Official opening of Ice Hockey stadium in Dundalk

**CollegeTillIDie** · 08/04/2007, 7:00 AM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

Don't see how a town the size of Dundalk could sustain a Hockey Franchise. I mean the Giants don't sell out their arena and they are one of the top sides in the elite league and based in a City. Surely the only location for a southern franchise is Dublin? It has to be The Dublin Vikings!

In these Days of long commutes for punters, Dundalk is practically a suburb of Dublin ....

**holidaysong** · 08/04/2007, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

In these Days of long commutes for punters, Dundalk is practically a suburb of Dublin ....

Careful now.

**Poor Student** · 08/04/2007, 8:27 PM

Holidaysong, thanks for the help with the buses. I reckon I'll head down for the Mongolia game (never thought I'd hear myself say that).

**holidaysong** · 08/04/2007, 9:47 PM

No problem. We are playing Cobh that day, I'll be interested in hearing how it goes. I wonder if it'll be necessary to buy your tickets online or just turn up...

**Poor Student** · 08/04/2007, 11:34 PM

I bought my ticket online. You just print off an e-mail ticket like Ryanair. I'll try and bring a camera and get some pics up.

**Poor Student** · 15/04/2007, 5:24 PM

We smashed the hapless Mongolians 11-0. 2 goals in the first period, 7 in a strong second period and 2 more in the third. Ireland played large patches of the game with 4 men and went down to 3 men on at least three different occasions. Ireland mounted offence easily enough with 4 men and scored a good few of their goals shorthanded. At 3 men they were still comfortable defending and took the puck off Mongolia at will. Ice Hockey's lowest tier has its new whipping boys. Ireland's discipline is worrying though and better teams will punish us with so little men on the ice. One plus in that regard is I think we took no penalties for too many men on the ice an amateur mistake we made too many times last season.

Ireland were strong in defence. Good backchecking and they threw down some heavy hits. The only player who stuck in my memory from last year Simon Kitchen looks like Keith Foy if he ate John Lester. This man is a joy to watch when he makes a hit. He absolutely flattened some of them. Our goalkeeper also made a series of solid saves and kept a clean sheet.

Going forward we were ok but were too mechanical. No flair or pace and it will be hard to open up the better teams particularly given our forward opportunities will be rarer.

I have to say the arena looks great. There's an 800 seater stand overhanging one side of the rink and space around the bottom to stand at the glass. The seats are cushioned and strong enough to hold someone standing on them which is just as well because they have a Richmond Park tightness between the rows. There's excellent catering right beside the seated area and you can still look at the match from the balcony while queueing. There's also a merchandise area before you enter the rink with Irish jerseys, Dundalk Bulls jerseys and ice hockey equipment for sale. The place is well run and the staff are very nice and helpful. The girl at the ticket desk allowed me to trade an unused second ticket for another game and then let me change my mind again after the match.

Surprisingly there was at least 100 Mongolians at the game and probably more. My bus from Dublin was nearly entirely filled with Mongolians. They made one large clump in the stand and one on the other side of the arena. They were totally mental and yell like native American Indians whenever they crossed the blue line. It made a good spectacle. There was also a fair few North Americans and continentals at the game. There was a good Irish presence but I couldn't hear any chanting or anything. All in all an enjoyable experience and I hope we can get a league up and running here and a rink built in Dublin.

Any foot.iers driving to the Ireland v South Africa game on Thursday?

**Poor Student** · 15/04/2007, 6:44 PM

http://www.iihf.com/Hydra/Tournament...901_74_3_0.pdf

Here's the stats. Ireland took 52 pentalty minutes, that's insane. Two 10 minute penalties for misconduct and 32 mins worth of niggly 2 min penalties. Sometimes we had 3 men sitting in the sin bin.

We got 43 shots on goal and conceded only 13. Mark Morrisson scored a hattrick, he seemed to be a good finisher alright.

Luxembourg beat South Africa 5-2 today. Dunno what to make of that. South Africa were relegated into our division which would suggest they'd be strong and Luxembourg were the only team we beat last season.

Thankfully Armenia have wirdthdrawn or been expelled. No idea which but they're not there. They loaded up last season with North Americans of Armenian roots and turning from whipping boys into a strong team overnight.

It's good we got to start things off with a handy win and get in a groove. Pity I can't go to the NZ game tomorrow night, I hear they do the haka on ice!

**holidaysong** · 15/04/2007, 7:20 PM

Thanks for the report Poor Student. I'm up to my eyeballs in college at the minute but I hope to get to the Luxembourg game next Sunday.

**Poor Student** · 15/04/2007, 7:55 PM

Luxembourg game is on Saturday at 8:00, holidaysong. I hope to head to that one, only problem is getting back from Dundalk for the 8:00 games hence me scabbing lifts here.

**Aberdonian Stu** · 15/04/2007, 9:22 PM

I might be available for the match on Thursday PS if you have transport (will busses/trains be an option?)

**Poor Student** · 15/04/2007, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by Aberdonian Stu

I might be available for the match on Thursday PS if you have transport (will busses/trains be an option?)

Same story as any other day. Grand to get there, impossible to return. A lift will be required.

**Aberdonian Stu** · 16/04/2007, 8:52 AM

I'll text the bald one and see if he's game. I'd say pineapple would go but for work (he has no holidays left).

**Poor Student** · 16/04/2007, 8:58 AM

Originally Posted by Aberdonian Stu

I'll text the bald one and see if he's game. I'd say pineapple would go but for work (he has no holidays left).

Didn't think anyone of them would be game. If Baldie isn't interested give Mullet a go.

**Poor Student** · 16/04/2007, 10:50 AM

Seems we have some Belfast Giants players this year. The lad Mark Morrisson, who scored a hattrick, is on their books. I read somewhere else four of our players are pro.

**pineapple stu** · 16/04/2007, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by Aberdonian Stu

I'd say pineapple would go but for work (he has no holidays left).

Meh. Watched the Stanley Cup while I was in Canada; a lot of fuss over not a huge lot, to be honest. Wouldn't be bothered heading all the way up to Dundalk and back for a match.

**Poor Student** · 17/04/2007, 9:07 AM

We lost 4-2 to New Zealand. We were leading until the 3rd period but New Zealand scored 3 in the end. Seeming as NZ were relegated and last season we were taking big thumpings you can count this as a marked improvement.

**Poor Student** · 18/04/2007, 6:16 PM

So, anyone driving down tomorrow? BohsPartisan? Block G? Anyone?

**Poor Student** · 18/04/2007, 10:16 PM

New Zealand beat Luxembourg 8-3. Luxembourg beat South Africa in the first round. If we assume those results are truly representative of the teams' abilities then we may beat South Africa tomorrow. If we could beat Lux too then we might get promoted.