A League

**rambler14** · 05/01/2008, 6:39 PM

Can the A League teams play in the FAI Cup?
If so will it be possible for 2 clubs to meet in the Cup Draw? eg: Cobh Ramblers vs Cobh Ramblers A.

Also what teams are confirmed so far?

**Lim till i die** · 05/01/2008, 6:41 PM

Originally Posted by rambler14

Can the A League teams play in the FAI Cup?
If so will it be possible for 2 clubs to meet in the Cup Draw? eg: Cobh Ramblers vs Cobh Ramblers A.

I doubt it.

I'd say the four newbies would be left play

Also what teams are confirmed so far?

Premier Clubs
Salthill Devon
Mervue
Tullamore Town
Sporting Fingal
Ourselves (Apparently)

Tbh more I hear, less likely I think it is...............

**Philly** · 05/01/2008, 6:42 PM

I'm guessing that the actual clubs can enter, but not the B teams, just like the B teams can't get promoted. So expect Sporting Fingal etc to be in the FAI Cup, but not Bohs B. Actually, would that limit the non-league participation? So many unanswered questions with this A League...

**LeixlipRed** · 05/01/2008, 6:43 PM

I assume when you say "ourselves" you mean your "A" side (whatever that may be) and not your senior side?

**Lim till i die** · 05/01/2008, 6:44 PM

Originally Posted by LeixlipRed

I assume when you say "ourselves" you mean your "A" side (whatever that may be) and not your senior side?

Hopefully

Although you never really know with Limerick do you

**Aaron** · 05/01/2008, 6:44 PM

Anyone got a squad list for Sporting Fingal, read somewhere it was full of experinced ex EL players

**superfrank** · 05/01/2008, 6:49 PM

There's a funny story actually regarding something similar down here.

In the Wicklow Cup, St. Peter's (iirc) A played St. Peter's B and lost 1-0.

Do reserve sides play in the cups in Germany and Spain?

**rambler14** · 05/01/2008, 6:52 PM

Originally Posted by superfrank

Do reserve sides play in the cups in Germany and Spain?

They do in Holland definetly because about 2 years ago Ajax got to the semi-final and in the other semi-final the Ajax reserve side were playin.
As far as I know Germany don't but i think Spain do.

**Philly** · 05/01/2008, 6:53 PM

Originally Posted by City till I Die

Anyone got a squad list for Sporting Fingal, read somewhere it was full of experinced ex EL players

I've heard that some ex Couty players are headed their ways. They are paying lower-mid Division One wages.

**Lim till i die** · 05/01/2008, 6:57 PM

Originally Posted by Philly

I've heard that some ex Couty players are headed their ways. They are paying lower-mid Division One wages.

My idea of hell would be away to them in the cup by the sound of things

**Poor Student** · 05/01/2008, 6:59 PM

Originally Posted by superfrank

Do reserve sides play in the cups in Germany and Spain?

Real Madrid's B team (then named Castilla) reached the cup final in 1980 only to be beaten 6-1 by Real Madrid proper. As Real won the league Castilla participated in the European Cup Winners Cup.

**holidaysong** · 05/01/2008, 7:03 PM

Here is an article on Sporting Fingal that was in the Irish Times over Christmas that some may have missed. Great sponsorship deal if true and I wouldn't fancy finishing bottom of the first division and maybe having to playoff against them to keep my league status.

**DmanDmythDledge** · 05/01/2008, 7:06 PM

Any chance you could paste that up here?

**holidaysong** · 05/01/2008, 7:07 PM

Irish Times 21/12/07

Fingal FC scores with top sponsor

One More Thing: With the new League of Ireland A Championship set to kick off in June, Sporting Fingal FC is believed to have secured Ballymun-based fruit distributor Keelings as its main sponsor.

Backed by Fingal County Council, one of the biggest local authorities in the State, the fledgling club is understood to have squeezed Keelings for a tasty �250,000 a year. This would make it one of the biggest football sports sponsorships in the country and dwarf many of the deals cut by established teams playing in the Eircom League.

Sporting Fingal, which will be managed by former Ireland international Liam Buckley, is at last giving Fingal representation at the top table of Irish soccer.

The council has ambitious plans to build a stadium and a �10 million state-of-the-art academy near Swords that will be available to all clubs in the area.

Fingal, which has a population of 250,000, is believed to have pitched the sponsorship at most of the large companies in its jurisdiction. Keelings is one of Ireland's biggest fruit distributors, employing about 1,500 staff.

The new A championship will operate as a second tier to the existing Eircom League premier and first divisions. It is part of the FAI's grand plan to reinvigorate the domestic league.

It will include reserve teams from a number of Eircom League sides and four new clubs - Sporting Fingal, Tullamore Town, Galway-based Mervue Utd and Salthill Devon. The highest ranked of these four clubs will earn promotion to the First Division.

With Keelings' sponsorship in the bag, Sporting Fingal will start the season with a strong wind at its back.

� 2007 The Irish Times

**Poor Student** · 05/01/2008, 7:16 PM

What's in it for a company to sponsor a club in an experimental third flight comprised almost entirely of reserve teams to the tune of �250k?

**holidaysong** · 05/01/2008, 7:21 PM

Originally Posted by Poor Student

What's in it for a company to sponsor a club in an experimental third flight comprised almost entirely of reserve teams to the tune of �250k?

Who knows but maybe they are thinking long term and hope to keep sponsorship going if (when) they get into the league. With money like that surely they will put together a squad of players with eL experience and walk this A Championship. I wonder if these 4 new clubs will be in the League Cup...

**Port Saint** · 06/01/2008, 10:36 AM

A club can only enter one team into the FAI cup but AFAIK all Premier and First Divison teams will enter a reserve team into the A league along with the 4 new teams.
Don't know what round the new A league clubs will enter the Cup.