FAI Cup 2021

[Kiki Balboa]

My Little take on the game as neutral. Enjoyable game (especially in extra time), very tense affair, and a very typical final. Looked to be two really well coached teams, but once Georgie Kelly went off, the game seemed to be missing a player of real quality. Benson and Forrester had their moments. Pats were very good in the first half, a class above Bohs, even if the latter had better chances. Pats really failed to push on in the second half. Bohs worked hard and gave very little away and fair play to them scoring in extra time. But I think there team had less quality than Pats. I think lesser players would have folded after the opening goal. Overall, the best team won on the day (even if it was on penalties).

Jaros was the best keeper yesterday, and is (or was )in the league. Class above.

[Macy]

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.... Work/ Family/ Life dropped football off my radar for a few years, but the youngest has really taken to both playing and watching, and the realisation that a father needs something neutral to talk to teenage girls about...

Anyway, brought her yesterday... I thought it wasn't a bad game, Pats just lacked quality in the box. They were by far the better team first half, but did kinda peter out over the second half. Notwithstanding we were marginally more towards the Havelock Square end, I thought Pats were much better off the pitch too. My daughter really enjoyed the spectacle of all the flares, and at least there seemed some logic to Pats ones rather than Bohs with the stupid air bombs. We've been going to Women's internationals and been at a good few GAA matches (mens and womens) and her comment on the dart home was "now I know what a proper atmosphere is like". Anyway, no pressure to get there Pats, but she asked could we go in with them the next time rather than on the side....

Over heard about the Irishtown trouble getting off the dart, and have to admit being there with a child did make me more alert. I thought things might have moved on from the bloody bsc being dicks in the intervening years of me paying attention. It doesn't matter that both sides were completely mixed - we were surrounded by Pats/ Bohs/ LoI/ Pure Neutrals and not a hint of trouble - elements of the media have picked on it, and are running "with it never happens in the GAA" as the attendance obviously has them worried. I first saw the whatsapp via a group that no one has any interest in football on. It doesn't matter that it was 30 out of 30,000 - once your explaining, you're losing. Once you're pointing out the multiple incidents at GAA games, including underage, it's whataboutery.

Anyway, I guess I'm at least somewhat back!

[D24Saint]

I do think trouble at football games tends to be over hyped. We don’t live in a utopian society, if certain types want to cause trouble they will. The atmosphere in general was excellent and both sets of fans did themselves and their clubs proud on the day.

[passinginterest]

I thought the game came across well on tv. It was tight and edgy but there was enough happening all the time to keep the interest. Bohs young stars in midfield maybe didn't rise to the occasion as much as the more experienced Pat's counterparts and that tilted the game in Pat's favour. Tierney had one of the poorest games I've seen from him, maybe knowing it was his big farewell go to him a bit, but his touch was off and he hesitated in good positions where when he's been at his best he's been lethal for Bohs and Ireland under 21. Devoy similarly just never seemed to get going. Benson and Forrester had that bit more control and Forrester took his goal brilliantly. If Pat's can find a genuine striker to fit into their system, they have a solid looking team to maybe get a bit closer to Rovers next season. Then again, every league of Ireland side is looking for a centre forward, they're as rare as hens teeth.

[D24Saint]

I thought the game came across well on tv. It was tight and edgy but there was enough happening all the time to keep the interest. Bohs young stars in midfield maybe didn't rise to the occasion as much as the more experienced Pat's counterparts and that tilted the game in Pat's favour. Tierney had one of the poorest games I've seen from him, maybe knowing it was his big farewell go to him a bit, but his touch was off and he hesitated in good positions where when he's been at his best he's been lethal for Bohs and Ireland under 21. Devoy similarly just never seemed to get going. Benson and Forrester had that bit more control and Forrester took his goal brilliantly. If Pat's can find a genuine striker to fit into their system, they have a solid looking team to maybe get a bit closer to Rovers next season. Then again, every league of Ireland side is looking for a centre forward, they're as rare as hens teeth.

P Hoban would be very welcome. We need a out and out striker badly.

[Philosophizer]

elements of the media have picked on it, and are running "with it never happens in the GAA" as the attendance obviously has them worried.

Nailed it!

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Couldn’t believe they didn’t have the squad numbers on the programme. Just a list of players listed in order of their number but not showing their number.

[DCSIL]

Nailed it!

Just need quotes from FF and someone in the Catholic Church as they all **** in the same pot…

[Nesta99]

The entire cup final was not “completely tarnished” by a 30/40 man punch up that is sensationalist b0ll0cks. It was not nice to see but let’s not make more of it than what it was, there will be plenty of others willing to do that.

Any match can absolutely be tarnished by one or a few mindless thugs - just ask the average and decent England football fan. 30/40 man punch up is not insignificant especially in amongst proper fans, families etc. Im pretty sure the entire cup final experience was completely tarnished for some of them at least, especially the kid hit by a bottle if true. It is sad that this may be the case for some, that Bohs fans in general are suffering a backlash in todays media - it may be opportunistic, sensationalised, and exaggerated by some rag press, but the incident happened and people will individually feel how the feel about it. I dont think opinions on it should be dismissed as b0ll0cks any more than it should be sensationalised. Each to their own but i'd be angry today if Dundalk fans behaved in sich a manner, I have been angry with Dundalk fans that have disgraced the club for such behaviour and for giving any hack the opportunity to deflect away from from the sporting occasion, especially for what in general is a great occasion for Irish domestic football. I have zero tolerance on this sort of sh1t be it 1 person or 100. Each and every firework that went off yesterday made me wince and it may only have been 1 person responsible. If a player or official was hit by a coin does it tarnish a game even if the actions of a single individual?? Lable me as a snowflake if thats what it is termed but i will take that before I will ever belittle someone's opinion on a 30/40 man punch up prior to a game as sensationalist ********. A slippery slope to a level of acceptance of thuggery!

J elements of the media have picked on it, and are running "with it never happens in the GAA"

Funny that as I was going to mention the 2010 Leinster Final, I still grimace at the ridiculous refereeing decision that denied Louth the title, but I recall in far more detail the annoyance and embarrassment at the behaviour of some Louth fans after the final whistle!!!

[NeverFeltBetter]

What's to be done about what happened though, that's the question. Can the people involved be identified and banned? And can those bans actually be upheld?

[Stuttgart88]

I saw one guy identified without his mask on Twitter. I'm sure people know who these guys are.

The game itself looked great in terms of atmosphere and occasion. The continuous smoke made it look like a match on a cold winter night at San Siro. Overall it was a poor game. The LOI rarely misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity to impress, at least in terms of quality. That said, though I'm not a supporter of either team, it was easy to put myself in the shoes of a supporter and appreciate just how tense it was and the tension by itself made it a compelling contest. The only problem is that I'd say many casual viewers on TV couldn't quite relate to the tension. Then again, many of the casual viewers on TV might not be able to discern much about football anyway!

Pats started very well I thought and both teams started trying to play the right way. Ultimately though they canceled each other out. Kelly forced his way through a few times but on either side most of the best play was in their own half. The game lacked a creative player in advanced roles and often there weren't enough players in the box for wingers to cross too. Overall, crossing was poor. That said, a highlights reel of the opening 90 would show some very good counterattacks, mainly by Bohs and a great save by Talbot.

The fans made it a great occasion though and this did more than the quality of the game to pass it off as some form of "big time" football.


The sub-headline to Gavin Comiskey's match summary in The Irish Times read

Season finale felt like a major sporting event and showed that the game is on the up here

David McWilliams wrote this the previous day

Tomorrow, between 30,000 and 35,000 fans are expected to be at the FAI Cup final in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. Even without Shamrock Rovers, the league champions, it should be quite the afternoon of soccer in the city, in a league where the standard of the game is increasing dramatically, as are crowds, and so too is the possibility of regular European soccer.

This is happening at a time when the national team is showing promise and schoolboy football has made the transition to a national league, with teenagers travelling all around the country every weekend for competitive games. There has even been a Brexit dividend as talented Irish lads no longer head straight to England but play in the League of Ireland until they are far more mature before heading across to try their luck.

Soccer in Ireland is looking up, after years of well-documented squalid mismanagement, and generations of playing second fiddle to the English divisions. Indeed, the rampant commercialisation of the Premier League, while thrilling fans with the majesty of the football, has left those younger fans looking for something more authentic than Rupert Murdoch’s Sky, searching elsewhere for meaning.

I think both are right. The occasion was certainly better than the actual game and would in my opinion have just about won over the casual. The Irishtown violence was terrible, no doubt, and could offset some of the good imagery that the occasion created. I would hazard a guess though that most people open-minded enough to give the LOI a try will recognise this as the action of a moronic few and that the biggest criticism will come from usual quarters, those who are just anti-football to begin with, or the usual inter-club bickering (Rovers and others bickering at Bohs, everyone bickering at Rovers (RSC fireworks incident...)). I hope so anyway.

I think the domestic game is at an interesting place right now. Yesterday's fan spectacle, recent big crowds at Tallaght with the chanting of schoolchildren prominent, a fantastic UCD performance on Friday, a full Finn Park, a likely resurgence at Derry, Damien Duff managing Shels, the recent good performances by Ireland, the interest in the WNT...it does all point to what I think many of us feel.

[Nesta99]

What's to be done about what happened though, that's the question. Can the people involved be identified and banned? And can those bans actually be upheld?

That's probably whats so annoying, for all the discussion or reporting theres feck all you can do within reason if individuals or small groups are intent on thuggery. What clubs' supporters can do is outright fully condemn, name and shame to clubs, try and make antisocial behaviour around games totally socially unacceptable, including pyro, through sheer numbers railing against damaging behaviour. Lets be honest, Im pretty sure the vast majority on here know at least 1 person that has the potential to step out of line but how many of us have really demanded that the club oust that person or people. There's usually a 'cheerleader' of 'singing sections' that could use their influence. It can be done over time maybe- consider how RoI fans pride themselves on good behaviour and to maintain that rep self steward even with gallons of booze on board. Young supporter education maybe, Bohs could write a poem on the subject!

[Asterix]

They were let into dalymount yesterday morning to take some group photos so theyre obviously known to the club.

[EatYerGreens]

What's to be done about what happened though, that's the question. Can the people involved be identified and banned? And can those bans actually be upheld?

A number of them can be identified very easily in the video footage, and images of some of them from their social media profiles were also circulating last night. If Joe Average knows who these people are as a result, then the Guards will too.

They need to be identified and arrested - preferably at work - brought before the courts and given whatever sentence is possible. Some (thouhg obviously not all) of them will just be young d!ckheads and hangers on, who a run-in with the law will bring sense to. All who can be identified should be banned by Bohs and the FAI. I'd also say that Ireland should have a Sports Banning Order legal process. A bit like the Football Banning Order in England, but covering all live sports, as unlike in England we have a number of other large popular sports that anyone excluded from football could look to extend their poison to instead.

[Nesta99]

They were let into dalymount yesterday morning to take some group photos so theyre obviously known to the club.

Source/pic?

[Martinho II]

I came up for the day on the train from Longford .One pointer for me and Im sure for other loi fans in the same boat as me why a 4pm KO? I had to leave at FT as last train for Longford was 1905. There was others in same position as me that they couldnt stay. I couldnt even get a single bus fare on buseireann online after 8 pm due to other factors Black friday/Black Monday COVID etc. Got chatting to ex Sligo Rovers player Conor OGrady on dart coming back and he was on same train as me. Its just not on!

Enjoyed the occasion but match was poor for wot I saw of it. Didnt agree with the flares being fired on the pitch and bangers being thrown on too and as for what happened in Irishtown its shocking carryon!

In future maybe the FAI could move the KO earlier and properly check people for flares etc as my bag was searched.

[Nesta99]

A number of them can be identified very easily in the video footage, and images of some of them from their social media profiles were also circulating last night. If Joe Average knows who these people are as a result, then the Guards will too.

They need to be identified and arrested - preferably at work - brought before the courts and given whatever sentence is possible. Some (thouhg obviously not all) of them will just be young d!ckheads and hangers on, who a run-in with the law will bring sense to. All who can be identified should be banned by Bohs and the FAI. I'd also say that Ireland should have a Sports Banning Order legal process. A bit like the Football Banning Order in England, but covering all live sports, as unlike in England we have a number of other large popular sports that anyone excluded from football could look to extend their poison to instead.

We should have such a law, cant see it happening unless there is a 1995 England like incident. Nothing stopping the FAI and club introducing a voluntary Behave or be Banned (BoBB) system where clubs share details on those in the BoBB records. To be really effective there would need to be some way to legally share names and photos maybe via an incentivised supporters ID system - to complex for the FAI probably!

[sbgawa]

Rovers have banned multiple heads from Tallaght Stadium and tbh its noticeable how behaviour has changed as a result imo as people know there are consequences, its not as hard as it seems to keep them out as the Stewards tend to know them so its not as hard as having to have pictures available constantly etc. Also plenty of the "normal" fans are apt to have a word with Stewards as nobody generally wants to have these eejits around. Guys who are lowlifes at matches tend to be lowlifes in life in general.

[2 Year Contract]

once Georgie Kelly went off, the game seemed to be missing a player of real quality. Benson and Forrester had their moments.

Georgie Kelly? Can you absolutely 100% confirm he was playing yesterday? I don’t seem to recall him at all

Pats deserved it over the 120 mins SOD has done a great job to be fair to him.
The viewing figs will be interesting, I'd say they will be decent as the extra time and especially pens will have brought people in. Clashing with Chelsea Man U for neutrals won't have helped.

Declan McBennett on Twitter "Tv audience for @RTEsport when Robbie Benson scored the winning penalty for @stpatsfc was 310k.Average audience on tv was 131k. More on @RTERadio1 & online. Great crowd & great atmosphere with thrilling climax."

I’d imagine the huge rise in numbers for the shootout would have been majority people that were watching the chelsea man United match which had ended by that stage

[EatYerGreens]

I’d imagine the huge rise in numbers for the shootout would have been majority people that were watching the chelsea man United match which had ended by that stage

You'd expect so. Even in the stadium - there was a row of lads behind me going on about the Chelsea-ManU game throughout the Cup Final, and someone in foront of me who was glued to his phone watching it instead of the actual game he was at !

It was also a bit of a bpooring match in the latter half of the second half, so you'd imagine as well that a fair few people were flicking backwards and forwrads throuhgout rhe game. Once it got to ET then penalties were always a possibility, and who doesn't like the drama of a penalty shoot-out ! )