Longford town v's Wexford youths

[Darklordsbane]

This might be the last chance to see De Town at home this season, lets hope there is a hugh turn out, lets face it the team need all the support they can get. Needless to say a must win game (again)

[outspoken]

This might be the last chance to see De Town at home this season, lets hope there is a hugh turn out, lets face it the team need all the support they can get. Needless to say a must win game (again)

With everything going on at the moment we'd be lucky to get 200 this weekend. Wexford are without doubt one of the worst teams in the country and I expect them to come and sit with 2 banks of 4, kick us like the hackers they are, frustrate us in the process and try and do us on the break. I won't give a prediction because I have no confidence in us with TC in charge.

[fitzpatrick10]

id say there will be a very poor crowd, people dont have confidence in the team anymore.. hopefully mervue slip up tonight as our players havent stepped up their game when it was need this season!

[Darklordsbane]

After the results last night I hope we play some football but I doubt it more long balls from the keeper all night I expect

[fitzpatrick10]

the only positive form that game is we got 3 points... brutal performance ...

[Darklordsbane]

Have to agree with you about the performance, another week closer to agony or ectasy

[Longfordian]

There's not a hope of us beating a Premier Division team over two legs. Waterford or Mervue won't either.

[outspoken]

Pure luck that we got the win but maybe that's the luck we need, then again we've said that a lot this season. Good to see the whole stand on their feet at the end singing stand up if your Longford town, the loyal fans deserve a big performance in athlone next week.

[Darklordsbane]

very true about De Town supporters at the end, But you have to agree the 3 Wexford supports were brilliant they sang their hearts out all night long, they are a credit to their team and club

[Bosco]

Absolutely awful performance alright, Wexford were absolute muck aswell but we still looked like we were under serious pressure for a lot of the second half. Having said that things havnt been going our way and that little bit of luck towards the end could spur the lads on for next week.

Just one more thing on our captain fantastic last night Chris Deans. The man is an absolute clown, giving it the big man the entire game when the only reason he is even on the pitch is because we are missing almost all of our backs. Just before we scored our second, the ball went out and the ref called it a throw for Wexford when it looked like it was ours, Deans spent the next 2-3 mins just abusing the ref when he was right beside him, the decision had been long made and Wexford were about to take their throw, we were in desperate need of a goal with 5 mins to play and this ****** is standing their abusing the ref yards away from him, the ref could have easily stopped the game and booked him and wasted more valuable time. Then after we scored, we were given a free out from just outside our own box, O'Neill ran over to get the ball at the sideline and Deans just screams at him two or three times to leave it with the ref again standing yards away. I've no problem with the players trying to slow down play but blatantly screaming it with the ref beside you is retarded. Sure enough when Bennion went over to get the ball and came back with it he was booked for time wasting...not that he was even doing it blatantly but the ref had obviously made his mind up after hearing Deans shout. Then lastly, the final whistle goes and while some of the other players are clapping the fans Deans is off fighting with one of the Wexford coaches, our back four is in tatters and this idiot is giving the officials plenty of reasons to send him off or at least book him.

Whatever happens at the end of this season I hope he's the first one out the door.

[Longfordian]

He and Bennion were having a shouting match at one stage in the first half. Bennion didn't come for a cross that he could have and they got a shot in which went wide. Deans started mouthing at him and Bennion was having none of it, you could hear him roaring "shut the **** up!" at Deans, he looked like he wanted to hit him.

[outspoken]

He and Bennion were having a shouting match at one stage in the first half. Bennion didn't come for a cross that he could have and they got a shot in which went wide. Deans started mouthing at him and Bennion was having none of it, you could hear him roaring "shut the **** up!" at Deans, he looked like he wanted to hit him.

Deans shat himself when bennion told him to shut the #### up, it was absolutely brilliant haha.

[Martinho II]

My nominee for player of the year is Chris Bennion.. you could hear the shouts from wexford plyrs that it was goin in and somehow benno made a superb save.. he has saved us so many times this season. I know Sully is the main choice but I think Chris is timin it perfectly esp if we go up..
Agree with Deans.. WTF is Cousins having him as a coach hes useless!
as for the win a draw was the fair result..youths were superb..
btw big thumbs up for sullys crew who were beside us durin the first half and put sect o hat to shame by singin.. its the first match that I cant remember a atmosphere in Sect O in ages but I think the disappointment after disappointment has effected our spirit and voices.. I hope we will resume normal service in Athlone!

[Darklordsbane]

I don't know who player of the year should be, I will agree with you that Bennion is brilliant when it's a split second reaction save, but I think he is very poor at everything else a keeper should be good at, I can't be the only one who thinks this look how many clubs he has had, I would let him go at the end of the season on a free transfer but wouldn't say no to a few € either

[outspoken]

Bennion is a good shot stopper but he was extremely questionable at the weekend with his cross claiming and kicking and I think that's been the story all season. Without sully we'd be closer to harps than we are athlone, not even an argument for player of the year in my eyes.

[fitzpatrick10]

player of the year has to be sully.. id say his shoulders are broke up from carrying us.. young player of the year(if we have one) has to be josh!

[Macy]

Can't see how anyone could look beyond Sully, to be honest.

[Mr A]

Has he a contract beyond this year? Does it seem likely he will stay?

[Longfordian]

Has he a contract beyond this year? Does it seem likely he will stay?
Think he's out of contract at the end of the season. If we somehow got up he'd stay, otherwise I can't see it unless we offer him more than he would get elsewhere. Depends what offers he has I suppose, he's bound to have a few.

[Darklordsbane]

player of the year has to be sully.. id say his shoulders are broke up from carrying us.. young player of the year(if we have one) has to be josh!

If their is a young player of the year award surely Rhys will run Josh close, I think Rhys has scored 5 goals now and Josh 6, Rhys has at least the same amount of assists, (some to Josh) not bad for a holding midfielder, both very good players may the best man win, Josh will probably get goal of the season
If there isn't a young player of the year award, there should be, it would be great for whoever wins it, and also might help to get them to stay with De Town next season
The team next year imo should be given a serious overhaul and built around the young lads

[fitzpatrick10]

If their is a young player of the year award surely Rhys will run Josh close, I think Rhys has scored 5 goals now and Josh 6, Rhys has at least the same amount of assists, (some to Josh) not bad for a holding midfielder, both very good players may the best man win

yeah i picked josh as he has had alot less game time and has been very good all season

[Darklordsbane]

Fair comment, it is hard to say who is better, if the ball goes through our midfield Rhys can looks good, as he can sometimes get on it and create something or score himself, if it is hoofed over the midfield Rhys and Ryan are living on scraps,
Josh and Sully almost always end up with the ball as it ends up in the oppositions box whether it be long balls or passing and moving, the strikers will have a lot more of the ball than the midfield the way De Town are playing
Josh'es job is to score goals, Rhys'es job is to create chances for the team and himself if it's on
Very tough call I think, I'll be happy either way,
I think they have both been an excellent additions to the squad and don't look out of place at all, let hope De Town get promoted so we can attract better players and the young lads can learn and grow into the potential they are showing

[outspoken]

Just on the Sully situation does anyone else think it's ridiculous that he hasn't been offered a new contract yet? If we don't go up there's not a hope in hell of keeping him so why not try to tie him down now. It's not like a new manager wouldn't want him if one came in. That's just my feeling on it anyway. I've also heard Rhys is been looked at by Stephen Kenny so why aren't we tieing down these young talents like Rhys, Connolly, Ebbe and O'Hanlon as I agree that thy are the players we need to build around next season should we not go up.

[Darklordsbane]

I know a shamrock rovers member he said rhys was their u18 + u19 player of the year kenny was there then so would know him so might be true

[Longfordian]

Just on the Sully situation does anyone else think it's ridiculous that he hasn't been offered a new contract yet? If we don't go up there's not a hope in hell of keeping him so why not try to tie him down now. It's not like a new manager wouldn't want him if one came in. That's just my feeling on it anyway. I've also heard Rhys is been looked at by Stephen Kenny so why aren't we tieing down these young talents like Rhys, Connolly, Ebbe and O'Hanlon as I agree that thy are the players we need to build around next season should we not go up.
It's in the players' interests to hold off on signing anything until they see what offers they have. And who the manager will be. I'm sure Cousins has spoken to them already.

[L.T.F.C.]

I've heard that he has already signed up!

[outspoken]

I've heard that he has already signed up!

I interviewed him for the match programme on Saturday and my final question was wheter hed be with us next year or not. He said he was only concentrating on doing whats best for LTFC right now and will sit down and weigh any offers at the end of the season. So from the sounds of that he defo hasnt signed anything nd if we dont go up i wouldnt expect him too either.

[Darklordsbane]

Can't blame the chap really, if De Town don't go up surely a Wicklow/Dublin team will want him, he lives in Wicklow as far as I know, more money, less travel, short career of footballers, etc
Reasons to stay adored by the masses?

[Longfordian]

Can't blame the chap really, if De Town don't go up surely a Wicklow/Dublin team will want him, he lives in Wicklow as far as I know, more money, less travel, short career of footballers, etc
Reasons to stay adored by the masses?

You'd imagine he'll have offers alright but I'm not sure which club would suit him best. Get the impression from various interviews with him that he's not overly fond of Bray from his time there, Bohs and Shels have no money at all. Pats have good strikers already, would Rovers want him? He probably wouldn't go full time for an Irish club either given he has a decent job in the bank. Would he fancy travelling to Dundalk or Drogheda three or four nights a week?

[Macy]

Just on the Sully situation does anyone else think it's ridiculous that he hasn't been offered a new contract yet? If we don't go up there's not a hope in hell of keeping him so why not try to tie him down now. It's not like a new manager wouldn't want him if one came in. That's just my feeling on it anyway. I've also heard Rhys is been looked at by Stephen Kenny so why aren't we tieing down these young talents like Rhys, Connolly, Ebbe and O'Hanlon as I agree that thy are the players we need to build around next season should we not go up.
Are you 100% we're not trying to tie down these players? It's not in the players interest to sign up now, when there could be better offers on the table from premier division teams in a few weeks. But if we're not, and assuming it will be a new manager for next season, they should be given time and options anyway. No point in signing up players that a new man doesn't fancy - we'd be basically be giving them a free pass for the first season as they'd have the "not my players" excuse to hide behind.

With Sully's job in mind, it'd be a pretty big risk for any premier division club to offer him enough to leave/ take a break from the job. Plenty of history of strikers doing very well in the first and not really cutting it in the premier. Not saying he'd be the same, just clubs would be taking a risk.

[nigel-harps1954]

Be interesting to see if Roddy puts in a sneaky offer for him.

[nigel-harps1954]

Just on the Sully situation does anyone else think it's ridiculous that he hasn't been offered a new contract yet? If we don't go up there's not a hope in hell of keeping him so why not try to tie him down now. It's not like a new manager wouldn't want him if one came in. That's just my feeling on it anyway. I've also heard Rhys is been looked at by Stephen Kenny so why aren't we tieing down these young talents like Rhys, Connolly, Ebbe and O'Hanlon as I agree that thy are the players we need to build around next season should we not go up.

If they were signed up now, the club would have to pay them through the winter I'd imagine.

[outspoken]

If they were signed up now, the club would have to pay them through the winter I'd imagine.

Not really just put a contact offer for next season on the table..

[Macy]

Not really just put a contact offer for next season on the table..
There's no real benefit to that - if it's not signed its irrelevant.

[outspoken]

There's no real benefit to that - if it's not signed its irrelevant.

I'm sure other clubs sign players at this stage of the season and don't pay them through the off season.