Greatest League in the World 2024 [new thread available]

joeysoap

Dundalk are still the only club finished with away matches.(and have been since the st pats match on 25th October.) Well run league indeed.

joeysoap

Sorry , my mistake, should have included the drogheda away match. Didn’t have to leave Louth.

Gavin "shels"

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118122457#Comment_118122457

Gutted at Gilchrist, he was quality for us this season. Word is that his missus is Cork based hence the move, surprised he wouldn't have been re-signed otherwise!

Gavin "shels"

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118135199#Comment_118135199

That 3rd Tier idea dead already.... Rovers B incoming!

Gavin "shels"

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118132992#Comment_118132992

Embarrassing from Galway really, investing in a full time team they obviously expected to be getting up either by winning the First Div or going up via the playoff. Wonder if themselves and Cork City stay full time next season.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118135684#Comment_118135684

Ya we absolutely will be full time. Our chairman said during the week that we were ahead of where they'd thought they'd be at this stage in JCs first full season. I wouldn't say it was embarrassing but definitely a poor season all things considered. Embarrassing would be a lower finish and missing the playoffs.

Gavin "shels"

Cork signing Gilchrist & Kevin O'Connor along with Doona is a decent statement of intent early on anyway Johan Slow Vision!

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118135774#Comment_118135774

Company cars? He has a car supplied by one of our sponsors, Monaghan's. I'd imagine that's the same set up at most clubs. Don't think any of the other staff have been given cars. Fallon and Herrick are the only two coaches who came in under him, and I'm fairly sure Herrick was already at the club in an underage coaching role. GK coach, strength and conditioning and Fortune were already at the club.

We obviously spent more than others and were full time but some of the additional things people add without knowing are a bit much.

chopperbyrne

Rumours of Bray takeover this morning, only for even more out of the blue Bray/Cabinteely double takeover/merger rumours.

Given Bray's catchment area, and Wicklow being traditionally shite at GAA sports, they should be a much bigger club than they are.

Cabinteely have a great catchment area, but are very much in rubgyville, so would be harder for them to attract fans. Anyone know what kind of crowds Cabinteely were getting pre-pandemic, and since restrictions were loosened, and then removed?

joeysoap

Hard to fathom. It will be either Bray OR Cabinteely. Neither will take their support with them.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118137053#Comment_118137053

https://twitter.com/Merriganmania/status/1457131212934352896

Don't think it's got anything to do with Cabinteely not wanting LOI football. One poster on foot.ie says Tony Richardson who became their chairman this year bought a 75% share in the club with the remaining shares belonging to the junior side. Pat Devlin whose their director of football owns a minority share in Bray.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118137178#Comment_118137178

Does that mean we are back in the playoffs then 😂

Darkglasses

Braybinteely is utterly bizarre to me. Cabinteely dropping out of the league had seemed on the cards alright, but I don't understand who would want this merger on either side.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-40739433.html

Gavin "shels"

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118137749#Comment_118137749

Bray keep the Senior team while getting Cabinteely's big youth setup?

Ferris_Bueller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118138155#Comment_118138155

If that was the case then I think it makes sense. You'd keep the history and fan base of Bray Wanderers but also get the youth set up that Cabinteely have. They've great training facilities out there. Have never been to Stradbrook so I've no idea what kind of support they drew. Bray have the potential to be a bigger club than they are - big catchment area, only club in Wicklow, not too far from Dublin to attract players, a decent ground and very accessible for away fans. Always enjoyed any matches I've gone to in the Carlisle.

topmanamillion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118137749#Comment_118137749

Mergers between smaller clubs like this is pretty much the done thing in Europe and probably should go on a bit more here.

Cabinteely have no long-term future in the league, thats been clear since they joined. Being absorbed into Brays set up and maybe being allowed to keep their underage teams in the national leagues would be a decent outcome.

irishmanmick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118138155#Comment_118138155

You'd imagine this is the only way it could work. You always got the impression that the reason Cabo have a LOI side is to allow them a side in the LOI national underage leagues. A combination along the lines of Bohs/SKB would seem to make a lot of sense there. Especially as other posters have mentioned, Bray have the potential to be a much bigger club.

Ohmeha

What's the ownership situation with Bray? St. Joseph's Boys chairman Niall O'Driscoll bailed Bray out in 2018 and has been their main backer since. I take it he is pulling the plug hence the separation from St. Joseph's?

In the end this could look like Cabinteely bailing out Bray and Cabinteely get a stronger merged first team and a decent ground in return

Ohmeha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118138250#Comment_118138250

I don't see Bray becoming a bigger club. Cabinteely have an ok schoolboy setup but nowhere near the level of Kevins and Cabinteely bring hardly any new fans, also still a bit of distance between both areas, Bray have maximised their fanbase from the locality I know people out there say there is just too many Dubs who have moved into the town who don't have any connection with the club

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118138397#Comment_118138397

From the outside looking in that's what it feels like. Richardson and Devlin are gonna need to throw cash at this new entity to convince Bray fans to stick around as Cabinteely barely have any. The junior sides there never really took an interest to the senior side.

dan1895

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118138854#Comment_118138854

I thought he was doing a great job at full back. Was sorry to hear he might be leaving. Hopefully we hold onto Ledwidge who I feel is better though.

topmanamillion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118138426#Comment_118138426

Fair enough on the first point but in no way has Bray "maximised their fanbase from the locality". They`re sitting in a catchment area of about twice the size of Sligo but yet the best they can do is a few hundred and First Division football.

They`ve done nothing to try and tap into the likes of Greystone, Arklow or Wicklow town. Brays a commuter town alright but you can`t just blame their poor support purely on too many Dubs living in the area.

The merger doesn`t look like a bad idea IF it comes with a plan to tap into South Dublin/Wicklow.

Bray and Cabinteely are only treading water. Even if Bray got promoted this year a very best case scenario is a few years dodging relegation playing in front of a few hundred people.

Dan McDonnell saying if it happens they`d play 2 seasons as Cabo/Bray then as East Coast FC.

Ohmeha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118139835#Comment_118139835

O'Connor's brilliant set pieces were killing teams especially in the first half of the season they'll be some loss and a big gain for Cork

chopperbyrne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118141006#Comment_118141006

Between just Bray, Shankill, and Greystones is 60,000 people.

They should be able to completely sell out the Carlisle every home league match.

Some teams get set up and play in the arse end of nowhere, and obviously end up with no fans, but Bray couldn't be positioned any better. Right next to the train station, and a few minutes walk away from about a dozen pubs on the seafront.

It has to be mismanagement, and a complete failure to actually promote themselves that has them where they are.

Ohmeha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118141006#Comment_118141006

Based on following the LOI for over 20 years, seeing no growth in their attendances and a rise in population coming in from Dublin I think it's a reasonable conclusion that they have maximised their fanbase at this stage unless they get serious investment to upgrade the ground and invest in the first team to compete at the top of the Premier Division. You can't realistically compare them to Sligo who are only club in the county with a bigger tribal population reach whereas Bray are now competing with Shamrock Rovers for LOI support in that area

ben.schlomo

Rovers apparently interested in our excellent young prospect Alex Murphy. Hopefully we hang onto him, he's been excellent in the few games he's played and has gotten a Ireland u21 call up also. As composed a footballer as I've ever seen in the flesh.

Rovers also trying to tie up Whelan and Kerrigan from UCD. They want 25000 for Kavanagh to let him go. Bohs in for Dummigan from Dundalk. All from the Sun so could be bollox.

chopperbyrne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118141176#Comment_118141176

I don't buy that.

If they advertise themselves, and entice families, and kids, they'll get a larger fanbase, even if people aren't originally from that area. Once kids get an attachment to a team, that'll be a lifelong one.

Kingp35

Bray has a much bigger catchment area than just Wicklow. They also have quite a bit of South Dublin including Shankill, Ballybrack, Killiney and Dalkey. I'm originally from Dalkey and I was a season ticket holder for a few years along with a good few mates, all from Dalkey area. There is huge potential to get more people to go to the games if they promote them more as it's so easy to get to the ground. It's 15 minutes on the Dart from Dalkey to the Carlisle.

I'm not happy about this proposed merger at all. I'm really not sure what Cabo are bringing to the table.

joeysoap

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118141215#Comment_118141215

There is a big void at Dundalk, so all their players are up for grabs ( bar 3) Cameron Dummigan is a super player. Surprised if they didn’t have competition, especially from NI.

Ferris_Bueller

Would be disappointed if Kavanagh was let go by Rovers. He looked a great talent when he first broke through at Rovers. Obviously a lot of competition in midfield but if he is not deemed good enough to make it I wouldn't hold out hope for many of the other academy graduates.

Smell the glove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118133035#Comment_118133035

Waterford were missing half their team.

tastyt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118141006#Comment_118141006

Unfortunately I think the further you get out from Dublin the more a GAA mentality and culture creeps in . I think this is the kind of think that stops people maybe from Arklow and Wicklow town supporting a team called Bray

dan1895

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118143546#Comment_118143546

But no problem supporting Man UTD or Barcelona

tastyt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118143827#Comment_118143827

Correct sadly , but they aren’t playing Barcelona in the county final every year ☺️

topmanamillion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118143546#Comment_118143546

It`s probably part of the reason alright but Bray have so much going for them with playing out of the Carlisle they should be doing better. A rebrand, which is essentially what this would be for Bray, mightn`t be a terrible idea if it expanded the fanbase a bit. Big if with that one of course and it would take more than a name change for it to work.

Pawwed Rig

I doubt Dubs moving in would inhibit them supporting the local club. It is all about how they promote themselves and what they offer to potential fans.

LOI isn't really family friendly as a rule unfortunately. The late evening kick offs are not suitable for younger kids under 10 or so. It is hard to find live football that can accommodate the younger ones (mine are 5 & 7) other that FAI cup final and the odd time that a league game would be on in the afternoon.

Gareth Keenan

hearing Keith Long is on the way out of Bohs, cup final win or not. That's the FAI Cup final, not the one this Friday.

irishmanmick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118144989#Comment_118144989

Couldn't disagree more on the timing of matches not being family friendly. Friday evenings are a great time for families - it's the one time of the week nothing else is on. I bring 3 of my kids over to Dalymount each game, they love it. Slightly older now than yours, ages 8,9,10 now but have been bringing them for last 3 seasons (bar Covid). Kids love being allowed stay up 'late' to go to matches on Friday nights. Sat afternoon games would be a no go for us, we're always doing something

Patrick2010

Tallaght is full of kids on Friday evenings, much to the annoyance of some older fans 😁

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118146867#Comment_118146867

Just because they are there doesn't mean it is family friendly. A 9:30 finish getting home at 10:30 or later for a small child is not child friendly no matter what way you look at it.

Tallaght (tbf) is a better stadium to bring kids to than my normal haunts of Dalymount and Tolka. We were at the Ireland U21 match there a few weeks ago and the loved it.

Patrick2010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118147199#Comment_118147199

Have to cater for the majority of your regular supporters, not to time your matches that suits under 7 bedtimes. Saturday or Sunday afternoons wouldn't suit a lot of adults and also you'd be up against other sports.

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118147297#Comment_118147297

The point is that Bray are getting FA attendances so need to think of some way to increase them.

tastyt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118145584#Comment_118145584

Where would he be off to ?

artanevilla

Interesting timing on the rumour. I wonder is it from an anonymous source who will only go by the initials SB.

hold my beer

Peak6 gone from Dundalk

https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/dundalk-fc-back-in-local-hands-after-peak6-agree-deal-to-sell-club-to-andy-connolly-and-statsports-41039595.html

Oat23

Annoyed that boards have ruined the site and made it so hard to go back and laugh at all the Peak6 posts over the past 2 years. There's some brilliant stuff that has aged like milk.

"Peak6 are set to leave a figure of around €250,000 in the bank and a key aspect of talks was the extent to which they were willing to tie up some loose ends."

What a disaster it has been. Millions wasted, most of it the club's and not theirs.

johnnyryan89

Former owner Andy Connolly back involved. Gonna be tough going second time around as Kenny was the main reason for their success.

kksaints

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118148143#Comment_118148143

What was that poster again? Irishmale or something like that? I remember him saying that Peak6 were going to bring a new order to the LOI and were going to completely revolutionize the league. That has aged well alright.

artanevilla

Hate to say I told you so etc...

Gareth Keenan

Minutes silence for the lads that spent the last few years telling us that Mike Tracey was the messiah