Longford Town FC vs Mervue United - 7th April

[L.T.F.C.]

Surprisingly important game coming up on Saturday, first vs second. Mervue are doing alright this season, having not yet lost a game, but their wins came against SD and a shocking Waterford team. We should easily deal with these shower. Hopefully the match-fixing stuff won't get in the way of a good performance.

Won't make it down to it unfortunately!

[Bosco]

Dont forget their draw with harps where they were 2-0 up!Dont really know where Mervue's results have been coming from,could it be down to the poor quality of the league this year?
Reckon we'll win, the lads will be out to prove a point and Cousin's interview sounded very positive yesterday,particularly pointing out that what's going on behind the scenes wont affect the players given theyve known about it for a week and won two games in that week...

[De Town]

The slow start in Cobh was probably down to the stuff going on behind the scenes, but fair play to the players for regrouping and fighting until the end. This won't be easy I don't think, but if we play to our capabilities we'll hopefully have enough to beat them.

[nigel-harps1954]

Underestimate Mervue at your peril.

They're very strong in midfield. Gary curran is looking very fit again. Manning is the real deal up front. Tom King as you know is a cracker of a player.

They're very well drilled. Very good tactically. A real test for your lads. They're very quick on the ball, quick closing down their men, and a very fit all round team.

[L.T.F.C.]

Etanda for a hattrick... he'll be up against his old team.

[outspoken]

Underestimate Mervue at your peril.

They're very strong in midfield. Gary curran is looking very fit again. Manning is the real deal up front. Tom King as you know is a cracker of a player.

They're very well drilled. Very good tactically. A real test for your lads. They're very quick on the ball, quick closing down their men, and a very fit all round team.

Pretty much my exact same thoughts. Gona go for a game of the season contender, 3-2 win for Longford!

[Cabs88]

massive game, and with all thats gone on, we could really do with a lift and the three points. From what I've read and from the start they have made, Mervue will be no walkover. Hopefully we get off to a good start and score early and take it from there. Harps dropping points tonight is another boost in an otherwise difficult week. Onwards and upwards.

[Town Legend]

Any team news for tonight? I take it we'll be missing Haverty, Treacy Quinn and Isichei owing to injury and maybe Mick Lee as well. Throw in our suspended player as well! Expecting a tough game as always against Mervue. Good day for football as well so looking forward to it!

[Martinho II]

mick said to me at the st kevins game that he will be back training on monday. huge game tonight have to win this if we want to get promoted this yr as everyone else is droppin pts around us!

[Town Legend]

Is there any timeframe on the other 4 injuries Marty do ya know? Hope should be back soon as I seen him running laps at the Waterford game.

[cheifo]

Considering the injuries you have Longford are the best team we have played (I know it wasn't a great game but still) . Sullivan is a real find and the signings you've made are very good for this division. I expect Longford to be the team to beat. Mervue are very handy but very beatable.

[Keen2win]

Extratime seem to be forgetting about us again this week?

[Pauro 76]

Extratime seem to be forgetting about us again this week?

http://extratime.ie/fixtures/detail/101/2015/19396/1/

Their match updates are pretty good to be fair...

[Keen2win]

Yeah, my bad. I posted before the match and there was no preview of the game!

Anyone have a programme from the match that they can sell me? I hear they used my photos :)

[daithi]

Very poor from us tonight, constant hoofing it up to the front men and then midfield too slow to support. We didn't put 2 passes together all night and have no creative player in midfield......

[Town Legend]

Agree with that Daithi. Apart from the goal and another clearance off the line we didn't threaten at all. Would of been very harsh on Mervue if they didn't get at least a point out of that game.

[outspoken]

Disgraceful performance and it's the same problems week in week out, why are they not being addressed? I mean what are they doing in training? As said above we never strung 3 passes together whole game because the ball was rarely on the ground, we were outplayed by Kevins on Tuesday and again tonight the away side played the better football.

There was no passion or desire and players were constantly pulling out of tackles which is sickening to see. Some of those players are clearly not up to it, why on earth is deans RB when hes not fit to overlap his midfielder and give support? Willie Tyrell is an absolute disaster and David O'Neill is not a winger but as always Cousins is dreaming up positions for players like last season with Tommo up front and Bermo in midfield??

I will defend cousins however with the Shaw substitution, I know a lot of people were unhappy with it but he was very tired after all hes only coming back from injury but yes we missed his height greatly.

I'm shocked it ended 1-1 TBH coz our back 4 was an absolute shambles and as daithi said we were non existent in midfield and thats down to Gillespie, I dont care what anyone says hes holding Salmon back big time and I cant comprehend how he gets playing every week.....On another note what on earth was said to him at FT to make him go off on one? He had to be dragged away by the stewards after an exchange with a mervue player for anyone that missed it.

[hollocaine]

The reason for most of the points you're making (Deans at RB, O'Neill not being a winger, Gillespie ineffective in centre-mid) is the injuries we've had so far. If we had the full squad available, there would be 3 players in the pecking order ahead of Deans at RB and more competition for wingers. We lack strength in depth at centre mid and that's a major issue. No one expected Deans to be pushing up in support from RB as he's not known for his pace, so there can be no surprise there. Defensively we're not as bad as you're making out.

Once Quinn returns hopefully the midfield will become more creative as currently they're creating very little. Players are rushing passes and lacking composure at times.

Possibly Willo can push up to centre mid along with Salmon when Hope returns. Tyrrell has done fairly well so far so harsh to criticise him on the basis of tonight.

Overall a frustrating night but still top and that's the main thing.

[L.T.F.C.]

Tyrell has been great in the games I've seen him.

[outspoken]

Tyrell was at fault for 2 goals in Cobh and against 1 vs Kevins. He keeps pushing forward and leaving way too much space behind. He miss places every pass and throw in and makes rash rash tackles. Can't wait for Mick Lee to come back.

[fitzpatrick10]

infairness we all know deans isnt a rb, but who else do you put der, with so many 1st team players injured and one player suspend were down to the bones of a squad, the sooner the injured players are back the beter, and form talkin to mick lee its lookin like 4 weeks at least before quinn n havo are back

[outspoken]

infairness we all know deans isnt a rb, but who else do you put der, with so many 1st team players injured and one player suspend were down to the bones of a squad, the sooner the injured players are back the beter, and form talkin to mick lee its lookin like 4 weeks at least before quinn n havo are back

Quinn was on the bench tonight and warming up regularly, I was told by someone speaking to TC before the match that he said Quinn was fit to play.

On the deans issue, a solution someone said at the match last night was playing McDonagh there, at least that way Purdy would have some type of support down that wing, he was doing 2 mens work last night.

[Town Legend]

McDonagh would be no better at right back than Deansy. McDonagh is a centre back/defensive midfielder and Deansy is more a centre back than right back. My opinion is McDonagh is a better centre back than Deansy so I'd leave him there until Hope comes back then maybe slot McDonagh in beside Sammo in centre midfield.

[De Town]

Treacy and Havo can't come back quick enough. McCarthy is almost as bad as Deans.

[outspoken]

The real problem is with the current back 4 we have absolutely no pace whatsoever in the back 4 and mervue were exploiting it brilliantly early on yesterday with balls down the side of deans every time, for some reason they started playing it to his head then which made him look good, lucky for us they never got tom king into it down the right coz he would destroy Tyrell......Tom King is a player I'd love to have back.

[Town Legend]

Yeah agree with you there about the lack of pace in our back four. It's one of the slowest back five including the keeper I've ever seen at the club!! But sure look, in seasons gone past we would of lost that game last night so I suppose a point is better than none at all. Roll on Wexford til we get this game out of our memory!!

[outspoken]

Yeah agree with you there about the lack of pace in our back four. It's one of the slowest back five including the keeper I've ever seen at the club!! But sure look, in seasons gone past we would of lost that game last night so I suppose a point is better than none at all. Roll on Wexford til we get this game out of our memory!!

Was talking to a Harps fan after their game with Wexford he said both teams were muck but Wexford are by far the fittest team in the league and that fitness earned them a point. Having seen them in recent years theyve always been a big physical team, could be a big problem for us.

[Martinho II]

Keen2win ask Sorbo the Greek he may have spares of the match programme last night! sure last night was very disappointing. Thats great news that Quinner is on the bench.. too many occasions too many hoof balls,too many throws not being accurate along with passes. as for Gillespie the more we talk about him the angrier I get bout him...