Merview at home

[fitzpatrick10]

Needless to say this is a must win game with the rod squad only a point behind.. Least havo is the only suspension and hope said on twitter he might be back.. After loosing a 3 nil lead tony will want to have the lads fired up and i think we will do enough in the first half to win... Hopefully waterford will do us a favour against athlone ..

[outspoken]

Not confident at all. Mervue already ran us extremely close in 2 games this season (1-1 and 1-2) and some would argue they deserved to win at least 1 of those games so will they finally set the record straight like Cobh did because after all we should have never win 4-3 down there the first time either.

Just looking at Mervues squad from last weekend and its amazing the talent they actually have in their squad. Ryan manning has been called the new seani Maguire but we always seem to deal with him well so it's actually his strike partner I'm worried about, Garry Shanahan, he scored for Dundalk against us in the League Cup last season and got man of the match he was outstanding that night, he's extremely strong, quick and skilful so I'd be very worried about him.

The likes of Tom King didn't even start for them last week so that shows you the strength of their squad!

Once again in expecting them to get te ball down and out pass us while we hoof it but as long as we win I don't really care how we do it.

[devo]

I fancy us to put in a performance with at least 3 or 4 goals. Mervue will be on a high after harps game but coming to CCS we wont make it easy for them well i hope we wont make it easy for them.

[Keen2win]

When did Merview make the step up to LOI level?

[outspoken]

2009, highest finish was 7th in their 2nd season I think it was

[Martinho II]

2009 I reckon for mervues first season in loi

[hollocaine]

When did Merview make the step up to LOI level?


At the same time as Shellburn, Atloan and Cove

[Darklordsbane]

Who care when they got into the 1st division we should only care about De Town getting out of it into the premier league,

[outspoken]

Ah I see, bit slow on the uptake there haha

[L.T.F.C.]

Tom King was injured no?

[Darklordsbane]

Any predictions of what the line up will be

[outspoken]

Tom King was injured no?

Ah maybe he was just returning from injury but to be fair that's all he seems to do these days, terrible luck with injuries.

[De Town]

He was playing for Ireland in the world student games for the last couple of weeks and was just back home before the game last week, which is probably why he was on the bench. He wasn't injured anyway.

[outspoken]

He was playing for Ireland in the world student games for the last couple of weeks and was just back home before the game last week, which is probably why he was on the bench. He wasn't injured anyway.

Hard to see them making any changes after winning 4-0 last time out, could be a real asset off the bench. Not confident at all.

[nigel-harps1954]

Take 4-0 as a pinch of salt. Completely flattering result for a crap game.

[outspoken]

TC was just on shannonside saying he turned down the chance to manage in the premier earlier this season, mind games with Roddy I reckon.

[Longfordian]

Shels presumably? Can't see who else it'd be. Strange.

[Bosco]

Whether it's true or not, its mind games either way mentioning it at the moment.

[devo]

Are Mervue missing anyone or are they full strength ??

[fitzpatrick10]

With athlone n waterford drawing we must win this game.. Next 3 games are the winning or losing of the league .. Better come out all guns blazing!!

[RonnieB]

Must win game if ever there was one, 3 points end of. No excuses about bad decisions and bad luck. Need to go out and win this is a manner of a team who want to win the league.

[Town Legend]

Exactly 3 points desperately needed. After last weeks huge f*** up they need to show they have the balls for this run in and not s**** themselves again. Hard to believe only 5 games or so ago that we were going into a game to go 12 points clear!

[RonnieB]

Yup, from potentially 12 to now level. The players need to keep focused though.

[outspoken]

I think the crowd will play a big role tonight we need to ensure everyone gets behind the team from the get go and we don't allow a nervy atmosphere to effect the players, easier said than done but this game really is too big for anything else!

[Darklordsbane]

Don't mind all guns blazing, get the keeper to distribute the ball to the players around and in front of him instead of hoofing it to their center halves/goalkeeper or straight out for their throw in, let see some football played with the wingers running for passes instead of letting it go dead that will get the crowd behind the team something to cheer about, attack is the best form of defence, the last few game have been as bad as watching Ireland trying to defend a lead, come on de town 3-1 win

[RonnieB]

Well that went well.

[atfconline]

It did, didn't it? :D

[Town Legend]

It'll get even better Monday if Waterford are thrown out of the league and the 7 points we got off them are wiped off! We'll be down battling with Salthill!!

[Longfordian]

Clueless and inept. This tactic of launching the ball at Gary Shaw's head when he's out on the right wing is nonsense. Even if he wins the header Sully is isolated and is being marked by three defenders. Sully is a shining light though, everything he does is positive. Mervue taught us a lesson in football tonight.

[RonnieB]

It did, didn't it? :D

fetches the broom..

[RonnieB]

Clueless and inept. This tactic of launching the ball at Gary Shaw's head when he's out on the right wing is nonsense. Even if he wins the header Sully is isolated and is being marked by three defenders. Sully is a shining light though, everything he does is positive. Mervue taught us a lesson in football tonight.


Some same old tactic or launching it :(

[Town Legend]

That's me done with it....supporting my local Mostrim United in the District League from now on!!!

[lawman]

only chance of cousins in the premier is if he buys a ticket. im paying to watch limerick and I can tell you he has no chance as a manager in this division... tough as nuts compared to last few years in 1st

[outspoken]

Anyone else see some of the comments Craig Walsh and Stephen O'Flynn have been making about Cousins tactics on Twitter tonight? Walsh asking why Purdy isn't being brought of the bench and both him and O'Flynn saying how all Cousins k owns is long ball. Says it all really.

[Darklordsbane]

I thought the 5 mins of football we played for the goal was a vast improvement on what we have been doing (lovely goal) but as soon as we scored it started to revert to the same old crap,
if they can do ok for nearly an hour in most games then it has to be a fitness issue does anyone know if the actually train or just go through the motions and play a little match between the squad, I felt for Cousins last night because the body language of some of them last night was I can't wait for this to be over
Shoddy was in the stands he must have been well chuffed, but maybe just maybe Cousins can get a hugh improvement for the full match and Athlone think they only have to turn up,
At this rate we will be lucky to get a play off,
Cousins should drop the wingers and backs and get some players on the pitch that won't give up until the final whistle
I hate being negative, and on a positive note if De town beat Athlone they will be 3 points clear so it's not over yet

[Town Legend]

We have to beat Wexford away first before thinking about Athlone. That's no easy task.

[outspoken]

Look on the brightside, if we beat wexford (big if at the moment) Athlone may slip up against Harps suddely were back on top going into the Clasico. Cousins has 2 games to save our season!

[Darklordsbane]

Sorry didn't realise Wexford youths were first (no disrespect intended Wexford) your absolutely right legend have to try and get a result there first (I agree no easy task)

[Bosco]

http://www.shannonside.ie/sport/cousins-reaction-to-mervue-defeat/

Tony's interview after last night, seems he's looking to sign a few premier division players in the next week?

[Longfordian]

Sounds like he's looking to bring in a couple alright, you'd presume Curran is one he has in mind. It's all well and good saying you're being offered players who aren't good enough for the Premier but that doesn't mean that they're not better than what we have at the moment or good enough to get us up.

[Acornvilla]

If Messi played for us Tony would have him on the wing and hoof it at him. I doubt it matters who the hell he signs, I hope we have a new manager next season whether we fluke our way up or not..

[outspoken]

That interview was painful to listen to the mans talking rubbish. And then he keeps trying to play mind games with Athlone surely hes learnt by now he cant beat Roddy when it comes to mind games so why doesnt he stay quiet and ignore roddy and let him do his talking through results.

Curran will definitely not be signing for longford unless theres a huge change of heart from a number of parties who scuppered any chances of a previous deal.

[Bosco]

Sounds like he's looking to bring in a couple alright, you'd presume Curran is one he has in mind. It's all well and good saying you're being offered players who aren't good enough for the Premier but that doesn't mean that they're not better than what we have at the moment or good enough to get us up.

Thought it was a bit strange what he was saying alright, he seemed to just be rambling on. Saying Salmo is a premier league player and then stating that he's regularly offered players from the premier and yet most of our signings are from non-league clubs...pressure is getting to him a bit..

[De Town]

I can't really say any more to be honest, but Curran won't be signing...

[Town Legend]

He doesn't sound too positive in that interview, he sounded down and out to be honest and that's going to get through to the players. If we don't get a positive result next week I think its play-offs at the best for us.

[outspoken]

From talking to people in recent weeks Wexford are very poor so if we dont win down there it really is curtains. I know it wont be an easy game but the fact we've gone from a team believing we can beat anyone to a team not believing in ourselves to beat a team near the bottom says it all about our run of form right now

[Longfordian]

I'd agree with Cousins on a couple of things he said to be fair to him including that we need Des Hope back fit. He settles the defence down. Not sure who I'd play alongside him at this stage, Tyrrell or McCarthy perhaps. Quinn should be in the midfield too, he tried to get us playing when he came on and we lifted it a bit. Thought Gorman struggled a bit when he was in the middle, it's the first time I've seen him though so not drawing any conclusions from that, he's still a young lad too , obviously.

[fitzpatrick10]

The lack of pace in the back four and the fact bennion rarely comes out past the peno spot is the problem, either put hunt in goals who is sharper off the line or get the back four to play way deeper!!

[Macy]

It's all well and good saying you're being offered players who aren't good enough for the Premier but that doesn't mean that they're not better than what we have at the moment or good enough to get us up.
So sign a few more Rovers U19's instead? Thought it was a reasonable enough interview though - he should be a bit down after that.

It was my first game for a few weeks, but that second half was utter sh*te. This needs to be turned, fast.

[outspoken]

The lack of pace in the back four and the fact bennion rarely comes out past the peno spot is the problem, either put hunt in goals who is sharper off the line or get the back four to play way deeper!!

Are you mad! How can you even suggest we drop Bennion? Yes he's slow off his line but even against mervue he kept us in the game with a number of too class saves. He's keeping us in games! I know what your saying about him being too slow in coming out but That's something he obviously needs to work on in training.