Matchday 11- W/E May 8th

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Just watching the coverage of the Pats/Derry game on soccer republic there and in particular the second Pats penalty claim. Could not believe the discussion afterwards. The panel were talking about seen them given, maybe , maybe not. They didn't even show, or comment on, the fact that the ref gave a free on the edge of the box. That means he deemed it a foul. Now, it was clearly inside the box as the footage shows. So its a foul, inside the box. Had to be a penalty. The analysis of it was a joke.

(None of this takes away from the fact that Pats were poor and probably deserved nothing from the game - but we arguably could have got a point, deserved or not.)

Oh, and Kenny Shiels - 17 points off relegation What's he smoking ? Just glad the dugout was alright for him.

Dugout is always fine when they win!

[brendy_éire]

Oh, and Kenny Shiels - 17 points off relegation What's he smoking ? Just glad the dugout was alright for him.

I enjoy our Kenny now. Disagree with what Crolly said about it too. I don't want to hear ambitious chat, and seventeen points clear of relegation isn't negative talk, it's positive! That's all we really were aiming for this season. We're not title contenders, and probably not European spot contenders either. Top half would be great.
He still has a point about the dugouts as well. Let's just hope we don't draw with Drogs in the Cup. He'll have a heart attack if he lays eyes on United Park.

Regarding the foul, aye, was a bit strange that they didn't comment on how it was given as outside (possibly by the linesman), when it was clearly inside.
For what it's worth, I thought it was a foul at the time, but seeing it again, I'm not so sure.

[Nesta99]

If dugouts are a disadvantage one half aren't they an advantage the other half? When the complaints were made about the dugouts in Oriel (rather than the pitch) it raised a few eyebrows as there is less than a couple of meters in the difference of the distance of each dugout from the halfway line. Was a penalty!

[dundalkfc10]

I enjoy our Kenny now. Disagree with what Crolly said about it too. I don't want to hear ambitious chat, and seventeen points clear of relegation isn't negative talk, it's positive! That's all we really were aiming for this season. We're not title contenders, and probably not European spot contenders either. Top half would be great.
He still has a point about the dugouts as well. Let's just hope we don't draw with Drogs in the Cup. He'll have a heart attack if he lays eyes on United Park.

Regarding the foul, aye, was a bit strange that they didn't comment on how it was given as outside (possibly by the linesman), when it was clearly inside.
For what it's worth, I thought it was a foul at the time, but seeing it again, I'm not so sure.

Is this a wind up?

[brendy_éire]

Is this a wind up?

United Park is dreadful for it. He's not the first to complain about it either. I think Stephen Kenny has given off about them in the past too.
It is very strange to design a ground like that in fairness.

[mcgonigle]

United Park is dreadful for it. He's not the first to complain about it either. I think Stephen Kenny has given off about them in the past too.
It is very strange to design a ground like that in fairness.

United Park designed? I always thought it rose from the pits of hell?

[Nesta99]

United Park designed? I always thought it rose from the pits of hell?

LoL! Was watching Soccer Republic there and a couple of pitch related incidents cropped up - Faherty's chance in Oriel where the ball skidded/bounced up and Faherty pointed at the pitch in blame and maybe he has a point but he didnt look to be shaping up in anticipation to well imo (bit reminiscent of the infamous Tommy McConville chance /miss v Celtic 1979). Rovers second goal direct from a long kick out kicked up on a eh well watered decent looking grass pitch and over the keeper. Ok the keeper lost his footing but still wasnt definitely going to get there before the ball bounced. He may not have lost his footing in Oriel as he did on a sodden grass pitch. To me it is an example of how any pitch in variable conditions and upkeep can have a baring on a game. It is not as straight forward as simply plastic v grass. What the hell was Mulhall thinking for the first. Pats are really struggling but Derry looked very good but Shiels and his 17 points clear of relegation when 3rd in the table was bizarre, it seems like he tries to be eccentric post match. Still a peno in Richmond and also in Longford. Sligo have done really well to turn things around and could well finish higher than more fancied teams this season. Youths, like Sligo just seem to need a couple of results back to back. Delighted with the way Benson has deputised for the couple of midfield injuries we are carrying.

[TonyD]

I enjoy our Kenny now. Disagree with what Crolly said about it too. I don't want to hear ambitious chat, and seventeen points clear of relegation isn't negative talk, it's positive! That's all we really were aiming for this season. We're not title contenders, and probably not European spot contenders either. Top half would be great.
He still has a point about the dugouts as well. Let's just hope we don't draw with Drogs in the Cup. He'll have a heart attack if he lays eyes on United Park.

Regarding the foul, aye, was a bit strange that they didn't comment on how it was given as outside (possibly by the linesman), when it was clearly inside.
For what it's worth, I thought it was a foul at the time, but seeing it again, I'm not so sure.

Ah no. Whatever about title contenders, there's no reason why you shouldn't be european contenders. For your manager to be even mentioning avoiding relegation is daft. There's a third of the season gone, I think yourselves and Galway both have a good chance of top four, possibly at the expense of ourselves and Rovers.

[brendy_éire]

Ah no. Whatever about title contenders, there's no reason why you shouldn't be european contenders.

We really don't have the squad for it. We only had six subs down at Inchicore on Friday, as an example (McGlynn travelled, but wasn't named).
We'd need a few summer signings if we're to think of a European spot.

[TonyD]

Grass looks very long at the Brandywell tonight. Ball seems to be boobling a lot.

[Nesta99]

Ball seems to be boobling a lot.

Ye what? Hasnt Rafter moved from Derry or is he fit to start for Harps...

[L.T.F.C.]

Good luck Tony...

[GCdfc]

I can't wait for Kenny Shiels complaints about the dugout tonight! Surely they were at fault for the Derry not winning.

[Nesta99]

What a last ten minutes in the Brandywell but that has to be one of the worst misses ever in LoI last kick of the ball!

[patrickccfc]

What a last ten minutes in the Brandywell but that has to be one of the worst misses ever in LoI last kick of the ball!

Definitely up there with one of the worst misses I've ever seen. But yeah a very enjoyable final ten minutes.

Another win for us tonight, our best opening series of games since Caulfield came in. Dundalk still 4 ahead but I reckon it's going to be a close one this year.

[White Horse]

Poor performance by Dundalk tonight. However, they did create several good chances and McMillan was particularly wasteful.

An excellent save from Rogers towards the end of the game was crucial.

Very good performance by Bray, although they only created the one chance.

[oriel]

Dundalk may not be playing well consistently but that's 6 league wins on the trot tonight, and still operating with only one fit striker and some big players out for weeks.

O'Donnell has missed the last 3 and Mceleney is not far behind him either on games out. Kilduff might be out at least 3 more months. There's a chance O'Donnell and McEleney might be ready for Wexford end of May and both should definitely be ready for the final game before the break, away to Cork.

Just saw the goals from the Derry v Harps match, what a mental last 8 mins, and what a miss indeed right at the end, he looked like he had time to even take a touch. A draw prob a fair result though?

Dundalk will be just happy with the 3 points tonight.

[nigel-harps1954]

Above all else, it was a highly entertaining match in the Brandywell in glorious weather conditions.

There was some decent football played by both teams and the frantic last 10 minutes were a great advert for the league. Good atmosphere, friendly atmosphere despite reservations from a large amount of Harps fans about even travelling in.

Draw definitely a fair result, and there was four high quality goals scored. Proper derby game.

Match night organisation needs looked at in Derry. For all their complaints about Finn Park, there was no segregation, lots of Harps fans denied entry into terrace and told to go to seats, power tripping stewards not allowing Harps fans fly flags and also one kindly said to me "you want your head kicked in?" when trying to hurry us out of the ground after the game as we took down flags. That's only the tip of the iceberg, but we'll not go into it.

But, not to put a dampener on the night, it was a great occasion and it's great to have the north-west derby back in full flow.

[Nesta99]

It may have sounded like a threat but i'm sure the steward meant hurry up and dont get isolated outside the ground unless you want yer heads kicked in. Tactless but maybe sound advice! Great header to go 2-2. Thought Patterson rolled the defender too easily. Easy to say but there were so many balls going across the Harps box it was only a matter of time before someone got on the end and put it in the net (or not as it happened at the end). Hope Harps are knackered after that effort for Friday

[Charlie Darwin]

Good performance from Rovers (not great by any means) in terrible conditions. Gary McCabe was excellent and Gary Shaw showed how much more he brings to the team than Drennan or North. Feeling positive going into the next couple of games now.