League of Ireland in Europe 2016

[patrickccfc]

Bk Hacken had a 4-2 win at home to Hammarby today. Up to 6th in the league now with their 6th victory. But they have also lost 6. Nonetheless, should be a difficult game on Thursday, again, an away goal is imperative of course.

[White Horse]

FH conceded a 90th minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw at home to ten man Vikingur Reyjavik in the league today ahead of their CL game against Dundalk. They're still 2 points clear, albeit with a game extra played over Fjolnir in the Icelandic league, still though only one loss in 10 games. Should provide stiff competition against Dundalk.

Longford provided stiff competition for Dundalk.

[pineapple stu]

Celtic 1-0 down in Gibraltar after 50 minutes!

Did not see that coming. Don't know what's happened with the Gibraltar clubs this season

[White Horse]

That pitch in Gibraltar! Makes Oriel Park look fantastic.

[Mr A]

Hahaha. Some laugh that Celtic managed to lose that game, and on the 12th of July as well.

[disgruntled]

Celtic 1-0 down in Gibraltar after 50 minutes!


Did not see that coming. Don't know what's happened with the Gibraltar clubs this season

Ended 1-0.
Shocking result for Celtic but they should still make it through.

[ger121]

So nothing for the co-efficient then?

[Nesta99]

TNS had a useful clean sheet draw at home to Apoel tonight too. I am a bloody wreck over this FH tie and the possibilities. Greater the hopes the greater the disappointment. I almost wish I supported nobody including the national side and always enjoy football as a curious neutral!!

[Charlie Darwin]

TNS had a useful clean sheet draw at home to Apoel tonight too. I am a bloody wreck over this FH tie and the possibilities. Greater the hopes the greater the disappointment. I almost wish I supported nobody including the national side and always enjoy football as a curious neutral!!
Shame you didn't get an easier draw like Celtic.

[pineapple stu]

I think a big equalising factor in Gibraltar was the awful pitch though.

Oh wait. Never mind...

[wonder88]

Wishing Dundalk well, this is a great opportunity for them. I take it that the game is a sellout. Crowds at loI games has fallen recently and a good european run by Dundalk/Cork could benefit the whole league.
Clubs from Wales always perform well in europe especially when one considers that they are out of season.

[White Horse]

Wishing Dundalk well, this is a great opportunity for them. I take it that the game is a sellout. Crowds at loI games has fallen recently and a good european run by Dundalk/Cork could benefit the whole league.
Clubs from Wales always perform well in europe especially when one considers that they are out of season.

The game is sold out. Pity it isn't on TV. A Champions League game against quality opposition in a sold out ground is the type of advertisement the league needs.

RTE will soon revert to televising mid table clashed in an empty group. No wonder causal football fans think the league is dead.

[ger121]

Any predictions for tonight. I hope they can win but think it could be 1-1. Having said that, Dundalk have been very good away from home in Europe under Kenny, so could see them score over there so 1-1 wouldn't be the end of the world.

[White Horse]

The day the LOI Champions represent the league in the Champions League is always a good time to promote the LOI.

The Herald in Dublin run a front page story involving the league.

Sixteen people were arrested following a massive pre-arranged brawl between up to 100 thugs on a south Dublin street. The fight, which was arranged on social media, took place in Ballinteer.

Smoke bombs, fireworks and flares were used as missiles during the violence. The pitched battle - which allegedly involved some supporters of one League of Ireland soccer club as well as Belfast's Linfield FC - took place in Ballinteer at 7.30pm on Saturday.

http://www.herald.ie/news/16-thugs-held-following-massive-prearranged-brawl-on-dublin-street-34878852.html

[Nesta99]

Ah the auld Herald 'alleged' line! They were happy enough to mention Linfield so why not the LoI club....

In a way i'm happy not to be overloaded with coverage, build expectation 'n all. Im feeling perfectly calm right now ignoring tonight's game (a beer to settle the nerves later is the plan)?!?!?!

[Charlie Darwin]

I'd say it's very possible no Linfield fans were involved. The Gards have leaked it for a reason - god knows why. Presumably because the AI championship is coming up and they don't want to miss out on the GAA to patrol around Tallaght.

[gufcfan]

The fact that up to 100 thugs were involved determined ...


which allegedly involved some supporters of one League of Ireland soccer clubl (http://www.herald.ie/news/16-thugs-held-following-massive-prearranged-brawl-on-dublin-street-34878852.html)

... that was a lie.

[nr637]

The game is sold out. Pity it isn't on TV. A Champions League game against quality opposition in a sold out ground is the type of advertisement the league needs.

RTE will soon revert to televising mid table clashed in an empty group. No wonder causal football fans think the league is dead.

That's only an all seated sold out, I guess. So that at it's current capacity of about 4,500, that means around a 3,000 attendance all seated.

[paul_oshea]

Why wouldn't RTE just show one less LOI game if its about capacity, this is bound to draw more neutrals and non-LOI fans, as its representing the league/country.

Whats there showing on a summer evening of a wednesday anyway! It's a pity none of these "new" channels don't step up and spot the gap.

[nigel-harps1954]

Personally, I think TV3 and TG4 have missed a chance to test the waters with a LOI audience and neutral football fan by sticking on the game tonight.

[White Horse]

All Dundalk at the moment.

[nigel-harps1954]

Crusaders getting a bit of a tanking by Copenhagen at home. 3-0 with 55 gone there.

[White Horse]

What would a champions league game be without David McMillan missing a sitter.

[ger121]

What would a champions league game be without David McMillan missing a sitter.

Just seen the Video. Not exactly a gimme but he should have scored.

[paul_oshea]

Just seen the Video. Not exactly a gimme but he should have scored.

Any stream

[White Horse]

Dundalk are on top but they look nervous at times and look like they have a mistake in them.

[outspoken]

Any stream
no streams, live commentary on dundalk fm and leagueofireland.ie have video clips up on facebook and twitter. awful miss by mcmillan

[nigel-harps1954]

1-0 Dundalk. Great stuff.

[MeathDrog]

Get in there.

[paul_oshea]

any video of the goal. By the sounds of it they need another one.

[ger121]

Looking at the stats on UEFA, Dundalk have had all the chances. Need a 2nd

[nigel-harps1954]

Seemingly a lot of wasted chances according to what I'm listening to on Dundalk FM and a Paddy Barrett mistake has cost an away goal.

[paul_oshea]

Another stupid mistake, and lapse of concentration :8

[ger121]

And Lennon comes back to haunt them

[paul_oshea]

Nothing happening for the last 20 mins.

These icelandic boys know what they are at.

[Charlie Darwin]

Don't get geysir started...

[paul_oshea]

Ya as soon as I wrote it I realised what I'd done. A bit like their national team, don't do anything and then a clinical finish.

They've been fairly toothless, especially since the Iceland boys scored, and they're just happy to sit back now and do nothing.

[rebel]

Terrible result for Dundalk. Sure Kenny will probably blame the ref (like he always does when Dalk don't win).

[nigel-harps1954]

Full time. Oh well. That's a very disappointing result.

[MeathDrog]

That's a bit of a sickener. Clean sheet would have been the priority above all else.

[ger121]

Predicted 1-1. Was very surprised on odds checker, how short the odds were on a Dundalk win. Always going to be very tight over the 2 legs. This one could go all the way...

[paul_oshea]

Same old failings, lads work their socks off for the whole game, and one players sloppiness punishes the whole team. Until this kinda stuff is eradicated there will never be consistent progression. The odd good result here and there and that's it.

[patrickccfc]

Disappointing for sure, but by no means over. Dundalk more than capable of getting a goal over there.

[TheBoss]

This tie was always going to settled in the 2nd leg, I would be still be hopeful of progression as Dundalk are usually good away from home. Also, Stephen Kenny has won the most away matches as a manager of LOI club in Europe (W4 D2 L7).

[MeathDrog]

Got a text from someone at it who said that Dundalk left that one behind. By far the better team overall.

[paul_oshea]

Ya but these teams are always happy to just sit back away from home and then go for it and win it in the second leg at home.

You can never really judge these teams on the away first leg.

[MeathDrog]

Ya but these teams are always happy to just sit back away from home and then go for it and win it in the second leg at home.

You can never really judge these teams on the away first leg.
I'm not judging any team. From what I have heard Dundalk were the better team on the night and that's all I said.

[ger121]

If you look at Dundalk away under Kenny, you could argue that they've been far more impressive in those games. Particularly against good Eurpean sides like BATE & Hadjuk. They will not fear going to FH and getting a result.

[geysir]

Don't get geysir started...
It's only half time in this game Charlie, way too early to say I told you so :)
From the LOI, only Dundalk could give FH a game and I said it would be 50/50, it still is but I expect FH to shade it.
Unlike some others here, I won't use my wild imagination to figure out what actually happened at Oriel pk and attempt to make knowledgeable sounding statements about teams like FH and what transpired at the game.
That would define the essence of conceit.

Just how does anyone tolerate that idiot of a co-commentator on Dundalk fm, to say he knows nothing would be a complement, absolute nonsense is his speciality and he delivers it non-stop.

[White Horse]

Dundalk were on top for 75% of the match and should have won quite comfortably.

FH had a decent spell for about 15 minutes in the first half when Gartland was trying to play through injury. Other than that they offered no goal threat, it was just a question as to whether Dundalk could score.

After getting a good goal, Dundalk then gave FH an equaliser though a poor defensive clearance. However, I said during the game that Dundalk looked like they had a mistake in them.

The defensive shakiness that was evident against Longford was there again. FH will have learned a lot about Dundalk tonight and will be more dangerous opponents next week.