On Thursday night Cork City were in European action in Sweden . They performed reasonably well but unfortunately lost . Now tonight they are expected to travel to Donegal to play FinnHarps in the opening league fixture .
Why is this game on tonight ??
It is not really fair to expect them to travel to and from Sweden and then to and from Donegal in four days . People often criticise the National League over the European results yet clubs refuse to assist other clubs in their preparations to represent the National league on the European stage .
Finn Harps or the National League executive committee have a lot to answer for . Why were Cork's appeals for assistance with fixtures not granted . Do you people at either Harps or the NL not care about Irish football ?
Finn Harps were involved in several of these rows over the timing of certain fixtures last season and already this season the NL has been hit with the same controversy . Harps seem to have their own separate agenda over not granting Cork their wish to play the game on Sunday afternoon . Maybe it is because of the refusal of the Bray management and the FAI to move the second Cup final replay to the sunday or just jealousy that Cork are in europe and they missed out is behind it .
But on the other hand , the NL executive committee knew weeks ago that the games were only two days apart and did nothing . Do they ever do anything for the good of the league . If the NL is to ever get better and achieve better results then it is time for clubs and the NL itself to give clubs in Europe every possible assistance . If we do not then it will continue to get worse ........if that is possible .
Longford Town agreed to switch their first league game of the season to last weekend so Bray could at least have one competitive game under their belts .
They deserve a lot of credit for assisting another club when the request was put in . If only other clubs would follow their lead and help Irish football to grow instead of being selfish .
Last year a work mate who supports Harps went to the Celtic - Pats European tie in Tolka . He supported Celtic on the Basis that "they are an Irish team" and that he "hates St Pats and that he would never support them no matter" ....yet he is always going on about how much he "hates the Brits" and is proud to be from the Republic of Ireland . Now the last time I checked Celtic are from Scotland which is ruled by the British government .....I am still trying to figure it out .
I detest St Pats , but I still supported them unlike the majority of the 10,000 crowd some of whom were calling Ian Gilzean a "scottish fucker" yet he was playing for a team representing the NL Of Ireland against a team from the Scottish league. Trevor Wood was called a "British wanker" and the same story applies .
With supporters like that who needs the critics of the National League of Ireland .
Bohs Til I Die