LoI Fixture 6-7 April

[Ezeikial]

Premier Division
Fri Dundalk V Shamrock Rovers 7.30KO
Fri Bohemians V Limerick
Fri St Patrick's Ath V Bray Wanderers
Fri Waterford V Cork City
Sat Sligo Rovers V Derry City

First Division
Fri Drogheda Utd V UCD
Fri Shelbourne V Athlone Town
Fri Finn Harps V Galway United
Fri Wexford V Cobh Ramblers
Sat Longford V Cabinteely

Some really interesting fixtures this weekend especially in the Premier Division where the top four clash - with 1st against 3rd and 2nd against 4th. There is also an opportunity for both Derry and St Pats to take advantage of any slip up ahead of them in the table. Bohs V Limerick also presents both teams with an opportunity to move away from the relegation area.

[placid casual]

This must be like the run up to Christmas for you ezekial. :)

[Ezeikial]

This must be like the run up to Christmas for you ezekial. :)

I've no doubt that you are also eagerly anticipating this weeks matches.

There's a chance for Rovers to go to 2nd in the table!

[Dundalk daz]

Really looking forward to the game in oriel on Friday, should be a cracking atmosphere,hopefully plenty of goals and excitement, and seeing as it’s on tv another superb advertisement for the league.

[Charlie Darwin]

I've no doubt that you are also eagerly anticipating this weeks matches.

There's a chance for Rovers to go to 2nd in the table!
We never said we could go second. In fact, we said we couldn't.

[Yossarian]

This must be like the run up to Christmas for you ezekial. :)

It’s his cup final.

[Ezeikial]

It’s his cup final.

I'm afraid we will get battered (Can you get battered and still win by a goal or two?)

[El-Pietro]

I'm afraid we will get battered (Can you get battered and still win by a goal or two?)

Of course. Sure Rovers battered us last year. They even hit the bar.

[Trainee]

Rain could affect games tomorrow. Expecting upto 50mm of rain in South of country so waterford v Cork & wexford v Cobh could be called off if rain is as bad as expected.

[osarusan]

What is the weather like in Dublin? Rained all night in Limerick.

[pineapple stu]

Just drizzle at the moment. To get heavier later on, but stop by evening I think.

I'd say the deciding factor will be how bad the pitches were hit earlier in the week and how much they've recovered in the meantime. The rain now is nothing to worry about, but a pitch unplayable on Monday may still be bad today

[Ezeikial]

I've never considered Daniel McDonnell naive, but I am struggling to get how he concludes there is any indication of Rovers taking a positive approach tonight based on the quote he has reproduced in his Indo piece



Meanwhile, Rovers manager Stephen Bradley has promised a positive approach from his side as they seek to become the first team to score against Dundalk this season.

"We just have to play to our levels. If we do that we're good enough to create chances against any team in the league," said Bradley, whose side have suffered three defeats in their four away games to date.
https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/waterford-aim-to-be-treated-seriously-in-topfour-battle-36779948.html

I expect Rovers will create chances and maybe even score, but I certainly don't expect a positive approach.
I fully expect Rovers to take a cautious attitude. be physical and hope to get a goal from counter attacks, route one ball or set-pieces.

[osarusan]

Just drizzle at the moment. To get heavier later on, but stop by evening I think.

I'd say the deciding factor will be how bad the pitches were hit earlier in the week and how much they've recovered in the meantime. The rain now is nothing to worry about, but a pitch unplayable on Monday may still be bad today

What was it like on Monday, anybody? It was playable then anyway at least. Any Bohs fans think it might be called off?

[sbgawa]

id imagine it was a reflection on the entire conversation rather than that specific line about creating chances, McDonnell is anything but naïve.
We will see tonight I guess.
Hopefully it will be a good game that makes the league look good.

[MattB11]

Pitch inspection at 1pm for finn park

[Dalymountrower]

What was it like on Monday, anybody? It was playable then anyway at least. Any Bohs fans think it might be called off?

Raining heavily in North Dublin for the last two hours, due to ease off and then be dry from 3 pm. If there`s 4 hours of drying, Dalymount should be OK as it drains pretty well, but if a ref was to call it now , I would say it it would be off.

[pineapple stu]

Game in Dalymount went ahead on Monday, unlike other pitches (Richmond Park was unplayable for one), but the pitch was heavy enough.

[nigel-harps1954]

Game off in Finn Park.

[Ezeikial]

id imagine it was a reflection on the entire conversation rather than that specific line about creating chances, McDonnell is anything but naïve.
We will see tonight I guess.
Hopefully it will be a good game that makes the league look good.

There is a larger piece of the interview on the Shamrock Rovers site (https://shamrockrovers.ie/2018/04/05/team-news-away-v-dundalk-06-04-2018/) but still nothing from Bradley to indicate that Rovers will take a "positive approach"

Greg Bolger offers a more realistic assessment

“The aim for us, the same as every game, is to try and get three points but I don’t think a draw would be a bad result either,” Bolger says. “We drew with them at our place so there’s nothing between the teams. We’re going there in good spirits and if we can perform well I think we can get a good result. But everyone will need to be 8/10, 9/10.”
http://www.the42.ie/greg-bolger-interview-april-2018-3940062-Apr2018/

[ForzaForth]

Wexford's game against Cobh is going ahead tonight according to the club's website.

[dundalkfc10]

id imagine it was a reflection on the entire conversation rather than that specific line about creating chances, McDonnell is anything but naïve.
We will see tonight I guess.
Hopefully it will be a good game that makes the league look good.

Hopefully if Rovers score the cameras will keep away from their fans pitch invasion (looks bad) which usually happens, still laugh when I think of them on the pitch in Tallght after a goal the night Richies penalty won the league.

[Ezeikial]

Better than 5/1 available on a Rovers win tonight (28/5 with Marathon). That seems very generous, although almost tripling your money for a draw is a tad more realistic (143/50 with Marathon). Not much of a return in 4/6 odds on a Dundalk win
https://www.oddschecker.com/football/ireland/premier-division/dundalk-v-shamrock/winner

[oriel]

Hopefully if Rovers score the cameras will keep away from their fans pitch invasion (looks bad) which usually happens, still laugh when I think of them on the pitch in Tallght after a goal the night Richies penalty won the league.

That was good alright, but nothing compared to 'umbrella man' on the pitch running at the Pats fans in Richmond Park, must be 5 + years ago now.

[brendy_éire]

Game off in Finn Park.

Not terribly surprising, the pitch wasn't in the best of states on Monday night and it's been a miserable oul day here.
Pity, as it's one of the few Harps game I could have made, with us playing tomorrow.

No concerns for the pitch in Sligo tomorrow, nah?

[nigel-harps1954]

Not terribly surprising, the pitch wasn't in the best of states on Monday night and it's been a miserable oul day here.
Pity, as it's one of the few Harps game I could have made, with us playing tomorrow.

No concerns for the pitch in Sligo tomorrow, nah?

Hasn't stopped raining without any decent break in weather since yesterday evening. Huge puddles of water on the pitch. Most of it would drain off alright with all the drainage work done last year, but you'd still be left with a pitch in very poor condition. Right call made. The inspection lasted all of two or three minutes before the guy comes up into the clubhouse and says "it's grand alright, if you want a game of water polo".

Nightmare for us though, that's our fourth postponement of the year already and two home games to be refixed for weeknights against Longford and Galway now.

[sbgawa]

There is a larger piece of the interview on the Shamrock Rovers site (https://shamrockrovers.ie/2018/04/05/team-news-away-v-dundalk-06-04-2018/) but still nothing from Bradley to indicate that Rovers will take a "positive approach"

Greg Bolger offers a more realistic assessment

http://www.the42.ie/greg-bolger-interview-april-2018-3940062-Apr2018/

I think you are over analysing this....I doubt McDonnell decided to make it up that Bradley promised a positive approach ....maybe he did

[Ezeikial]

I think you are over analysing this....I doubt McDonnell decided to make it up that Bradley promised a positive approach ....maybe he did

No over analysis at all, just this


I've never considered Daniel McDonnell naive, but I am struggling to get how he concludes there is any indication of Rovers taking a positive approach tonight based on the quote he has reproduced in his Indo piece

[Charlie Darwin]

If anybody would know what Bradley is thinking at any given moment, it'd be Ezekiel.

[micls]

We're 1 up in waterford. Dundalk rovers is a good game so far.

[Ezeikial]

Right now Bradley is thinking Rovers are the better team

[micls]

Not much in it. Both teams have had their spells. Bradley would be the happier I'd imagine.

[GCdfc]

Not much in it. Both teams have had their spells. Bradley would be the happier I'd imagine.

Not at this moment in time, but that may change.

[MattB11]

Jesus that rovers keeper

[pineapple stu]

What a shocking goal.

Commentators rightly giving out about the keeper, but don't know why the defender left it either. Communication problems for sure.

[GCdfc]

Or at this moment ;)

[GCdfc]

Jesus that rovers keeper

Jesus, Mountney's haircut!

[Longfordian]

Bray going well again I see. I think Athlone might fancy their chances against them at this stage.

[redarmyfaction]

Entertaining second half on the plastic.

[redarmyfaction]

I expect one then will score before the end.

[CorribsideSteve]

Another bad night for Shamrock Rovers. Their keeper is Junior/Amateur level at best. Haven't seen such a poor one in the PL for a long time.

[GCdfc]

Another bad night for Shamrock Rovers. Their keeper is Junior/Amateur level at best. Haven't seen such a poor one in the PL for a long time.

Long may he be their first choice.

[pineapple stu]

Isn't that a different keeper to earlier in the season?

Sava's not great either tbf.

Waterford beating Cork is mad.

Surprised at just how bad Bray are.

[SeanDrog]

Good result tonight 2-0 Drogs v UCD , makes last weeks slip up even more annoying though ... Cab seem to be a bogey team for us!

Top of the table on goal diff.

[CorribsideSteve]

for you guys - 100%. Two goals gifted to ye directly from him. I wonder what happened to Chechinski. He's having a nightmare and should be taken off 1st team duties till he has some confidence.

[brendy_éire]

What the feck went on at the RDS? Six sendings off?!

[Nesta99]

Caulfield keeping his head happened.......

[White Horse]

Tough game in Oriel. Hard fought three points. I thought we looked good going forward but composure at the back deserted us.

Rovers might well have got something out of the game.

Chaos in Waterford. What was Caulfield doing on the field of play?

[sulywaterfordfc]

Huge win, massive crowd.

6 reds were the result Caulfields actions, he’s a disgrace should get a big ban.

Dreamland start, 20 ahead of bottom incredible stuff

[WoodquayBoy]

Horgan was only good enough for a place on the bench for us, with Conor Winn ahead of him in the pecking order. Conor Winn ffs. That should tell you all you need to know about Horgan’s abilities as a goalkeeper.

[GCdfc]

Sava's not great either tbf.

I doubt you'll have any Dundalk supporters disagreeing. I'd liked to have seen Ross Tracey between the posts.