Leinster School's Junior Cup

Duff Paddy · Post by **Duff Paddy** » February 7th, 2006, 11:20 pm

bluesky wrote:The feckin state of the pitch in the brook though....it was really worth all that money thrown wasn't it..

Yeah it's weird - looks very very sandy. We haven't an unusually low amount of rainfall this year so God knows what it would look like in a normal February after a dozen schools matches. The Pres Bray game today was on the back pitch though.

Flash Gordon · Post by **Flash Gordon** » February 8th, 2006, 11:25 pm

bluesky wrote:The feckin state of the pitch in the brook though....it was really worth all that money thrown wasn't it..

500K for a pitch to be ruined by schoolboys. That makes fockin sense! It only cost us 300K to rent the RDS for fock's sake. Its a joke

epaddy · Post by **epaddy** » February 8th, 2006, 11:32 pm

Flash Gordon wrote:
bluesky wrote:The feckin state of the pitch in the brook though....it was really worth all that money thrown wasn't it..
500K for a pitch to be ruined by schoolboys. That makes fockin sense! It only cost us 300K to rent the RDS for fock's sake. Its a joke

In fairness to the branch this pitch came with a very high reputation. I know one of the lads that laid it during the summer and it was supposed to be able to take up to 10 matches or so a week

Flash Gordon · Post by **Flash Gordon** » February 8th, 2006, 11:40 pm

epaddy wrote:
Flash Gordon wrote:
bluesky wrote:The feckin state of the pitch in the brook though....it was really worth all that money thrown wasn't it..
500K for a pitch to be ruined by schoolboys. That makes fockin sense! It only cost us 300K to rent the RDS for fock's sake. Its a joke
In fairness to the branch this pitch came with a very high reputation. I know one of the lads that laid it during the summer and it was supposed to be able to take up to 10 matches or so a week

In that case they should demand a refund, because it patently isn't! And this has been the driest January on record!

Duff Paddy · Post by **Duff Paddy** » February 9th, 2006, 10:18 am

Flash Gordon wrote:
bluesky wrote:The feckin state of the pitch in the brook though....it was really worth all that money thrown wasn't it..
500K for a pitch to be ruined by schoolboys. That makes fockin sense! It only cost us 300K to rent the RDS for fock's sake. Its a joke

Ah Flash - come on now. Just because you aren't interested in schools rugby anymore. The schools cup is a massive competition - it even has a sponsor that the CL would cream itself for - and gets serious attendances - even though most people pay the school boy entrance fee up until the age of 35 or so.

Flash Gordon · Post by **Flash Gordon** » February 9th, 2006, 10:22 am

Duff Paddy wrote:
Flash Gordon wrote:
bluesky wrote:The feckin state of the pitch in the brook though....it was really worth all that money thrown wasn't it..
500K for a pitch to be ruined by schoolboys. That makes fockin sense! It only cost us 300K to rent the RDS for fock's sake. Its a joke
Ah Flash - come on now. Just because you aren't interested in schools rugby anymore. The schools cup is a massive competition - it even has a sponsor that the CL would cream itself for - and gets serious attendances - even though most people pay the school boy entrance fee up until the age of 35 or so.

That's fine - not arguing against the schools cup, just don't play it at Donnybrook, that's where the pro-team plays - that's why we paid 500K for a new pitch that's now been trashed. Why not play it at, say, Belvo, and errect temporary stands? This is important. If our team's running game is inhibited by soft or sandy ground, that'll cost us. If we slip back behind the Gringo's in the Celtic league, we'll have no chance of getting out of the pool stages of the European Cup next year - and that directly affects revenue!

Duff Paddy · Post by **Duff Paddy** » February 9th, 2006, 10:46 am

Flash Gordon wrote:
Duff Paddy wrote:
Flash Gordon wrote: 500K for a pitch to be ruined by schoolboys. That makes fockin sense! It only cost us 300K to rent the RDS for fock's sake. Its a joke
Ah Flash - come on now. Just because you aren't interested in schools rugby anymore. The schools cup is a massive competition - it even has a sponsor that the CL would cream itself for - and gets serious attendances - even though most people pay the school boy entrance fee up until the age of 35 or so.
That's fine - not arguing against the schools cup, just don't play it at Donnybrook, that's where the pro-team plays - that's why we paid 500K for a new pitch that's now been trashed. Why not play it at, say, Belvo, and errect temporary stands? This is important. If our team's running game is inhibited by soft or sandy ground, that'll cost us. If we slip back behind the Gringo's in the Celtic league, we'll have no chance of getting out of the pool stages of the European Cup next year - and that directly affects revenue!

I take your point but some of those games, even in the first round, get big crowds. There's not many places that could take that.

CM · Post by CM » February 9th, 2006, 11:01 am

Correct me if I'm wrong but what is thrashed about the pitch? I haven't looked at a match there for a week but is it just that most of the grass is gone? Because apparently it's quite good underfoot and doesn't actually cut up. Also the drainage system enables any rain to be dealt with easily meaning you don't get an uneven surface.

As I said, that's my impression from a week ago. If it's a lot more f%~ked up since then I'll have to take a proper look again. Anyway, we've only one home match between now an April. It'll be fine by then.

Duff Paddy · Post by **Duff Paddy** » February 9th, 2006, 11:16 am

CM wrote:is it just that most of the grass is gone? .

Basically, yeah. It looks more like a sand pit than a grass pitch at the moment. It's quite a dramatic turnaround from the start of the season when it looked like a snooker table.

CM · Post by CM » February 9th, 2006, 11:25 am

It looks more like a sand pit than a grass pitch at the moment.

But is it still smooth enough? Cause I think that's the point of the whole thing. You're not going to be able to play 60 or more games during autumn/winter and expect the grass to stay on any pitch. If it's still smooth enough that grass will grow back smooth and quickly enough.

I think with the better drainage it's still an improvement and because of the 6N it's not really affecting Leinster. It was fine for the Borders and neither team seemed to have any problem running the ball.

thecoolfreak · Post by **thecoolfreak** » February 9th, 2006, 11:30 am

lets just face it that donnybrook is sh!t pitch when compared to that in thomond

CM · Post by CM » February 9th, 2006, 11:33 am

lets just face it that donnybrook is sh!t pitch when compared to that in thomond

Don't forget that Lansdowne took a bit of time to settle too so I wouldn't rule out Donnybrook yet.

Aren't they the same pitch anyway?

Flash Gordon · Post by **Flash Gordon** » February 9th, 2006, 2:49 pm

thecoofreak wrote:lets just face it that donnybrook is sh!t pitch when compared to that in thomond

Well, you're right, maybe that's why someone decided to dig it up to plant 200 turnips in it at the beginning of the season....

By the way, Knoxie talked about it being soft and soggy after the Borders game on Setanta.
Agree that the schools get good crowds, though its not a big money spinner - post tax and costs, you're probably talking 10K max.....but to accomodate 5000 you could put up temporary seating at Belvo or Stradbrook and the playing surface wouldn't be affected at all.

thecoolfreak · Post by **thecoolfreak** » February 9th, 2006, 3:33 pm

Donnybrook is part of the Schools Cups. Everyone wants to play there. It is also a massive incentive for the smaller schools like CUS, who very seldom h=get a chance to play there.

Flash Gordon · Post by **Flash Gordon** » February 9th, 2006, 3:37 pm

thecoofreak wrote:Donnybrook is part of the Schools Cups. Everyone wants to play there. It is also a massive incentive for the smaller schools like CUS, who very seldom h=get a chance to play there.

Franklly, i couldn't give a monkeys about a CUS schoolboy's dream if it means its going to diminish Leinster's chances in the European Cup or if its going to result in an injury to an Irish international. Gary Ella talked about not playing players to avoid injury on the pitch. Drico didn't play a single game at Donnybrook 2 years ago.....I don't think that was a coincidence....

thecoolfreak · Post by **thecoolfreak** » February 9th, 2006, 5:31 pm

Junior Cup - Thursday, 9th February

At Donnybrook
Blackrock College 73 v 0 High School

That game is going to be on tv tonight, it would make u feel sorry for the high school players

Duff Paddy · Post by **Duff Paddy** » February 9th, 2006, 5:35 pm

thecoofreak wrote:Junior Cup - Thursday, 9th February

At Donnybrook
Blackrock College 73 v 0 High School

That game is going to be on tv tonight, it would make u feel sorry for the high school players

Oh sweet jesus.

Flash Gordon · Post by **Flash Gordon** » February 9th, 2006, 5:36 pm

Duff Paddy wrote:
thecoofreak wrote:Junior Cup - Thursday, 9th February

At Donnybrook
Blackrock College 73 v 0 High School

That game is going to be on tv tonight, it would make u feel sorry for the high school players
Oh sweet jesus.

Fock me, even Andrews aren't that bad!!!

Duff Paddy · Post by **Duff Paddy** » February 9th, 2006, 5:37 pm

Flash Gordon wrote:
Duff Paddy wrote:
thecoofreak wrote:Junior Cup - Thursday, 9th February

At Donnybrook
Blackrock College 73 v 0 High School

That game is going to be on tv tonight, it would make u feel sorry for the high school players
Oh sweet jesus.
Fock me, even Andrews aren't that bad!!!

Andrews are probably top of the prods at the moment, although you can never discount weasle-y.

Flash Gordon · Post by **Flash Gordon** » February 9th, 2006, 5:47 pm

Duff Paddy wrote:
Flash Gordon wrote:
Duff Paddy wrote: Oh sweet jesus.
Fock me, even Andrews aren't that bad!!!
Andrews are probably top of the prods at the moment, although you can never discount weasle-y.

Top of the prods!

Excellent! Knocked out in the first round of both the S and J's.....but still top of the Prods!