Weekend Fixtures: 18th-22nd September

[White Horse]

I don't.This league is done,Were or at on what fixtures do you reckon we can lose an 11 point lead ?

I don't think we will lose the lead but we may not have it wrapped up by the Cork game. The debate as to whether Cork would provide a guard of honour then becomes academic.

[Mr A]

Guards of honour are a bit eggball anyway. Respectful gestures such as this have no place in the #GreatestLeagueInTheWorld

[patrickccfc]

I don't think we will lose the lead but we may not have it wrapped up by the Cork game. The debate as to whether Cork would provide a guard of honour then becomes academic.

So you reckon ye will capitulate and have only a lead of say 3-6 points on the penultimate series of games? I doubt it very much

[patrickccfc]

Can we get back to talking about Finn Harps and the playoffs? I'm bored of this Dundalk and Cork handbags.

Would love to have yourselves up for next season. Never been in Finn park so would to get there should ye come up.

[Nesta99]

This is a myth. The MFA have built Turners Cross but they have done it on the backs of Cork City. We pay extremely high rent for the facilities we get and those funds have gone towards building the stadium and maintaining the pitch.

I think its the best possible system, let a separate organisation run the stadium who have no vested interests but improving it and pay them a proportion of the budget each year. You don't then get short sited decisions like we've seen at Dundalk and Bohs and Shels over the years leading to crumbling stadia.

Sligo had the right idea, they knew success in the LOI will always be fleeting and so they invested in their facilities.

Oh I dont care how Cork have got Turers Cross up to scratch, I just want somone to build a nice new ground for us on the Carrick Road! You just might be surprised how Dundalk have long term plans very much in focus in comparison to the clubs you mention - when the lease is resolved changes at Oriel will then start as a development plans kick in!

[nigel-harps1954]

Cup of tea?

Coffee thanks.

Looking like Harps and UCD in the play offs is it? I haven't been paying too close attention but I should probably start given that we're in all kinds of trouble. We'd probably have enough about us to win a play off over two legs though.

Looks that way, but as alluded to before, Shels could yet sneak that third place. If we beat UCD next week and Shels win at home to Waterford, they'll only be a point behind UCD with two games to go. You'd still fancy UCD to pick up third place though.

When it comes to Premier sides, they'll naturally be favourites, the gap is pretty big, but Harps proved earlier in the season to match Longford over two games, more so in the game in Finn Park, and that was before Longfords collapse in the league. I don't think Harps would fear a two legged play-off against Longford at all. Naturally, on current form though, preference would be Drogheda, but I have a sneaky feeling they'll not even make play-offs. Too early to discuss that though.

Would love to have yourselves up for next season. Never been in Finn park so would to get there should ye come up.

If you like Oriel Park...

[D24Saint]

Hope harps come up myself good football folk in Ballyfofey , grand town for a pint aswell.

[Mr A]

Thanks for all the good wishes, feck every last one of you.

[outspoken]

Coffee thanks.



Looks that way, but as alluded to before, Shels could yet sneak that third place. If we beat UCD next week and Shels win at home to Waterford, they'll only be a point behind UCD with two games to go. You'd still fancy UCD to pick up third place though.

When it comes to Premier sides, they'll naturally be favourites, the gap is pretty big, but Harps proved earlier in the season to match Longford over two games, more so in the game in Finn Park, and that was before Longfords collapse in the league. I don't think Harps would fear a two legged play-off against Longford at all. Naturally, on current form though, preference would be Drogheda, but I have a sneaky feeling they'll not even make play-offs. Too early to discuss that though.



If you like Oriel Park...

Dead right there, in fact our biggest nightmare is probably a play off with harps. Well that and automatic relegation so thankfully bray did us a favour last night. Cousins really is dragging us down.

[Sam_Heggy]

Honestly, if UCD perform to their best, we won't go through.

If we do manage to go through that game, I don't think we've a hope against a Prem side either.

But Ollie's been saying the same thing in every pre-match interview this season and it's working OK so far.

[Acornvilla]

Ah Longford are crap, but we've hardly 'collapsed'. The last 5 games, points per team:

Dundalk 11
Limerick 11
Sligo 8
Cork City 7
Derry City 6
Bohs 6
Shamrock Rovers 5
Longford 5
Bray 5
Galway 5
Drogheda 4
St. Pats 3

As you can see, it's not just us who are devoid of any consistency, last two games are Drogs and Derry, between that and maybe robbing a point of Pats/ Sligo we'll do enough to survive, Cousins is useless, but there's worse teams and that's what will save us.

Personally see the bottom ending something along these lines..

6. Bray
7.Derry
8.Longford
9.Sligo
10.Galway
11. Limerick
12.Drogheda

Harps to lose about 7-2 to Limerick in a playoff.

[strikeforce]

The team applauds the Champions on to the pitch not the fans.Yous can sit or stand as you see fit and rue the two years of failure that has yous scratching your sack

I hope your forever on your high perch. So every other team is a failure bar dundalk.

[White Horse]

Talking to a few Dundalk players over the weekend. All saying the away game in Limerick next Friday is a "top of the [form] table" clash.

I have to hand it to Stephen Kenny. He gets inside players heads like no manager I've ever come across.

[strikeforce]

I was reading this again and some of your posts since, appears to be a little jealous streak coming out, everyone including the current DFC owners (who are actively working on finding a solution) know the stadium is not up to standard, so strange point you are trying to make linking this with a (possible) league title this year.

I'd be more interested to know what areas of improvements you think Cork can make next season, not just to re-qualify for Europe (not easy) but to finish ahead of everyone else? It's possible, anything is, but you will obviously need to be better than the rest.

A change in Cork's style or speed of play maybe? More new players, or possibly a change of manager? Rovers will be stronger next season you would think, and there will be more pressure on Fenlon to deliver, Dundalk will probably start as favourites, so it's going to be as difficult as it was this season.

Then again you do have a lovely stadium and pitch.

I honestly have no problem with Dundalks squad or Kenny either for that matter. Anyone with half a football brain will know ye have the best Team in the Country and the best manager. Dundalk at this present time are the envy of everyone. Watching Dundalk on tv the other night and you couldn't but help admire that team....Awesome. Regarding where CCFC stand and the changes we NEED to make....well for a start at least 5-6 of the old guard will have to go and bring in stronger, faster and fitter players. At the moment we have to many players that are not quick enough. Manager wise.... I think the BOM will offer JC a one year extension. Am I happy with that....NO.

[Charlie Darwin]

Talking to a few Dundalk players over the weekend. All saying the away game in Limerick next Friday is a "top of the [form] table" clash.

I have to hand it to Stephen Kenny. He gets inside players heads like no manager I've ever come across.

I'd say more or less any player would say that.

[gael353]

We need 3 wins from our last 5 to avoid automatic relegation and if we have a ref like we did last night (Matthews) for any of them at best draws. He was shocking. Clearly under instruction not to book bray players (cup semi) booked two near the end when he shhit himself at.100 limerick fans climbing the perimeter wall to get at him.
Pen denials stink to high heaven of a corrupt official. Didn't wait for both teams to leave the field either.
Play off position at best. Conor O'Donnell :/

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't see where you're getting your reading of the ref from. Limerick fans were going mental every time anyone looked at one of your players.

[nigel-harps1954]

We need 3 wins from our last 5 to avoid automatic relegation and if we have a ref like we did last night (Matthews) for any of them at best draws. He was shocking. Clearly under instruction not to book bray players (cup semi) booked two near the end when he shhit himself at.100 limerick fans climbing the perimeter wall to get at him.
Pen denials stink to high heaven of a corrupt official. Didn't wait for both teams to leave the field either.
Play off position at best. Conor O'Donnell :/

One win potentially lifts you beyond the play-off position.

[nigel-harps1954]

Tony McNamees winner in a sparsely attended St Colmans Park last night.

[D24Saint]

Talking to a few Dundalk players over the weekend. All saying the away game in Limerick next Friday is a "top of the [form] table" clash.

I have to hand it to Stephen Kenny. He gets inside players heads like no manager I've ever come across.

in fairness to Kenny he is like Dolan with tactical knowledge so I haven't seen a manager like him to motivate players the tactics end of it got lose but , Kenny has the whole set Tactics,Fitness,Motivation Dolan was close but two out of three wasn't bad as the song goes.