League fixtures May 8/9

**White Horse** · 12/05/2015, 8:01 AM

Originally Posted by desaintsno.12

anything could happen............. but it wont. The league is over. The three chasing teams are no where near good enough and Dundalk are a machine at the moment. Its game over

There are only 12 games gone. No one knows what might happen due to injuries and movement in the transfer window.

**seand** · 12/05/2015, 8:29 AM

I was at Pats-Rovers too, thanks to a free ticket! Both teams are very good defensively. Fenlon is characteristically building Rovers from the back- this season qualifying for Europe and being gritty and very hard to beat will surely be considered a decent season, then next year he'll be expected to win the league. Pats super young defence- keeper and botrh centre halfs 20, 21- looked good and dealt easily with Rovers slow, limited attack. Not too much of the famous Buckley quality football going on though.

**desaintsno.12** · 12/05/2015, 9:41 AM

Originally Posted by White Horse

There are only 12 games gone. No one knows what might happen due to injuries and movement in the transfer window.

Stephen Kenny and the players probably arent reading this, so dont be worrying about them getting complacent

it'll be wrapped up a good few games before the end

**shep** · 12/05/2015, 9:50 AM

We could be hearing the we are the champions C.D in June again ha ha

**Ezeikial** · 12/05/2015, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by shep

We could be hearing the we are the champions C.D in June again ha ha

You have such a short memory Shep!

The last time that happened the Pats players got so convulsed with outrage that they went and won the league out of spite.

**El-Pietro** · 12/05/2015, 2:16 PM

Originally Posted by KeepersBall

What deafhuck was going on with us getting THREE red cards?

A horror tackle - player was on a yellow and still got a straight red, second yellow for handball (debateable) and one for being Daryl Kavanagh.

**oriel** · 12/05/2015, 4:08 PM

Not for one minute do I want to sound unhappy with our start, but I still think any talk of ‘its over’ is ridiculous. As per my previous post, there is almost 6 months of football to be played, and indeed anything can happen.

For starters Gartland got injured away to Longford and we don’t even know how long he will be out for yet. Paddy Barrett slotted in comfortably and did very well for the last 20, but he is obviously not first choice. Also if McMillan picks up an injury or suspension for more than one game, our options are limited up front until we can get a new striker in from July.

In saying all of that, we are probably playing only at 70% of our capability, and I`m not that convinced that the sides below can make up the points and get ahead of us, but things can change in as little as 2 weeks, and a few bad results will see us under pressure, plus its highly unlikely we will remain unbeaten all season, so who really knows what can happen? If we keep on winning, it will obviously make things more difficult for us to be caught.

**Olander** · 12/05/2015, 4:42 PM

Originally Posted by oriel

For starters Gartland got injured away to Longford and we don’t even know how long he will be out for yet. Paddy Barrett slotted in comfortably and did very well for the last 20, but he is obviously not first choice.

Dundalk fans haven't really seen much of Barrett as of yet and he's not really recognised around the league much. IMO, he's an upgrade on Brian Gartland. We're still absolutely gutted to have lost him in Galway.

For a defender, Paddy is so composed and comfortable in possession, he will suit Dundalk's game down to the ground. For a big lad, he covers the ground well and he reads the game brilliantly. Oji is nowhere near the same quality.

Barrett has had to bide his time at Dundalk but I'd expect him to take his chance and keep his place in the team. The guy oozes class and he was one of the biggest factors in our promotion last season.

**Ezeikial** · 12/05/2015, 4:55 PM

Originally Posted by Olander

Dundalk fans haven't really seen much of Barrett as of yet and he's not really recognised around the league much. IMO, he's an upgrade on Brian Gartland. We're still absolutely gutted to have lost him in Galway.

For a defender, Paddy is so composed and comfortable in possession, he will suit Dundalk's game down to the ground. For a big lad, he covers the ground well and he reads the game brilliantly. Oji is nowhere near the same quality.

Barrett has had to bide his time at Dundalk but I'd expect him to take his chance and keep his place in the team. The guy oozes class and he was one of the biggest factors in our promotion last season.

There are few, if any, centre backs who have emulated the impact that Brian Gartland has had over the 2014 & 2015 seasons.

I like what I have seen so far from Paddy Barrett, but I suggest that you are either overstating his current abilities or (more likely) underestimating where Gartland is at.

**Olander** · 12/05/2015, 5:05 PM

Originally Posted by Ezeikial

There are few, if any, centre backs who have emulated the impact that Brian Gartland has had over the 2014 & 2015 seasons.

I like what I have seen so far from Paddy Barrett, but I suggest that you are either overstating his current abilities or (more likely) underestimating where Gartland is at.

We'll see I suppose, he has his chance now and he must show what he can do. It wasn't long ago that Gartland was an overweight, journeyman at Monaghan United and Portadown. Credit to Kenny for turning him into a league winning centre half.

For me, Barrett has a lot more football than Gartland and he has all the qualities required to be a top centre half at this level. There's no reason for me to overstate Barrett's ability, he's no longer our player now. I honestly believe he will be one of the best centre backs in the league and we've struggled to replace him.

**Patrick Dunne** · 12/05/2015, 5:20 PM

I agree with the abilities you have attributed to Barrett, Olander, but you have to realise that he has demonstrated these abilities so far against the likes of Cobh and Shamrock Rovers B. It is a huge step up to the top of the Premier Division. Best of luck to him.

**Olander** · 12/05/2015, 6:33 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick Dunne

I agree with the abilities you have attributed to Barrett, Olander, but you have to realise that he has demonstrated these abilities so far against the likes of Cobh and Shamrock Rovers B. It is a huge step up to the top of the Premier Division. Best of luck to him.

Absolutely true. I just think he demonstrated all the prerequisites required to succeed as a top centre half last season. He was comfortably our best player, athough to be fair, over the course of the entire season, Ryan Connolly was a worthy winner of the award though.