Spoilsport Biggles messes up cup replay! - January 10, 2001
St. Francis v Waterford United, FAI Cup replay, 13:30
Dash it all, Biggles! What's going on? Seems the Air Corps chappies out in Baldonnel are afraid the floodlights at Hyland Park will cause a prang!
The Air Corps have already crossed missiles with the FAI over the soccer body's plans to build a national soccer stadium in west Dublin, claiming that the proposed arena poses a safety hazard to their main military aerodrome in Baldonnel.
Now the spoilsport Biggles-types are objecting to the floodlights at nearby Hyland Park - home of first division side St. Francis - two years after they were installed! They claim the glare from the lights is affecting pilots during landings and take-offs at the aerodrome.
The upshot is that St. Francis won't be able to play night-time matches until the lights are hooded - and that means today's FAI Cup second-round replay against Waterford Uited must kick off at 1.30 in the afternoon!
Waterford boss Paul Power is none too pleased about the early start.
"It is very difficult for lads to keep getting time off work for matches at the weekend not to mind having to get a day off in midweek," he grumbled. "You have to remember that all our lads are part-time soccer players with full time jobs. But that has been overlooked and I am not happy with the arrangements for today's replay."
Both managers will start with the same elevens that played in the drawn game, though Power promises 'a subtle change' in formation.
St. Francis manager John Noonan has Darren McDonagh, John Reid and Shane Doherty available again but will start them on the bench.