Who is your money on?

[CMcC]

With Bohs blowing a sizable lead, losing to two teams in the lower regions of the division in a week, suspensions to come and generally looking tired.
And with Rovers on a great run, unbeaten in yonks with the wind in their sails, playing in front of big crowds with confidence and momentum on their side, who would you put your money on?

This is the time of the season that the managers earn their corn.

Still think Bohs will just have enough with the edge on having been there and done that from manager and players?

[The Lep]

Shamrock Rovers

[PartySaint]

Bohs, I think Rovers wil just run out of steam in the last round of games and drop 9 or 12 points

[thischarmingman]

Rovers, with St. Pats second by default.

[marinobohs]

Rovers, with St. Pats second by default.

please translate as most of us dont understand

[rambler14]

Rovers.

[dfx-]

Bohs..

[OneForTheFuture]

Bohs....on the last day of the season!

[SalvadorSanchez]

Bohs have the strength in depth... Rovers will just come up short...

[dcfcsteve]

Bray to pip it on final day...

[SkStu]

Bohvers will win.

[aberharp]

bohs.

[blackholesun]

Bohs have the strength in depth... Rovers will just come up short...

Rovers have signed Graham Barret (ex Ireland), Barry Johnstone (Cliftonville captain), Ross Chisholm (~50 starts in SPL), Alan Manus (NI squad keeper), Paddy Kavanagh (Ire u23) and Pat Sullivan (one of Corks best players) during the recent window during which Bohs couldnt sign anyone.

If Bohs get many more suspensions or injuries, they will be relying on raw youngsters from the B team way more than Rovers.

Its going to be an interesting run-in, Rovers have 5H,4A while Bohs have 4H,5A, also Bohs have to play Derry, Cork and Rovers all away, plus Bohs have to squeeze in games v Waterford away in League Cup final and Coleraine at home in the Setanta. I can see Deegan getting hammered by the FAI after two red cards in three weeks, so he could be out for 4 games.

So I think Rovers have a slightly easier run-in. Bohs were way ahead of Rovers earlier in the season, so over the last 2 series of games Rovers have the momentum.

bhs

[Martinho II]

for me it has to be shamrock rovers its theirs to lose... They have the momentum no off the side saga to contend with like Bohs..

[roversforever]

Bohs for me but in all honesty i don't think either of them are particularly brilliant teams. Not a patch on the bohs team of last year. I still think both teams will drop points before the end of the season but bohs will win it in the end.

[Rory H]

Bohs for me but in all honesty i don't think either of them are particularly brilliant teams. Not a patch on the bohs team of last year. I still think both teams will drop points before the end of the season but bohs will win it in the end.

Pretty much that but with Shamrock winning it.

[Fester]

With Bohs to play Rover, Cork & Derry away I'll give it to Rover

[GalwayRed]

Bohs to win it for me. I have a feeling they will nick a win in Tallaght and the momentum will carry them on. Going to be close though and great to see a tight battle for the premier division.

[Scrufil]

Neither Cork will creep up and pip the pair of them on the last day of the season! (And then get demoted for some money scam!):D

[srfc1928]

Hopefully Bohs

[Rovers1]

Either Shams or Bohs

[Sam_Heggy]

Rovers.

[BohsPartisan]

Hopefully Bohs

Oh now you want us to win. Pity you didn't think of that last week :mad: ;)

[HulaHoop]

It's still Bohs' title to lose. All the pressure is on them, they're the ones with the one point advantage, a superior goal difference, a squad of full time professionals paid big wages with the added experience of winning the double last year and a manager who has managed his teams to 4 league titles. Really if they don't wrap it up from here you have to ask questions.

Rovers on the other hand are not expected to do anything, they can relax and play knowing they have already achieved more than was expected of them this season. A mostly part time squad training at night with an inexperienced manager in his first season in charge. A team in transition with players coming and going just settling into a new stadium. Amazing achievement even challenging at this stage of the season but surely they can't keep it up can they?

[SkStu]

It's still Bohs' title to lose. All the pressure is on them, they're the ones with the one point advantage, a superior goal difference, a squad of full time professionals paid big wages with the added experience of winning the double last year and a manager who has managed his teams to 4 league titles. Really if they don't wrap it up from here you have to ask questions.

Rovers on the other hand are not expected to do anything, they can relax and play knowing they have already achieved more than was expected of them this season. A mostly part time squad training at night with an inexperienced manager in his first season in charge. A team in transition with players coming and going just settling into a new stadium. Amazing achievement even challenging at this stage of the season but surely they can't keep it up can they?

"The Dummies Guide to Mindgames" courtesy of HulaHoop

haha, nice one :D

[Leejo]

Ross Chisholm (~50 starts in SPL)

50 SPL appearances in how many years? :confused:

Either way I think Bohs have the stronger squad and will begin to pull away over the last 4/5 games. Think the effort Rovers have put in will just prove too much for them.

[passinginterest]

50 SPL appearances in how many years? :confused:


43 appearences for Hibs between 07 and 09 according to Wiki, he's only 21.

I think Rovers still concede too many sloppy goals and sit back far too much when they take the lead, Bohs have the experience of these situations and I think they have the strenght to take something from Tallaght which could decide the title.

The new signings have definitely strenghtened Rovers and they won't lose too many before the end of the season, so Bohs will have to bounce back to their best very quickly. Hopefully it'll be an exciting battle all the way to the end and capture the imagination of the general public.

[Calcio Jack]

Anyone know if two teams finish level on points, does it go to a play off , as it did in the past ?

[marinobohs]

With Bohs blowing a sizable lead, losing to two teams in the lower regions of the division in a week, suspensions to come and generally looking tired.
And with Rovers on a great run, unbeaten in yonks with the wind in their sails, playing in front of big crowds with confidence and momentum on their side, who would you put your money on?

This is the time of the season that the managers earn their corn.

Still think Bohs will just have enough with the edge on having been there and done that from manager and players?

No doubt a two horse race, Bohs and Rovers out on their own so for any third club to win it would require both to collapse (very unlikely).
Bohs should have enough but injurys and suspensions are not helping the cause, while I think Deego was unlucky on friday there are question marks around his disiplinary record.
Rovers have a lot of impetus (long unbeaten run) and realitively low expectations which should help them. the lack of experience in their team/management may hinder the cause.

Tougher run in for Bohs (on paper) but hopefully we can just sneak it.

[marinobohs]

Anyone know if two teams finish level on points, does it go to a play off , as it did in the past ?

goal difference I think :)

[Mr A]

On the one hand I think that the pressure should be pretty equal- Bohs have lead throughout and have the greater expectations but have far greater experience. On the other hand just being in with a shout of the title brings huge pressure in itself for Rovers and they could yet prove to be brittle on the run-in, especially given the reliance on Twigg.

I'd be inclined to favour Bohs, but the knowledge that they have to win the league to avoid the 65% rule and probable relegation really ups the ante on the Bohs players and management. I still think they will probably do it, but it just might collapse around their ears as well.

This league may be a fecking shambles. But it's always interesting.

[Dillonman]

Rovers have all the momentum going in but Bohs have been there done that so Im guna stick with Bohs for this. There will quite a few surprises along the way though so expect it to hot up even more! Both teams have quite a few tricky trips to make over the next round so expect points to be dropped by both!Rovers come to Oriel 3rd last weekend and they will be given a tough game!Ask Shels they know all about losing a title at Oriel!

[CMcC]

Point raised on MNS last night which i think is valid. Although earlier in the season expectations were not that high in Tallaght i.e. they weren't expected to win the league, surely that has changed now.

Surely now a majority rovers fans are expecting their side (unbeaten in what, 17 games now) to close this thing out.

Now that they have got to within a point and its in their own hands, with the momentun and the stuttering form of the Champions, how will they handle the inevitable pressure of not only being in the title race this late but the pressure of being expected to actually win the thing? Bohs have played witht hat pressure since the first day of the season. Can this Rovers side handle it?

It will be interesting to see if they can. I thought the pressure got to them a bit in the second half of the Pats game on Friday. It looked like they really desperately wanted to cling onto the 1 goal a bit too much without really going after number 2 as they obviously knew what was happening in Dalymount.

Bohs on the other hand are a far superior side than Rovers man for man. That matters little though and there is no doubt that by being only 1 point ahead of Rovers is a major underachiement at this stage of the season. I think the deciding factor will be how fast Fenlon can get the wheels back on the tracks. If there was only 3 or so games left I would strongly fancy Rovers but I think Bohs will have too much street smarts over the final 9 games and they may only need a point by the time Tallaght comes around to maintain a lead. If that was the case I would expect them to get that point and go on and retain the title. Both teams will drop points.

[CMcC]

Rovers have all the momentum going in but Bohs have been there done that so Im guna stick with Bohs for this. There will quite a few surprises along the way though so expect it to hot up even more! Both teams have quite a few tricky trips to make over the next round so expect points to be dropped by both!Rovers come to Oriel 3rd last weekend and they will be given a tough game!Ask Shels they know all about losing a title at Oriel!


So do Bohs

[Réiteoir]

Anyone know if two teams finish level on points, does it go to a play off , as it did in the past ?

Pretty sure it's:

Goal Difference
Goals Scored
Head to Head Record (points gained, goal difference and goals scored in that order)
Playoff on a Neutral Ground

[londonhoop]

The Fai should approach SDCC to see if they can use Tallaght for the potential playoff!

[Mad Moose]

Hopefully Shams. In the shortest imaginable period of time the club has gotten it right in the last few years. From ownership and rescue of the club to Pat Scully's appointment and promotion to the constant building and good management and access to new facilities and a new community to draw from.

Its often very hard to believe the club is title challenging currently and strengtening in quality. I hope they win the league and provide the league with a welcome feel good story for a change.

A combination of fortunate circumstances means we might see Shams enjoy a period of dominance in Irish football once again.



*For Shams fans reading this that post surely earns me that pink shirt worn earlier in the season. Desperately wanted to buy one. Not to be found anywhere.

[blackholesun]

*For Shams fans reading this that post surely earns me that pink shirt worn earlier in the season. Desperately wanted to buy one. Not to be found anywhere.

Try the cancer society website, they had some to sell and Ive heard rumours they might have a tiny number left.

Or else try Dalyer for the Bohs pink one, supposedly they have loads left and are nowhere close to selling out their allocation ...

bhs

[marinobohs]

The Fai should approach SDCC to see if they can use Tallaght for the potential playoff!

what part of neutral are you having difficulty understanding ?

[oriel]

The Fai should approach SDCC to see if they can use Tallaght for the potential playoff!


No play off will re required, this only happened in 1993 as the rules at the time were not in place for GD. And what a joke that was with a 3 way play off.

The usual Goal Diff rule will apply if both finish on level points.

Good chance it might happen as it did in the SPL only 4 yrs or so ago.

[Mad Moose]

Try the cancer society website, they had some to sell and Ive heard rumours they might have a tiny number left.

Or else try Dalyer for the Bohs pink one, supposedly they have loads left and are nowhere close to selling out their allocation ...

bhs

Cheers bhs. I'll have a look here. I've seen the Boh's one. I want the Shams one however.

Thanks for that however.

[Calcio Jack]

No play off will re required, this only happened in 1993 as the rules at the time were not in place for GD. And what a joke that was with a 3 way play off.

The usual Goal Diff rule will apply if both finish on level points.

Good chance it might happen as it did in the SPL only 4 yrs or so ago.

Actually it also happened in 1971, when Rovers were robbed in a play off against Cork Hibs, score was 1-1 , Leech scored a legitimate goal when the Hibs keeper Joe 'redneck' O'Grady threw the ball in the air to take a kick out, and Leech flicked the ball over his head and tapped it into the empty net (very similar to what Best had done a few weeks earlier to Gordon Banks in Windsor Park)... would of been then 2-1 for Rovers but Hibs got instead got a second and then a very late third as rovers pressed for the equaliser....

[marinobohs]

Actually it also happened in 1971, when Rovers were robbed in a play off against Cork Hibs, score was 1-1 , Leech scored a legitimate goal when the Hibs keeper Joe 'redneck' O'Grady threw the ball in the air to take a kick out, and Leech flicked the ball over his head and tapped it into the empty net (very similar to what Best had done a few weeks earlier to Gordon Banks in Windsor Park)... would of been then 2-1 for Rovers but Hibs got instead got a second and then a very late third as rovers pressed for the equaliser....

surely not legitimate if the ref disallowed it ? Anyway, the point was that since the introduction of goal difference the likelihood of a playoff is more remote.
gotta say though, it would be fun :)

[kingdomkerry]

Whoever wins the Rovers Bohs game coming up will win the league.

[CMcC]

Whoever wins the Rovers Bohs game coming up will win the league.

And if its a draw?

[oriel]

Actually it also happened in 1971, when Rovers were robbed in a play off against Cork Hibs, score was 1-1 , Leech scored a legitimate goal when the Hibs keeper Joe 'redneck' O'Grady threw the ball in the air to take a kick out, and Leech flicked the ball over his head and tapped it into the empty net (very similar to what Best had done a few weeks earlier to Gordon Banks in Windsor Park)... would of been then 2-1 for Rovers but Hibs got instead got a second and then a very late third as rovers pressed for the equaliser....

Was this also around the time that two other clubs, I`m thinking a Cork one and Waterford ? drew in a lge play off, then one of them refused to play the replay ?

Before my time.

[De Town]

And if its a draw?
Then they'll obviously share the title.

[Calcio Jack]

Was this also around the time that two other clubs, I`m thinking a Cork one and Waterford ? drew in a lge play off, then one of them refused to play the replay ?

Before my time.

Don't ever recall anything like that....must of been even before my time;)

[stann]

Ah for feck sake, that was back in the '40s! :D
Anyone who remembers that is using the big type version of foot.ie with speech.

1941 it was, us and Cork United, our players refused to play the play-off until they were guaranteed bonuses by the management I think.
Possibly the club were hoping for the FAI to put the squeeze on the players in the dispute, but instead Cork got awarded the title and we resigned in protest and stayed away in a huff for 4 seasons! :D

[pineapple stu]

Dodge recommended a book on LoI stats; has all the league results from 1921 to 2005. I went and got it, and one of the things it mentions is that the play-off in 1995 (ish?) was because there were more than two teams level on points. Don't know if that holds, but it implied that if there were only two teams, goal difference would have counted.