Official opening of Ice Hockey stadium in Dundalk

**Dodge** · 19/04/2007, 9:11 PM

Ireland won 2-1. The arena looked very very impressive

The game v Luxembourg is live on Setanta on Saturday evening too

**Poor Student** · 19/04/2007, 9:12 PM

It's a good setup but we need one in Dublin.

A win or draw against Luxembourg should secure promotion.

**superfrank** · 19/04/2007, 9:41 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Ireland won 2-1. The arena looked very very impressive

Eh twas 3-1.

I caught most of the second period and the entire third. Lot of scrappy penalties given way I thought. I was very impressed with Kelly in goal. He made a few good stops at 2-1.

Roll on Luxembourg.

**Poor Student** · 19/04/2007, 9:43 PM

Originally Posted by superfrank

Lot of scrappy penalties given way I thought.

That's always the case with games at this level. It's a lot more stop/start compared to the NHL, the wider rinks slow down the frantic pace too.

**Dodge** · 19/04/2007, 9:44 PM

Yeah, that was a typo.

**BohsPartisan** · 19/04/2007, 9:44 PM

It was awful scrappy. Hard to watch at times. A few good moments.

**Lim till i die** · 19/04/2007, 10:15 PM

I'm sorry lads I really tried for about ten minutes but that was absolutely horrible to watch

If Alan Matthews had an ice hockey team that's what they would look like

**pete** · 19/04/2007, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by Lim till i die

I'm sorry lads I really tried for about ten minutes but that was absolutely horrible to watch

If Alan Matthews had an ice hockey team that's what they would look like

I only watched a few minutes when flicked over from ad breaks on other channels & tbh even 2-3 minutes was hard going. I haven't a clue but could see players not so steady on the ice & think a couple of guys slipped.

I am guessing there were some Irish-American players plucked from college or below NHL hockey?

What capacity does the Dundalk rink have?

**Dodge** · 20/04/2007, 12:53 AM

Originally Posted by pete

I am guessing there were some Irish-American players plucked from college or below NHL hockey?

What capacity does the Dundalk rink have?

Alll the players based in ireland. Think 3 of them are with the Belfast Giants

800 is the capacity I think

**BohsPartisan** · 20/04/2007, 8:20 AM

3 from the giants the rest I think were amateur. It was awful to watch compared to the NHL, even compared to the UK Elite League which isn't bad at all. So many mistakes from guys who looked like they were new to skating, never mind hockey. South Africa were absolutely woeful. Still, gotta support your local team eh?

**Poor Student** · 20/04/2007, 9:32 AM

To put things into context, I think this is the first year we've gotten any Giants players on our team and no league exists in this country. As far as I know the only game our amateurs would get to play in a year was the few times they'd represent Ireland. We've purposely elected not to take in North Americans in favour of developing a proper grassroots game here. It's near impossible to get any info about plans for the game here but I believe there's plans to build more rinks around the country.

**pete** · 20/04/2007, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

Still, gotta support your local team eh?

I don't support foreign hockey so think I am ok...?

I might watch a little bit on NHL Stanley Cup on Setanta but would have no interest in the overly long game regular season. Teams play so many games & so many teams qualifying for the playoffs that regular season seems pointless.

**incident** · 20/04/2007, 2:47 PM

Originally Posted by Poor Student

To put things into context, I think this is the first year we've gotten any Giants players on our team and no league exists in this country. As far as I know the only game our amateurs would get to play in a year was the few times they'd represent Ireland. We've purposely elected not to take in North Americans in favour of developing a proper grassroots game here. It's near impossible to get any info about plans for the game here but I believe there's plans to build more rinks around the country.

Building more rinks (and putting well run junior teams in them) is the only way things can improve - up to this point the only option on the entire island has been to go to Dundonald, with the junior teams playing in the Scottish leagues.

If next season there's a junior programme in both Dundonald and Dundalk, then that's a huge step in the right direction. If they can add in (for example) Dublin, Cork and Galway further down the line, then in the long term that should help massively.

The other thing I'd add is, that it's essential that any new rinks being built are full size (60x30 metres), or damn close to it. The two closed rinks in Dublin (Phibsboro & Dolphins Barn) were both unworkably small for a game which can moves so quickly.

**kingdom hoop** · 21/04/2007, 1:58 AM

Originally Posted by Poor Student

We've purposely elected not to take in North Americans in favour of developing a proper grassroots game here.

'Grassroots' is surely the wrong term in this context. I'd be thinking more 'ice ice baby deevelop, ice ice baby deevelop'

**Poor Student** · 21/04/2007, 10:50 PM

Ireland secured promotion. They came back from two goals down to draw 3-3 and won it on the shootout. Great crowd in Dundalk. Next year will probably be a painful but educational experience somewhat like the Super 8 phase in the cricket WC. It should help to raise the profile of the game here slightly.

**BohsPartisan** · 23/04/2007, 7:50 AM

What teams will we be playing next year?

**holidaysong** · 23/04/2007, 1:22 PM

Division 2 next season is:

Australia, China, Belgium, Bulgaria, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Romania, Serbia, Spain.

**Lim till i die** · 23/04/2007, 1:33 PM

Mexico???

**incident** · 25/04/2007, 6:48 AM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

Division 2 next season is:

Australia, China, Belgium, Bulgaria, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Romania, Serbia, Spain.

It's worth mentioning that D2 is subdivided into 2 groups, so Ireland will only be playing against half of those teams (most likely the European ones).

**Poor Student** · 30/04/2007, 9:52 AM

Apparently an 8 team league is starting in September. All games in Dundalk. 8 teams allegedly are Dundalk Bulls, Belfast Bruins, Lisburn Prowlers, Navan Eagles, Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin Flyers, Dublin Rams and last but not least UCD.