Eircom league and IFA soccer

[his holiness nb]

Do ye like it? If not why not?

I'm basing this thread on the below quote on another thread which I found quite interesting.

"there are posters here who clearly despise Irish football but like foreign stuff and base this around some sense of loyalty to the GAA. Its a very perverse sense of patriotism"

This quote suprised me, personally I just think its shite.

What are the plus and minus points for Irish soccer?


Is there anyone out there who avoids local soccer due to patriotism to the GAA?

Disclaimer, please note this thread is in no way intended to have a dig at the poster who made the above comments, it was a comment which generally interested me and prompted me to explore further. Lest I be accused of obsession     

[The Real Laoislad]

I follow Kilkenny City
Also played for their youth team when i was a lot lighter/fitter/faster/sober
I will be honest and say i don't go watch them as much as i use too but thats because i live in Dublin now but i go when im at home.Kilkenny City is only about 20mins from my home town so thats why i started following them
My Dad is a life long Waterford United fan..Don't know why and he can't explain why either as he is born and bred Laois,Maybe it was because they were the nearest League of Ireland team to us as Laois don't have a team and Kilkenny wouldn't have been formed then..

[GalwayBayBoy]

I go to see Galway United fairly regularly during the season.

Granted the standard isn't the best but I enjoy going to see live football. Have seen plenty of poor games but the odd cracker too.

[his holiness nb]

I understand some guys just arent really into the soccer.
I wouldnt be a big fan but will watch the champions league games or the big spanish / english games.

I was just suprised at the suggestion that some GAA people support english teams but DONT like Irish soccer because of loyalty to the GAA.

I have never been put under any pressure from anyone in the GAA to avoid Irish soccer.
In fact half my team plays soccer when the GAA season is over, the manager is delighted as it keeps them fit!!

I even tried it myself this year for the first time in years.

Didnt have the patience for it though, the Meath and District league is as bad as the premier league for diving and lads rolling round screaming when they get fouled!

[Norf Tyrone]

When I was younger I went to the Brandywell week in, week out. Now however with family commitments, and Club (GAA) commitments I have no team. Still would follow their results and go the odd time.
I used to go to Finn Park fairly often too, and played youth and reserve for them...but I am feckin useless...it's a long story.

[J70]

When I was younger I went to the Brandywell week in, week out. Now however with family commitments, and Club (GAA) commitments I have no team. Still would follow their results and go the odd time.
I used to go to Finn Park fairly often too, and played youth and reserve for them...but I am feckin useless...it's a long story.

You can't be that useless if you played at League of Ireland reserve level!

I used to go to see Harps all the time when I lived at home - there was some great stuff played there in the late 90s and early 00s under McGeever and Speak, but it went downhill big-time when they started to address the financial problems and couldn't keep the same quality on the pitch. Even then, I remember a rip-roaring FAI Cup tie against Cork four or five years ago that was as good as anything you'd see on the tv. The same with the promotion play-off against Longford, when Kevin McHugh scored the hatrick to bring them back for 0-2 down, but which they ultimately lost on penalties. Personally,I couldn't give a shit if the individual skills aren't as good as what you'll see on tv - they're my local team, and are every bit as much a part of Donegal sport as the county football team. Besides, we all watch plenty of dross at times in the Ulster championship and in the NFL.

Hopefully they'll manage to scrape by in the premier league next year and be there when the new stadium in Stranorlar opens (assuming it will be ready by 2009).

[Farrandeelin]

If the Eircom league wasn't dominated predominantly by Dublin clubs I would have more of an interest in it. Then again, it's hard for soccer to make much inroads nationwide when the support base isn't there.

[saffron sam2]

Would only go fairly infrequently (because I still get the odd game myself of a Saturday), but would ensure that I watch the Irish League highlights on a Saturday evening. I would be one of the few here who would like more coverage. I don't really follow any team, but I have cousins who lived in Coleraine and when we visited we would have been regaled with tales of men like big Vince Magee, Dessie Dickson, Jackie McManus and Frankie Moffatt. So there is a bit of a soft spot there. Nowadays I would look out for the results of teams containing either boys who have crossed my path as youngsters or who I have played alongside (only one in a staff match) or against (only one in a staff match). Which all means I would keep an eye out for matches involving Linfield, Cliftonville, Glentoran, Donegal Celtic, Ballymena, Larne, Armagh and Newry. I don't lose any sleep over it.

The games can be surprising high quality (they can also be crap), but I can perfectly understand why people reared on a diet of Sky-covered Premiership or Gaelic football would struggle to get into it.

[Chrisowc]

Is there anyone here who would be close enough to both codes to know how Irish League and League of Ireland players compare as sportsmen to County level players?

[J70]

Is there anyone here who would be close enough to both codes to know how Irish League and League of Ireland players compare as sportsmen to County level players?

There's been some instances of players doing well at both. A few lads who've played for Donegal over the years have also played for Finn Harps. Declan Boyle looked a highly promising senior county player in his couple of appearances, but headed off to Celtic when he was a teenager for a few years, before ending up playing for the various senior soccer clubs in the northwest, most of it with Harps. Shane Bradley would have probably been a county regular if he hadn't opted for Harps. Declan Bonner from our All Ireland team played a bit for Harps too (I think Barry McGowan might have too, although I'm not sure). Brendan Devenney had a season there, while he also played in the Irish league with Limavady and Portadown.

Brian McEniff played League of Ireland with Cork Hibernians under a false name, as the ban was still in force then. 

[The Real Laoislad]

I played soccer against Henry Shefflin,Ken O'Shea,JJ Delaney and PJ Ryan who are all obviously top Kilkenny hurlers and they all excelled at soccer..Shefflin was a nightmare to play against he's so fast..Also saw DJ Carey playing soccer and he was quite good too..
Also played soccer on the same team as Joe Higgins and Tom Kelly of Laois football fame as i went to the same school as them and they also were excellent soccer players

[magickingdom]

Is there anyone here who would be close enough to both codes to know how Irish League and League of Ireland players compare as sportsmen to County level players?

pretty much the same level chris. i also think that the better soccer/gaa players could switch codes easy enough and do quite well..

[saffron sam2]

Is there anyone here who would be close enough to both codes to know how Irish League and League of Ireland players compare as sportsmen to County level players?

The demands of playing both to that level means that very, very few in the recent past have done both. I believe that any number of inter-county footballers, had they taken soccer seriously, would have played at least Irish league and likewise, many of those who chose soccer could have played inter-county football. For example, Sean Ward (Glentoran) played minor football for Antrim and would have had the ability to play senior had he stuck to that game. Likewise Kevin McGourty would be playing in goals for an Irish League team (at the very least) if he had chosen that path. There have been many who tried both, off the top of my head Colm McCullagh, Timmy Connolly, CJ McGourty, Niall McGinn, Shane McCabe, Ger Houlihan, Devenney, etc. Many other gaelic footballers made it as professional soccer players Gerry McElhinney (thanks Lynchbhoy), Martin O'Neill, Gerry Armstrong, Anton Rogan, Philip Mulryan, Neil Lennon, Pat Bonner.

In short, there are some lucky boys who are talented at whatever sport they try. Circumstances, personal choice, school attended, whatever, will determine the sport they choose.

[GalwayBayBoy]

If the Eircom league wasn't dominated predominantly by Dublin clubs I would have more of an interest in it. Then again, it's hard for soccer to make much inroads nationwide when the support base isn't there.

The support base is there alright but for English or Scottish clubs unfortunately.

In fairness only 4 of the 12 teams in the Premier division next season are from Dublin. The remainder being from Galway, Derry, Donegal, Louth, Wicklow, Sligo and two from Cork

[The Real Laoislad]

Many other gaelic footballers made it as professional soccer players Gerry McElhinney (thanks Lynchbhoy), Martin O'Neill, Gerry Armstrong, Anton Rogan, Philip Mulryan, Neil Lennon, Pat Bonner.

Not forgetting the most obvious one...Kevin Moran