LOI fixtures 22nd/23rd May

[Dunny]

Premier Division

Friday

Bohemian v Bray Wanderers

Cork City v Shamrock Rovers

Derry City v Sligo Rovers

Drogheda United v Galway United

Saint Pats Ath. v Dundalk FC

Saturday

Longford Town v Limerick FC 7:30pm

First Division

Friday

Cabinteely FC v Cobh Ramblers

Finn Harps v UCDAFC 8pm

Shelbourne v Waterford United 7:15pm

Wexford Youths v Athlone Town 8pm

Match Officials:

http://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/6071-match-officials-appointed-may-22-23

Suspensions:

http://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/6070-weekend-suspension-list-from-may-18

Betting:

http://www.paddypower.com/football/football-matches/ireland

[paykanti]

A 5-fold on the Prem away sides pays out a tasty 683/1 tomorrow. Want to make it safer? Take out Rovers for 194/1. And want to basically make it risk-free? Take out Bray as well and the treble of Galway, Sligo and Dundalk gives a phenomenal 16/1.

[White Horse]

I see John Caulfield is afraid that negative tactics from the away side will kill the game. Apparently, he expects Rovers to park the bus, sit deep and dig in for a point.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/caulfield-says-rovers-tactics-will-make-for-cagey-affair-31243117.html

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Great to hear the man renowned for his team playing silky football away from home coming out against those who go away from home and look for a point.

[PartySaint]

I see John Caulfield is afraid that negative tactics from the away side will kill the game. Apparently, he expects Rovers to park the bus, sit deep and dig in for a point.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/caulfield-says-rovers-tactics-will-make-for-cagey-affair-31243117.html

Neither side will even bother going out of their own half in that game.They'll probably just tip off and stand still for 45 minutes then the same again in the second half.

We should get a decent enough game in Richmond tho. Killian Brennan will get his obligatory red card against Dundalk no doubt

[Spudulika]

Neith side will even bother going out of their own half in that game.They'll probably just tip off and stand still for 45 minutes then the same again in the second half.

We should get a decent enough game in Richmond tho. Killian Brennan will get his obligatory red card against Dundalk no doubt

I've a draw in the Pats-Dundalk game, however.....considering KB's propensity for intracounty violence........damn!

[dundalkfc10]

Neither side will even bother going out of their own half in that game.They'll probably just tip off and stand still for 45 minutes then the same again in the second half.

We should get a decent enough game in Richmond tho. Killian Brennan will get his obligatory red card against Dundalk no doubt

Last 6 times we played Pats when Brennan played he has been sent off 3 times (we won them 3) other 3 that he managed not to do something stupid, ended up 2 wins for Pats and a draw

[PartySaint]

Last 6 times we played Pats when Brennan played he has been sent off 3 times (we won them 3) other 3 that he managed not to do something stupid, ended up 2 wins for Pats and a draw

He's getting creative with how he gets sent off, managed to get sent off after a game in Richmond last season.

[Sam_Heggy]

Harps v UCD should be a good game, Harps with an unbeaten start to the season, UCD in great form in the last 6 or 7 games.

I'd say a draw in this one is extremely likely.

[Pablo Escobar]

Cork City -v- Shamrock Rovers has been put back as Rovers got stuck in traffic on the N40 in Cork. They must have just google mapped that trip 😀 8pm is what I'm hearing,

[gufcfan]

What is it with Cork and buses...

[Nesta99]

Cork City -v- Shamrock Rovers has been put back as Rovers got stuck in traffic on the N40 in Cork. They must have just google mapped that trip  8pm is what I'm hearing,

Not great from the model club, what time did they leave Dublin at? Fenlon has his excuses now if they dont get the win!

[paykanti]

Keeping up to date with the written text updates from that game has me nodding off, a minute please for all the fallen heroes who were in attendance.

[Spudulika]

Dundalk ahead, KB still on the field, I think.

Strange with Rovers, Tallaght seems to be a Twilight zone for buses.

[Battery Rover]

Wexford vs Athlone abandoned at HT due to a generator fire resulting in floodlight failure. Wexford leading 2-0 at time

[paykanti]

Oh Sligo, my poor little munchkins, when will you start getting the rub of the green?

[placid casual]

Kenny could probably start thinking about resting players for the champions league.
cos this league is as over as over can be
Rovers need a striker to finish in the mini league ahead of cork and bohs

[patrickccfc]

Good god that was turgid stuff tonight. We offered nothing going forward, sure we hit the bar and had a close range header saved, but it was a woefully bad game. Rovers had a lot of the ball without doing much with it.. dundalk 7 ahead with a game in hand it's gona take a monumental collapse for anyone to get near them

[Pablo Escobar]

Good god that was turgid stuff tonight. We offered nothing going forward, sure we hit the bar and had a close range header saved, but it was a woefully bad game. Rovers had a lot of the ball without doing much with it.. dundalk 7 ahead with a game in hand it's gona take a monumental collapse for anyone to get near them
I was actually at the Pats Dundalk game. The Dundalk 2nd was a great goal. Superb football.

[oriel]

Good god that was turgid stuff tonight. We offered nothing going forward, sure we hit the bar and had a close range header saved, but it was a woefully bad game. Rovers had a lot of the ball without doing much with it.. dundalk 7 ahead with a game in hand it's gona take a monumental collapse for anyone to get near them


Dundalk only 6 ahead, (with a game in hand) but it's some pace we are setting, that's 38 points now from a possible 42.

Rovers draws are really starting to effect them, seems Fenlon is far too worried about not losing than anything else, that's 7 draws now I think? Would have been better losing one or two and winning more games. Cork also dropping too many points at home.

Missed our game tonight, heard Horgan's second was a a brilliant move and goal.

[White Horse]

Missed our game tonight, heard Horgan's second was a a brilliant move and goal.

It was a lovely move. Pats were much better than at Oriel in the first series.

They really wanted to lay down a marker. Dundalk had just too much pace and power for them. Dundalk were very wasteful though, should have scored 6 or 7 goals given the possession and chances that were created.

[Sam_Heggy]

UCD are a lovely footballing side, they'll not drop many points between now and the end of the season.
That being said, we gifted them 2 goals and missed a couple of decent chances.

Kevin McHugh is a class act
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=420407814807368

[nigel-harps1954]

Finn Harps best start to a league season in the history of the club. 12 games unbeaten and a superbly entertaining match in Finn Park.

Ruairi Keatings header for 1-1:

420405451474271

Kevin McHughs equaliser for 2-2:

420407814807368

[Dalymountrower]

Stunning save from Bray keeper at the end of a grim game.GBH committed by a variety of Bray players

Unconnected serious injuries to Pender and Anto Murphy will cause huge problem for Bohs.

[oriel]

UCD are a lovely footballing side, they'll not drop many points between now and the end of the season.
That being said, we gifted them 2 goals and missed a couple of decent chances.

Kevin McHugh is a class act
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=420407814807368

Nice crowd behind the goal there and nice to see the crowd in good voice. I'd love a trip up there next season. Jackson's is a good spot.

[Sam_Heggy]

Yeah, decent crowd, atmosphere was decent at times but mostly tense.
Too early to be talking about next season but, trips to Dundalk, Sligo, Derry, Dayler, Tallaght, Inchicore sound a hell of alot better than Cobh, Cabinteely, Wexford and Waterford haha.

[jinxy lilywhite]

Dundalk were fantastic tonight. Pats were poor but we made them look poor.

I shudder to think what is the bar for this team. We have been blessed with magical football for 2 and a half seasons. It definitely makes up for 19 mediocre years and 8 years in the abyss of the first division almost all worth while.

I am 36 years old and far too young to remember great sides bit this current one had to be considered as one of the best

[PartySaint]

I am 36 years old and far too young to remember great sides bit this current one had to be considered as one of the best

This is certainly a great Dundalk side. Just too good for us tonight. If Rovers and Cork drop points again before Dundalk do it's game over

[PartySaint]

Cork City -v- Shamrock Rovers has been put back as Rovers got stuck in traffic on the N40 in Cork. They must have just google mapped that trip 😀 8pm is what I'm hearing,

Did Fenlon park the bus in Tallaght by accident?

[Dunny]

Brilliant 30 odd minutes of end to end action in the 1st half of the Pats/Dundalk match tonight,probably the best i've seen in the LOI in a fair while and then Browne just ruins it with his sending off!Dundalk had just hit the front around about that time and were hitting full throttle but Pats were still well in it until Browne's oafishness took over.What a dope.That young lad McGrath for Pats is a diamond of a player but Horgan was the man tonight,getting better with every match.
Dundalk now 1/4 to win the league.

[Johnnie C]

Couldn't believe the abuse that Billy Dennehy starting getting from some home 'fans' before he was subbed. He had an off night like 90% of the team but in his last home game he got a hat-trick. Some fair idiots for support. Then after he was subbed Desperate Dan launched two of his trademark missiles into the main stand with time running out.

[Spudulika]

That atmosphere up in Donegal is great. Would love to see Harps back up top! Would be a tough place to go for a match (as a team).

[placid casual]

Fair play to dundalk -they can only beat whats put in front of them.
But this seasons fare really does emphasize to me the lack of quality in the league at present.
it has to be the poorest season in some years

A limited but spirited Bohs side are 4th in the table!
2 negative managers like Fenlon & Caulfield fighting it out for 2nd place by drawing their way there!
sligo & pats are muck, and the rest are losing most games against the top 3/4.

hopefully Europe can bring some sunshine to this otherwise dull league -dundalk followers excepted

[White Horse]

Brilliant 30 odd minutes of end to end action in the 1st half of the Pats/Dundalk match tonight,probably the best i've seen in the LOI in a fair while....

That 30 minute spell in the first half showed how good LOI football can be.

Both sides comfortable on the ball, constantly looking to create, and incisive attacking players looking to penetrate.

It was top quality.

[White Horse]

Struggling to even catch his breath, never mind a Dundalk player, Browne was given a second yellow card for fouling Richie Towell.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/mhmhcweysnid/rss2/

I felt sorry for Browne last night. How did Buckley think that someone so slow and unfit would be able to cope with the power and pace Dundalk have?

[TonyD]

[QUOTE=White Horse;1820444]Struggling to even catch his breath, never mind a Dundalk player, Browne was given a second yellow card for fouling Richie Towell.

Was surprised Browne started last night after Lee Desmond had played so well against Rovers recently. We were well beaten. Might have been able to come back with 11 men, (though Dundalk were on top before the sending off) was never going to happen with 10. Very disappointing night for us. Next week in the cup is huge now.

[Charlie Darwin]

Couldn't believe it when I heard Browne was sent off. Not that he'd been sent off but that he was playing at all after the way Hoare and Desmond have been performing.

[nigel-harps1954]

Another video from Finn Park shows a top drawer point-blank save from Ciaran Gallagher just before half time to keep scores 0-0. Turned out to be a crucial save. Serious hush around the ground before this was hit such was how tense the match was.

Also, the most scrappy three seconds of football you'll ever see.

420413471473469

[sulywaterfordfc]

Poor game in tolka last night with an equally poor attendance. Both teams set up to draw but Shels unfortunately won the game with a peno in the second half. It was a clear peno but despite that the ref was awful on a couple of occasions the ball deflected out for a corner where the linesman gave the right decision a corner but ref opted to give a goal kick and ignore he's assistant. He was very inconsistent with he's decision making. There was just two shots from open play in the game which reflects how poor the game was. In fairness to the 40 or so Blues fans they didn't stop signing throughout the game. Our best chance of scoring was through a set piece and nearly every delivery was poor and gave nothing to the players in the box to attack.

First of three aways on the trot going be an expensive three weeks for the club.

[pineapple stu]

Any chance of the two ucd goals? (Pretty please! ?)

[White Horse]

John Caulfield is claiming that Cork City's budget is a fraction of that of Dundalk, Pats, and Rovers. 80% less, according to Caulfield.

A euro goes a lot further in Cork than on the east coast, if Cork have put together such a large squad on 20% of the budget of the other leading clubs.

http://www.the42.ie/graham-cummins-available-released-exeter-2120082-May2015/

[donnrua]

In true LOI fashion Caulfield refuses to let the truth get in the way of a good yarn!

[Ezeikial]

If Roddy Collins made those statements the ridicule would be outrageous

[nigel-harps1954]

Any chance of the two ucd goals? (Pretty please! ?)


Harps never put up the away goals, but I'd assume if you get onto the club it might be possible to obtain the footage some way.

[gufcfan]

Be a pity if goals were being filmed in the First Division but not being put online.

[Pablo Escobar]

John Caulfield is claiming that Cork City's budget is a fraction of that of Dundalk, Pats, and Rovers. 80% less, according to Caulfield.

A euro goes a lot further in Cork than on the east coast, if Cork have put together such a large squad on 20% of the budget of the other leading clubs.

http://www.the42.ie/graham-cummins-available-released-exeter-2120082-May2015/
I hope he wasn't alluding to the "Double Kenny"

[nigel-harps1954]

Be a pity if goals were being filmed in the First Division but not being put online.

The entire game is filmed by Harps for video analysis with the squad, but only put online goals scored by Harps, and in this case a save by Ciaran Gallagher too.

Why would a club put up goals scored against them and invite negative publicity?

[Kiki Balboa]

John Caulfield is claiming that Cork City's budget is a fraction of that of Dundalk, Pats, and Rovers. 80% less, according to Caulfield.

A euro goes a lot further in Cork than on the east coast, if Cork have put together such a large squad on 20% of the budget of the other leading clubs.

http://www.the42.ie/graham-cummins-available-released-exeter-2120082-May2015/


Making excuses early.

[ger121]

He has a future in politics after management, with spin like that. Would suggest to avoid a Finance role though.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Limerick starting 17 year old Tommy Holland in goal.