Bohs versus Rovers. Arguably the most talked about fixture in the League of Ireland calender; Dublin’s El Classico comes but four times a year. While this is a huge fixture, not least for fans of both teams, there is one game that outshines even this and one we don’t experience too often any more. (Some might say) its the original Dublin Derby, Bohs versus Shels. So, when I saw today’s draw for the EA Sports cup threw up this clash, I let out an unmanly yelp of delight. Shelbourne’s demise has been well documented, as have Bohs current woes. After our defeat to Welsh side TNS last year, St. Pats fans held up a banner calling us “The Next Shels.” And to be honest, they weren’t wrong. But thats a post for another day.
It's in the game
There isn’t anything too glorious about the League Cup. Simon O’Gorman on extratime.ie summed it up well with the below:
This is the true magic of the League Cup. It operates in such rarified air, moves in such exclusive circles, that should you choose to become a part of it you might just be handed a starring role. Perhaps you will be the fan that some player recognises at a later date, “Isn’t that the nutter that was at the Carlow game?”
While it may not be glorious, it is romantic. DFallon wrote a great piece for the Bohs / Glenville Rovers clash in the same competition last year, and we’ve already had our first “giantkilling” as Galway United crashed out on Monday to Cockhill Celtic. A lot of people talk about “the romance of the cup” across the water but rarely pay heed to the one on their doorsteps. Not suprising I suppose when the average person on the street would struggle to name the ten teams in the top division in their own country but could spout off Spurs first team at the bat of an eyelid. But we do have romance here too, Cockhill Rovers have shown that and have been rewarded with a home draw against Sligo Rovers. Me though? I just can’t wait to get back out to Tolka.
Is it though?
EA Sports Cup second round draw:
Pool 1: Limerick v Tralee Dynamos or Waterford United; Wexford Youths v Cork City.
Pool 2: Cockhill Celtic v Sligo Rovers; Derry City v Mervue United.
Pool 3: Drogheda United v UCD; St Patrick’s Athletic v Shamrock Rovers.
Pool 4: Monaghan United v Dundalk; Shelbourne v Bohemians
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
Come Here To Me! 
The near-collapse of Shelbourne illustrates the problems facing the League of Ireland.
There’s no shortage of people in Ireland who support English or Scottish clubs and who offer as a central justification the claim that the quality of Irish football is too low. And then you get the claim that if the quality was better they’d be only too happy to watch their local side.
Shels won the League in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2006. They did so by living well beyond their means, but they also did by playing attractive, skillful football. They had a full time squad. By the latter part of that run, they had a number of internationals in the side and had proven themselves able to compete on a small scale in Europe. In 2006, they were involved in a real battle for the title, winning it on the last day on goal difference.
But here’s the thing. On that last day, they won the title at home in front of a crowd of at the absolute most 2,500 people.
Now, Shels created that success on what was, to put it mildly, a very shaky economic foundation, but there was a very real improvement in the quality of football being played. And not only in Tolka – this was a period when quite a number of clubs went full time. But it didn’t make a blind bit of difference to the crowds. People turned up in big numbers for the big European ties, but almost none of them turned up the next week for a League game.
Cheers for that Mark.
There’s only one cup for me tbh and it’s the one that’s eluded us at Pats for so long. Maybe we’re cursed.