Who will win the 1st division

[Sunny Jim]

You'll be lucky. We haven't even scored in a month. If Shels score early they'll score often I reckon.

Anyone want tonight's lotto numbers?

[Schumi]

It'll be 1-1 going into stoppage time,and shels will score a winner :mad:Almost right. :D

Perfect weekend of results for us, the division is in our own hands again and we've a small cushion on a play off place.

[Lamper.sffc]

Almost right. :D

Perfect weekend of results for us, the division is in our own hands again and we've a small cushion on a play off place.

Us next week. Big games coming thick and fast. Cant wait for it.

[Magicme]

We have a role somewhat as kingmakers over the next 2 weeks. Shels Friday coming and UCD the following Friday. Yikes.

[Youths4Ever]

We have a role somewhat as kingmakers over the next 2 weeks. Shels Friday coming and UCD the following Friday. Yikes.

We had shels last Friday, Waterford this friday, Fingal on the 21 Sept and UCD on the 9th of October looking forward to the games and not all in same breath

[DRDoc]

We have a role somewhat as kingmakers over the next 2 weeks. Shels Friday coming and UCD the following Friday. Yikes.


Will ye roll over against them - or put in a vs Dundalk type of performance?

[christo]

Will ye roll over against them - or put in a vs Dundalk type of performance?

I hope we don't put in a vs Dundalk type performance in the last game this time around anyway

[Lamper.sffc]

We have a role somewhat as kingmakers over the next 2 weeks. Shels Friday coming and UCD the following Friday. Yikes.

And I have faith in you to do us proud.

[blue til i die]

Blown our chances now!! :(

[Lamper.sffc]

Blown our chances now!! :(

There was always going to be one of the 3 teams trying to play catch up that where not going to come out of these set of games still in realistic contention for automatic promotion.

Im very happy with how these set of games went against the teams around us and shels losing to wexford was a bonus. Still a lot of football to be played

[blue til i die]

There was always going to be one of the 3 teams trying to play catch up that where not going to come out of these set of games still in realistic contention for automatic promotion.

Im very happy with how these set of games went against the teams around us and shels losing to wexford was a bonus. Still a lot of football to be played

We have forgotten how to score i think :mad: and at the worst possible time.

[CSFShels]

Excellent result for us tonight, I think UCD at home will be the key game for us this year, win it, and we'll win this league. Not sure we'll go to Fingal and win, but a draw would be grand for us from that 1. We've earned a big enough cushion to allow that.

[GalwayRed]

After what happened last season it would be mad to rule Waterford out now. Anything could happen.
Happy to have our 5 point gap back and a convincing win to go with it. Results went our way tonight which helped.

[CSFShels]

After what happened last season it would be mad to rule Waterford out now. Anything could happen.
Happy to have our 5 point gap back and a convincing win to go with it. Results went our way tonight which helped.
Waterford are in too many competitions to realistically bridge the gap. They've a League Cup Final which they're gonna have to take seriously as well as at least 1 more cup game. Both of which are gonna create games in hand for them at a later stage.

[GalwayRed]

Waterford are in too many competitions to realistically bridge the gap. They've a League Cup Final which they're gonna have to take seriously as well as at least 1 more cup game. Both of which are gonna create games in hand for them at a later stage.
True that dosent help. Im hoping they get through their quarter final as well. The more games the better. We still cant rule them out though. The game at the R.S.C. will be important thats for sure.

[pineapple stu]

Waterford are two points off second; yes, their form is bad at the moment (no goals and two points from three games), but you can`t go writing them off.

Would worry for Fungus if they get into a play-off; the apathy in that club is unreal, and I don`t think the players would have it in them for a play-off game. So I`ll predict it`s first or First Division for them.

[blue til i die]

True that dosent help. Im hoping they get through their quarter final as well. The more games the better. We still cant rule them out though. The game at the R.S.C. will be important thats for sure.

I dont. I've been saying that all along. I couldnt care less about the cup competetions. Obviously being in the EA final is a day out and whatever, but its taking too much out of us, promotion is way more important.

[GlasnevinRed]

Should be a very interesting end to the season now.
Still alot to play for atm.

I see Waterford being the team to lose out due to their involvement in the cups and having a light squad.

We're obviously in a great position but we've still to play the other big 3.

Fingal possibly have the easiest of the run-ins but anyone can take points off anyone as we've seen. Definitely our biggest threat imo.

UCD are still grinding out the results but not performing great.

27 points to play for. C'mon the reds!!

[Lamper.sffc]

Who the hell is going to win this league?:eek:

Feels a bit like last year.

Only 5 points between top and 4th.

Result of the weekend has to go to Waterford. GITS:mad::D

[Poor Student]

It's some title race alright. To have four teams so tight with a realistic chance of taking the title in the final stretch is very exciting. I just hope we're coming into form at the right time. One team is going to be very sickened at not even making the playoffs.

[Sam_Heggy]

UCD favourites for me, a cracking side who play good football and keep it on the deck.

[SPXcyan]

Yep! id think UCD will win it! they outplayed us at the RSC a couple weeks back! excellent team effort! best ive seen from anyone this season!

[Lamper.sffc]

Have to admit, I just dont know. We played UCD at Morton recently and they looked ordinary enough but you cant really base an opinion on a team from watching them in one game to be far. A 5 nil result at harps is a very good result but each and every team has pulled out some great performances this season. I think this is shels wobble at the moment but still very hard to see them not be up there come the end, but all in all, I just dont know. Great isnt it:D

[pineapple stu]

I think we've an advantage in that, after 2 October, we'll have played Shels and Fungus, whereas no other top four games will have taken place. So even if we're behind after that game, we've got more chance of our opponents dropping points than the other teams. Not to mention that Waterford and Fungus are still in the Cups as well.

Also interesting to see if we can take our recent form (3-0 and 5-0) into the Kildare game and have that confidence boost brought into the Shels game.

Edit - couple of other possible factors. Apparently Anto Flood was sent off either just before or just after the final whistle on Friday, supposedly for cursing the ref or pushing the ref; that'd be a straight one-match ban plus the possibility of another two to come. If Shels don't go up this year, they'll only have their own discipline to blame. They've also got Richie Baker out injured for the season and are facing the possibility of playing UCD (H), Waterford (A) and Fingal (A) in the one week.

Waterford's two red cards last night, by contrast, will incur initial suspensions to be served in the League Cup Final, which is good for their league campaign.

Killer Kilduff's goals for us last night were his first in the league in 12 games (which included a spell out injured); hopefully he can get back to form now.

[stann]

Fletch and Cummins will serve their automatic suspensions for the Longford match on Tuesday week I reckon, not the Cup final. They'll both be "automatic suspension in next League of Ireland match as per FIFA directive".
Not sure whether that's better or worse to be honest.
I hope they'll both be appealled too, though it won't help that match.

[atfconline]

You can only appeal a red card on the basis of mistaken identity.

[stann]

Sorry, was unclear there, the suspensions I'm talking about. Any extra games that might be added.

[GalwayRed]

Its very tough to call now. If we can beat Mervue than take 5 from 9 out of the 3 games in a week then we will be in a great position.
That red card for Bisto is no help at all. Our discipline this season has let us down so badly.
Baker and Cassidy will be out for the next few weeks with injury but we arent short on midfielders so hopefully that wont cost us too much.

[blue til i die]

After the 2 red cards last night, going on to win the game was fantastic and could be a good turning point.

Still too hard to call, someone's got to miss out though.

[Battery Rover]

I hope they'll both be appealled too, though it won't help that match.

Not 100% sure what the first was for but the second one looked like an elbow after the tackle. I haven't had a chance to look back at the footage yet to confirm.

[pineapple stu]

Still too hard to call, someone's got to miss out though.
Two of us have to miss out. Three if the First Division side loses the play-off.


Fletch and Cummins will serve their automatic suspensions for the Longford match on Tuesday week I reckon, not the Cup final. They'll both be "automatic suspension in next League of Ireland match as per FIFA directive".
Cool, cheers for that. But yeah, Longford aren't the toughest of opponents. Do you still have a 12-man squad?

[stann]

Not 100% sure what the first was for but the second one looked like an elbow after the tackle. I haven't had a chance to look back at the footage yet to confirm.

The first was for a push on the shoulder, straight red for that these days apparently. The second seemingly was for a perceived stamping. Fletch was absolutely perplexed afterwards, couldn't remember even making contact after the tackle, let alone deliberately.
As a guy said to me at the time, the players' reactions tell a lot. If one player throws a swing at another, or goes in to do another player, or stamp on him, then the injured party's team mates would be all over him in seconds. I don't recall a reaction like that out of any of the home side.



Do you still have a 12-man squad?

No, we do have a few now. :D
17 seniors and three lads that double with the U-20s.

[blue til i die]

Two of us have to miss out. Three if the First Division side loses the play-off.



Obviously meant one will miss out completely on the promotion,play off bit :D

I think we all knew it would go down to the last series, nobody was going to run away with it really, everyone is weirdly capable of losing to anyone.

Edit: UCD were the best footballing side i've seen play us at the rsc this season too.

[Acornvilla]

myself i think fingal have by far the strongest squad and i just dont want to have to play them next year! bring back the 12 team premier theres too many good teams in the 1st devision its not fair on the smaller clubs

[stann]

No, we do have a few now. :D
17 seniors and three lads that double with the U-20s.

Sorry, having serious problems communicating today. :D
Tow of those, of course, were signed to replace two others who are out injured for the rest of the season, so we've 18 effectively.

[Magicme]

From early in the season I reckoned UCD would be the ones to watch. They were the best we played, consistently, unlike other teams who blew hot and cold.

[Da Real Rover]

Please not another team from Dublin in the Premier.
Im sick of constantly travelling to the Pale for away games.

[Dunny]

Shels please. Always loved Shels away. And I think John Gill should have a shot at managing in the premier..;)

[gspain]

I think we've an advantage in that, after 2 October, we'll have played Shels and Fungus, whereas no other top four games will have taken place. So even if we're behind after that game, we've got more chance of our opponents dropping points than the other teams. Not to mention that Waterford and Fungus are still in the Cups as well.

Also interesting to see if we can take our recent form (3-0 and 5-0) into the Kildare game and have that confidence boost brought into the Shels game.

Edit - couple of other possible factors. Apparently Anto Flood was sent off either just before or just after the final whistle on Friday, supposedly for cursing the ref or pushing the ref; that'd be a straight one-match ban plus the possibility of another two to come. If Shels don't go up this year, they'll only have their own discipline to blame. They've also got Richie Baker out injured for the season and are facing the possibility of playing UCD (H), Waterford (A) and Fingal (A) in the one week.

Waterford's two red cards last night, by contrast, will incur initial suspensions to be served in the League Cup Final, which is good for their league campaign.

Killer Kilduff's goals for us last night were his first in the league in 12 games (which included a spell out injured); hopefully he can get back to form now.

It was before the final whistle but after we equalised. I didn't see him push the referee so I assume it was for verbal abuse. It was a straight red. They also picked up 6 or 7 yellow cards but deserved a couple more.

Having come from behind to lead 3-2 and us looking beaten I was shocked to see Shels running the ball into the corner with probably 10 minutes left. Our equaliser came out of the blue but we deserved it based on our first half performance. Shels did not look like title winners on Friday night but certainly did when they beat us with ten minute in Jackman Park with a last gasp goal.

As to who I think will win the league - no idea really. We've looked better than all the top teams at times but way worse than Mervue and Kildare at times.

Fingal have the best players but don't appear to have the best team.

It should be a cracking finish.

[Youths4Ever]

who ever said Wexford would have an input in who would win the first was right. Tonight's results means that we have won away from home against all the top four teams if only we could play at home

[bluemovie]

Very hard to predict how the First Division will pan out. It's more of a shock when someone gets a home win. To date, there have been 68 away wins in total, but only 56 home wins. I've never seen that in any other league. 8 teams have better away records than at home (Wexford being the most pronounced) and only Limerick and Mervue have lost more times away than at home which is very unusual.

[Youths4Ever]

Very hard to predict how the First Division will pan out. It's more of a shock when someone gets a home win. To date, there have been 68 away wins in total, but only 56 home wins. I've never seen that in any other league. 8 teams have better away records than at home (Wexford being the most pronounced) and only Limerick and Mervue have lost more times away than at home which is very unusual.

if we could score a goal at home I would be happy the goal against Longford at home was our first in 5 league games but if we could improve our home form we would be right up the table and maybe get more people out to games

[GalwayRed]

So with the Mervue game out of the way, we now have UCD, Waterford and Fingal in the space of 8 days. We could nearly win or lose this division in those 3 games. If we take 5 points we come out of the games top of the league which would be great. We have taken 4 wins from these 3 teams this season so hopefully we can raise our performance again. I think if we take 7 points out of these 3 games we will go up but I would settle for 5.

[PartySaint]

So with the Mervue game out of the way, we now have UCD, Waterford and Fingal in the space of 8 days. We could nearly win or lose this division in those 3 games. If we take 5 points we come out of the games top of the league which would be great. We have taken 4 wins from these 3 teams this season so hopefully we can raise our performance again. I think if we take 7 points out of these 3 games we will go up but I would settle for 5.

Which matches are yoy plaing Home/away?

[GalwayRed]

Which matches are yoy plaing Home/away?
UCD (H), Waterford (A), Fingal (A)

[LeixlipRed]

Fingal away is essentially a home game as we'll vastly outnumber any home support they can muster. Massive week!!

[The Lep]

Fingal away is essentially a home game as we'll vastly outnumber any home support they can muster. Massive week!!

The support has nothing to do with it , you are still away for that match :D. Is the size of the support the only thing that some shels fans can come up with? Come up with something new for next season please :D

[LeixlipRed]

5 minute drive from our own ground playing in front of as many fans, if not more, than we would at home equals a home game.

[sligoman]

5 minute drive from our own ground playing in front of as many fans, if not more, than we would at home equals a home game.Playing in a different ground than your home one equals an away game.

[LeixlipRed]

Well in the strict sense of the word obviously. As for the characteristics of a home game, large home following, no traveling to a game, familiar surroundings, small away crowd, this game will have all those.