N. Ireland cup final (Belfast, here I come)

**Gerrit** · 02/05/2005, 2:27 PM

Yes, Shelbourne FC will be present at this weekend's Northern Ireland cup final.

I am travelling to Belfast this weekend to attend the game

Can someone tell me if it is necessary to buy a ticket in advance, and where I can do so ?
Also, is it divided sections and which section do I have to buy a ticket for being a neutral spectator ?

My bus will arrive shortly before noon in Belfast, time enough to check in at the hostel and then head for Windsor Park. And I'm lucky, as the Rosetta Bar is having their monthly gothic evening that very day - speaking about a happy coincidence

So it will be football in the afternoon and goth meeting in the evening, I hope to do some groundhopping on Sunday before going back to Dublin (Cliftonville and/or Glentoran stadiums nearby ??)

**-lamb-** · 02/05/2005, 3:15 PM

you can only get tickets thru each club, portadown or larne. none on the gate.
portadown fans are in the north stand (the big one), larne fans are in the south and west stands. neutrals will be wherever they buy their ticket for but i'd say a good % will be in the south stand as thats traditionally where they end up.

larne details-

"Cup Final Tickets for Larne supporters
Tickets for the final will be available from the following sources-
On Saturday at Inver Park prior to the Ards game from 12.30pm in the office
From Monday 25th April on sale from the Tourist Office in Narrow Guage Road (back of Murrayfield shopping centre) during the day and from 7pm each evening from Monday 25th in the new social clib (the former Manchester bar) in Station Road.
Anyone wishing to make block bookings (clubs etc) or who cannot get to Larne contact Sean McVeigh on 07796935808 or Sam McCready on 07881550916 for assistance."

ps. the rosetta bar is not far off the upper ormeau road. a bit too much to walk from/to the city centre, especially late on. (see private message)
as for groundhopping, you could always try but sundays are usually quiet up here. might be no one there. ring the clubs and ask them first.

pps. some waterford guys are heading up too and taking in the derry v waterford game as well, maybe you could meet up with them?

**Gerrit** · 02/05/2005, 4:13 PM

Thanks for your feedback. Could you otherwise ask the Larne officials if they can put a ticket aside for me ? That would be easier for me to just hand over the 10 pounds on the match game, otherwise I have to go up just to buy a ticket in the middle of the week.

**-lamb-** · 02/05/2005, 6:00 PM

see pm. let me know if you get it sorted. you shouldn't have to come up just to collect a ticket.

**Gerrit** · 02/05/2005, 10:44 PM

OK, I'll let you know. We'll drink a nice pint afterwards if Larne wins

By the way, would it be possible for me to buy a Northern Ireland scarf at the ground ??
It sounds a bit strange maybe for someone living in Dublin, but I collect football scarfs from simply all teams. I am probably one of the only people having scarfs of both Rangers and Celtic

I just wanna have them all, regardless the teams or their background. After all, that's collecting, trying to have them all

**Gerrit** · 04/05/2005, 4:20 PM

Just phoned Sam from Larne FC, my ticket's booked

Belfast, here I come !!

**anto eile** · 05/05/2005, 1:42 PM

Originally Posted by Gerrit

I hope to do some groundhopping on Sunday before going back to Dublin (Cliftonville and/or Glentoran stadiums nearby ??)

solitude is 3km (2miles) from linfield afaik. you mite wanna get local busses or taxis, but you should be able to get round 3 grounds solitude,oval and of course battenberg park

**-lamb-** · 08/05/2005, 3:26 PM

Portadown 5 - 1 Larne

congratulations to portadown

hope any el fans who travelled up had a good day and enjoyed themselves.

to have gotten anything we needed to be on top form and the ports to have had an off day, but it wasn't to be. they were great and we were below average. arkins showed his class, as did any number of ports players.
well deserved win for portadown against what has been a makeshift team all season, but at least we had a great day out and helped the bank balance in preparation and anticipation of some signings over the summer.

promotion 2 years ago after too long in the wilderness
cup final last year
bigger cup final this year, even after the atrocious state the team was left in due to the mass defections last summer.

experiences had and hopefully learned from. onward and upward for larne next season.

**ccfcman** · 09/05/2005, 8:48 AM

Watched match on BBC NI there yesterday, Larne were not really at the races and Portadown looked a threat at all times, bring em on this day week

**carrickharp** · 09/05/2005, 2:39 PM

What was the attendance at the final and what was the percentage of support from each club?

**-lamb-** · 09/05/2005, 5:00 PM

i'd make a decent estimate of somewhere between 7000 and 7500, knowing what each stand holds and how full they were.
ports had around 4000ish and larne had maybe 3300ish.
(some good pics on irish league forums - "cut'n'paste cup final edition" thread)

i've seen a supposedly "official" figure of 5500 but, knowing what each stand holds, its way way out and 90% of comments on it (including neutrals) have said the same.

**Gerrit** · 09/05/2005, 10:03 PM

I asked for you, Lamb, but the ones I asked didn't know the guys on the internet forums...

I had a pleasant afternoon, the atmosphere was good and the IFA did a very good job to assure good entertainment. The Ports cheerleader girl was cute

When Larne scored the 1-0 very soon I thought for a second we'd see a very exciting game, but as soon as they equalised Ports got stronger and stronger and more dominant. Too bad for Larne, but kudos for a small club getting that far.

I take it were elections in the North last week ? I saw some stuff on it in the papers and saw electoral publicity... I liked the answer from the IFA a lot: "give sectarianism the boot" along the pitch, and the speaker wearing a jacket saying "vote Irish League". Neutral, original and to-the-point, well done !

On Sunday I visited Solitude. I was very tired after a long evening in the gothic pub (wow, you got a nice gothscene there, Dublin is much less fanatic when it comes to gothic

) but still I managed to get up in time to do an afternoon of groundhopping. I visited Solitude, and I kinda liked it. I like old stadiums, and Solitude has not changed much since its birth in 1890. A bit small, but the main stand is very nice, and so is the social club. Nice view on mountains and lake from the main stand as well. The Cliftonville fans told me it's the oldest soccer stadium on the island ; is that true ??

Next trip up (within 3 weeks I'm back up north to Beautiful Belfast) I hope to see Seaview and The Oval.

**Fortuna1886** · 09/05/2005, 10:38 PM

What did you think of Windsor Park?

**-lamb-** · 10/05/2005, 12:10 AM

glad you enjoyed your weekend gerrit.
just a pity we didn't bump into each other and that the match became so one-sided........nevermind! (maybe next year

)
you're welcome up to inver park anytime.

there were both national and council elections on thursday.

**Gerrit** · 11/05/2005, 8:07 PM

Originally Posted by Fortuna1886

What did you think of Windsor Park?

I liked it. Nicest stadium of the island along with Lansdowne Road (well, nicest I've seen so far). No coincidence those two are national team venues.
Except for that one small stand on the North side, I think Windsor Park is a great venue. The south stand and west stand are absolute class, and the atmosphere's good.

And I'm back to Belfast within a week and a half, there's a Dracula musical playing so that means: new goth meeting for me

Meanwhile I hope to visit The Oval and Seaview. Where exactly does Donegal Celtic play ? I couldn't locate them anywhere.
I've seen Windsor and Solitude, now The Oval, Seaview and the Donegal Celtic ground and I've seen the more or less serious grounds of the city. Then once that's done it's time to tackle to amateur teams' grounds.

**dcfcsteve** · 12/05/2005, 1:04 AM

Originally Posted by Gerrit

Meanwhile I hope to visit The Oval and Seaview. Where exactly does Donegal Celtic play ? I couldn't locate them anywhere.
I've seen Windsor and Solitude, now The Oval, Seaview and the Donegal Celtic ground and I've seen the more or less serious grounds of the city. Then once that's done it's time to tackle to amateur teams' grounds.

Good work on getting access to the grounds Gerrit.

The Donegal Celtic one is really nothing special though - it's not a major stadium by any means (they're very, very new to senior football - have so far only had a few season in the IL First Division and that's it). I think it's on the Suffolk Rd in the West of the City. Have never been there myself, but if you're expecting it to be on a par with any of the other Belfast stadia you mentioned above you'll be very disappointed.