LoI clubs activity in other counties?

**legendz** · 16/09/2013, 9:10 PM

Only about half the counties have a League of Ireland club. Do any LoI clubs have links with junior/intermediate clubs in other counties or organise summer soccer camps or the like to work on the development of the game in nearby counties?

I come across comments from time to time that people should look beyond GAA county pride mentality. I'm interested to know are clubs themselves actively working across county boundaries to build connections with other regions?

**nigel-harps1954** · 16/09/2013, 9:20 PM

A lot of places are too small to work off GAA mentality. Derry take in fans from North Donegal, Harps take in fans from as far as Fermanagh and Tyrone, while Sligo take in some fans from South Donegal, Mayo and Leitrim. So even just around 3 clubs there's a large mix of county differences.

**A face** · 16/09/2013, 9:38 PM

Cork City have fans travelling from Kerry and Tipperary which is good considering the size of county Cork. Being honest if we could work on getting fans from all of the towns in the county then we'd be doing really well.

**Jofspring** · 17/09/2013, 8:09 AM

We've had fans coming in from Kerry, Clare and Tipp. Couldn't tell you how many would actually be regulars. A lot of people travel in from west limerick also which can be a 40 minute drive.

**gormacha** · 17/09/2013, 8:28 AM

To be honest, I'd settle for more people from our own area turning up. :/

**longfordjames** · 17/09/2013, 9:19 AM

Longford, Athlone and Sligo would all have fans from Roscommon. Dublin clubs would have fans from Kildare. Wasn't there talks of Drogheda moving to Meath a few years ago. I presume they have some fans their.

**Nesta99** · 17/09/2013, 2:02 PM

East Monaghan, Armagh, Down, Meath and even Dublin. Bigger matches have people travel from Cavan

**Ezeikial** · 17/09/2013, 3:22 PM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

East Monaghan, Armagh, Down, Meath and even Dublin. Bigger matches have people travel from Cavan

There needs to be a quota put on them Cavan heads

**ArdeeBhoy** · 17/09/2013, 4:04 PM

And those R*yals.

**Overthemoon** · 17/09/2013, 5:59 PM

I know of two season ticket holders who travel from Cavan to Oriel every home game without fail!

**Nesta99** · 17/09/2013, 6:01 PM

Originally Posted by Ezeikial

There needs to be a quota put on them Cavan heads

Including ex board members and chairmen!

**MeathDrog** · 17/09/2013, 6:05 PM

Drogheda would gain sizeable support (relative to the crowds) from north east Meath (Slane, Duleek etc).

**WindmillWarrior** · 17/09/2013, 6:10 PM

north county dublin too. Well we used to anyway!

**legendz** · 17/09/2013, 6:25 PM

Nobody has answered my questions!

Do any LoI clubs have links with junior/intermediate clubs in other counties or organise summer soccer camps or the like to work on the development of the game in nearby counties?
Are clubs themselves actively working across county boundaries to build connections with other regions?

I know clubs have support from across county boundaries. What I'm interested to know is what are clubs themselves doing to gain support from a wider region? What are clubs doing across a wider region to help the development of the game?

**TommyT** · 17/09/2013, 7:14 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

Nobody has answered my questions!

Do any LoI clubs have links with junior/intermediate clubs in other counties or organise summer soccer camps or the like to work on the development of the game in nearby counties?
Are clubs themselves actively working across county boundaries to build connections with other regions?

That sort of thing is really the domain of the FAI not the senior clubs

**legendz** · 17/09/2013, 8:33 PM

Originally Posted by TommyT

That sort of thing is really the domain of the FAI not the senior clubs

There's no reason senior clubs can't make it their domain. There's many regions of Ireland without a LoI club. If as some say that people in non-LoI areas should support their nearest LoI club, should their nearest LoI clubs be offering something for those areas in terms of the game's development and/or developing links with clubs in those areas?

**nigel-harps1954** · 18/09/2013, 12:10 AM

Originally Posted by legendz

There's no reason senior clubs can't make it their domain. There's many regions of Ireland without a LoI club. If as some say that people in non-LoI areas should support their nearest LoI club, should their nearest LoI clubs be offering something for those areas in terms of the game's development and/or developing links with clubs in those areas?

Clubs have enough bother trying to connect and link up with the local clubs and population in general without having to consider going outside of their traditional jurisdiction, for want of a better word.

**Sam_Heggy** · 18/09/2013, 7:42 AM

http://www.swillyrovers.ie/index.php...harvest-talent

Harps have a set up with Swilly where we go in and coach their underage times every so often and get first tabs on their players in return.

Well, that's how it's meant to happen but you can't force players to come up if they want to sign for Derry, Sligo, etc.

**Dodge** · 18/09/2013, 9:45 AM

Pats have a scholarship link up with NUI Maynooth.

http://communications.nuim.ie/press/07052013i.shtml

But the simple fact is that LSL clubs don't want to allign themselves to the LOI.

**legendz** · 18/09/2013, 6:17 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Clubs have enough bother trying to connect and link up with the local clubs and population in general without having to consider going outside of their traditional jurisdiction, for want of a better word.

That's fair enough. It does seem a bit rich then though of some LoI supporters to expect people from a region without a club to support their nearest LoI club who've got no link to their region.

Originally Posted by Sam_Heggy

http://www.swillyrovers.ie/index.php...harvest-talent

Harps have a set up with Swilly where we go in and coach their underage times every so often and get first tabs on their players in return.

Well, that's how it's meant to happen but you can't force players to come up if they want to sign for Derry, Sligo, etc.

Thanks for the link. Enjoyed reading about that. Is it much of a cost to Harps to set-up a connection with a club like that? If Sligo Rovers were to build a connection with say Castlebar Celtic, would it be an arrangement that will be costly?

Originally Posted by Dodge

Pats have a scholarship link up with NUI Maynooth.

http://communications.nuim.ie/press/07052013i.shtml

But the simple fact is that LSL clubs don't want to allign themselves to the LOI.

Like the Swilly Rovers report, interesting to read about that connection. Clubs don't necessarily have to align but if there's a mutual benefit for both parties, are junior/intermediate clubs likely no be open to a deal? If you take areas that had A Championship clubs - Tullamore Town, Carlow FC and Tralee Dynamos. Would there be benefit for nearby LoI clubs to set-up some connection with these clubs. Assist with soccer camps, training and the like.