League Fixtures Thread: Tuesday, August 15

[AlanOB]

Just the two Premier Division fixtures slated for tomorrow:

19.45 -- Limerick FC v. Shamrock Rovers (http://mixlr.com/limerick-soccer-live/)
19.45 -- Sligo Rovers v. Bray Wanderers

Limerick Soccer Live, featuring myself and former Limerick manager Noel O'Connor, will have full live audio analysis from the Markets Field; coverage starts at 19.40pm at www.mixlr.com/limerick-soccer-live

A massive game for both sides, particularly the hosts, who are looking to fend off a relegation battle.

[nigel-harps1954]

With Sligo and Bray both out of the cup, they'll be kicking themselves they didn't get the chance to have the game changed to next weekend.

[PartySaint]

Rovers whole season seems to be built around getting us relegated so I fully expect a Limerick win.

Don't see Bray doing us any favours either

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Think if we don't win that we're gone. And after the tripe I watched on Saturday night I wouldn't be too hopeful.

[wonder88]

Have a feeling that the threat of relegation may motivate both home sides tonight. Hope from a Galway side of things that I am wrong. No doubt about it big games in terms of relegation and Europe places.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Half time at Market's Field, one nil to Rovers. Just listening along with AlanOB, sounded even enough up to the last five/ten minutes of the half. Disappointing to concede. We're constantly setting ourselves uphill battles in second halfs recently.

[sbgawa]

Listening to AOB good comentary. They ain't holding back on the officials. 😀

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

So that's us and Drogheda gone

[LK37oldskool]

Limerick in free fall. Absolute joke of a club.

[WoodquayBoy]

So that's us and Drogheda gone
I fancy us or ye to catch Limerick

[osarusan]

We are absolutely toothless in attack. Very comfortable win for Rovers. They didn't threaten too much until they scored a free header from a corner, but then it was game over, as we never ever looked like getting back into it. We are a mess of a team, no direction at all.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

I fancy us or ye to catch Limerick

We won't catch anyone I don't think. Haven't won away from home all season and 5 of our last 7 are away.

[wonder88]

Too early to call Sligo for the drop. Looks like games between the bottom 6 will be the decider. Sligo are competitive, but like Galway early on draws and lack of scoring power are holding them back. Murray is so important for us, but I feel we may not be as solid defensively after Grace leaving(despite his drop in form during 2nd series of games). Friday should tell us more.
What do people think the number of points that will keep a club up, could 34 do it?

[sbgawa]

I think 34 will stay up but you can be unlucky and a couple of wins changes everything. Perceived wisdom in the EPL is that 40 points is safe but West ham got relegated with 42 a few years ago

[sbgawa]

I didn't realise 5 of Sligo last 7 were away that might be fatel.

[Guitd]

I didn't realise 5 of Sligo last 7 were away that might be fatel.

Ya it's hard to see Sligo make a miraculous recovery with only 2 home games so it drog /sligo and one from galway /harps/limerick think pats have enough to scrape out

[sbgawa]

Harps Pats a big game on Friday

[pineapple stu]

Some difference in recent form in the bottom two-thirds of the table. This is the form table over just the last five games -


Cork 12
Derry 12
Galway 10
St Pat's 10
Dundalk 10
Harps 9
Bohs 7
Rovers 6
Sligo 5
Bray 2
Limerick 1
Drogheda 1

If you assume that that form carries over to the next five games (a big assumption obviously, but still) you get the following table with about three games to go -


Cork 79
Dundalk 60
Derry 55
Rovers 44
Bohs 40
St Pat's 37
Bray 37
Harps 36
Galway 35
Sligo 30
Limerick 29
Drogheda 19

Limerick do look like they're in big trouble, and no reason why Bray in fifth are necessarily safe, though they look to have done just enough for now. Lots of six-pointers coming up though.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Too early to call Sligo for the drop. Looks like games between the bottom 6 will be the decider. Sligo are competitive, but like Galway early on draws and lack of scoring power are holding them back. Murray is so important for us, but I feel we may not be as solid defensively after Grace leaving(despite his drop in form during 2nd series of games). Friday should tell us more.
What do people think the number of points that will keep a club up, could 34 do it?

Competitive but can't score. 5 goals in our last 10 league games says it all really. Need to score goals and win games. Only the top 3 have lost less games then us but aren't scoring enough to win games ourselves.

[sbgawa]

If the current bottom 3 go down a first division of Galway, Sligo, Drogheda, UCD, Cobh (or Waterford) Shelbourne Longford Athlone Wexford and Cabo looks pretty competitive.

[wonder88]

Agree with your point sbgawa, the first division next season could be competitive and exciting which would boast attendance figures for many clubs. Relegation is not the end of the world. Would a mid-table premier division Waterford get the crowds they are getting leading the First division this year. The "relegation is a disaster" outlook is again down to the influence of English soccer/media here. But the 2 leagues are not the least bit comparable, compare the disparity between prize/tv money in the EPL and English Championship and the difference in prize money between the two divisions here for example. Missing out on European qualification is more of a disaster to a club that has been used to it than relegation would be. We have also sadly copied the English in their attitude to the cup competitions if you look at the crowd figures from last week. Again a cup win/final appearance would be a huge financial and marketing boast for non-Dublin clubs.

Terrible form Bray are in at present, would the manager be under pressure there?

[AlanOB]

Thanks for the kind words about last night's broadcast; written analysis below:

Limerick 0-2 Shamrock Rovers: Harmless Hoops profit from Limerick lapses (https://tacticstruck2.com/2017/08/16/limerick-0-2-shamrock-rovers-harmless-hoops-profit-from-limerick-lapses/)

[Ezeikial]

Terrible form Bray are in at present, would the manager be under pressure there?

Harry Kenny for the sack?

Thats good craic

[ToberonaTornado]

Terrible form Bray are in at present, would the manager be under pressure there?

Either a typo(Bray) from your good self or a tongue in cheek remark :confused:

Only pressure he's under atm is from other LOI Prem division sides ringing him up and asking "sign for us Harry"