I've been saying for about 18 months now that it's Cork's league to lose. Glad people are finally coming around to my way of thinking.Originally Posted by El-Pietro
Decent performance from Rovers but what has happened to Dundalk? We've waited 12 games to get a win over them and it also seems like a freebie.
By the way. We matched 2016 First Division Champions Limericks winning start of 12 games tonight. Our goal difference is +28. Better than every team that has a positive goal difference combined. We have double fourth placed Derrys points. Oh and every team is closer to bottom than to us.
This is a dream right?
I thought this is what Cork people thought the natural order was?
So we think we're better than everyone by default. But we have seen Cork City finish second so often that we don't fully understand whats happening. Given that the only times we have won the league have been last day jobs we're wondering if its possible to throw this away somehow. It is very difficult to balance this level of hubris with this level of self doubt.
To be 15 pts clear of Dundalk after 12 games is unreal. Our good start compared to Dundalks shakey start has opened a chasm.
If City had made the same start the previous 3 years the number of points ahead we would be is: 5pts (2016), 4pts (2015) 10pts (2014). (I haven't factored games against each other in these crude stats). So even with our great start, we wouldn't have been that far ahead in 2016 or 2015. 2014 Dundalk were slower starters. This shows Dundalks fall off this year. Caulfield knew a good start was vital to stay ahead of 2016/2015 Dundalk. Not in his wildest dreams did he expect to be 15pts clear. It kind of takes the fun out of it. :-). Like Charlie Darwin said, it all feels like a freebie to me.
From Dundalks point of view, if they made this start in the previous 3 years, the points behind City would be: 6pts (2016), 4pts (2015), 3pts (2014). So they wouldn't have been too badly off in previous years.
After 12 games:
2016
Dundalk 31pts
City 27pts
2015
Dundalk 32pts
City 25pts
2014
Dundalk 26pts
City 24pts
Everything Dundalk were hitting right last few seasons has gone of late.no free running centre or wing backs helping out up front anymore.its as if border lines have been defined and players can not cross them.if this is a plan I can tell you it's a bad one.dundalk didn't need to be fixed for Europe
Injuries are not our problems,not being allowed to play our way is what is stopping us.
LM
Well what a difference a week can make, from the 1st minute Rovers were in Dundalks faces, they harried with a tenacity that simply has not been there to date and when they got the ball the passes came easier as team mates actually came looking for the ball and the space to receive it. One game does not make a summer but it does give us hope that we are now on the right track.
Rovers were on it from the kick off and pressed us at every point. I don't think Rovers didn't anything brilliantly but we were just atrocious. I lost count of the number of times we kicked the ball straight out or straight to a Rovers player. We looked like 11 lads were just thrown together.
We were never going to maintain our success but the worrying thing is the scale of the drop this season. There's no intensity or urgency to our play. I also think we are carrying a lot of players and some of the signings have been very disappointing. The key for us now is to start playing as a team with some purpose and to make sure we finish in the European spots.
By the way, is there a player in the league more stupid than Darren Meenan?
Interesting point there about the signing made this year by Dundalk. None really impressed me against Galway(maybe potential in 2 cases), you would hope that a couple at least would fit in straight away. Note this is based on observation during 1 game, so maybe wrong. I still think that Dundalk are a good team and find it hard to take in that Cork are so much better than them. O Donnell is such a key player for them and him missing/not fully fit has got to be a major factor this season.
Hopefully a captive audience tonight, for the one remaining Round 12 fixture; Noel O'Connor and I will broadcast live from Sligo Rovers v Limerick FC at www.mixlr.com/limerick-soccer-live
Second yellow was stupid, even if inconsistent by Rodgers to give it, but the first one I'll take all day long, Barrett was stood over an injured finn shouting in his face, I'd be disappointed if the rovers players didn't go sort Barrett out just happened Meenan was the one most aggressive in doing it and got booked for it.
Overall absolutely delighted with last night's game. We had our normal we're winning panic but managed to cut that out earlier than normal which is good. Lads gave 100% and worked for each other. Rob Rodgers didn't have a great game I don't think,and duffer would agree with me judging by how he approached him at half time, but I've come to accept the fact that the refs in this league are p**s poor and we'll just have to accept it for the time being.
Last edited by RathfarnhamHoop; 06/05/2017 at 10:59 AM.
I'm half convinced some beleaguered city fan sold their soul for this. Whatever about our own ridiculous run, other results continuously going our way. Absolutely surreal.
Ye are a good team but a Limerick of last season ye will never be
Its been that way for years so nothing changes.
We had Doyle last night against Harps.
What a clown
I always feel sorry for whoever gets Doyle or Buttimer and a lesser extent Rodgers for their match, especially if it's on TV.Its been that way for years so nothing changes.
We had Doyle last night against Harps.
What a clown
Combination of far too many key players leaving and replacements not even close to anywhere near the required standard. The club just wouldn't spend the money on quality players, chance to push on from the last 3 years not taken.
Even looking at the defence last night, only Massey was one of the four almost ever present last season of him, Gannon, Gartland & Boyle.
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), first Irish club to win points in a group stage in Europe (2016).
Sligo 2-0 lims in 20mins!!! Wasn't expecting that
We were atrocious tonight. All over the place defensively and created nothing. Very easy for Sligo, they didn't even have to work hard for it.
Nope. What sort of player gets sent off for diving in injury time in a game that's already won? And it's not like he was running into trouble - there was 20 yards of free space to run into.
Dundalk were poor. We've played better against them, for instance this time last year, and been 2-0 down after 50 minutes. Still, I think Bradley got the tactics right and Dundalk did very little outside their own half. Second best performance this year after Cork.
Welcome to Rovers of 2012! I hope what happened to us doesn't happen to you. Not because I want Dundalk to do well, just I want a good league.
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