LoI in Europe 2024

[redobit]

Shels apparently had to make the pitch narrower to meet UEFA regulations.
https://x.com/stephenkellyyyy/status/1810406562760155487?s=46

Bit of a mad one if true. I wouldn’t have thought of Tolka as being an overly wide pitch

The whole UEFA regulations is a bit mad in general. Always remember when we made Europe for the first time in a while (back in 2009, which is hard to believe how fast it goes). We were bending over backwards to make sure the Showgrounds would get the stamp of approval, the club spent nearly 20k on upgrades. Then we went to Albania to play Shoder. Ah here, the absolute state of the place, it was a wreck. We were looking around thinking how has this got UEFA approval.

[nigel-harps1954]

Maybe it's the distance between the perimeter wall and the sideline?

Would wager this is exactly it. UEFA requires pitch size to be 68m wide for competition proper, but I highly doubt Tolka had to be narrowed to 68m. Judging by the photos, the 10 yard mark is at around the same distance as Finn Park, which is currently sitting at 63 metres.

We were at 69.5m for most of Dave Rogers season, and the pitch was huge.

[pineapple stu]

In what way is it getting ahead of anything. ? I know it’s not this week, but the game is fixed and Pats are in round 2. Not like they haven’t qualified for it yet.

Well true - I guess just keeping round 1 together, and in my mind stopping Acornvilla wasting time on Thursday worrying about how Pat's are doing. Nothing more really

[2 Year Contract]

Would wager this is exactly it. UEFA requires pitch size to be 68m wide for competition proper, but I highly doubt Tolka had to be narrowed to 68m. Judging by the photos, the 10 yard mark is at around the same distance as Finn Park, which is currently sitting at 63 metres.

We were at 69.5m for most of Dave Rogers season, and the pitch was huge.

Measuring it from Google Maps has Tolka's pitch at around 70m. Then again Richmond Park's is also around 70m using the same method and is generally considered narrow! Also the stands are very close to the pitch in Richmond and it’s never been deemed an issue by UEFA

[nigel-harps1954]

Measuring it from Google Maps has Tolka's pitch at around 70m. Then again Richmond Park's is also around 70m using the same method and is generally considered narrow! Also the stands are very close to the pitch in Richmond and it’s never been deemed an issue by UEFA

Looking at the pitch lining on Google maps, it's about 62 or 63 metres lined out. The 10 yard mark is always your giveaway. It's about 4 yards away from the edge of the box. Gives you 14 yards either side of the 18. Along with goal size roughly 2.5m it adds up to about 63m.

[Guitd]

Would wager this is exactly it. UEFA requires pitch size to be 68m wide for competition proper, but I highly doubt Tolka had to be narrowed to 68m. Judging by the photos, the 10 yard mark is at around the same distance as Finn Park, which is currently sitting at 63 metres.

We were at 69.5m for most of Dave Rogers season, and the pitch was huge.

You are correct here the reason pitch had to be narrowed is the safety regulations need to be 3m to boundary fence this should also be for league of Ireland games ,how can Mark Scanlon and the Pfai allow clubs have sidelines dangerously close to boundary I believe it was only 1.5m until UEFA delegate pointed it out ,players safety must come first over whatever manager think pitch width should be.Tolka is a tight pitch normally playing about 67m it just 64m now

[Buckett]

Jimmy Nolan broke his leg after hitting the perimeter fence hard in Terryland back in the late 80's/early 90's. There was no stretcher, so they had to take a door off the jacks instead!!

[Dermobohs]

Looking at the pitch lining on Google maps, it's about 62 or 63 metres lined out. The 10 yard mark is always your giveaway. It's about 4 yards away from the edge of the box. Gives you 14 yards either side of the 18. Along with goal size roughly 2.5m it adds up to about 63m.

Goal width is 24ft internal, approx 7.5 meters.

[sbgawa]

Goal width is 24ft internal, approx 7.5 meters.

Given the number of times we hit the flipping cross bar or post this year if it was 7.6 metreswide we would be top of the league.
Except for Richie towells shots where the goal would need to be 7.5 metres tall to make a difference

[outspoken]

You are correct here the reason pitch had to be narrowed is the safety regulations need to be 3m to boundary fence this should also be for league of Ireland games ,how can Mark Scanlon and the Pfai allow clubs have sidelines dangerously close to boundary I believe it was only 1.5m until UEFA delegate pointed it out ,players safety must come first over whatever manager think pitch width should be.Tolka is a tight pitch normally playing about 67m it just 64m now

We had a player absolutely goose himself off the wall in Tolka a few years ago, was out for months with concussion

[nigel-harps1954]

Goal width is 24ft internal, approx 7.5 meters.

Ah, my brain went the wrong way with the posts. Still only makes the width just under 66 metres if the corner to box is 14 yards. And if they've narrowed it about 2 metres on either side, judging by the photos, it's down to only 62 metres.

[joey B]

We had a player absolutely goose himself off the wall in Tolka a few years ago, was out for months with concussion

Richmond park down beside the away corner looks the worst of the lot,so tight down there…

[geysir]

Tickets were sold out fast for this Vikingur Rovers game. Good news for Rovers is that Vikingur's (and the league's) 2 best players are out. Obviously the money stakes are high for this tie but Rovers/Bradley also have something extra to play for, not to be humiliated for a second time in a CLQ tie against Icelandic opposition.

A struggling Stjarnan are a different story and I would've thought it be a surprise if Linfield don't make it. However, I'm wondering why Linfield are regarded as rank outsiders @ 4/1 in the betting market? I don't bet as a rule just curious.

[EatYerGreens]

You are correct here the reason pitch had to be narrowed is the safety regulations need to be 3m to boundary fence this should also be for league of Ireland games ,how can Mark Scanlon and the Pfai allow clubs have sidelines dangerously close to boundary I believe it was only 1.5m until UEFA delegate pointed it out ,players safety must come first over whatever manager think pitch width should be.Tolka is a tight pitch normally playing about 67m it just 64m now

A non-league player in England sustained a serious head injury that was genuinely life threatening after crashing into a boundary wall during a match a few seasons ago.

[ger121]

A struggling Stjarnan are a different story and I would've thought it be a surprise if Linfield don't make it. However, I'm wondering why Linfield are regarded as rank outsiders @ 4/1 in the betting market? I don't bet as a rule just curious.

Probably because they are sending out the ladies team as the men’s team are all still on holidays.

[ger121]

HJK spanked 3-0 in Lithuania. Hamrun 1 down at home to Lincoln Red Imps. Nearly HT. Hamrun also down to 10. Both the Finnish and Maltese are favourites in those ties. No easy games out there really.

[pineapple stu]

Lincoln Red Imps also down to ten now.

They should have a lot more money than the other Gibraltar clubs (having reached the group stages recently) and winning away to a ten-man Maltese team isn't exactly earth-shattering stuff - but still, a bit of a warning for Shels/Derry you'd think

[joey B]

HJK spanked 3-0 in Lithuania. Hamrun 1 down at home to Lincoln Red Imps. Nearly HT. Hamrun also down to 10. Both the Finnish and Maltese are favourites in those ties. No easy games out there really.

The Lithuanian’s were 5/1 at home before that game,some beating for HJK going by them odds ….

[Acornvilla]

Well true - I guess just keeping round 1 together, and in my mind stopping Acornvilla wasting time on Thursday worrying about how Pat's are doing. Nothing more really

Thank you for caring

[ger121]

Santa Columba 1 up against Balkani. TNS winning too.