Cork AUL 2006/07

**littleman** · 27/05/2007, 11:49 AM

Congratulations to Grattan Utd A on winning the premier.Its been a long hard season with some fantastic highs and some terrible lows.It seems fitting that they should finish this season with some silverware as they have been a credit to the Cork AUL this season.

They have lost only 4 games all season,semi's of the AOH,Mossie Linnane,the 5 round of the MJC and the Quater final of the FAI junior cup to date.It is incredable to think that they have won both the Premier A and Premier on the trot.

Again congrats to players manager and commitee and supporters.

**Innishvilla** · 28/05/2007, 8:10 AM

Originally Posted by littleman

Congratulations to Grattan Utd A on winning the premier.Its been a long hard season with some fantastic highs and some terrible lows.It seems fitting that they should finish this season with some silverware as they have been a credit to the Cork AUL this season.

They have lost only 4 games all season,semi's of the AOH,Mossie Linnane,the 5 round of the MJC and the Quater final of the FAI junior cup to date.It is incredable to think that they have won both the Premier A and Premier on the trot.

Again congrats to players manager and commitee and supporters.

I echo the above sentiment. Well done to Grattan... A very impressive season...

**callyno3** · 28/05/2007, 3:16 PM

Congrats to Grattan UTD.

**Shilts** · 29/05/2007, 9:32 AM

Congrats to Grattan on their league win.
Any news on the golden boot?
Who is in contention for it?

**qwertyui** · 29/05/2007, 10:12 PM

Yes well done Grattan. They deserved some silverware from what was a truly remarkable year for them. Kinsale and Leeside played their part aswell. The strongest we've seen this league for a few years, at least theres a bit of competition. Ballyphehane up next season could make it even more interesting??!! They're supposed to be handy. Golden boot? Surely Varian after his recent exploits but thats a shot in the dark.. What were the results of tonights games?

**Innishvilla** · 30/05/2007, 7:57 AM

Originally Posted by qwertyui

Yes well done Grattan. They deserved some silverware from what was a truly remarkable year for them. Kinsale and Leeside played their part aswell. The strongest we've seen this league for a few years, at least theres a bit of competition. Ballyphehane up next season could make it even more interesting??!! They're supposed to be handy. Golden boot? Surely Varian after his recent exploits but thats a shot in the dark.. What were the results of tonights games?

Kinsale will probably feel they had a really bad year but they will still probably finish runners up in the premier. Leeside need to build on their excellent cup form. Grattan look like they have a good young side. Ballypheane have impressed with 4 promotions in 4 years, I don't know anything about Kanturk (other Prem A side promoted), but if the AUL can hang onto these teams the premier division could be a cracker next year

However there are rumours of teams heading for MSL

**littleman** · 30/05/2007, 9:01 PM

To be very honest and im probably going to start a war over this but I dont really see what the big thing is about goin MSL.I would have no worries about Grattan or Leeside and Ballypheane next year goin up against anything the MSL has on offer.Why because it would be a game of football.Put Rockmount/Everton or Avondale up against just say and with no disrespect meant,Coachford or Kinsale and I think they might struggle ,against 2 of the AUL's more physcial sides.

I have my problems with the current state of the AUL in that any tom,dick or harry with a set of gear 2 goalposts ten buddies and a spit of land is accepted.I make no secret of that and i think the AUL suffer for it as a result in the Oscar Traynor and the FAI and the MJC..Their are to many teams and its to easy for a fella to switch rather than fightin for his place.BUT I do not agree with the MSL in the way that you can only apply or gain entry if your facilities are of a certain standard.Grass roots football is where we have all come from and to discriminate because of a lack of facilities is wrong.

The majority of the sides in the MSL were all from AUL not to long ago.The intermidiate cup,ran between 3 senior leagues 100 teams in the whole country,as apposed to the junior cup run between nearly 700.Which would you think is the harder cup to win.In Cork the AOH (162 teams)compared to the Keane Cup (50 teams).The senior league has the money,no question and the better standard of pitch.Not the best.Their are Aul teams at the minute that have better facilities and pitch's than any senior league team excluding Carrigaline or Corinthians.You wont find a better surface or bigger dressing rooms than wait for it BANTEER.Where did the Fai choose to host the under 16s a few years back Turners Cross/Middleton and.......Buttervant.

As they say the grass is greener on the other side and its true in a lot of ways to do with the MSL but for me the AUL and especially the AOH holds somethin special.I am lucky to have 2 AOH medals and I would not trade them for the world.You can have your MSL,your Keane or Pop cup theirs nothin like reachin the open rounds of the FAI as a junior team,or walkin out onto the pitch at the Cross on warm Friday night for the first time in the AOH cup final .After hearin all the stories over the years about the great players thet have won or lost aoh finals or never even reached one Iknow which i'd rather have

, but thats just my thoughts,no disrespect meant.

**Soccer Lover** · 30/05/2007, 9:43 PM

Hooperlooper any thoughts?

ha ha ha

**littleman** · 30/05/2007, 10:41 PM

It seems the only people who had a problem with hooper were the teams that were losin to his club from up the country.Says a lot i suppose.

**rebelrover** · 31/05/2007, 12:10 AM

Some good points raised there Littleman. Overall there's not much of a difference. i think we all know the top AUL sides would have no problem holding their own in the MSL Senior 1st. The AUL/MSL debate has been there for years! Having played in both MSL Prem Senior and AUL Prem over the years here's a few things id add to the debate

Pitch standard is better in the MSL on an overall basis - there are some very fine ptiches in the AUL, but theres a far greater variation in the standard of pitches in the AUL also, going from bogs to carpets! Generally though, looking at all MSL Prem teams, they all have decent surfaces.

Avondale & Rockmount arent far off Cobh R's level and are too strong for all other intermediate and junior teams in Cork at present.Blarney/UCC/Everton arent far behind them. The top 3 or 4 sides from the AUL would be good MSL senior 1st sides looking for promotion each year from that division.

How about the leagues amalgamate and we put an end to this debate! Chances of that happening thou!

**littleman** · 31/05/2007, 12:43 AM

Cant see it happenin to be perfectly honest.To much water gone under the bridge between the 2 leagues.Not really sure if it would benifit either league as well.The AUL value the FAI junior and the MSL the Intermediate and never the twain shall meet.

Thing about Rockmount is their not bringin in a lot of younger players.That can happen to settled successful sides,the younger players dont want to spend the time on the bench and the manager gets used to the same team winnin and forgets to bleed younger players and what happens next,,,,,,,,,,,TEMPLE UTD.

Avondale are a funny bunch,a lot of ex league of Ireland all playin together and doin well.Caulfield I cant see lastin for much longer,not in a bad way.Just that he is doin a crackin job and his name alone might get a league of Ireland team takin a risk.He'd go, a few players with him and Avondale would start to struggle.Rockmount have been kings of the castle for a good few years now,a few teams threaten but never hang on,the odd new winner,the next few seasons in the MSL will see a whole new range of clubs risin to the challange.

Nice to see football though that football on the northside of the city is flyin.Rockmount and Grattan the top junior and senior sides,Leeds/Blarney street,Knocknaheeney/Mayfield A and B/Grattan B /Dillons Cross/Hillington and Glenthorn all winnin their leagues or gettin promoted runners up.Football alive and well up on the hill.(sorry if i missed anyone)

**Shilts** · 31/05/2007, 10:28 AM

Very interesting comments being thrown about at the moment regarding teams wanting to go to the MSL.

Teams have to try to go MSL otherwise their best players will go anyway. (Derek McCarthy going to Avondale from Kinsale in January had a big bearing on this years AUL Premier. Fact.). And if Grattan don't go MSL this year then Rockmount, Castleview and St. Marys will be sniffin around their squad. Fact.

The top AUL teams will compete no problem in the MSL 1st div. Look at Blarney and Passage who both won promotion to the MSL Prem in their 1st year. Kinsale got to the semi-final of the Munster Senior Cup last year.

The changing and playing facilities in the AUL are a joke and its no wonder that the best players want proper playing/training facilities to play on EVERY week.

The solution would be for the top 2 teams from the AUL to get promoted and the worst MSL teams to be relegated. After 3 or 4 years everyone would find their level. You wouldn't have a situation where a team like Kinsale could win the league 4 years on the trot and this would be an improvement.

As for the AOH Cup. Great history and all that but there are better teams playing in the MSL Senior Cups and they play their finals at Turners Cross too.

Teams will have to go senior if they want to progress, otherwise they'll end up like Greenmount (not even in the top league now).

**Innishvilla** · 31/05/2007, 1:00 PM

Wow, I didn't think my closing comment above would spark off this debate again. Look I think we all would love a single Cork league with promotion to and relegation from the senior leagues. But it is not going to happen.

My problem is that next years Premier looks like it would be an absolute cracker if the teams and players stayed in the AUL. However if it is as people say that players are considering leaving teams to move to MSL then it is the total rock v hard place situation... Stay in AUL to play high quality Junior football and lose some very good players or move to MSL and miss the FAI, Munster Junior cups and the AOH...

**littleman** · 05/06/2007, 7:42 AM

The whole MSL for me is a bit of a joke.Look at it honestly and be totally honest.Bar Rockmount (and their gettin on a bit)the rest are just trumped up junior sides with loads of money and showers.Why would Grattan want too or even if they were asked go to the MSL.

Their is no point in Grattan goin MSL.Their new dressin rooms will be in place for the start of next season complete with showers.They have one of the best young squads seen in Cork soccer for years.Ok the pitch is not perfect but its good to play ball on.They as a club love playin in the AOH and the FAI junior offers a far better level of competition than the Intermediate,in terms of the quality of teams/facilities envolved in the open rounds for Grattan.Plus next season should be a cracker in terms of the league.

Remember senior leagues were started to improve the standard of facilities for players and along with that players abilitys and attitudes .That dose not mean teams who play junior should be looked down upon because they are junior.The only difference for me between the 2 leagues is the money behind the clubs,but thats just my thoughts.

**rebelrover** · 05/06/2007, 11:07 AM

Ur a good bit off the mark there littleman to be honest......like ive said ive played in both for a number of years and there's a big difference between prem in msl and aul. Yes i agree with you that grattan would probably do wel in msl prem but thats not what this debate is about is it?! Take grattan out of the equation, and I can honestly tell you that every single msl prem side (bar tramore r college corinthins who were a joke of a team this year BUT still managed to beat the majority of leeside's first team 6-1 in a friendly earlier this year) would win the aul prem handily, with only leeside and maybe kinsale capable of putting up competition. Im not talking facilities here, im talking abilities, and they are well better. Thats the reality.

I agree with you that grattan are better served staying junior and that the national fai junior competition open rounds serve up good quality of football. There's some excellent junior sides littered throughout the country, look at salthill devin's win over avondale in the fai cup for example. But the league is the bread and butter for any club, and whereas in cork aul you might come up against a good team one week and a very average team the next week, that doesnt happen in msl prem. im talking overall standard here, not one individual team because one team does not represent fully the standard of a league.

Your honestly wasting your time saying theres no difference in standard between the two leagues, because thats not true. But you've got a right to your opinion

Look at the intermediate cup for example, the likes of carrigaline, blarney, avondale,rockmount and even college corinthians have done well in it the last 3 years. Thats 5 teams. How many cork aul teams have done well in the fai junior last 3 years, 1 r 2?

If there was an all cork league it would, in my opinion be as follows:

Mount, Dale, Everton, UCC, Blarney, Grattan, Mayfield, Leeside, Carrigaline, Castleview, Douglas Hall.
(I really havnt seen Ballyphehane so I couldnt comment on them)

Thats 9 msl and 2 aul

**Shilts** · 05/06/2007, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by littleman

The whole MSL for me is a bit of a joke.Look at it honestly and be totally honest.Bar Rockmount (and their gettin on a bit)the rest are just trumped up junior sides with loads of money and showers.Why would Grattan want too or even if they were asked go to the MSL.

Their is no point in Grattan goin MSL.Their new dressin rooms will be in place for the start of next season complete with showers.They have one of the best young squads seen in Cork soccer for years.Ok the pitch is not perfect but its good to play ball on.They as a club love playin in the AOH and the FAI junior offers a far better level of competition than the Intermediate,in terms of the quality of teams/facilities envolved in the open rounds for Grattan.Plus next season should be a cracker in terms of the league.

Remember senior leagues were started to improve the standard of facilities for players and along with that players abilitys and attitudes .That dose not mean teams who play junior should be looked down upon because they are junior.The only difference for me between the 2 leagues is the money behind the clubs,but thats just my thoughts.

How can you call the MSL a joke? The AUL can't compete with it at any level. The best AUL teams would not compete for the MSL Premier title (in my opinion).

Congratulations to the likes of Grattan who are trying to improve on and off the pitch but they'll still have to go to the likes of Maymount and tog off in a shed or play Glenthorn Celtic on a pitch too small for 5-a-sides every 2nd week (And these are premier teams - that's the joke!).

I agree with the comments that the FAI Junior Cup is as competitive as the FAI Intermediate Cup, but only in the later stages. The 630 teams in round 1 includes an awful lot of crap sides and the better teams waste a month of their season beating rubbish teams by 7-0 in the early rounds. (This also happens with the Munster Junior Cup). This delays the AUL Premier every year. This doesn't happen in the Intermediate Cup because every round is competitive.

The AUL Premier would be a cracker next season only if all the teams stayed and kept all their players. However, rumours that 3 of the AOH semi-finalists have applied to go to the MSL. This will ruin the AUL Premier as a competition if they are accepted.

It is difficult for the top teams like Grattan, Kinsale, Leeside and Coachford to decide whether to stay in the AUL and be a big fish in a little pond or to go to the MSL and compete with good sides every week. Their players will ultimately decide for them by transfering to MSL clubs if they decide to stay AUL.

I agreed with most of rebelrovers points except that I think that Kinsale should've been included in his list. They seem not to have got much credit for winning 4 AUL Prems in a row. Or have they gone downhill since then?

**littleman** · 05/06/2007, 12:20 PM

With respect to your point about the 5 MSL side and the Intermediate cup.Rockmount and Avondale have matched their league success with cups,but Blarney/Carrigaline and Corinthians have been doin well in the cups but just keepin their heads above relegation.

Every year it seems to be Rockmount and ??????????? to challange for the league and the rest fight against the drop.How can that be a good thing.The AUL is in the same boat.It is a total joke that only in Cork have we 2 different leagues operating indepentantly of each other.How exactly dose that help football.

Good players playin with strong junior clubs and next Mr Senior league says come on over here the grass is greener.It works for some a lot of others it goes against them.Then they dont want to come back to their old club because they feel embarrassed because they could'nt get a game with a senior league club.You have seen it happen and you know what i'm sayin is true .Who wins in that situation.Their is too much water gone under the bridge between the AUL and the MSL.It is the reason no Cork side is goin to win the Fai junior thats for sure

**rebelrover** · 05/06/2007, 1:10 PM

i agree with you littleman, the last couple of years it has been da mount and dale fighting for the league. But its only 2 seasons since castleview won it and corinthians won the league at a canter in 2002 playing some great football. But right now its the turn of the dale and rockmount, although everton have excellent young players coming through so give them 2/3 years. Yes its also the same in the aul with only a few teams at the top fighting for the league. But the main difference is, the other teams scrapping against relegation in the msl prem are far better than the respective aul teams scrapping against relegation in the aul prem. The reason blarney & co havnt matched cup success with league success is simply because the msl prem is so competitive and they probably see the cups as their main chance of success.

Let me make an analogy for you. What you are saying is like saying the French Ligue 1 is as good as the English Prem. Lyon have walked it for the last number of years but 15/16 of the other teams are muck! Even Djibril Cisse can score goals in that league! Why have liverpool not won the English Prem since 1990, because its so competitive...that doesnt mean they cant compete on a one-off basic against everyone else in the Champtions League! Ditto for Asenal! West Ham were the 16th worst team in the English Prem last year, but they'd probably give lyon a run for their money in france!

Sorry about ommitting Kinsale Shilts, not intended!

I for one hope that the top 3 r 4 side in the aul keep their squads together because I also see the league being very exciting next year and more quality games week in week out could also only improve their chances in the national cup.

I totally agree with you on the point why no cork team is going to to win the fai junior. Ive seen that exact situation happen myself many times and it really is a pity.

**littleman** · 05/06/2007, 2:17 PM

This year was a great year for Grattan in respect to winning the league on the back of last years league win but the Fai run came at a cost.Tonights game,Grattans last means they have been kickin a ball for a full year in either the league or cup lookin at pre season again in a few weeks.

They are young lads but they still need a rest.The format of the league and the respective competitions dose not allow for this.I have heard the same rumors about Kinsale/Coachford and Leeside and I think it would be a terrible move for those respective sides.

For every side that goes and dose well their is a side that dosent.Castleview have either been great or struggled.Ballinahasigh.Youghal,Fermoy and worst of all Temple.Passage are makin a go of it because they have a good youth set up and are bringing the players through.

Kinsale have nothing, no 2nd team or youths nothing, and a junior team that is gettin on in years and width from what i saw.Worthy champions for the last 4 years without a doubt and a credit to junior football but you have to have players comin through the ranks.

Coachford are the same,average side who actually suit the AUL.No real underage success or young players catchin the eye.A poor 2nd side.They too have great support but support do'nt win games squads do.

Leeside have a good 11 or 12 players but no strenght in depth.If they had they would have made more of an effort for the league and again their unerage though well run is not on a par with say Nufarm or Kilreen,feeder clubs for say Grattan and Ballypheane respectively.

If your going to go at least be prepared and have the basics.A good young side who could win or challange for a few years in a row with a strong youth set up.None of the above have those qualitys.If the AUL allow the current exodos of clubs to continue the AUL wont be worth playin in and the MSL will start to become filled with average sides doin nothin just stayin afloat and then the MSL league will suffer the way the AUL has and then some bright spark will probably start the SUPER DUPER SENIOR LEAGUE and we will all want to join that,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,

**Towelie** · 06/06/2007, 2:06 PM

Totally agree with what Littleman has to say.
Blarney won the AUL Premier and also lost out to Kinsale.
The next year they won the MSL 1st division, and the year after that they got to an intermediate cup final (having never even come close to an FAI junior cup final).Also,this Passage team that are doing so well in the MSL were never battling for leagues in the AUL(They did win the munster junior though).Id fancy Leeside, Grattan, Maymount,and Ballyphehane against most MSL sides.
Oh ya, nearly forgot, well done to Grattan on their league win.It really is a tough league to win(just ask anybody from Leeside).Great achievement after only coming up last year.