Cork AUL 2006/07

**littleman** · 09/07/2007, 7:02 PM

Thanks pass and move for your nice comments.I just took a break for a few weeks as last season was to long for me,Im gettin old I guess.A bit goin on since I last logged on.If every one just agreed with everyone else their would be no point in this.

I would just like to state that I dont particularly dislike the MSL.I just dont like the fact of having to reach a certain level to be allowed in.The great thing about grass routes football is that a bunch of guys can get together and in the space of 3 or 4 seasons have a cracking side.Ballypheane and Village before them to name a few.They are young clubs starting out and even though they might have the ability to play MSL,they dont as yet have the facilitys needed and I think thats wrong.Thats just my opinion.

On they AUL,yes they have there faults.But if when a team,a good team do get their facilitys in line with their ability so to speak,first thing they do is head for the MSL I think that dosent help our situation in the AUL.Just think if all those sides in the last ten years had stayed how strong would the AUL Premier/Premier A be now.Its only a matter of time before the MSL starts to feel the kind of strain that to many teams bring.I agree with your points about the AUL,I just dont know how we go about fixin it until we agree to keep our best sides in the AUL for the good of the AUL...........

**littleman** · 17/07/2007, 6:28 AM

Well for the coming season any surprise transfers happening,,,,whos going to win what???????

**Innishvilla** · 17/07/2007, 8:16 AM

Originally Posted by littleman

Well for the coming season any surprise transfers happening,,,,whos going to win what???????

Well Some news for the Premier. Kinsale are not going MSL. They have appealed their relegation and I think it was successful so they are going to be back in the Premier and challenging... I think their manager for the four in a row is going back to them this year (A huge loss to Innishvilla I must say as he is an excellent coach and a really decent bloke as well). So I wouldn't rule out Kinsale being very strong again this year. Grattan are the side to beat though, but it'll be interesting to see how Ballypheane do.

**Soccer Fan.** · 17/07/2007, 9:16 AM

Originally Posted by littleman

Well for the coming season any surprise transfers happening,,,,whos going to win what???????

Looking at the posts not a lot happened while I was away, I do think littleman you are living in your own dream world if you think decent players want to play out their careers in the AUL. Thats in a league that has no criteria in terms of facilities on entry and certainly none for the clubs that are already members, Any club that has worked to build their Facilities are all joining the MSL - I know if I was still playing where I would rather play. Take this as a given the MSL are going to be even more attractive to join into the future unless someone wakes up in the AUL and change things FAST!.
I also agree with Innishvilla Grattan will be the team to beat and B/Phenane's results will be worth following. Sorry to hear you have lost your manager Innishvilla I did hear last season he is a class act from my sources but I suppose your loss is Kinsale's gain so watch out for them too I'd say!. Going to be an Interesting Season!!

**littleman** · 17/07/2007, 4:33 PM

Rules are rules and just because your a big club dont mean you can throw your dummy out your mouth and get a positive reaction.They had a player sent off in a game on a Saturday,and he played again on a Thursday.No game in between.Same ref did both games.How dumb is that and now they want to appeal on what grounds,insanity.

Soccer man,to say I'm lookin through rose tinted glass ect ect is a bit Irish from you.The MSL is not the b' all and end all.Some crack sides,some good sides,a lot of poor sides.Actually sounds the same as the AUL ,just on a smaller scale.Before you even go on about facilitys,dont think a shower or a flat pitch is a bonus.Yes its great to play on a good surface,and better still to have a shower,but I never played a game wheir the thought of a good surface or a shower won the game for us.Ability and hard work wins games.

You pit the top 3 or four sides in the MSL against the top 3 or 4 in the AUL.Theirs no one goin to hammer anyone.The football played by Ballypheane and Grattan and on occasion Kinsale or Leeside is more than a match for the best of the MSL.

**Shilts** · 18/07/2007, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by littleman

Rules are rules and just because your a big club dont mean you can throw your dummy out your mouth and get a positive reaction.They had a player sent off in a game on a Saturday,and he played again on a Thursday.No game in between.Same ref did both games.How dumb is that and now they want to appeal on what grounds,insanity.

I heard that Kinsale were successful in their appeal and will not be relegated as was reported earlier. If true, how was this similar to what Clonmel Town did in the Munster Junior Cup?
This has to be good for the AUL Prem as it will make it more competitive. Definitely better for the AUL Prem A teams as Kinsale would've been too good for that division.

**Soccer Fan.** · 18/07/2007, 10:42 AM

I am not going to get into the age old debate about the MSL and AUL with you Littleman but are you really serious when you say Grattan or Leeside would give Avondale or Rockmount a game!!. 1st Div. in MSL is not as strong as Premier of AUL - passage and Blarney have proved that so no argument there but come on Littleman - you certainly live up to your name if you go for Leeside,Grattan!!. I do not know the ins and outs of the Kinsale issue but I agree that it was totally wrong on the Premier 'A' sides to relegate them into that Div. Imagine starting a season with the only achievable goal being second - absolutely not fair!!. Fine them heavily YES! Deduct Points YES! but Relegate them NO! (even West Ham did not get that).

**bellavistaman** · 18/07/2007, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Shilts

I heard that Kinsale were successful in their appeal and will not be relegated as was reported earlier. If true, how was this similar to what Clonmel Town did in the Munster Junior Cup?
This has to be good for the AUL Prem as it will make it more competitive. Definitely better for the AUL Prem A teams as Kinsale would've been too good for that division.

my arse we'd hammer them!!

**callyno3** · 18/07/2007, 1:33 PM

Originally Posted by bellavistaman

my arse we'd hammer them!!

How long are Ramblers in Cork Aul Prem A?

**bellavistaman** · 18/07/2007, 1:45 PM

Springers.

**Shilts** · 18/07/2007, 2:02 PM

Originally Posted by bellavistaman

my arse we'd hammer them!!

You must've signed a few decent players over the summer so, to add to the mighty team that won 6 out of 20 games in Prem A last season! Ouch!
Only joking, best of luck for the new season!

**bellavistaman** · 19/07/2007, 9:16 AM

ya we'd a horror in the end of last seaon very lucky to stay up. we struggled to field a team at times, the joys of the aul, i hate the end of season when some teams know there defintily stayin up but cant get promoted and they dont turn up or come late with a 50 year in goal.

**littleman** · 19/07/2007, 10:01 PM

Ya bella,nothin worse than havin to field a team against a team that needs a win bad to either stay up or avoid relegation especially when you think your safe.It happened in the 3rd division again this year where Macroom were denyed first spot when Killowen got a walk over in their last game,and won the league by a point.

Regardin what I said about Kinsale/Clonmel.The Clonmel appeal was a joke,they were caught rotten and still tryed to riggle out of it.Kinsale basically cheated and got caught now they too are trying to riggle out as well.

Whos wearing the rose tinted glass's now soccer.Anyone whose has watched the Aul Premiers top sides for the last few seasons would quickly agree with me that they would hold their own against the Msl's top sides.The final 16 of the Fai junior is of an equal standard to the Intermediate last 16 and Aul sides have been reaching that year in year out.Would it be a terrible thing to think that maybe the Aul is catchin up with the Msl.....................

**bellavistaman** · 19/07/2007, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by littleman

.Anyone whose has watched the Aul Premiers top sides for the last few seasons would quickly agree with me that they would hold their own against the Msl's top sides.The final 16 of the Fai junior is of an equal standard to the Intermediate last 16 and Aul sides have been reaching that year in year out.Would it be a terrible thing to think that maybe the Aul is catchin up with the Msl.....................

Totally agree and passage proved it, munster cup final what more can i say. but i reckon Gratton, Leeside, possibly Ballyphehane definitly Kinsale all would.

**littleman** · 19/07/2007, 11:17 PM

No doubt we will probably have the Msl brigade at our doors askin us to wash out our mouths with salt because of what we've said.Plus they will say that Passage are a Msl team and not a freshly extracted Aul side.

Look I'M the first one to pat the Msl on the back for thier work on bettering facilitys and such,but just because you have them dose'nt give you the right to think your better than those who don't.Football in the Aul is improving rapidly,even with the problems the Aul has to overcome.Young clubs are pushing their way to the top of the Aul,cant say the same of the Msl.

The Msl dose not seem to be devloping any structure,just waiting till an Aul side developes it self and then accepts them on board.Theirs no ground work being done to cater for new clubs to start.Its only those who already have are allowed in,those who have not have appearently make do with the Aul,,,,,,,all I ask is everyone takes off the rosy glass's when reading what i've just wrote,you may just agree.And remember this is just the humble opinion of someone who has been playing junior and senior football in Cork for the last 20 years.

**thirdeye** · 20/07/2007, 9:25 AM

i'm not sure the premier aul sides would match the top 3 senior sides...
even in terms of fittness there is a gap....mostly brought about by.....again better facilities...and i would suggest better/more professional attitude from
the players but anyone outside the top 3/4 sides in the senior league could have been relegated in the last couple of weeks of last season which would suggest they are all much of the same...AVERAGE...i definitely think premier
sides are on a par with that lot....most are living on past glories and i agree with littleman here...it's nice to see new sides giving the big boys something to think about....

**Shilts** · 20/07/2007, 11:21 AM

I agree also, that the top AUL sides would hold their own in the MSL Prem, but wouldn't win it. I also agree that the last 16 in the FAI Junior Cup is equal to the last 16 in the FAI Intermediate Cup. (I saw College Corinthians in the FAI Intermediate Cup q/f last year and the AUL Prem A would be too good for them and the same for the team from Donegal that beat them).

If both cups are of equal quality should there be only 1?
Stone him

The 1st 3 or 4 rounds of the FAI Jun Cup are usually a waste of time for the good sides as they are easy wins! This adds to the fixture congestion in April/May. Grattan played 8/9 games in May this year. Would seedings help here, with last years final 32 coming in at a later round?

In my opinion, the AUL doesn't do anything to improve the image of soccer in Cork. To my knowledge Park Utd in Mitchelstown are the only AUL club with facilities to rival a gaa or rugby club. There are 135 AUL teams and most of them are glorified pub teams that are only a step above putting jumpers down as goals for a kickabout.

The AUL doesn't deserve to hold onto the progressive clubs. That is, those who are trying to improve themselves on and OFF the pitch. Look at what Blarney United have achieved in the last few years. Compare that with AUL Prem team Glenthorn Celtic(just an example, there are plenty worse). Who would you like your son to get involved with if you had a choice?

The AUL Prem is not far off the MSL in football ability but in all other areas the AUL and MSL are poles apart. In 2007 the top soccer players in Cork (AUL or MSL) deserve the top facilities EVERY WEEK, other sports provide it. Why is it ok for soccer players to tog off in cars, sheds or worse, but not for gaa or rugby players .The few decent AUL clubs will get fed up of being lumped in with those who don't take the game seriously and decide to move elsewhere.

At the very least, the AUL should demand a certain standard for their Premier Division teams' facilities and let the pub teams do what they want.
But 'shur' what do I know

**littleman** · 20/07/2007, 6:15 PM

As much as it pains me to admit it your right Shilts.The AUL though their thinkin their doin a good job are doin just the opposite.The once great Aul is sinking slowly but surely and the worst thing is they dont even see it.

Their will always be a divide between the Msl and the AUL.I meet players every week that tell me their playin senior and to be honest I couldnt see any of them makin a dent in the first 11 of either Grattan or Ballypheane,but because their in the Msl their deemed superior.Dose'nt fit well with me.The top Msl sides have big sponsorship deals.The top Aul sides have nothing even like that backing.For me and this is hard to say as I'm born and bred on the northside is for every club that wants or trys to make its`club better their is a small minority that do their best to destroy it.Northvilla Park is'nt even in use any more,Fairview were to use it and the corpo did up the dressing rooms only for them to be vandalised.Grattan,Temple and Castleview have all been vandalised.Only by a small few again I will say.

99.99% of people from the northside are fantastic people but when your doin all you can for a club and then some crowd with nothin but time and a crate of cans come along and wreck it it can be soul destroying for those trying to better their clubs.The northside of the city will always continue to produce the finest players but will also always struggle with the lack of any real financial backing to improve things.Theirs people in Blarney and other areas no doubt cant wait to use their new facilitys,and appriciate what people are trying to do for them.But the minorty on the northside would just look at it as something to destroy.Drink and drugs is the game they play and their just not interested in playin ball.I'm not meaning to paint a dark picture just being very honest

**Soccer Fan.** · 21/07/2007, 8:39 AM

To you all I applaud - the last few posts have been excellent, it is obvious that you are passionate about your local soccer be it MSL or AUL. I agree with most of the comments believe it or not!. I take it littleman that there has been a recent spate of vandalism in some of the northside areas, believe me when I say it has happened in most places be it probably not as often because of population I imagine. I know what it is like to be committed to your team/club and then just to see some brainless thugs go on the rampage - it is not nice!!.

**qwertyui** · 21/07/2007, 10:02 AM

Lads, some cracking posts recently, i have been topping up my tan so havnt said a whole lot.

Shilts, i agree with absolutely everything u said. Some great points made. I think the top brass at the aul have their heads buried very firmly in the sand. Something has to be done to stop our best clubs wanting to join the MSL. Blarney and Passage obviously and if it wasnt for a few hiccups, Kinsale could of been up there too.

But what can be done? Any suggestions?

I think the seeding is a good idea. Not just in the FAI junior but in the AOH and the Munster Junior too. These 10 nil victories are no good for any team. Clubs are almost penalised for doing well in cup competitions early in the season. The days of three games a week in may should be long gone.

Wat about the facilities? This is going to be next to impossible to regulate. Glenthorn seem to be getting a rough deal on here but it probably is deserved. Grattan are improving their facilities, Leeside have a great set up, Park too, Kinsale are working on theirs - clubs are moving in the right direction??