Longford Town v Derry City

[Terry Phelan]

Any news on the team playing tomorrow night,Paisley back yet?

[Terry Phelan]

PREVIEW Town eye mid-table respectability


April 24, 2004

Despite going into the weekend just one place off the bottom and with just one win to their credit, Longford Town can regain some respectability by taking a victory over Derry City at Flancare Park tonight (Saturday, 7.30pm), a result which would be enough to lift them to join-fifth in the Premier Division table.

Town are behind all of Cork City, St Patrick’s Athletic and Derry on Saturday morning, but such is the tight nature of things in the top flight that three points this evening would lift Alan Matthews’s side to a more satisfactory mid-table slot, behind Bohemians on goal difference alone.

Derry themselves can aspire to a similar leap up the table if they can follow up draws with Bohs and Cork and a victory over Dublin City with another three points tonight.

That would see them leap from seventh to fourth, just three points off second-placed Waterford.

It has been Longford’s home form that has held them back this season to date - the midlanders have yet to win at Flancare Park, taking just a point from Cork and shipping two-goal defeats at the hands of both Bohs and Pats.

Derry’s season has been very much a mixed bag, combining the good - a 2-0 away victory over Dublin City as part of their current three-match unbeaten run - with the awful, as witnessed in lifeless defeat in Drogheda earlier this month.

Striker Alan Murphy is a doubt for the Candystripes, so manager Gavin Dykes could opt to keep an unchanged side from that which drew with Cork a week ago, with Gary Beckett and Mark Farren in attack, although Michael Holt - who scored the last-minute penalty to save a point on that occasion - will hope to have done enough to warrant inclusion from the start this time around.

Town have doubts over defensive pair Stephen Paisley and Graham Gartland, who are suffering from thigh and groin injuries respectively. Brian McGovern should replace Paisley if necessary at the heart of the back four, while Sean Prunty would be a candidate to step in for Gartland at right back, with regular right full Alan Murphy having been designated to a new role in central midfield from last week.

Manager Alan Matthews made five changes to his side last week, alterations which reaped an instant dividend in the shape of a vastly-improved performance in taking the game to, and drawing with, leaders Shels.

Dessie Baker was a key player on that occasion when restored to an attacking berth, and he should again partner Sean Francis up front tonight.

Read more (www.elevenaside.com)

[sorbothegreek]

Well people,
From the limited reports i got that sounded much better. If anyone could tell us who played well and who didn't. And the word on the strikers, Francis and an-other from here, yea?

[the 12 th man]

according to the sunday indo dessie baker had a great game .called the shots up front and had a major hand in the goal.

[Xlex]

well I was delighted. Had a quick nip and everything was rosey.

Francis and Baker did the business and but for Bakers hesitation and Francis stripping paint of the crossbar we would have scored more. We should have scored a second half goal to credit the performance.

Digger had little ball in the hand and most of the distribution originated from the full backs which denyed long ball oppertunities from Barry and McGovern, who were solid. Perhaps more confidence in Dillo on the right and Prunty.

Baker brought Francis, Prunty and Brian Byrne right into the game and Seanie's control and willingness to be available brought the midfielders into it.

Murph and Kirbs played well but really this derry didn't ask much of them. Derry are limited.

[max power]

at last an up beat report about a game, so are we in for a good perfromance in drog on fri or was that a flash in the pan.....

i believe a certain former no. 9 was in a bit of trouble on sat and was dropped from the bench before the game ??????

[nesovic]

well somehow i doubt this former number 9 was even ging to be on the bench!!

[Xlex]

Lavine, sling your hook.


Over on the derry board, they reckon they should have us slaughtered... To be fair they started brightly but all they had apart from hitting the crossbar was half chances.

[max power]

well we don't like rumours on the boards and was said before, but some one from section O was telling me all about it yesterday.......lets just say he "hasbeen" a bold boy ;)

[nesovic]

It's common knowlege to everyone there is s**t going on between matthews and lavine for ages!! so i don't know why your surprised to hear he was a "bold boy"!!
and if you ask me it's eric who' s putting in for it himself!

[max power]

on a seperate note was there a camera at the game on sat ??? i want to get a hard copy of the goal

[max power]

no its juat in pre season he seemed very bright and fit as well, just thought he could prove us all wrong this season, had a look at the finn harps play off ame last week and having the old lavine back would be an asset to the club no matter what you think of him....

[Xlex]

the old lavine back would be an asset to the club no matter what you think of him....

It's an old Lavine we have...

He took for granted the goodwill he got in Longford. He's history.

[Xlex]

on a separate point who did Francis go straight to and celebrate with?

[nesovic]

definately........
anyone who did have time for him now think different, he took to much for granted and made a laugh of it!!

[nesovic]

on a separate point who did Francis go straight to and celebrate with?

maybe im wrong but did he run to the dugout??

[Xlex]

no your right. I'd say Matthews and the side were under a bit of pressure.

[max power]

well sucess breeds pressure, i wasn't his biggest fan last season but he a hard worker and we need them.....on lavine, bye bye....spend his wages on a midfielder

[Macy]

well sucess breeds pressure, i wasn't his biggest fan last season but he a hard worker and we need them.....on lavine, bye bye....spend his wages on a midfielder
Francis was top scorer last season FFS (without even starting a hell of a lot of games), and Lavine has been past it for two years (at least). Personally, I blame the committee for not biting Derry's hand off when they came in for him willing to pay €30,000. Even if he was still doing okay (debatable), that was great money for someone the wrong side of 30...

[Maz]

Francis was top scorer last season FFS (without even starting a hell of a lot of games), and Lavine has been past it for two years (at least). Personally, I blame the committee for not biting Derry's hand off when they came in for him willing to pay €30,000. Even if he was still doing okay (debatable), that was great money for someone the wrong side of 30...

I'd say they're kicking themselves now too givin his attitude an all!!

[Macy]

I'd say they're kicking themselves now too givin his attitude an all!!
And so they should, it would've been great business even if weren't a subscriber to the Lavine has attitude problems/ is shít (delete as applicable) at the time. 3 players of the quality of Seanie could've been got for that money....

[Maz]

funny thing is (r not so funny) is he thinks hes right.....Matthews doesnt like him and wont play him......(he is not good enuf!!) He feeds this sob story to anyone who will waste the time to listen to him!

[nesovic]

Well it looks like we all heard the sob story then!!!

[dancinpants]

Lavine, sling your hook.


Over on the derry board, they reckon they should have us slaughtered... To be fair they started brightly but all they had apart from hitting the crossbar was half chances.

On the Derry Mb it was mentioned that we had 4 good chances in the first half and in the second we were totally pish.

[MariborKev]

Lads,

Just to say- we were the Derry lads who decamped to section P for the duration of the game

Compliments- you lot have the most contemporary chants I have heard in a long while

What are the words to the White Stripes one?

[Pauro 76]

Lads,

Just to say- we were the Derry lads who decamped to section P for the duration of the game

Compliments- you lot have the most contemporary chants I have heard in a long while

What are the words to the White Stripes one?

Cheers Maribor! The words to the Seven Nation Army chant was "We went and won the Cup (de-de-de-de-de), we beat the Pats in Lansdowne Road (de-de-de-de-de), we're in the UEFA Cup (de-de-de-de-de), and so are Section O!

we're a cultured lot in Section O... ;)

[MariborKev]

Other classics such as

"Pass the Dutchie on the left hand side"
"Baker Street"
"In the Jungle"

And the classic

"We're Section O, we smoka tha blow"

Quality tunes all round lads

[Pauro 76]

Other classics such as

"Pass the Dutchie on the left hand side"
"Baker Street"
"In the Jungle"

And the classic

"We're Section O, we smoka tha blow"

Quality tunes all round lads

TRANSLATIONS:
"Pass to Prunty on the left hand side"
"Baker's Feet"
"In the Jersey,the Longford jersey, Sean Dilllon plays tonight..."

[town73]

Any chance that you'll publish all the lyrics to your chants. Get onto Butch about putting one or two of the less controversial ones in the programme or even better put them in the next edition of 'There's only one F in Longford'. When is the next edition due out?

[Maz]

good few of em are on www.flansiro.net

[sorbothegreek]

We handed out song sheets before, but to little avail. The back page of the fanzine might be a bit more permanent though.
Could fill in those last pages you were looking for, Pauro..

[Maz]

very good idea actually....btw when is the next issue of fanzine gracing us with its presence????

[max power]

its currently in the production phase....isn't that right pauro, i think from what i can remember of talking to pauro on sunday that it will be during may it will be out....don't quote me on that

[sorbothegreek]

Reports yesterday say were 2-3 pages short. So shouldn't be too long.

[Maz]

great looking forward to it!!

[max power]

well i hope anyone with anything else to get in does it quick so we can get this edition out....( me included )

i'm lookin at the front cover now ( thats if pauro hasn't changed it )...its a start isn't it ???

[Maz]

ah im no good at that type of thing....i like to leave it to professionals like your good self max pauro and gang!!! :p

[Pauro 76]

Well officially we've only a few pages left (4 to be exact!) so get em in say before end of next week! Massop 10 has a 1/2 page coming up, our new recruit, the good Father Wishy Washy on board doing an article, (Max, ill need the Mad Tom skit off your good self)... For the record, the cover hasnt changed (youll find out what it is soon!) Giving it a bit of extra time cos of printing hassles at work... (i.e. doing the job on the QT in Turners and not getting caught.......sssshhhhh.....) but hopefully it'll be sometime during May. cant put a date on it yet, but its coming soon.... :ball:

[Xlex]

[QUOTE=PAURO 7](i.e. doing the job on the QT in Turners and not getting caught.......sssshhhhh.....)[\QUOTE]


we won't say a word.... ;)

[the 12 th man]

, our new recruit, the good Father Wishy Washy on board doing an article. :ball:



YES FOLKS ITS TRUE.
tell all your friends that they can read my exclusive :eek: column only in the next exciting edition of "one f in longford".i guarentee you will be amazed at the contents which will contain startling information on the famous links to longford .
also the good father will give his unique opinion on "De towns" team.

[Maz]

it just keeps getting better and better!!!! :D