LOI Fixtures March 31st/April 1st

[White Horse]

https://twitter.com/rtesport/status/847937154147811328

Conan Byrne's goal

Poor goalkeeping.


Seriously though, to hit the back of the net directly from that distance. Goal of the season competition closed.

[Philosophizer]

It's the trajectory of the shot that's so inpressive. Obviously the vision is excellent, and the confidence to go for it is commendable but it's the flight the ball took that really impressed me. It's powerful, dead straight and took quite a low trajectory, compared to say Beckham when he did it. It doesn't even bounce before it hits the net!!

[AlanOB]

In-depth analysis of last night's Munster derby here folks:

Limerick 0-3 Cork City: Magnificent Maguire stars as familiar Limerick flaws continue to recur (https://tacticstruck2.com/2017/04/01/limerick-0-3-cork-city-magnificent-maguire-stars-as-familiar-limerick-flaws-continue-to-recur/)

[sbgawa]

I don't think Rovers deserved a thing to be honest. Ciaran Gallagher hadn't a save to make in the entire second half before the last minute goal.

Harps upped the performance massively in the second half and were fully deserving of a minimum of a point. Simply not clinical enough in front of goal and loads of chances wasted.

A really poor opening half hour from Harps, sitting back and allowing Rovers come at them made Rovers look good. Once Molloy came on though the game changed totally and I personally thought Harps totally bossed the remaining 60 minutes.

That's a bit harsh, we scored 3 goals and missed a couple more. Harps were good when we sat back which was daft. But nothing has gone our way this season even if we didnt deserve it which I think we did we were due it. Last minute winners are always hard to take

[nigel-harps1954]

That's a bit harsh, we scored 3 goals and missed a couple more. Harps were good when we sat back which was daft. But nothing has gone our way this season even if we didnt deserve it which I think we did we were due it. Last minute winners are always hard to take

I don't think that's harsh at all to be honest. What chances did Rovers create exactly? Bradley said Rovers could have been 3, 4 or 5 up at half time too and I genuinely cannot figure out where these chances are from? Ciaran Gallagher had nothing to do aside from picking the ball out of the net 3 times from shots he could do nothing about.

Chencinski had several saves to make, albeit nothing forcing a world class save exactly. Morrissey, Dsane, McAleer and Houston all forced saves from him off the top of my head. Molloy put one just wide of the post, McCourt had a long range free just over the bar and Harps had the majority of possession from 30 minutes onwards. Two freak goals had Rovers 2-0 up when McAllister and Finn had the freedom of Tallaght to hit their shots.

Harps came out and attacked Rovers in the second half. Rovers didn't sit back, they just couldn't deal with McCourt in the centre of midfield.

[mcgonigle]

Hit and miss. Excellent in Sligo but poor in the last two games.

Think that was more to do with the level of opposition, I think I could have stood out against Sligo. Hadn't really impressed me, don't think he's good enough

[sbgawa]

I don't think that's harsh at all to be honest. What chances did Rovers create exactly? Bradley said Rovers could have been 3, 4 or 5 up at half time too and I genuinely cannot figure out where these chances are from? Ciaran Gallagher had nothing to do aside from picking the ball out of the net 3 times from shots he could do nothing about.

Chencinski had several saves to make, albeit nothing forcing a world class save exactly. Morrissey, Dsane, McAleer and Houston all forced saves from him off the top of my head. Molloy put one just wide of the post, McCourt had a long range free just over the bar and Harps had the majority of possession from 30 minutes onwards. Two freak goals had Rovers 2-0 up when McAllister and Finn had the freedom of Tallaght to hit their shots.

Harps came out and attacked Rovers in the second half. Rovers didn't sit back, they just couldn't deal with McCourt in the centre of midfield.


We will have to agree to disagree either way if mccourt keeps playing like that you have nothing to worry about . Any word on o Connor?

[nigel-harps1954]

Both O'Connor and Morrissey pulled hamstrings, or at least that was the word last night on the bus home. Haven't heard anything since. Bit of a disaster for us.

I think if O'Connor was on the end of some of the chances last night, we would have comfortably won that game.

[pineapple stu]

Cobh v UCD update from the Cobh twitter - "Chance! April Fools. There's no chances at all here. Still 0-0 (56)"

[RathfarnhamHoop]

I don't think that's harsh at all to be honest. What chances did Rovers create exactly? Bradley said Rovers could have been 3, 4 or 5 up at half time too and I genuinely cannot figure out where these chances are from? Ciaran Gallagher had nothing to do aside from picking the ball out of the net 3 times from shots he could do nothing about.

Chencinski had several saves to make, albeit nothing forcing a world class save exactly. Morrissey, Dsane, McAleer and Houston all forced saves from him off the top of my head. Molloy put one just wide of the post, McCourt had a long range free just over the bar and Harps had the majority of possession from 30 minutes onwards. Two freak goals had Rovers 2-0 up when McAllister and Finn had the freedom of Tallaght to hit their shots.

Harps came out and attacked Rovers in the second half. Rovers didn't sit back, they just couldn't deal with McCourt in the centre of midfield.

Chances doesnt necessarily mean shots on target. In the first 45 Harps barely had the ball but it was obvious neither striker for rovers was a natural striker, there were plenty of times when Rovers just made the wrong decision in the final 3rd which resulted in not geting a shot at all of shooting well wide. The second half though until the 85/86th minute Rovers brought no tempo at all and Harps and escepially Mccourt grew into the game and deserved the 2 goals, honestly i thought they were going to go on and win from there but we got lucky and a collectors item goal from madden really saved us. Also theres nothing freak about a long range goal, its a technique just like any other goal, I know lads that with enough space and time can score from 25 yards 9/10 times no bother, not saying finn and mcalister can but just theyre not 'freak' goals given how much time and space they had.
Other than that i really thought Sam Bone was man of the match, no coincidence that when he went off Harps scored, if he can get fit he'll be a serious player for us. Mccourt was brilliant to watch too, when hes fully fit he'll be worth the ticket price alone.

Just notes not about the game itself I hope the Harps striker who did his hamstring isn't out for too long, didn't look too bad but you never know with hamstrings, Chencinski (I had to copy and paste that) seemed worried enough that he helped him off though so might be worse than i thought.
Just in the warm up there was a moment where the sprinklers came on in the middle of a Harps training drill and Horgan did not seem happy at all. I know thats probably annoying to happen (i would have thought thats the sort of thing you tell teams, when parts of the pitch will be watered) but surely they could have just easily moved to the other side of the pitch that was free and had just finished being watered. What was really unnecessary though was the harps coach coming over and kicking the sprinkler to bend it over. Not only could this have broken the system but all it did was lower the angle of water so just got one section very wet and meant that when the watering was over it didn't go down properly so a guy wad to go over and push it down, if he hadn't been able to push it down the game would have been called off so very stupid thing of the harps coach to do.

[sbgawa]

Yeah I saw that as well the guy was a complete idiot.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Yeah I saw that as well the guy was a complete idiot.

I just cant think of his reasoning behind it, its just stupid vandalism that somebody has to fix now and could have seriously hurt someone.

[WoodquayBoy]

I can understand exactly why he did it: "these pr***s think it's funny to turn the sprinklers on us as we are warming up, well they won't do it again" and 'kick'. Rovers tried to be smart-arses, Harps were having none of it. Hat-tip to Harps.

[nigel-harps1954]

Be grand, sure Rovers don't need to worry about that anyway. The council will sort it out. :ball:

[RathfarnhamHoop]

I can understand exactly why he did it: "these pr***s think it's funny to turn the sprinklers on us as we are warming up, well they won't do it again" and 'kick'. Rovers tried to be smart-arses, Harps were having none of it. Hat-tip to Harps.

Considering the sprinklers are automatic unless Rovers managed to manipulate Harps timing and positioning so that they set up in exactly the right position at exactly the right time so they'd be there for the sprinklers to go off at the same time as they have for every game for the last two (maybe more i cant remember) years. very sneaky of Rovers that.
Also you'd think that at some point when kicking the sprinkler he think at least one of two things.
1. won't bending this over mean that all water will go into a very small area potentially water logging the area and causing at least for the pitch to have a potentially dangerous area that could at least delay kick off.
2. Wont bending this thing that goes straight up and straight down stop it from going back down and make the pitch dangerous and have the game called off.
Then you'd really think that when a club are setting up their drills they'd ask for the sprinkler timing and plan around it because judging from the fact it has never been a problem before i'm guessing that's what every other club does.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Be grand, sure Rovers don't need to worry about that anyway. The council will sort it out. :ball:

Not worried about the cost of fixing it, I'm sure Harps will be billed for it. But the fact that if he had damaged it too much it may have caused the game to be called off and wasted the time of 2,500 people.

[MattB11]

Kick Sprinklers Out Of Football

[Nesta99]

Considering the sprinklers are automatic unless Rovers managed to manipulate Harps timing and positioning so that they set up in exactly the right position at exactly the right time so they'd be there for the sprinklers to go off at the same time as they have for every game for the last two (maybe more i cant remember) years. very sneaky of Rovers that.
Also you'd think that at some point when kicking the sprinkler he think at least one of two things.
1. won't bending this over mean that all water will go into a very small area potentially water logging the area and causing at least for the pitch to have a potentially dangerous area that could at least delay kick off.
2. Wont bending this thing that goes straight up and straight down stop it from going back down and make the pitch dangerous and have the game called off.
Then you'd really think that when a club are setting up their drills they'd ask for the sprinkler timing and plan around it because judging from the fact it has never been a problem before i'm guessing that's what every other club does.

Watergate...so you are saying that the sprinklers are automatic to the extent that they cant be switched off? What if it was lashing rain, or they need to go on longer on a hot dry day. For the length of time they would be on (knocked over) to make a part of the pitch dangerous the drainage must be pish poor. It may not have been deliberate but they mustnt be too sophisticated if they can be turned off or the timing changed. The fitting cant be lifted if damaged and wont retract causing a game to be potentially called off. Can see jokeshop league headlines over that one - broken sprinker causes match postponement. Bit ott with the indignation there Rathrfarnham! Sprinkler times as part of matchday preperations - noted for our next visit and will be top of our managers list of preperations......

[nigel-harps1954]

Considering the sprinklers are automatic unless Rovers managed to manipulate Harps timing and positioning so that they set up in exactly the right position at exactly the right time so they'd be there for the sprinklers to go off at the same time as they have for every game for the last two (maybe more i cant remember) years. very sneaky of Rovers that.
Also you'd think that at some point when kicking the sprinkler he think at least one of two things.
1. won't bending this over mean that all water will go into a very small area potentially water logging the area and causing at least for the pitch to have a potentially dangerous area that could at least delay kick off.
2. Wont bending this thing that goes straight up and straight down stop it from going back down and make the pitch dangerous and have the game called off.
Then you'd really think that when a club are setting up their drills they'd ask for the sprinkler timing and plan around it because judging from the fact it has never been a problem before i'm guessing that's what every other club does.

This is a travesty. Finn Harps should be docked a million points.

I'd say you're wildly over-exaggerating things here.

The sprinklers are totally automatic and Rovers had no say over what time they come on at in certain parts of the pitch? I find that wholly amusing and leaves me wondering why they don't randomly come on during the matches? Of course they have a say in what time it comes on at and exactly where they come on.

Harps shouldn't have to ask what part of the pitch the sprinklers come on. That's a ridiculous suggestion. You come out and do your warm up on the side of the pitch you are given. End. If Rovers had sprinklers due to come on in that part of the pitch during warm up, they should have been warning Harps and not leaving themselves faced with the situation where a p!ssed off coach has to go and kick it over.

[patrickccfc]

Just noticed on extratime.ie that they have a points deducted column on the league table. Never seen something like that before.

[White Horse]

There is plenty of time to water the pitch before players warm up. Tallaght is bog half the time anyway, it doesn't need much water.

It sounds like a juvenile attempt to intimidate Finn Harps. Given the antics of Rovers inexperienced management this season, it wouldn't surprise me.

[sbgawa]

LOL yes that's the obvious reason

[TonyD]

There is plenty of time to water the pitch before players warm up.

Exactly. Why the need to leave it until the warm up ?

[Nesta99]

LOL yes that's the obvious reason

It is a lot mre obvious that what RH is claiming - automatic uncontrollable sprinklers!

[RathfarnhamHoop]

There is plenty of time to water the pitch before players warm up. Tallaght is bog half the time anyway, it doesn't need much water.

It sounds like a juvenile attempt to intimidate Finn Harps. Given the antics of Rovers inexperienced management this season, it wouldn't surprise me.

Its watered before warm ups sometimes too. Ground was very dry in Dublin on Friday very sunny all day so pitches definitely needed watering.
As i said sprinklers were on the same timings as every other week.
I'm sure many other clubs have the pitch watered mid warm up.
As I said though I get the being annoyed but there were ways around it other than deliberately damaging someone else's property which is something I really hate seeing no matter who does it.

[jinxy lilywhite]

Surely the water could of been on during the time between the warm up is finished and when the game starts.

Petty from rovers

[sbgawa]

Sometimes the anti rovers obsession on here is hilarious. Bottom line attempting to break the sprinkler was wrong. Full stop.

[nigel-harps1954]

Sometimes the anti rovers obsession on here is hilarious. Bottom line attempting to break the sprinkler was wrong. Full stop.

The self-defensive Rovers fans are more hilarious to be honest. Theres no anti-Rovers obsession that I can see. People are pointing out that it was a bit stupid to be throwing on these sprinklers without any warning to Harps, and that's an anti-Rovers obsession?

[RathfarnhamHoop]

The self-defensive Rovers fans are more hilarious to be honest. Theres no anti-Rovers obsession that I can see. People are pointing out that it was a bit stupid to be throwing on these sprinklers without any warning to Harps, and that's an anti-Rovers obsession?
they were turned on on some rovers players passing, devine and webster i think, too just a few minutes later. The warning would be the 30 odd previous matches in Tallaght over the last while where those sprinklers went off at that time in that place. Yes they should have been warned when sprinklers were going to go odd, they might have been we don't know, or knowing the sprinklers are automated they should of asked, or even, wait for it this is a bit far fetched, moved to the other side of the pitch that wasn't being watered and was unused. Attempting though to break the sprinkler was out of order and is inexcusable. If Bradley or Duff had done that in some other clubs ground that has underground sprinklers there would be uproar from the same people defending this guy and I for one would be with them as no matter who does it or why breaking something in another clubs ground is wrong, but I do get the feeling that theres a sense of because its Rovers its okay.

[nigel-harps1954]

Jesus man, get over yourself. It's a sprinkler.

[Nesta99]

There isnt a defence of the attampted sabotage of such sophistacated system, there is a question over the claim that the automated system cannot be controlled, switched on or off, timing changed, claims of dangerous pitch and match posponements due to the Harps coach interference with a delicate piece of kit. Not anti-rovers obsession just ridiculous comments from RH. oK RH you are annoyed but, that your perogartive but dont you think your claims in post 65 are just a bit off the wall?

[RathfarnhamHoop]

There isnt a defence of the attampted sabotage of such sophistacated system, there is a question over the claim that the automated system cannot be controlled, switched on or off, timing changed, claims of dangerous pitch and match posponements due to the Harps coach interference with a delicate piece of kit. Not anti-rovers obsession just ridiculous comments from RH. oK RH you are annoyed but, that your perogartive but dont you think your claims in post 65 are just a bit off the wall?

Looking at them they may be a bit over the top especially the flooding but when the other sprinklers went down that one very obviously didn't and I don't know much about sprinklers and how they work but a guy walked over and seemed to have to bend it back and push it down, but it wasn't that much bent over and was off the ground so the guy could get his hand under it to bend it back I think if he had kicked it a few more times it might have been at least harder to fix it especially in the time before kick off, and a metal object sticking up from the pitch would result in the game being called off. As for turning it off there was a guy who was getting a bollocking from hogan who seemed to say into a walkie talkie to have them turned off but nothing happened so I guess once they're on they're hard to turn off. But yeah I am a bit annoyed that anybody would deliberately damage another clubs facilities especially since in the LOI everyone knows how tight money is.

I didn't really want to make a big deal out of it I was more interested in talking about how good bone and mccourt were but the defending the coach did annoy me.

[ArFella]

I think the all-knowing sprinkler system is of such high sophistication that it would probably do a better job managing Rover than Bradley!

I for one welcome our new sprinkler overlords!

[Sean South]

Really Shams should have talked to Harps before the warm up and let them know that the sprinklers would be turned on. It's common courtesy really. If it was a issue for Harps both teams could share one side of the pitch when the sprinklers were on. If a Harps player tripped over one of them I'm sure they wouldn't be happy. It's actually quite laughable but understandable given the simple nature of most Shams fans that they believe that they timers or programme couldn't be changed.

[osarusan]

Martin Russell is gone, contract ended by 'mutual consent'.

[Nesta99]

I think the all-knowing sprinkler system is of such high sophistication that it would probably do a better job managing Rover than Bradley!

I for one welcome our new sprinkler overlords!

The best and most successful sprinkler in the league no doubt!

[pineapple stu]

Completely unlike anyone involved at Harps to kick something of course.

[nigel-harps1954]

Completely unlike anyone involved at Harps to kick something of course.

Is that you Collie? Are we still wrestlers?

[pineapple stu]

Not even wrestlers kick. But I guess it's just force of habit up there

[Ezeikial]

Looking at them they may be a bit over the top especially the flooding but when the other sprinklers went down that one very obviously didn't and I don't know much about sprinklers and how they work but a guy walked over and seemed to have to bend it back and push it down, but it wasn't that much bent over and was off the ground so the guy could get his hand under it to bend it back I think if he had kicked it a few more times it might have been at least harder to fix it especially in the time before kick off, and a metal object sticking up from the pitch would result in the game being called off. As for turning it off there was a guy who was getting a bollocking from hogan who seemed to say into a walkie talkie to have them turned off but nothing happened so I guess once they're on they're hard to turn off. But yeah I am a bit annoyed that anybody would deliberately damage another clubs facilities especially since in the LOI everyone knows how tight money is.

I didn't really want to make a big deal out of it I was more interested in talking about how good bone and mccourt were but the defending the coach did annoy me.

This is great craic

Where is Placid Casual when you need someone to smooth over these troubled waters?

[sbgawa]

I mean to be fair you'd expect random acts of vandalism from bohs or pats but harps are normally nice country lads that understand a man's field isn't to be interfered with.

[Sam_Heggy]

Must be nearly 3 pages of sh!te about f**king sprinklers at this stage.....

#GreatestLeagueInTheWorld

[jinxy lilywhite]

I mean to be fair you'd expect random acts of vandalism from bohs or pats but harps are normally nice country lads that understand a man's field isn't to be interfered with.

You'd expect most clubs to respect their opponents match preparations without any interference and underhanded tactics from their hosts but it is Rovers afterall

[WoodquayBoy]

Must be nearly 3 pages of sh!te about f**king sprinklers at this stage.....

#GreatestLeagueInTheWorld
its better than reading about the muck served up by us and Sligo tonight. Two brutal teams

[Ezeikial]

But yeah I am a bit annoyed that anybody would deliberately damage another clubs facilities especially since in the LOI everyone knows how tight money is.


Your annoyance is understandable.

But if you feel this stressed about a little kink on a sprinkler, I imagine you would be apoplectic with rage if you knew about our fence being battered down in wanton acts of vandalism.

Our poor battered fence has barely recovered from the kicking it got from the Oriel Park riots of May 2010 (https://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0504/130588-dundalk/)

[Nesta99]

Uncontrollable sprinklers should be banned as it could incite an attack and damage the leagues reputation! Dogs should be empolyer to deal with the issue.....

[ger121]

Must be nearly 3 pages of sh!te about f**king sprinklers at this stage.....

#GreatestLeagueInTheWorld

There's be that much talk about sprinkling, squirting and wetness in this thread, I thought I was on Pornhub...

[Charlie Darwin]

I was all ready to come in here and rant about how Limerick sacking Russell has distracted from this very important sprinkler discussion, but pleasantly surprised to see it's been relegated to its own thread.

[Nesta99]

Why let the first managerial casualty of the season get in the way of the obsession with Shamrock Rovers and their sprinklers that cannot be controlled...

[sbgawa]

Breaking news from limerick. Gardai are investigating martin russells mobile phone records. Apparantly Russell colluded with the Harps coach in the attack on the sprinkler. The plan was to damage the sprinkler so it was left sticking up to enable him to play 3 at the back in tallaght with the sprinkler playing in the middle of the 3. He felt it was more mobile than limericks current defence. He had to go..