FAI Cup Final : Cork City Vs Drogheda United

gimmick

Good to see two well supported teams make this years final, unlike last years debacle where Longford and Waterford struggled to get 8000 at the match, and that was in Lansdowne Road.

Now as some of you may know, this years final is slated for Tolka, as Lansdowne is unavailable for whatever reason. Tolkas capacity is officially 9600. Lets be honest, its too small a venue to host the final. I know for certain City will want to bring 10000 at least, and Drogs, at least 6000. Therefore, a new option needs to be explored.

Darragh maloney, Pat Morley, and George Hamilton have all stated that the venue needs to addressed. Im sure the respective chairmen will both want the venue to be changed also.

So, what to do? Where to go? Surely the FAI will see that there is alot of money to be made here, and will do their best to have Lansdowne made available. What about the RDS? Would it be suitable to host a cup final?

It is imperative that every eL fans helps in this. Email the FAI (info@fai.ie), Gerry Ryan (grs@2fm.ie), and any other outlet that could make a difference here.

Its just another scaenario where our lack of stadia is both coming back to haunt us, and embarrass us at the same time.

Roar

landsdowne is down for redevelopment, however the last game to be played there is a rugby international on the 26th of november.

The cup final is on the 4th of dec..

surely redevelopment could be put back a week?

its not like the project is going to come in on time anyway :rolleyes:

City at the moment have been allocated just north of 4,000 tickets, which when you consider there was 7,000 at the semi final just isnt going to work out..

i can see the touts making a killing off this one

KdjaCL

RDS would need a new pitch laid which would cost so i reckon that be knocked on the head.

On the bright side be nice change to go to an EL match and hear people "buying or selling the tickets" before it. :eek:

Lansdowne being used for some thing or other as play offs couldnt be there either that weekend.

Cork should win it easily Drog are a poor team motivated only by cash.


kdjac

MrJoeSoap

"Debacle" is the right word for last year. Even I went along to make up some numbers. The FAI have got it completely backwards, giving Longford and Waterford their game in Landsdowne and Cork-Drogheda Tolka Park. I'll e-mail both of those later, really should be adressed.

KevIRL

MrJoeSoap wrote:

"Debacle" is the right word for last year. Even I went along to make up some numbers. The FAI have got it completely backwards, giving Longford and Waterford their game in Landsdowne and Cork-Drogheda Tolka Park. I'll e-mail both of those later, really should be adressed.

Certainly was embaressing last year. Had a bad feeling when we were leaving Waterford and saw a gang of lads in Man Utd and Arsenal jerseys heading to the pub (Utd-Arse was on Tv that day)

Reckon The Blues had about 3000 fans there that day. Sad sad sad.

Jonny Arson

I think the reason it was switched to Tolka this year is simply because the FAI didn't want a repeat of last year. Well they've messed up this year in quite the opposite manner!

gimmick

Sent the following to info@fai.ie . If I get a response Ill post it up. Wont hold my breath though

To whom it may concern,

I am a Cork City fan, so I, like all City fans, am obviously very excited about the forthcoming FAI Cup Final on December 4th. However, I must implore you to move this match to Lansdowne Road. Tolka Park is far too small a venue to host such an occassion, as Im sure both City and Drogehda would fancy their chances of filling that ground alone. I am sure by moving this to Lansdowne far greater revenue will be earned for your association, plus leaving nobody dissapointed - something which alot of Cork and Drogheda people will be if the venue is kept as Tolka.

Thanks in advance for doing everything in your capabilities to accomadate all fans,
regards,
Gareth Allen.

eirebhoy

gimmick wrote:

Sent the following to info@fai.ie . If I get a response Ill post it up. Wont hold my breath though

The FAI actually usually do reply to e-mails asap.

gimmick

Recieved from the FAI. Fair play for their quick response

Hi Gareth,

Thanks for the mail.

An official announcement on the venue for the FAI Cup Final will be made in the coming days but the final is scheduled to take place at Tolka Park.

In terms of capacity and tickets etc, it might be useful to note that the capacity of Tolka Park is approximately 9,300. Cork City’s average league attendance this season is approx 3,300 and Drogheda United’s is approx 1,600.

I trust the above information is of use to you.

All the best,

Interesting

MrJoeSoap

The average attendances above may very well be true but how are the FAI going to ensure the tickets are given to the right people and not the touts?

First priority must go to season ticket holders of course.

Töpher

They do have a point, nothing to you Gimmick - but I've read people saying that they think Cork will get like 25000 etc, which is nonsense. At the end of the day, the judgement needs to be based on facts.

I'll be up for Cork int his match! Derry for the league! Shels for Europe! Lol!

Töpher

They do have a point, nothing to you Gimmick - but I've read people saying that they think Cork will get like 25000 etc, which is nonsense. At the end of the day, the judgement needs to be based on facts.

I'll be up for Cork int his match! Derry for the league! Shels for Europe! Lol!

MrJoeSoap

From Aertel.

FAI TO RECONSIDER CUP FINAL VENUE
The FAI has confirmed the venue for
this year's FAI Cup final is 'under
consideration' following Drogheda
United's semi-final win over Bray
Wanderers yesterday.

The Carlsberg sponsored cup final
between Cork City and Drogheda United
was due to be played in Tolka Park in
Dublin on Sunday, December 4, but with
a large crowd expected from both sides
the 9,500 capacity may not be enough to
cater for the expected demand.

Lansdowne Road has been the venue for
FAI Cup finals in recent years and the
RDS is also being considered. A
decision will be made within 48 hours.

Draupnir

Throw temporary seats on the Shopping centre end and you would get 15,000 into Dalymount surely?

Although I think maybe Bohs dont own the Shopping Centre end anymore.

gimmick

MrJoeSoap wrote:

The average attendances above may very well be true but how are the FAI going to ensure the tickets are given to the right people and not the touts?

First priority must go to season ticket holders of course.

We only have 600 season ticket holder max, so that wont be a problem.

Its not really up to the FAI, its up to the clubs to sort this issue. Both will be given an equal allocation - tickets should only go on sale inside the ground on a match night, that way only fans who actually go to games will get a ticket, and even at that, not everyone will be happy (given that at the moment its still in Tolka).

Einst&#252 wrote: »

They do have a point, nothing to you Gimmick - but I've read people saying that they think Cork will get like 25000 etc, which is nonsense. At the end of the day, the judgement needs to be based on facts.

Yes, I see you point, however, there is a little something called the bandwagon - the people who will go to this game, having not been to a game since the last time City competed the last cup final. City will bring at least 10000 if the game is at Lansdowne. Though talk in the meeja is saying the RDS could well be the venue.

Throw temporary seats on the Shopping centre end and you would get 15,000 into Dalymount surely?

Although I think maybe Bohs dont own the Shopping Centre end anymore

AFAIK that end of the ground is condemned. Even if its not, temp seating is VERY expensive.

Töpher

But we all saw how the Lille bandwagon went!

Roar

Einst&#252 wrote: »

They do have a point, nothing to you Gimmick - but I've read people saying that they think Cork will get like 25000 etc, which is nonsense. At the end of the day, the judgement needs to be based on facts.

well to be fair the entire county seems to want tickets for the all ireland final, when the hurlers only get about 2,000 at their league games..

so the same applies here... a few thousand go to league games, about ten times as much seem to want to go to the cup final... even a cab driver i was talking to today said he was going up, despite not being in the cross "for years, but the young fella goes the odd time, like"..

Draupnir

they have cabs in cork now?

Jonny Arson

gimmick wrote:

Yes, I see you point, however, there is a little something called the bandwagon - the people who will go to this game, having not been to a game since the last time City competed the last cup final. City will bring at least 10000 if the game is at Lansdowne. Though talk in the meeja is saying the RDS could well be the venue.

How suitable would the RDS be for the cup final? I never being in it so I'm not in a position to comment but I'd imagine it would require quite a bit of temporary seating aswell. How did the Leinster Rugby matches get on there?

eirebhoy

Zane from MTV2 wrote:

How suitable would the RDS be for the cup final? I never being in it so I'm not in a position to comment but I'd imagine it would require quite a bit of temporary seating aswell. How did the Leinster Rugby matches get on there?

Its a 13,500 all seater.

KdjaCL

Half empty lansdowne or packed tolka... bit of a no brainer to me really.
2 cup finals i been to were in a half full lansdowne and altho great when the teams walked out wasnt really a great venue for the game. Being a kip and possibly the worst football stadium in the world doesnt help.


kdjac

gimmick

KdjaC wrote:

Half empty lansdowne or packed tolka... bit of a no brainer to me really.

I see your point, the athmosphere would be far better in Tolka than Lansdowne, but my fear is that the bandwagon will take the genuine supporters tickets, and that, for me, would be a disaster. Its our first final in 7 years, thats almost 8 years, and every true City fan should be entitled to a ticket.

If the RDS pitch would be okay for it, that would be the job.

MrJoeSoap

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/faicup/irish_soccer_detail.asp?newsid=19684

They seem to think it will be switched.

homerjay2005

an extra 4000 seats would be a bouns to both sets of fans, but is the pitch up to standard? i watched a bit of the leinster match on saturday, there were a few bad patches and there were one or 2 injuries on the same part of the field. it would need a shake up. what can dalymount hold?

MrJoeSoap

A fair bit less than Tolka in terms of seating. Temporary seating just isn't an option. Plus, if it rains...

Slash/ED

A half empty lansdowne needn't be that bad if you don't open the top tiers. Cork speak alot of complete and utter delusional nonsense about their support but they should bring the numbers to this one along with Drogheda that will be bigger than Tolka, especially with neutrul interest being bigger than last years final due to the teams in it. Lansdowne would be the right option and there is seemingly no clash so I've no idea why it's 'unavailable'

jank

Cork speak alot of complete and utter delusional nonsense about their support but they should bring the numbers to this one along

Contradiction?

Slash/ED

No?

jank

OK so they talk ****e about how good their support is (name better in the country by the way) and then you say that they will bring that good support to the final.

There is a contradiction in that sentence.

MrJoeSoap

jank wrote:

OK so they talk ****e about how good their support is (name better in the country by the way) and then you say that they will bring that good support to the final.

There is a contradiction in that sentence.

I don't think there is.

Cork do have the best support in the league imo.

gimmick

Still no decision made. I think the RDS is the prefered venue, and would probably be the best venue for a number of reasons, most notably, genuine fans will not lose out to first timers, and there will be a full house definitely. Anyone got any recent pics of the RDS. I saw it briefly on TV3 last night and looked decent.

The pros of Lansdowne are that it would add a sense of occasion to play in the national stadium, and tickets would be available to neutrals.

With any luck we will know by December anyways.

For what its worth, City will be the 'home' team, whatever than means.

MrJoeSoap

I'll have a look for some pics of it for ya. Here's the seating plan, although how useful it is I don't know.

speriamo

Yet another FAI cock up:rolleyes:

They announced Lansdowne as the final venue at the start of the season! The December 4 date was because of the 3 rugby internationals due to be played in November there. Why the change back to tolka then?

IMO no matter who is in the Final it should be played in Lansdowne. They're moaning about the cost but if marketed properly, which was not done last year, no reason why 20,000 could'nt turn up every year. Close the upper tiers and it doesnt look half bad.

Players and fans want a showpiece and you wont get that by playing at tolka or dalymount where every player has played.

The RDS would be a second choice I suppose given that regular league games are not played there. We played there from 1990 to 1996 and IMO it is a suitable venue. The best view is from the Anglesea Stand but they now have temporary seating in the other 3 parts of the ground. The only problem is the pitch though.

Tolka has 9,500 seats but is totally unsuitable as was proven when we were in the last final played there. Dalymount has 8,100 seats but again not suitable.

Slash/ED

jank wrote:

OK so they talk ****e about how good their support is (name better in the country by the way) and then you say that they will bring that good support to the final.

There is a contradiction in that sentence.

I fail to see any contradiction there whatsoever.

1) They talk utter nonsense about their support, as evidenced by the foot.ie attendence threads where their estimates are literally thousands off alot. They have submitted crowds there around 3,000 or so over the actual capacity of the ground.

2) For this big occasion however, they will bring good support.

What am I missing here?

Dalymount Park has far less than 8,100 seats btw. The Jodi is only around 2,750 and that's the biggest stand.

speriamo

Slash/ED wrote:

What am I missing here?

Dalymount Park has far less than 8,100 seats btw. The Jodi is only around 2,750 and that's the biggest stand.

A fair bit actually. The Connaught st side, which should be condemned, has almost 4,000 seats. Total for Dalymount IS 8,100.

gimmick

Its Lansdowne, just been confirmed.

MrJoeSoap

Good news. Now I might go.

Töpher

I probably will head over so, sure to be a good event.

gimmick

Word is now, that the FAI have handed all ticketing for this over to ticketmaster. If 100% true, this is a joke, as how will segregation be implemented, how does a guy get to sit with his friends, how are the vocal fans kept together?

Though I do have an email to the contrary stating

tickets should be going on sale from the clubs later this week and I believe a limited number will be available from Ticketmaster.

Thing is, i have heard from a club official, the above email is untrue.

My god, has there ever been a more inept shower of twits than the FAI?

MrJoeSoap

gimmick wrote:

Word is now, that the FAI have handed all ticketing for this over to ticketmaster. If 100% true, this is a joke, as how will segregation be implemented, how does a guy get to sit with his friends, how are the vocal fans kept together?

At the Longford-Waterford game myself and my brother and dad went along on the day and got tickets from a cabin outside Landsdowne (different ball-game altogether in terms of attendances I know), but Ollie Byrne happened to be in the cabin at the time and refused to allow the girls sell my dad a ticket because he was a Waterford fan and there were only seats in the "Longford end" available. What a tool. Does he really think a 45 year old man with a 20 and 14 year old son is going to cause hassle at a Longford-Waterford game. It was quite the opposite, truth be told, we got in eventually and had great craic.

Segregation is not the way to go.

gimmick

Alan Bennett, Danny Murphy and Roy O Donovan all suspended for the final.

Last night was a disaster for CCFC in more ways than one :mad:

Slash/ED

That is some blow, O'Donnavan is very hard to replace and City haven't great back up there.

blu_sonic

COme on the drogs, robbo for the only goalscorer

gimmick

Well, hopefully this time next week, Cork City fans will be celebrating an historic double.

What are peoples predictions? I think that on a large pitch like Lansdowne will work better for Cork Citys free flowing style of play. The pressure is off City as the league is won. City to win by 2.

The suspensions are a huge blow, but Rico is fighting Bennetts all the way. Both officials in question have admitted they were wrong, but there is no precedent to over turn a yellow card. Rico has said he will be knocking on Sepp Blatters door if he needs to. Maybe this will be the precedent that is needed to prevent such stupid suspensions.

Any neutrals heading along???

mchurl

having a think about going reckon it will be a quality game of football but i think that cork may just have too much for drogheda in the end. 3-1 to ccfc

Töpher

2-1 to Drogheda, please God!
Hearing about the league title for the next 21 years will be hard enough without having to listen to double the waffle!

applehunter

I still havent got my ticket.

Should be good game.

Id nearly fancy Drogs with the pace of O'Brien

gimmick

Alan Bennetts appeal against his suspension has been lifted, so he is able to play on Sunday. This is great news for City, as of the 3 suspensions, Bennos was always going to be the hardest felt, as he has been nothing short of superb all season long.

Bring em on!!!!

mchurl

hearing rumours the crowd could be 25,000 plus. Can anyone shed some light on this or is it just some wishful thinking?

Töpher

17,000 tickets sold already, many more will turn up on the day.

KdjaCL

EL fans meet up for beer.

I may head over depending on weather.


kdjac