Shels (H) July 5th

[hollocaine]

A real sense of excitement ahead of the game in this forum!!!

TC has a selection headache if he wants to bring Ricer back in. Hard to drop anyone after winning 3-0 away in Galway. Still though, it's great that the full squad is available and the team is in such good form. Roll on Saturday.

Shels without Lee Murtagh who physically would have been a threat.

[Town Legend]

Looking like we'll have a stronger squad than last week. Only had 4 subs including Bennion on the bench in Galway. Where was all the u-19 players that signed? Normally TC would fill the bench with them when we're short. Also I see in the paper TC said he'll have to bring in one or two because one or two are gone.......who's gone???

[Acornvilla]

Maybe some of the u19's :P

[Town Legend]

Maybe Deans and Carrigy? Carrigy hasn't been seen near the place and Deans after his stupid red in Shel's could be shown the door.

[Longfordian]

I'd say he means the u19s who were on the bench previously. Carrigy was supposed to be registered in this window when they missed the February deadline. Whether that is still the plan or not I don't know. Deans will be kept as cover I'd say.

[Mister X]

Hard to know what way he will line out v shels as he played mulhall on the wing last time against them, rice will start id say! As for players coming in, a winger is what we need !

[outspoken]

I'd imagine when TC says a few have left he is referring to the u19 players such as dean Murphy who left a few weeks ago. As said above a huge selection headache in midfield with Don scoring last week you'd imagine hel retain his place and while Shannon hasn't been superb of late he is contributing with solid performances in my opinion and for that reason Kevin O'Connor won't be moved out wide as he hasn't the legs for that sort of game so you'd imagine Kev will move out for Ricer which is the right decision in my eyes as harsh as it may be to Kev but that's football and that's why we have a squad as strong as we do for situations like last week.

I am genuinely more excited and up for this game than I have been for any in a long time and I really fancy us to beat this lot this time around after 2 close calls In recent meetings. If we do lose I won't be one of the many who I'm sure will say we won't win the title etc Etc as I keep drawing my mind back to the season limerick lost 4 times to Waterford yet still won the title and as we have a game in hand that's very well what might happen to us, as long as we win the title I don't care but it would be nice to shut these tramps up in the process.

3-1 town my prediction

[Mister X]

3-1 town my prediction

With 5 or 6 clean sheets in a row now and the back four so strong im going to go with a 2 -0 town prediction

[Keen2win]

Was talking to Carrigy over a game of football tennis yesterday, it still seems to be the plan that he is going to sign. He isn't overly hopeful of getting a game though, hope he gets a chance all the same!

[Town Legend]

Who won the football tennis?!!

[Acornvilla]

Whoever won wins the contract.

[Acornvilla]

http://www.shannonside.ie/sport/cousins-awaits-shelbourne-visit/

Interview with himself again. Spoke slightly less ****e than usual this time, helps when you're winning thou I guess :D
I'm seriously considering coming down from Limerick for the night to watch this.

[IrishRossi]

cant wait for this match tonight should be a good one
id say 1-0 to town

[RonnieB]

With Galway dropping points last night, a win tonight would be greatly appreciated to put a bit of distance between us and them.

[Darklordsbane]

Great win better 3 points Kevin O Connor motm for me followed by Gary Shaw then David O Sullivan couldn't really complain about anyone, didn't think Glen deserved to be sent off thought if Shels had a decent playmaker we could have been in trouble

[Longfordian]

I didn't think they ever looked like scoring really and we could have had 8! We're a much better side when we play as we can.

[hollocaine]

That was class! Can't understand how Shels have gone back so much as a team in the last two months.

Those Groundhoppers are welcome to the CCS anytime, if that's the type of performance we produce.

[Keen2win]

Unfortunately I was on the losing end of the football tennis, what can you do!

Only made it at half time, thrilled with the performance and result! #Town

[RonnieB]

Great result.

At the rate I am going I might make one game this year at home. A disgrace I am!

[shelsfan1]

Can't understand how Shels have gone back so much as a team in the last two months.



Injuries and suspensions have hurt us. Losing the 2 players to the Ireland under 19's came at the worst possible time. Since then we've struggled to find any kind of form. You've got to remember it's a very young team. Out of the 10 players that finished the game tonight,the oldest is 22 and 6 are teenagers.

Put simply, we overachieved in the first series, and slightly underachieved in the second. Hopefully we have enough to get us into the playoffs.

[Martinho II]

for starters what a performance! Shaw was superb for us -a superb ball for Sully kicked things off for us.. His header wasnt too bad either. lovely to see Sully,Jamie Mulhall and Shawsy come over to celebrate with us. It was like 2001 all over again.. oh by the way Sully has now equalled Parsons alltime scoring record in all competitions of 42 goals! Also if we keep one more clean sheet we equal the record of seven clean sheets in a row from 05!I cant believe how poor Shels were. I was ****tin a brick when Glen undeservedly got sent off. I think we have to send a trophy to Willo McDonagh for changing our season if we do finally get promoted. I thought we were gone when Glen went but that was a nice bonus for Willo to be sent off for getting hold of Glen after making the challenge!

[Longfordian]

Injuries and suspensions have hurt us. Losing the 2 players to the Ireland under 19's came at the worst possible time. Since then we've struggled to find any kind of form. You've got to remember it's a very young team. Out of the 10 players that finished the game tonight,the oldest is 22 and 6 are teenagers.

Put simply, we overachieved in the first series, and slightly underachieved in the second. Hopefully we have enough to get us into the playoffs.

Fair points there. Young sides can tend to drop off as the weeks go on and other teams learn more about them. Some talented young players in there though. Like the look of Connolly up front. He didn't cause Flynn and Sullivan too many problems but not many forwards do in this league. He's quick and good on the ball.

[Martinho II]

Shamrock Rovers B are another example of a team that have tailed off as well! hope the Shels player is ok. Thats a new thing to have players go off the pitch after a clash of heads !

[Town Legend]

I thought it was strange alright. When I seen that I immediately thought of the Muamba incident and feared the worst. Thankfully it wasn't as serious and he'll be back playing soon.

[outspoken]

Can't say much more than has already been said but what has pleased me the most these past few weeks is the fact we never ever ever look like losing the game. Harps, Galway, Shels we were in total control throughout and you always knew at worst we were going home with a point which must be a fantastic confidence booster to the entire team. I echo the calls about Kevin O'connor he was superb last night , really really good on the ball and after the red card Gary Shaw really came into the game and used the space superbly and grabbed a fine goal. Sully is just pure magic to watch while Salmo almost recreated his magic strike from last week in the first half when he thumped the cross bar. However, il end this post on a lets keep our feet on the ground message as Wexford Youths really are a horrible team to play and we have them twice in the next 3 weeks. Keep plugging away town.

[Darklordsbane]

I read somewhere that Rhys has scored against Wexford every time he has played against them, he was an unused sub last night so must be back in full training, but will he get a chance to get back into the team I doubt it,
I haven't been to a match for ages as I was away on business, but I must say I saw a huge difference in the confidence of the team, they actually didn't play badly at all, and were really good a lot of the time,
I know you all probably think it's just down to Mark Salmon being back and while he deserves all the praise anyone wants to give him, I think a HUGH shout has to go out to Paul Hunt as well, much more football being played without Bennion in goal

[outspoken]

I read somewhere that Rhys has scored against Wexford every time he has played against them, he was an unused sub last night so must be back in full training, but will he get a chance to get back into the team I doubt it,
I haven't been to a match for ages as I was away on business, but I must say I saw a huge difference in the confidence of the team, they actually didn't play badly at all, and were really good a lot of the time,
I know you all probably think it's just down to Mark Salmon being back and while he deserves all the praise anyone wants to give him, I think a HUGH shout has to go out to Paul Hunt as well, much more football being played without Bennion in goal

The scenes

[Bosco]

I thought it was strange alright. When I seen that I immediately thought of the Muamba incident and feared the worst. Thankfully it wasn't as serious and he'll be back playing soon.

Apparently what happened was one of the Shels lads that was down refused to leave the field after his head injury and the ref basically said right i'm going to take all the players off if you don't. Still strange alright, never seen anything like that before.

[Martinho II]

oh forgot to say wot a beautiful cross from Kevin O Connor for Shawsys goal.. precise to say the least..