Play-offs 2023.

[EatYerGreens]

The playoff final being a curtainraiser to the cup final in Lansdowne Road would be ideal. Genuine chance to sell out the ground too.

This is a good idea.

What happened to the idea of the women's FAI Cup Final being before the men's?

[pineapple stu]

The playoff final being a curtainraiser to the cup final in Lansdowne Road would be ideal. Genuine chance to sell out the ground too.

Very hard to do that though because of the possibility of extra time (?) and penalties. Means you have to allow for either eating into pre-match warm-up time for the second game, or have such a big gap that no-one wants to hang around

Didn't the women's final one year go to penalties, and the men's teams were warming up during the shootout?

I think regular 40k+ attendances for the final means there's no need to gimmicks for the Cup final tbh. Play the playoff home and away and let each team get one sellout gate and an easy promo night I think

[sidewayspasser]

Didn't the women's final one year go to penalties, and the men's teams were warming up during the shootout?

It did. 2015 or 2016 I think. The men's teams were warming up on one end of the pitch, and the women's shootout took place on the other end.

[Shearer]

What happened to the idea of the women's FAI Cup Final being before the men's?

It was a pretty crap. A small amount of fans spread around the ground meant it probably wasn't a great experience for the players too.

[Nesta99]

2015, Shels v Wexford in the shootout. Dundalk and Cork warming up in one half together and they werent that fond of each other so it was a lot more entertaining than the penalties even for some of those who had an interest in the womens final. Passes being pinged badly wayward in the direction of opposition heads, footballs being held on to, plenty of verbals in earshot of the crowd, semi scuffle over who was getting the goal for keepers warm up - best prematch entertainment ever!

[cláirseach]

The gap between the games was huge, especially if you weren't having a drink, which I wasn't as the finals wer eheld on Sundays. Twice left after the women's match and before the men's during the dark years of Cork - Dundalk finals.

[Neish]

What happened to the idea of the women's FAI Cup Final being before the men's?

Think the women wanted their own day, and they are due it.


Having the playoff final before the FAI cup is a nice idea in principle but not sure if its practical. With a large proportion (if not majority) of the fans of the playoff teams looking to leave or enjoy celebrations in or around the ground, there would be fans of FAI cup final teams starting to enter the ground would lead to congestion issues, also could limited ticket availability for participating clubs.

Then there is the question( probably a unlikely scenario) of what happens if a team is involved in both games

[pineapple stu]

Then there is the question( probably a unlikely scenario) of what happens if a team is involved in both games

Think it is unlikely Shels' women's team would reach the men's Cup final alright.

[Mr A]

Think the women wanted their own day, and they are due it.


Having the playoff final before the FAI cup is a nice idea in principle but not sure if its practical. With a large proportion (if not majority) of the fans of the playoff teams looking to leave or enjoy celebrations in or around the ground, there would be fans of FAI cup final teams starting to enter the ground would lead to congestion issues, also could limited ticket availability for participating clubs.

Then there is the question( probably a unlikely scenario) of what happens if a team is involved in both games

Yeah playing them on the same day is impractical. But a weekend where they are played on consecutive days would be good. As the venue is neutral I think having it on a Saturday at an earlier time would make sense to make it easier on fans.

That said from a club perspective I'd prefer the old two legged approach rather than the one offs.

[nigel-harps1954]

Then there is the question( probably a unlikely scenario) of what happens if a team is involved in both games

They'd be well warmed up for the cup final.

[EatYerGreens]

They'd be well warmed up for the cup final.

#WinnerStaysOn.

[kksaints]

I don't think there needs to be a match on before the Final and if there was one I certainly wouldn't recommend the relegation playoffs final for it with the potential for very angry fans from the relegated club mixed with fans from the finalists. That could get nasty fairly quickly. The Women's final was badly overshadowed by the men's final when they were on together so an independent day for them is much the better option for promotioning the Women's game and possibly for the coffers of the FAI also.

If there is a need for a match to be on before the finals then I'd suggest one of the underage Cup finals like the u-19 or u-17 cups. I know it's quite GAA but those matches don't get much attention anyway so it wouldn't be overshadowed so much plus it shouldn't require any issues with crowd segregation etc. Gives the youngsters some reward for their efforts during the season also.

[sbgawa]

The womans final was an embarressment when it was in the Aviva.
i went along early one year to watch it and i doubt there was 1000 people in the place and i felt sorry for the players.
There own day makes 100% sense then rattleing around in an empty stadium

[Burnsie]

double-headers are woejus, leave that to the GAA

[JC_GUFC]

Some random stats...

This will be the 29th Promotion/Relegation Playoff. The record stands at 14 Premier Division wins and 14 Division 1 wins. In 2006 Dundalk beat Waterford as a Division 1 club but weren't promoted.

11 of the Division 1 finalists have finished the season as runners-up, 16 have been the third placed finisher (for the first 9 playoffs it was top 2 promoted and 3rd into a playoff) and one fourth placed finisher reached the final, Longford in 2020 and they won their final.

[brendy_éire]

double-headers are woejus, leave that to the GAA

It works well in the GAA, especially for league games when they have hurling/football on the same day.
If it's Championship, it could be a replay, or the extra time is shorter, so you can leave less of a gap.

Could only work for cup final day if we went back to having replays instead of extra time. Something I'd like to see myself, but can't see it happening.

[JC_GUFC]

It works well in the GAA, especially for league games when they have hurling/football on the same day.
If it's Championship, it could be a replay, or the extra time is shorter, so you can leave less of a gap.

Could only work for cup final day if we went back to having replays instead of extra time. Something I'd like to see myself, but can't see it happening.

GAA are obviously shorter matches too but also played in stadiums with much larger capacity. I've been to a few double headers in Croke Park and it does work well but I just don't think the same would work in LoI.

[total hoofball]

Some random stats...

This will be the 29th Promotion/Relegation Playoff. The record stands at 14 Premier Division wins and 14 Division 1 wins. In 2006 Dundalk beat Waterford as a Division 1 club but weren't promoted.

11 of the Division 1 finalists have finished the season as runners-up, 16 have been the third placed finisher (for the first 9 playoffs it was top 2 promoted and 3rd into a playoff) and one fourth placed finisher reached the final, Longford in 2020 and they won their final.

There is the list of finals below. If you to split the 28 finals by the most recent 14 finals then it's 10 victories for the First Division teams which is a trend indicates a narrowing of the gap between the divisions over the years.

2023 will be Waterford's record 9th promotion/relegation play-off final and first team to play in 3 consecutive play-off finals.... they have lost all 8 of the previous.... surely they can't screw up again???



Season - Premier Division Team - First Division Team
1992-93 Waterford United vs Monaghan United (W)
1993-94 Cobh Ramblers (W) vs Finn Harps
1994-95 Athlone Town (W) vs Finn Harps
1995-96 Athlone Town vs Home Farm Everton (W)
1996-97 Dundalk (W) vs Waterford United
1997-98 UCD (W) vs Limerick
1998-99 Bohemians (W) vs Cobh Ramblers
1999-00 Waterford United vs Kilkenny City (W)
2000-01 UCD (W) vs Athlone Town
2001-02 Longford Town (W) vs Finn Harps
2002-03 Drogheda United (W) vs Galway United
2003 Derry City (W) vs Finn Harps
2004 not held
2005 Shamrock Rovers vs Dublin City (W)
2006 Waterford United vs Dundalk (W)
2007 Waterford United vs Finn Harps (W)
2008 not held
2009 Bray Wanderers vs Sporting Fingal (W)
2010 Bray Wanderers (W) vs Monaghan United
2011 Galway United vs Monaghan United (W)
2012 Dundalk (W) vs Waterford United
2013 Bray Wanderers (W) vs Longford Town
2014 UCD vs Galway United (W)
2015 Limerick vs Finn Harps (W)
2016 Wexford Youths vs Drogheda United (W)
2017 not held
2018 Limerick vs Finn Harps (W)
2019 Finn Harps (W) vs Drogheda United
2020 Shelbourne vs Longford Town (W)
2021 Waterford vs UCD (W)
2022 UCD (W) vs Waterford

[Nesta99]

Waterford in play-offs are like Mayo in All-Ireland finals. If there was one to win it would be against their big Munster rivals.

[Shearer]

Then there is the question( probably a unlikely scenario) of what happens if a team is involved in both games

Cork City in 2017.

Not sure what issue would be caused by a team in both finals!