travel up to Dublin on a Friday night doesn't seem right. I don't think we have been treated fairly in this.'
Cook is in favour of reversing the FAI Cup semi-final dates.
'Let's just swap the fixtures, we'll happily do that,' he said.
'We get on well with the other clubs and we are not trying to get a leg up on anybody. We have just had to play a rearranged fixture before the League Cup final and we just got on with it.'
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