WATERFORD IT BOSS Colm Bonnar has called for the Fitzgibbon Cup final replay to be deferred until Wednesday 11 March with his players ‘absolutely wrecked’ after a hectic recent schedule.
The decider between WIT and UL finished level after extra-time last night in the Gaelic Grounds and the novel situation of a replay now arises.
With inter-county league games scheduled for every weekend in March, a Wednesday night fixture is the likeliest date. The Gaelic Grounds could be used as a venue again but Mallow or Thurles may also come into the mix.
Third-level GAA chiefs will meet tomorrow night to decide on a replay date but Bonnar has pleaded that the game not be played this Wednesday, 4 March.
“It’ll probably be midweek alright with the inter-county coming again next week. I don’t think the inter-county teams would allow their players (not) to (play). They’re wrecked now, absolutely wrecked to be honest.
“I even think talking about next Wednesday, it’d be too soon for them. They need to go out and get a full week’s rest and recover the bodies. The likes of (Pauric) Mahony, he’s four top-class games played (in a week), two extra-times which is nearly another game in itself. It’s like five games so you couldn’t ask him to play next Tuesday or Wednesday. I’m hoping they’ll make the correct decision and put it a week and a half away.”
Bonnar would have liked to have seen additional periods of extra-time played to finish out the game, just as what happened in 2008 when Waterford IT defeated Limerick IT.
“For the sake of ten minutes, we could have finished out the competition. I think both teams would have rather it finished out tonight. There’s huge preparation. We’re down here since Thursday night getting ready for it. It’s Saturday and we still haven’t gone home yet. There’s a big cost on a college too. You put so much into it, I think both teams would rather have it seen out. We’re grateful to be still in it.”
UL boss Brian Lohan had initially thought that there was more extra-time on the way after 80 minutes.
“I thought (there) was yeah, just from reading the ‘Clár An Lae’. But that was for reading the semi-finals, I think the final goes to a replay.
I suppose the nature of the competition is that it’s usually over in the weekend. I don’t know is it ever gone to a replay before. We’ll just have to do what is prescribed. Conditions were a lottery. Very small margin between victory and defeat and it ended up a draw, so we just go away and come back again.”
Explain your comment? We outplayed austria and comfortably held sweden and we are improving
In all fairness, if we stick with St Ledger in defence, then I can’t see us getting the points we need for 2nd from Austria, Sweden and Germany.
He might look good against the Faroes, but you can’t stick a rusty championship centre back, (who never plays more than 10 games a season) in against the top nations, you will get punished. Simple fact, the gulf in ability and match sharpness is just too big.
We’ve seen this already at the euros and against Germany and Austria at the Aviva and sadly I can see it happening again this autumn.
We have better options at centre back capable of stepping it up to that level, but until they’re given a chance, we’ll continue to have a miserable time against the better teams in qualifying.
Gavin did you see our performance last nite? Dismal !
Away to Sweden we looked good but we are incapable of beating these teams away from home and we’ll struggle to do so against Austria.
We played ok against Austria but the last 20 minutes was reminiscent of Russia away, sit back and defend as deep as we can and we paid a hefty price for it.
As for Sweden at home that game has draw written all over it, our football qualities are shocking and its keeping people away from games.
St Ledger last nite was brutal, o shea is a muppet(always has been and always will be) Whelan-wtf???
Simon cox was also horrendous and this was just last nite against a side who would struggle in the lenister senior league.
Don’t get me wrong I am a massive fan and travel to every game home and away from the uk and nobody wants success more than me but robbie is talking through his arse.
Do you remember the staunton late late show, show?
No were not!
But how about now?
I think we have a chance of beating Sweden a home. They were dreadful against us away from home. I agree that the defensive centre half partnership is important here. St Ledger showed in the euros and against England that he’s not quite good enough for international football. O Shea and Dunne may be a better bet for september.
However Austria look at lot better than Sweden and getting a draw in Austria seems like a tall order. Not impossible though. We could very easily miss out on a playoff on goal difference. Which will open up a huge can of worms on Traps tactics.
Have to agree with Denis spot on.
With coleman, Mccarthy and long upfront we have the basis of a decent team. Sweden are poor and if trap hadnt of put the shackles on us at ht v Austria we wudda beat them. All too play for now and we are due some good luck