FAI Cup Final

[Dodge]

First of all a couple of facts

1) Its definitely in Lansdowne Road
2) Its definetely on the weekend of December 1-3

I had thought it was Sunday December 3rd but according to some from Pats on friday, it'll be Friday December 1st.

Can anybody here confirm this? I've e-mailed the FAI but I'm more likely to get a response here.

[lofty9]

If it is on a Friday, Landsdowne will be empty as there will only a few thousand down from Derry or Sligo.

[Peadar]

Why are they putting it in Lansdowne?
If last Friday is anything to go by, Pat's crowd would fit in the Connaught road side of Dalymount. Why would the FAI want to play it in Lansdowne with only one stand open?

[dcfcsteve]

First of all a couple of facts

1) Its definitely in Lansdowne Road
2) Its definetely on the weekend of December 1-3

I had thought it was Sunday December 3rd but according to some from Pats on friday, it'll be Friday December 1st.

Can anybody here confirm this? I've e-mailed the FAI but I'm more likely to get a response here.

Can you support these facts Dodge ? I'm not saying you're wrong, but the Lansdowne bit goes against what everyone else has been told up to now, so you need a source of some sort to give it credibility.

A Final on the Friday would be a complete disaster for the crowd.

How many Pat's fans would you expect to be there (regardless of what day it's played on or where ) ?

[wws]

2,000 to 5,000


2,000 being in or around the cup semi crowd (I can get exact figure later)

and 5,000 odd being the sales in 2003 Final


Our average home gate is 1400 (thats the official figure not a guesstimate)

[Dodge]

Can you support these facts Dodge ? I'm not saying you're wrong, but the Lansdowne bit goes against what everyone else has been told up to now, so you need a source of some sort to give it credibility.

Piece in one of the papers last week. FAI source confirmed it. (piece was titled FAI Cup final threatened by Wanderers Rugby club) Lansdowne is not available the weekend of 24-26 due to Ireland playing Pacific Islands in rugby. If it was gong to be in Tolka, surely it'de be that weekend (league finishes November 17th)

[The Stars]

I we get to the Final...we would bring about 10,000....seriously.

[Dodge]

This page on the FAI site has it down for the Sunday

Balls...

[Drogman.]

I remember that same story for last years final, the rugger buggers were on the week before and the pitch was in bits.

Then the FAI decide to play the Ladies FAI Cup final before the main game to even more cut up the pitch.

I'm not being smart when I say this but, if what is being stated is true, then the attendance will be well down from last years final. I know certain things have to be taken into consideration, but surely Pats have more than 5,000 supporters, adding in fair weather fans, and the odd part-timer barstooler?

[wws]

nah

id be delighted with a pats support of 5,000
we'd never see that at a league game

wether floating dublin based people turn up for the "event" will be down to Carslberg/FAI promotion of it as an occassion - and I hear that the sponsors basically arent arséd!

[Dodge]

FAI sweat it out as Wanderers row rumbles on

The escalation of the row between the IRFU and Wanderers over the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road is casting a large shadow over the FAI Cup final on December 3. Wanderers, joint tenants at the ground along with Lansdowne, are insisting on playing their AIL Division Three match against Bruff on the main pitch the day before the final, when normally they would have been happy to use the back pitch, as part of their policy of non-cooperation with Irish rugby’s governing body.

With four internationals also due to be held at the ground in November, the club’s stand casts serious doubts about the state of the pitch. Speculation has been growing that this might force the FAI into choosing a different venue, but yesterday a spokesman for the association confirmed that the Cup final would go ahead as scheduled at the ground. ‘The four clubs involved in the semi-finals were consulted about the situation and were happy to go ahead with Lansdowne,’ a spokesman said. ‘There is no question of moving the venue.’

If I ever get a reply from the FAI I'll post it here. Typical amateur bull****. A month away and nobody knows anything...

As for our crowd, 5,000 will be the real figure. As with everybody else here we'll double it for the internet.

[OneRedArmy]

Good to see Wanderers "chaps" continuing their uneviable position as most hated rugby club in Ireland, which they have held with considerable distinction over the last decade.

(for any non-rugger fans, they are the Shels of rugby, dragging the League to the courts and even delaying the conclusion of a season and are almost universally hated in the clubhouses of Ireland).

They are involved in an ongoing row with the IRFU over 1,000 extra tickets for the new Lansdowne Stadium.

Also totally agree with the above, a Friday final is a joke.

Play it in Dalymount on the Sunday (would prefer not to line Ollie's pocket).

I'd be surprised if Derry brought more than 5,000 down in any case.

[dcfcsteve]

Piece in one of the papers last week. FAI source confirmed it. (piece was titled FAI Cup final threatened by Wanderers Rugby club) Lansdowne is not available the weekend of 24-26 due to Ireland playing Pacific Islands in rugby. If it was gong to be in Tolka, surely it'de be that weekend (league finishes November 17th)

It's always been set for the first weekend in December - was the same time last year. So the date says nothing about whetehr it was going to be in Tolka or not.

I'd say there'll only be a crowd of 12-15,000 at this year's final regardless of whether it's Derry or Sligo there, so Lansdowne would be too big.

Very disappointijng if Pats could only bring 5,000 to a Cup Final in their own town. Makes you wonder why you'd ever want a new/developed stadium if that's all you could attract for the big games.

[wws]

our 'own town' is Inchicore Steve,

do you honestly think people in foxrock, ballybough and dickie rock give a flying fck about an LoI team from Inchicore?

the dynamics of the situation are completely different to a club like say Derry or Sligo representing a defined city/town area

we do not represent Dublin City (nor do any of the dublin teams in the LoI for that matter) - it simply isnt the same situation - in fact our very association with Inchicore and surrounds would probably put off most celtic tiger era dublin ppl in the first place

but fck it we know where we're at - and tbh we wouldnt have it any other way

"Ohhhh Inchicore, Inchi Inchy Inchi core

[dcfcsteve]

our 'own town' is Inchicore Steve,

do you honestly think people in foxrock, ballybough and dickie rock give a flying fck about an LoI team from Inchicore?

the dynamics of the situation are completely different to a club like say Derry or Sligo representing a defined city/town area

we do not represent Dublin City (nor do any of the dublin teams in the LoI for that matter) - it simply isnt the same situation - in fact our very association with Inchicore and surrounds would probably put off most celtic tiger era dublin ppl in the first place

but fck it we know where we're at - and tbh we wouldnt have it any other way

"Ohhhh Inchicore, Inchi Inchy Inchi core

Sorry WWS - you've got the wrong end of the stick there.

I was referring to how physically easy it is for your fans to get to a final in Dublin - not the identity of certain area or the likelihood of you drawing support from elsewhere in the capital.

I agree with what you've said though.

[gspain]

You will also get the neutral Dublin based football public.

You also have the last ever football match at Lansdowne before redevelopment which must be an attraction.

The Wanderers row is getting really ugly. They want to use the main pitch for an AIL game on the saturday in an attempt to escalate the row.

I agree that Friday night would be a disaster crowd wise.

Given the costs of using Lansdowne wrt Tolka I wonder if the clubs will be protesting. A fullhouse at Tolka would be a nice earner whereas 15,000 at Lansdowne would probably just about cover all the expenses.

[wws]

You will also get the neutral Dublin based football public.

Yeah but what dollar value would you put on that dublin football public factor?

here's the level of the 'pull' of this fixture (official figures)

12/05/06 League vs Derry City 1,510 people paid through the gate to watch Derry's last visit to Dublin to play St Pats


30/06/06 League vs Sligo Rovers 956 people paid through the gate to watch Sligo's last visit to Dublin to play St Pats


on such a low base it would need solid promotion and marketing to capitalise on any "final" factor and dramatically improve the crowd


no disrespect to sligo but derry have a great media profile this season with lots of tv exposure and the uefa run gives them an added credibility with neutrals - if marketed right - a pats derry final might pull in an extra crowd of "dublin football public"

[gspain]

Yeah but what dollar value would you put on that dublin football public factor?

here's the level of the 'pull' of this fixture (official figures)

12/05/06 League vs Derry City 1,510 people paid through the gate to watch Derry's last visit to Dublin to play St Pats


30/06/06 League vs Sligo Rovers 956 people paid through the gate to watch Sligo's last visit to Dublin to play St Pats


on such a low base it would need solid promotion and marketing to capitalise on any "final" factor and dramatically improve the crowd


no disrespect to sligo but derry have a great media profile this season with lots of tv exposure and the uefa run gives them an added credibility with neutrals - if marketed right - a pats derry final might pull in an extra crowd of "dublin football public"

Sligo people always turnout for the Cup. I agree with the fan above that they'll bring 10,000 if they make it. I expect Derry to win tonight though.

I reckon on at least 1,000 neutrals paying to go. It will be easier too to get tickets for neutrals in Dublin as that was a problem for last year's cup final and Setanta Cup final as the tickets went to the clubs. Note there may have been Cup Final tickets on ticketmaster last year but if so only crap ones. Many neutrals like me will probably end up just buying Pats tickets though so it will be difficult to measure.

[NY Hoop]

History repeating itself again

Last year there was the embarrassing spectacle of the game being switched from Lansdowne to Tolka to the RDS before finally settling on Lansdowne!

They did no marketing for the game yet 25000 turned up. They lucked out there.

Lansdowne is where the Cup Final should be IMO. It's a day out, players for the most part would have never played there and it is a neutral venue. Playing a Cup Final at a league ground is a joke. All you have to is close off the upper tiers and it looks grand on the big day.

KOH

[mr.untitled]

I dont know man, we knew we'd get a big crowd last year (for a number of reasons) If Pats, Derry or sligo reckon they can only bring 5000 max each, it should be in Dailymount, Recently we've played big games in Tolka, Lansdowne and Dailymount, Dailymount had by far the best atmosphere (even with feck all away fans!) IMO theres nothing worse than a quarter full lansdowne!