League of Ireland in Europe 2016

[redarmyfaction]

I felt if Dundalk had been more enterprising at Aviva, they could have took the lead in the first half, much better tonight.

[ger121]

Looking shaky for our other side in Europe. 2 down now.

[bennocelt]

giving it away left, right n centre now, need to calm it down

[BonnieShels]

Good Jesus!!!

[nigel-harps1954]

Take f*cking advantage ye ba$tards!

[bennocelt]

Now it gets interesting

[TonyD]

Take f*cking advantage ye ba$tards!

Serious chance now. Wow.

Just don't give a cheap goal away.

[paul_oshea]

I said in the first lwg to get someome sent off.

Dundalk need to try and counter them now.use mceleney amd horgans pace

[paul_oshea]

Dundalk are shagged they've no urgency.15 mins to go they need to go for it.

[nigel-harps1954]

Nothing to lose now by having a go at them. 15 massive minutes for them, they need to go all out and nick this.

[TonyD]

Dundalk are shagged they've no urgency.15 mins to go they need to go for it.

They look tired alright. Massive effort needed. He might bring Mountney on.

If it gets into the last few minutes I think Legia will automatically drop back.

[nigel-harps1954]

Really going for it with that sub. They can actually do this I think.

[BonnieShels]

There goes the win for the coefficient.

[placid casual]

Fully deserved.
Better team over the 2 legs

[patrickccfc]

Ffs another injury time goal. Dundalk players too knackered to take advantage of the red card. Fair play to them though they gave it a right go

[legendz]

Brave effort by Dundalk! Great champions of our league!

[SkStu]

We have to remember that is an absolutely fantastic result. Just think about it. A score draw away to a team of that calibre.

Congratulations Dundalk and good look in the Europa.

[bennocelt]

Well played Dundalk, unlucky in the end.......a draw is good enough for the coefficients....:)

[ShelsTim]

Well done Dundalk. They did great, legia were clearly much better quality wise, but they did great to push them so close. Dundalk were clearly wrecked by the last 20 mins and even earlier. We still have a way to go as a league, but I think if you compare that performance to Rovers vs Copenhagen 5 years ago, I think we can at least say we've made progress. Here's hoping they get a good draw in the Europa now and get a high-profile game as well as a team weak enough that they can talk some points off. It'll be tough though being out of season.

[nigel-harps1954]

Just didn't have the legs for it sadly. Excellent showing though and only a pity they couldn't hold on for the win on the night.

[paul_oshea]

They really needed to do more woth 15 mins to go and they down to ten men. They were never going to get a better chance. I can see why he was so reluctant to make the substitutions they were very poor. Meenan couldn't beat his man once with a cross. Missed having kilduff as a sub and odonnell to hold onto the ball in midfield. Kenny will see that as a missed opportunity

On these performances though they should get a few points in the Europa.

[GCdfc]

Well I am one very proud Dundalk supporter.

[paul_oshea]

Sorry it posted.meant to add should have exploited their cb missing and a few high balls with runners off like horgan and mceleny. Exploit the space and use dundalks pace.

[Nesta99]

Well done Dundalk. They did great, legia were clearly much better quality wise, but they did great to push them so close. Dundalk were clearly wrecked by the last 20 mins and even earlier. We still have a way to go as a league, but I think if you compare that performance to Rovers vs Copenhagen 5 years ago, I think we can at least say we've made progress. Here's hoping they get a good draw in the Europa now and get a high-profile game as well as a team weak enough that they can talk some points off. It'll be tough though being out of season.

But the league is the weakest it has ever been!!!

[ger121]

I called it (unfortunately) but thought Legia wouldn't need till injury time to equalise. They have been great though throughout the CL Qualifiers and have done themselves proud. They'll take points in EL and Kenny will be telling them over next few weeks that their target will be to go into last 32. Crazy maybe? Not in this sides' mind!

[redarmyfaction]

Top seeds for the Europa groupstages.
Schalke, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Manchester United, Athletic Bilbao,Internazionale, Fiorentina.

Also Qualified.
Braga , Standard Liege , Celta Vigo , Feyenoord, Mainz , Zurich , Southampton ,Nice , Zorya Luhansk .
and tonights teams
Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Roma, Villarreal, Viktoria Plzen
plus tomorrow nights qualifiers
APOEL Nicosia or FC Copenhagen , Borussia Monchengladbach or Young Boys , FK Rostov or Ajax, Man City or Steaua Bucharest , Salzburg or Din Zagreb.
and the winners of the remaining 22 Europa playoff fixtures.

FK Karabakh v IFK Goteborg
Brondby v Panathinaikos
Grasshopper Zurich v Fenerbahce
Rosenborg v Austria Vienna
Slovan Liberec v AEK Larnaca
Partizani Tirana v FK Krasnodar
AZ Alkmaar v Vojvodina Novi Sad
Anderlecht v Slavia Prague
BATE Borisov v FC Astana
Genk v Lokomotiva Zagreb
Osmanlispor v Midtjylland
PAOK v Dinamo Tbilisi
Skendija Tetovo v Gent
Sparta Prague v Sonderjyske
Maribor v FK Gabala
Crvena Zvezda v Sassuolo
Hajduk Split v Maccabi Tel Aviv
Olympiacos v Arouca
Saint-Etienne v Beitar Jerusalem

[White Horse]

They really needed to do more woth 15 mins to go and they down to ten men. They were never going to get a better chance. I can see why he was so reluctant to make the substitutions they were very poor. Meenan couldn't beat his man once with a cross. Missed having kilduff as a sub and odonnell to hold onto the ball in midfield. Kenny will see that as a missed opportunity

On these performances though they should get a few points in the Europa.

Kenny started all his fit "match winners".

He went for it from the off and had very little on the bench that could change a game.

[nigel-harps1954]

2.3750 added to Dundalks co-efficient, taking them up to 4.665, ahead of St Pat's as Irelands highest ranked side.

[DeLorean]

As usual, I expect Dundalk to be more effective away from home and think they'll give Legia a good game. Dundalk to score 1st to give Legia a scare before they equalise and play out for a draw knowing they are through.

Great shout!

Shame really overall when you consider the three goals Dundalk conceded over the two legs, a penalty that shouldn't have been and basically two breakaway goals in injury time when Dundalk were forced to take risks. Yeah, the better team went through but we kind of knew they were the better team anyway so that's neither here nor there really, it could have been very different.

That was a very difficult, hostile setting tonight. LOI teams wouldn't be remotely used to that kind of atmosphere so a really brilliant effort. The referee was impressive as well, very strong.

Drawing Man Utd is surely the dream now? And like somebody else said, a team or two where picking up points is very achievable.

[paul_oshea]

Kenny started all his fit "match winners".

He went for it from the off and had very little on the bench that could change a game.

Ya that's what i mean outside of the first 11 they werent good enough which is both disappointing and a little frustrating. People say kennys strength is working with a small squad of players but maybe it provee detrimental tonight. Legia were by no means that much better overall but had the reinforcements.

Look its a great achievement but i think everyone will look baxk and think this was a great opportunity, a missed opportunity.

[MeathDrog]

Drawing Manure or the likes will surely mean Aviva. Although it could be a disaster if they're pitted with more obscure teams.

[Comic Book Guy]

Gutted for Dundalk, gave it everything, legs were gone with 15 to go, what galls me is the likes of Celtic fall over the line into the group stages given the gulf in resources. Still group stages of the Europa is no bad thing to fall back on. Hopefully they can draw the likes of United in their group.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Legia Warsaw should have had a penalty when it was still 1-0.

So that cancels out the decision given against Dundalk in the Aviva.

Referee was good I thought.

Some ball by McEleney and sublime weighted cross by Horgan in the build up to that overhead kick that went over the bar.

I think Dundalk can be reasonably pleased with the account they gave of themselves; they carved out a few decent chances.

Think they will get some points off the board in the EL unlike Shamrock.

[BonnieShels]

2.3750 added to Dundalks co-efficient, taking them up to 4.665, ahead of St Pat's as Irelands highest ranked side.

And hopefully more to add come the EL group.

[DannyInvincible]

Dundalk were unlucky not to convert a second but did the league proud. I really thought it was on there after Legia got the man sent off. Unfortunately, Dundalk were too tired to really capitalise.

[ger121]

That €7,005,000 that Dundalk are going to take in, will go an awful long way. It's the little extras that really make the difference.

[paul_oshea]

Were the players guaranteed a 6 figure payment of they qualified today?

[jinxy lilywhite]

Top seeds for the Europa groupstages.
Schalke, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Manchester United, Athletic Bilbao,Internazionale, Fiorentina.

Also Qualified.
Braga , Standard Liege , Celta Vigo , Feyenoord, Mainz , Zurich , Southampton ,Nice , Zorya Luhansk .
and tonights teams
Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Roma, Villarreal, Viktoria Plzen
plus tomorrow nights qualifiers
APOEL Nicosia or FC Copenhagen , Borussia Monchengladbach or Young Boys , FK Rostov or Ajax, Man City or Steaua Bucharest , Salzburg or Din Zagreb.
and the winners of the remaining 22 Europa playoff fixtures.

FK Karabakh v IFK Goteborg
Brondby v Panathinaikos
Grasshopper Zurich v Fenerbahce
Rosenborg v Austria Vienna
Slovan Liberec v AEK Larnaca
Partizani Tirana v FK Krasnodar
AZ Alkmaar v Vojvodina Novi Sad
Anderlecht v Slavia Prague
BATE Borisov v FC Astana
Genk v Lokomotiva Zagreb
Osmanlispor v Midtjylland
PAOK v Dinamo Tbilisi
Skendija Tetovo v Gent
Sparta Prague v Sonderjyske
Maribor v FK Gabala
Crvena Zvezda v Sassuolo
Hajduk Split v Maccabi Tel Aviv
Olympiacos v Arouca
Saint-Etienne v Beitar Jerusalem

Oh I was looking at that over the week and seeing who was where. It's an absolute minefield to figure out who are the big guns and who you would like. 22 qualified so far. 26 places still up for grabs between the 5 remaining CL playoffs and 22 el playoff matches left.

Some tricky away teams to get too. And we certainly will be the team with the lowest coefficient providing partizani Tirana don't overturn a 4 goal 1st leg defeat.

We will pick up points but the league is gone now for this season.

[outspoken]

Oh I was looking at that over the week and seeing who was where. It's an absolute minefield to figure out who are the big guns and who you would like. 22 qualified so far. 26 places still up for grabs between the 5 remaining CL playoffs and 22 el playoff matches left.

Some tricky away teams to get too. And we certainly will be the team with the lowest coefficient providing partizani Tirana don't overturn a 4 goal 1st leg defeat.

We will pick up points but the league is gone now for this season.

I saw cork at the weekend, your reserves would beat that lot to the title. They are awful. Dundalk will win the title

[jinxy lilywhite]

Ya that's what i mean outside of the first 11 they werent good enough which is both disappointing and a little frustrating. People say kennys strength is working with a small squad of players but maybe it provee detrimental tonight. Legia were by no means that much better overall but had the reinforcements.

Look its a great achievement but i think everyone will look baxk and think this was a great opportunity, a missed opportunity.

Fair point re the squad size but how do you keep a squad of around 24 happy when games are trickling by in march and April. Also results could of gone the other way and we could be out at the FH round. (Jesus how long ago that seems )

We had them on the racks prior to the sending off but we had nothing left mentally or physically to move the ball and threaten them. Literally ran out of steam

No qualms about the result. Terrific performance and we left it all out there tonight.
Maybe it is an inferiority complex we have against c class European teams like bate and legia. I was fearing both would turn the notches up against us in the 2nd legs. It never happened. Maybe we are not as far off as we think we are. Just possie with a stronger league and if we were in more of those positions we might of been able to dig deep.

But what a team and squad and manager we have. I do lament that we only avg 2500 this year. This team deserves more

[pineapple stu]

Have to say, Legia were the better team over two legs and deserved to go through.

But jaysus - take down that fella in the last minute in Lansdowne and suddenly you don't need to press forward for a late winner; you sit back, take it to extra time and tire the ten men out.

There's a serious amount of passive goodwill amongst the Irish barstool public towards Dundalk; it really does feel like a time to invest in and drive the LoI on. Would be great to see it happen, but...

Oh - and Benson.... :love:

[redarmyfaction]

Have to say, Legia were the better team over two legs and deserved to go through.


There's a serious amount of passive goodwill amongst the Irish barstool public towards Dundalk; it really does feel like a time to invest in and drive the LoI on. Would be great to see it happen, but...



Dunno about that, I followed a link to that Joe.ie tonight and when I was there, clicked on the football tab and of course there was nothing about tonights game, and its places like that Barstoolers consume their football.

[patrickccfc]

Top seeds for the Europa groupstages.
Schalke, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Manchester United, Athletic Bilbao,Internazionale, Fiorentina.

Also Qualified.
Braga , Standard Liege , Celta Vigo , Feyenoord, Mainz , Zurich , Southampton ,Nice , Zorya Luhansk .
and tonights teams
Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Roma, Villarreal, Viktoria Plzen
plus tomorrow nights qualifiers
APOEL Nicosia or FC Copenhagen , Borussia Monchengladbach or Young Boys , FK Rostov or Ajax, Man City or Steaua Bucharest , Salzburg or Din Zagreb.
and the winners of the remaining 22 Europa playoff fixtures.

FK Karabakh v IFK Goteborg
Brondby v Panathinaikos
Grasshopper Zurich v Fenerbahce
Rosenborg v Austria Vienna
Slovan Liberec v AEK Larnaca
Partizani Tirana v FK Krasnodar
AZ Alkmaar v Vojvodina Novi Sad
Anderlecht v Slavia Prague
BATE Borisov v FC Astana
Genk v Lokomotiva Zagreb
Osmanlispor v Midtjylland
PAOK v Dinamo Tbilisi
Skendija Tetovo v Gent
Sparta Prague v Sonderjyske
Maribor v FK Gabala
Crvena Zvezda v Sassuolo
Hajduk Split v Maccabi Tel Aviv
Olympiacos v Arouca
Saint-Etienne v Beitar Jerusalem

You forgot,

West Ham United vs Astra Giurgiu
Shaktar Donetsk vs Istanbul Basaksehir
Rapid Wien vs Trencin

[pineapple stu]

Dunno about that, I followed a link to that Joe.ie tonight and when I was there, clicked on the football tab and of course there was nothing about tonights game, and its places like that Barstoolers consume their football.
Just going by the comments down the pub really. Seriously impressed by Benson's goal, and a fair few taking real interest in the match, though professing they knew bugger all about the league. Of course, a long way to go to turn that into bums on seats, but far from the dismissive attitude you often get.

[ger121]

Just going by the comments down the pub really. Seriously impressed by Benson's goal, and a fair few taking real interest in the match, though professing they knew bugger all about the league. Of course, a long way to go to turn that into bums on seats, but far from the dismissive attitude you often get.

I've noticed it a lot more this year. Even more than other high watermark years; 2004, 2011. I mean my Dad has watched some of the matches on his own and he has zero interest in Sport, never mind the LOI. Was talking to me about the 1st leg when we were out on Saturday. I thought I was in some parallel Universe!

[sbgawa]

Europa league money will be great for dundalk but won't make them automatic league winners for t ge next few years like champions league money would have. Competitive league and hopefully others stepping up. Good times for the league

[Charlie Darwin]

Fair point re the squad size but how do you keep a squad of around 24 happy when games are trickling by in march and April.
Every manager before Kenny (with the possible exception of Baraclough) in the last 15 years has done it though. If anything, the stupidly short season should make it easier to keep a big squad happy. Although it must be said Dundalk have done an incredible job dominating with a small squad.

All in all, I think it was a chance missed for Dundalk and it all goes back, as PStu says, to not taking out the Legia lad in injury time last week. Like BATE, they were really rocked tonight and without the injuries and suspensions I think you'd have got the job done. Europa League will be interesting now - you'll definitely put up a better fight than we were able to.

[legendz]

Dundalk's EL group could contain at least two teams better than Legia. I think Legia finished last in their EL group last year with a win and a draw. Dundalk will be doing well to pickup a win and a draw. Rovers didn't get any points.

It has taken 5 years for a champion to get past their first qualifying round and also to make the EL group stage. With the knockout nature of the qualifying rounds, it could be at least another 2 or 3 years before the league's champion get through their first CL qualifying round.

[RiffRaff]

Fantastic effort by Dundalk. Never thought I would see the days when a LOI team was pushing on for a 2 goal away win in Poland in a Champions League qualifier. More than that they looked and played like they believed they were on a level with the teams they've played this year. A win or two in the Europa league would be a massive leap forward for the domestic game and should put one or two of their players in the shake up for the international squad. Sadly it will also mean a few of the team heading across the water but Stephen Kenny deserves huge praise for what he has achieved

[nigel-harps1954]

Fantastic effort by Dundalk. Never thought I would see the days when a LOI team was pushing on for a 2 goal away win in Poland in a Champions League qualifier. More than that they looked and played like they believed they were on a level with the teams they've played this year. A win or two in the Europa league would be a massive leap forward for the domestic game and should put one or two of their players in the shake up for the international squad. Sadly it will also mean a few of the team heading across the water but Stephen Kenny deserves huge praise for what he has achieved

There's no reason Dundalk cannot go on and strengthen their squad from here and push for CL group next season. They could well set aside 500k of the money for next seasons playing budget amd have one year to push at it. They'd have to spend wisely though.