League of Ireland in Europe 2017

[sidewayspasser]

Was the Levadi game a sell out though? I thought I read somewhere that this was the second highest attendance of the season with slightly more at the Dundalk game earlier in the season? Nothing takes away from a brilliant attendance mind.

6314 was the attendance announced by the PA, about 400 less than the Dundalk game. There were definitely a few single empty seats here and there. From where I was sitting (Derrynane), I couldn't see whether Levadia filled the away section or how much space was left there.

[legendz]

The Cork City and Shamrock Rovers managers should have no problems getting their players motivated for this next round. Along with progressing with their clubs, players with ambitions of getting moves to the Championship will want to put themselves in the shop window by getting the opportunity to perform in ELQ3.

[DannyInvincible]

Some video footage of the goals and main chances from Derry's 4-1 loss to Midtjylland in Sligo: https://www.facebook.com/derrycityfc/videos/10156268684823906/

[Ezeikial]

I cannot keep up my self imposed Bradley-watch exile after reading his post match quotes:
"I felt they were very arrogant after the first game over there - they talked like they were the better team and that we got a lucky goal"

I hope they did not say they battered Rovers.

[sbgawa]

Thanks for your interest as always :)

[Charlie Darwin]

I cannot keep up my self imposed Bradley-watch exile after reading his post match quotes:
"I felt they were very arrogant after the first game over there - they talked like they were the better team and that we got a lucky goal"

I hope they did not say they battered Rovers.
They did batter us in Tallaght, to be fair. As in they pumped the ball up to the big men and when that didn't work they two-footed Trevor Clarke. If Cork City weren't playing a game at the time they'd have been appalled.

[Nesta99]

Bradley must have been chatting to geysir after the game!

[micls]

It was a sellout of tickets we were allowed to sell. Different capacity rules for Europe. Same amount next week

[Briuk]

Has any irish team ever beaten a cypriot one?

[pineapple stu]

Cork did about ten years ago anyway.

And also back in the day when Cypriot clubs were crap.

Edit - rsssf.com is your bible for stuff like that (http://rsssf.com/tablesi/ier-ec.html).

[OwlsFan]

Has any irish team ever beaten a cypriot one?

Well I remember the Hoops beating Apoel Nicosia back in the late 1970s.

[Dalymountrower]

Bohs beat Omonia Nicosia 1978.Omonia beat waterford and Rovers in subsequent years.
Cork Hibs got a walkover against them in 74 due to the small matter of a Greek coup and Turkish invasion.

[micls]

That win vs Apollon was amazing. Champions league game. They were a completely different level to what we'd played previously. Rock solid defense and a Dan Murray header put us through. Won the home game 1-0 and 1-1 over there. He's hoping for the same!

[Charlie Darwin]

Cork did about ten years ago anyway.
No precedent for the current club in Cork so.

[legendz]

Has the Limerick v Shamrock Rovers league game originally scheduled for next Saturday July 13th been moved to the following day?

[sbgawa]

Limerick game postponed no new date fixed

[oriel]

What's the general view for our game on Wed night lads? Its certainly just a little more tricky than FH at the same stage last year.

I think we can get a result, have to say I'd be very happy with a 0-0 draw or a score draw, a narrow win is probably too much to expect but confidence is slowly building. It would be just great to still be in the tie for the away leg, and I think we have a great chance of that.

Not sure they took up more than 100 tickets, so should be great atmosphere, I think the attendance will be limited to 3,200 - 3,300 (max)

[pineapple stu]

Six weeks ago - not a chance.

But ye're form since then has been very good; nine clean sheets in ten is a serious record. Rosenborg are probably about BATE standard so...you never know.

[Charlie Darwin]

What's the general view for our game on Wed night lads? Its certainly just a little more tricky than FH at the same stage last year.

I think we can get a result, have to say I'd be very happy with a 0-0 draw or a score draw, a narrow win is probably too much to expect but confidence is slowly building. It would be just great to still be in the tie for the away leg, and I think we have a great chance of that.

Not sure they took up more than 100 tickets, so should be great atmosphere, I think the attendance will be limited to 3,200 - 3,300 (max)
They look a better team than FH on paper but with characters like Bendtner in there they might also be taking things for granted.

[pineapple stu]

They did lose against Sligo a couple of years back, so more fool them if they're complacent after that

[ger121]

Their League form hasn't been great lately. Dropped points against sides towards the bottom of the Division and leak a lot of goals. Dundalk playing well, not conceding, game is at Oriel. Add to the fact that despite transfers, the bulk of that squad have a wealth of experience in Europe. My prediction is the tie will still be alive going into the 2nd leg. I also fancy Dundalk to score over there. You have a chance and as an unseeded side, that's all you can really hope for.

[El-Pietro]

They did lose against Sligo a couple of years back, so more fool them if they're complacent after that

Was that not Molde?

[DannyInvincible]

Was that not Molde?

Sligo beat Rosenborg 2-1 in Norway back in 2014, although Sligo were beaten 3-1 in the return leg in Sligo and went out 4-3 on aggregate. It was in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Played Molde in Champions League but were beaten in both games. Stunning place to visit mind.

[Martinho II]

Sligo beat Rosenborg 2-1 in Norway back in 2014, although Sligo were beaten 3-1 in the return leg in Sligo and went out 4-3 on aggregate. It was in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
Sligo were ahead by two in the home tie at one stage v Rosenberg!

[bennocelt]

Didn't Rogers gift them a goal in the first game, as far as i can remember fumbling a high ball into his net?

[oriel]

Not sure, but hope I'm not jinxing it, Rogers has been in unbelievable form in the past 2 months, his confidence is back to top level and the 9 clean sheets in last 10 backs that up.

Come to think of it the one that wasn't a clean sheet, the 3-0 defeat to Cork, he wasn't at fault for any, O'Donnell at fault for the 3rd but overall it was probably the best performance I saw Maguire play, he was simply unstoppable.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Didn't Rogers gift them a goal in the first game, as far as i can remember fumbling a high ball into his net?

Yeah we were 2 up over there late on and he punched a corner into the net

[Real ale Madrid]

Played Molde in Champions League but were beaten in both games. Stunning place to visit mind.

When God made that corner of the World he really broke the Molde.

Rivalry set aside, good luck to Dundalk.

I'm having my 'optimistic' European hat on tonight thinking all 3 of us have a chance. Hope that is not crushed by Thursday night.

[DannyInvincible]

Sligo were ahead by two in the home tie at one stage v Rosenberg!

Soccer Republic's highlights and analysis of the home leg here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfE8FWz4Tys

Rogers punched a Rosenborg corner towards his own goal in that game too, but luckily this one hit the crossbar and didn't go in. It's at 2m54s in the clip.

[DannyInvincible]

Shels played Rosenborg too in relatively recent times, although it was a bit further back in time in 2001.

Shels lost the first leg at home 3-1 and drew the second leg 1-1. It was in the second qualifying round of the Champions League.

A highlights reel from the home leg here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXw9WRChvnY

Rosenborg also met Bohs two years later at the same stage of the same competition and won the first leg in Dublin 1-0. They went on to win the second leg 4-0, however. Stephen Kenny was managing Bohs at the time too.

Dundalk will be the fourth LOI opponents Rosenborg have ever played, according to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenborg_BK_in_European_football#Matches

[DannyInvincible]

Found some further nostalgia on YouTube...

An RTÉ News preview of the 2003 Bohs-Rosenborg game:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFBMTUf1qzI

[DannyInvincible]

Rosenborg's goal against Bohs in the first leg:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RgctbgUo3M

[DannyInvincible]

And the goals from the second leg, which ended 4-0 to Rosenborg:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysPVEIV1xpA

[DannyInvincible]

Supposedly, Dundalk's scouting report on Rosenborg was found on the road-side in Lucan yesterday: https://www.facebook.com/AirtricityLeagueBanterPage/posts/1913722818641650

https://media.balls.ie/uploads/2017/07/11134819/dundalk-scout-report-3.jpg

https://media.balls.ie/uploads/2017/07/11134815/dundalk-scout-report-2.jpg

https://media.balls.ie/uploads/2017/07/11134817/dundalk-scout-report-1.jpg

I'm not sure how much of it is now in the public domain - I've only seen the above three pages - but it was a bit careless of whoever was carrying it as it could potentially give away Kenny's game-plan.

[swinfordfc]

Supposedly, Dundalk's scouting report on Rosenborg was found on the road-side in Lucan yesterday: https://www.facebook.com/AirtricityLeagueBanterPage/posts/1913722818641650

https://media.balls.ie/uploads/2017/07/11134819/dundalk-scout-report-3.jpg

https://media.balls.ie/uploads/2017/07/11134815/dundalk-scout-report-2.jpg

https://media.balls.ie/uploads/2017/07/11134817/dundalk-scout-report-1.jpg

I'm not sure how much of it is now in the public domain - I've only seen the above three pages - but it was a bit careless of whoever was carrying it as it could potentially give away Kenny's game-plan.

It's embarrassing from Dundalk and I guess Kenny is livid cause he's not like that! .... Wasn't something like this happen last year as well? ... think it was in the Europa group stages?

[swinfordfc]

Gartland is Dundalk weak link based on last years Europa League matches - he cant be messing with the ball at the back!

[dundalkfc10]

It's embarrassing from Dundalk and I guess Kenny is livid cause he's not like that! .... Wasn't something like this happen last year as well? ... think it was in the Europa group stages?

Kenny said yesterday all Dundalks info is on USB sticks, so that is bull**** that it was found on the road

[Real ale Madrid]

Kenny said yesterday all Dundalks info is on USB sticks, so that is bull**** that it was found on the road

Items on a USB stick would never be printed off.....ever!

[geysir]

The claim made on balls ie is
"It's 100% legitimate and essentially tells any Norwegian journalist or scout for Rosenborg, exactly how Stephen Kenny is going to play."

I have looked at the 3 pages and it tells me very little of how Dundalk are going to play, apart from get close to Nick and yet another goalie who saves some and lets in others.

[sbgawa]

unless the other pages had better stuff on them I don't think the "scout" had much to offer.

[nigel-harps1954]

For me, it's a fake. Why would a players agent and current club be listen on a scouting report of the players current club?

[outspoken]

For me, it's a fake. Why would a players agent and current club be listen on a scouting report of the players current club?

I've seen proper scouting reports they are far far far more complex than this. Defo a fake.

[geysir]

unless the other pages had better stuff on them I don't think the "scout" had much to offer.
There are no other pages.

[dundalkfc10]

Items on a USB stick would never be printed off.....ever!

I should have added both Kenny and Martin Connolly have said these are fake!

General view around town is we will line up
Rogers
Gannon
Gartland
Verrmuland
Massey
Mountany
O Donnell
Benson
Duffy
McEleney
McMillian

O Donnell's fit, so everyone expects him to start instead of Shields.

Possible he will go Shields instead of Mountany and put McEleney wide and push Benson to number 10.

[paul_oshea]

Gartland is Dundalk weak link based on last years Europa League matches - he cant be messing with the ball at the back!

Ya he got caught a couple of times last year and he was lucky a couple of other times. Barrett looked a bit inexperienced too.

This game wont be over after the first leg though.

[dundalkfc10]

Ya he got caught a couple of times last year and he was lucky a couple of other times. Barrett looked a bit inexperienced too.

This game wont be over after the first leg though.

Because there is 2 legs!

[Philosophizer]

Gartland is Dundalk weak link based on last years Europa League matches - he cant be messing with the ball at the back!

Even though Rogers has kept a lot of clean sheet recently, i'd put him in the same bracket as Gartland. His limitations are exposed when he plays at European level. He made a fair few errors last year in the European games, as he did with Sligo when they played Rosenborg.

[oriel]

I should have added both Kenny and Martin Connolly have said these are fake!

General view around town is we will line up
Rogers
Gannon
Gartland
Verrmuland
Massey
Mountany
O Donnell
Benson
Duffy
McEleney
McMillian

O Donnell's fit, so everyone expects him to start instead of Shields.

Possible he will go Shields instead of Mountany and put McEleney wide and push Benson to number 10.

Both in bold have mainly played right side, I would not expect Mountney to start, I think he will play Duffy on the right and that he will start Connolly on the left, perhaps switching them during the game, so one change Connolly for Mountney.

McGrath should come on, and I expect Kilduff might be first used if we need to get some height in, Shields won't be far off coming on either.

[nigel-harps1954]

Hope Dundalk can do the business. Feck knows the league needs a bit of good press after the Athlone and Bray debacle, regardless of peoples opinions on our sides progressing in Europe.

For what it's worth, I believe Gartland and Rogers are the two big weak links in the side too. For the life of me I can't fathom why a goalkeeper wasn't high up on the list of priorities for Kenny during the off-season or even during the transfer window, as I think Rogers is a total liability, but for now he'll have to stick with what's familiar.