Dundalk 1 Limerick 0

[gael353]

I wasn’t at the game due to this stupid Thursday night thing but got a few texts etc. We seemed to be on top for most of the game with the two lads up front doing well. It was all long balls though which I’m not happy about. Donellen missed a sitter of a header from was it three feet or three inches? Dundalk went down the field and should have got a penalty. On eighty minutes a Dundalk corner hit someone and went straight in, aertel says it was McCarthy. We have now 6 points from a possible 21 this is not good and is quite frankly, re-election form.
Team: Mooney, O’Mahoney, Tobin, Finnucane, Wolfe, Kerins, Molan, Barrett, Donellan, McCarthy (O’Brien 85) Kelleher (Stokes 85) :rolleyes:
Yes I’m not joking about the two subs, that isn’t a typo.

There are better players in the squad IMO then what we’re playing with. Keith Harnett, Ross Cosgrave, Dave Ryan, Timmy Lynch, Mick Aherne and some might say two good goalkeepers too.

[maineman]

Very disappointing indeed,as you said 6pts is a poor return surely it's time these players got there chance.

[gspain]

Very very disappointing. well worth at least a point. Dominated much of the 2nd half. Should have had a stonewall penalty although Dundalk had claims too (theirs looked a foul but may have been outside the box ref gave nothing, ours was a definite one).

Terrible goal to give away - ball whizzed across the 6 yard box from a corner and Noel Mooney never claimed it, seemed to go in after a scramble - given as an own goal but then credited to Ger McCarthy.

Good approach play but we didn't really look like scoring despite some clear cut chances.

[Daydreamer]

Terrible result these are the kinda teams that we really need to be beating
if we are to get a run going ,noc needs to bring mike ahern and ross c in to
the team ...long journey home last with a very disappointed car load of lads.. :mad:

[Lim till i die]

One nil down in the 85th minute taking off Derek and Robbie and bringing on the other two is quite frakly SCANDOLOUS management Noel needs to get his head out of his arse and bring back Mick and Keith Hartnett. Also were the Limerick fans who travelled to Sligo the only ones who noticed when you keep the ball on the ground in this division you dominate teams. We're capable of it so why not do it :confused: :mad:

[Daydreamer]

have to agree with you about the ball on the ground 2 many times
this season the ball has been floating over our 2 centre midfield
men with the hope that robbie can get on the end of it,cos as we know ,cp had no intention on following it..

[sadloserkid]

Eoin Conlon came off the bench as well according to Aertel. Mike Ahearne was on the bench but not used. Can't pass comment on the game as I wasn't there but all season I think we've been desperately short on ideas in the final third. It really does seem that we're relying on moments of individual brilliance to pull us out of a hole.

We look much more dangerous when the ball is played to the wingers feet and they're allowed to run at people (though even then Nolan tends to over-do it at times and Kearns hasn't really impressed me yet) but our 'tactic' seems to be a case of boot the ball in the general direction of the opposition goal and hope for favourable breaks a lot of the time.

We clearly have some very talented individuals playing for us but there seems to be a lack of an overall plan there sometimes.

[Daydreamer]

in fairness to the lads they did play alot of good football last night,game should have been over after 60 or 70 minutes, but the old cliche if u dont take
your chances u get punished,and the og by wolfe just proved that,

[deise deserter]

Once again:

GET MICK AHERNE BACK IN THE STARTING LINE UP!

It is crazy that a player who improved so much over the course of last year is sidelined in such a way. The clock is ticking for NOC - people haven't put money into the club to see the poor football he insists on playing.

[anto1208]

i thought this was the answer to all ye're prayers having noc come in and take over . :rolleyes:

im sure ye know why mick aherne wont get in the team while noc is in charge & he wont get sacked since he owns some of the club , which will lead to a lot more problems the 2 should be seperate owners cant be managers it does nt work .

[4tothefloor]

We clearly have some very talented individuals playing for us but there seems to be a lack of an overall plan there sometimes.

Ya, it's called tactics. Limerick remind me of a junior team, hoofing their way through the game and working off of second breaks and percentages.

The honeymoon period will be over in a few weeks, that's when the fun will really begin. Quite frankly, I don't think bringing Keith Hartnett in will make much of a difference. Keith is a footballer who plays ball. NOC to me looks like a hoofmeister a la Gerard Houllier. Not much point having Keith in there if Limerick aren't going to play through him. Ditto for Brendan Sweeney. Liverpools problems under Houllier were his tactics, they had the personnel, but his tactics were clueless. At the moment, our football under NOC is putrid, one dimensional garbage. Lets hope he turns it around, but to be honest I'm losing confidence in him already. It's not necessarily the bad results and the losses - it's the poor style of football that we are producing that worries me. Did they do any ball work at all in pre-season?

[fc hammer]

if these poor results keep coming, O Conner will have to go.Lets bring in a manager with some bit of a clue. O Conner has clearly lost the plot.

[dutchie]

I think people are very harsh and unrealistic when it comes to the chances of limerick this season,i think compared to last season we have a great set up and matching the best in div 1,we were unlucky in afew games so far but i think as the season goes on we will improve as a lot of our players are playing senior soccer for the first time,and i think people are being harsh on noc,i do think it will all fall into place.

[Westside]

Thats fair enough Dutchie but you can't blame people for having a go.We have a squad of about 24 players, yet we've only seen maybe 14/15 this season.We have only won 1 game out of a possible 7, not much different to last season where we had a bare team.I agree with other posts about Keith Hartnett and Mick Ahearne, these guys have to be given a chance because they are certainly better than some of the guys in there at present.Keith is a very good link player between midfield and attack and would compliment Tommy, also Mick is far better all round than O'Mahony, yet NOC still persists with the same 12-14 players.Its very frustrating for fans to see, its not just the results, but also how we are playing.....ala Jack Charlton long ball routine.NOC deserves the critisism he is getting here, our points to games played shows us that.I just wonder how Mike Kerley would have done last season had he all these players on board..........I doubt we would be any worse off than we are now..............anyone!!!!!!

[willie john]

i thought this was the answer to all ye're prayers having noc come in and take over . :rolleyes:

im sure ye know why mick aherne wont get in the team while noc is in charge & he wont get sacked since he owns some of the club , which will lead to a lot more problems the 2 should be seperate owners cant be managers it does nt work .
im going to risk another ban for this one YOU dont have a clue what your talking a bout noc dose NOT own part of the club and the club dose not need s itheads like u stiring it up and lads noc will do a good job give him time he is only in the job 3 months a very new team management and playing it will come right lets get behind them on friday 29 against galway and lets help them WIN ;) ;) :ball:

[jebus]

i thought this was the answer to all ye're prayers having noc come in and take over . :rolleyes:

im sure ye know why mick aherne wont get in the team while noc is in charge & he wont get sacked since he owns some of the club , which will lead to a lot more problems the 2 should be seperate owners cant be managers it does nt work .

Watch what you say about the Aherne SCANDAL around here mate, I've already had my fingers burnt, and the chairman on the lookout at games for me for TELLING THE FLIPPING TRUTH!!!

[jebus]

im going to risk another ban for this one YOU dont have a clue what your talking a bout noc dose NOT own part of the club and the club dose not need s itheads like u stiring it up and lads noc will do a good job give him time he is only in the job 3 months a very new team management and playing it will come right lets get behind them on friday 29 against galway and lets help them WIN ;) ;) :ball:

Will you ever calm down when people criticise the club, seriously you'll do yourself an injury if you keep it up. Anyway its not like NOC is new to Eircom League management here, he's already had one unsuccessful attempt at managing the club, and was then brought back against a lot of the fans wishes, so he was obviously going to be criticised if he didn't get off to an absolute flier. The fact that we've had a poor start to the season by playing some poor football was always going to get the anti-Noel brigade out in force, and you and the rest of your shower will just have to accept it and not respond to everything we say on this message board with insults and over-reactions. And I ask you again, why was the chairman looking for me at the kilkenny game? Surely the club aren't taking talk on this board so seriously that they'd consider banning one of their supporters from home games? So whats the story on that one Willie?

[The Derrynane 1]

Take it from me, I've played under Noel, he is most definately not a hoofmeister a la Houllier. I really do believe ye're being overly critical at this early stage. Have ye completely forgotten what ye were like last year? Give Noel, the team and the whole club time. I've got a sneaky feeling they'll deliver.

[willie john]

Will you ever calm down when people criticise the club, seriously you'll do yourself an injury if you keep it up. Anyway its not like NOC is new to Eircom League management here, he's already had one unsuccessful attempt at managing the club, and was then brought back against a lot of the fans wishes, so he was obviously going to be criticised if he didn't get off to an absolute flier. The fact that we've had a poor start to the season by playing some poor football was always going to get the anti-Noel brigade out in force, and you and the rest of your shower will just have to accept it and not respond to everything we say on this message board with insults and over-reactions. And I ask you again, why was the chairman looking for me at the kilkenny game? Surely the club aren't taking talk on this board so seriously that they'd consider banning one of their supporters from home games? So whats the story on that one Willie?
why dont you ask him maybe he thinks you are such a nice fellow he wants to meet you :D any who said he wanted to meet u .lads we have the only club in the leauge debt free a fine squad a fine ground a fine management team on the pitch we have had a reasable start to the season things are good and will get better do u not think other clubs wood like to be like this give noc time and he will make us all happy ;) ;) :ball:

[willie john]

Watch what you say about the Aherne SCANDAL around here mate, I've already had my fingers burnt, and the chairman on the lookout at games for me for TELLING THE FLIPPING TRUTH!!!
it nobodys bussiness only micks and noc there big boys and freinds LEAVE THEM ALONE :eek: :eek:

[4tothefloor]

Take it from me, I've played under Noel, he is most definately not a hoofmeister a la Houllier.

Well he'd want to start proving that so, because all I've seen so far is hoof. I agree he has to be given time, the season at least. But the football has been so bad so far that questions have to be asked. If we put three passes together against Galway, I suggest that the crowd do a mexican wave in celebration.....

[sadloserkid]

Glad to see a more restrained approach to posting on your part Willie john, long may it continue. :)

As for the overall points being made above I think it's far too soon to talk about getting rid of Noel O'Connor (besides with the five year contract who's paying to pay to sack him if he doesn't deliver?) I don't think anybody should be pushed after 7 games.

That said we're not playing particularly well overall. We're averaging less than a point a game and we're second bottom in the table. I think that a little criticism of our season so far is to be expected. We've flattered to deliever for the most part.

Most of the points being made (the reluctance to utilise players like Cosgrave, Ahearne and Hartnett, the seeming lack of any overall shape and tactical direction) are valid enough. I don't think I could do a better job than Noel can. But I am a football fan and have been for a long time. I can appreciate the difference between good and bad football and at the moment we're tending more towards the latter.

Noel deserves more time certainly and I think the team will improve (they have been unlucky enough overall). At the moment though things aren't particularly rosy on the pitch and people have every right to make that observation.

[gael353]

i thought this was the answer to all ye're prayers having noc come in and take over . :rolleyes:

im sure ye know why mick aherne wont get in the team while noc is in charge & he wont get sacked since he owns some of the club , which will lead to a lot more problems the 2 should be seperate owners cant be managers it does nt work .

i think you'll find that the takeover maybe was the answer to our prayers but most on this were of the opinion that Noel was a good coach, we were not so cool on him being manager as we did finished last as well as guiding the team to the league cup the previous time he was in charge. My vote was for John Gill as were many others. The removal of Mike Kerley didnt go down well either so maybe it was just the removeal of the previuos regime (off the field) that you may be correct on.

[deise deserter]

Spot on Gael 353. It's amazing how some can easily forget what was actually said.

The new owners have been good for the club as we stated. .

NOC has us playing poor football. Something which was also stated here.

That said what was the thinking behind giving someone who finished bottom in Division 1 the last time round a 5 year contract? The mind boggles....

[jebus]

i thought this was the answer to all ye're prayers having noc come in and take over . :rolleyes:

im sure ye know why mick aherne wont get in the team while noc is in charge & he wont get sacked since he owns some of the club , which will lead to a lot more problems the 2 should be seperate owners cant be managers it does nt work .

While I agree with Gael's response to the above post the return of anto1208 to gloat over our poor start under our new management team after some of the riducle he recieved on this board did bring a smile to my face :)

[LFC in Exile]

Jaysus, there's nothing like Limerick fans for moaning. There is a problem on the pitch - we are not taking our chances. Simple as that. There is talk of changing things around and I think some marginal changes could be warranted. Bringing in Ahearne wouldnot make much difference IMO. Hartnett could be given a try - at first even as sub in centre mid. And why not try Barrett up front? Apparently he got goals for View last couple of seasons and from midfield for us he is scoring - he obviously knows where the net is.

I don't think we are hoofmeisters (as it was so eloquently put) - both NOC and Kerley put out teams that try to play football - as opposed to the Monaghan and Dublin City style of play we saw this season. There is nothing wrong with a long ball if you have pacey front men - the problem is when it is aimless long balls like we saw Dublin City play in Rathbane. I know they are top of the league but they would win no prizes for the quality of their football or their tackling.

We were unlucky by all accounts in Sligo. We should have taken 3 points at home to Monaghan. Those extra 4 points would have us in fourth or so. There is very little between the teams as it is and I think panicing at this stage and talk of O'Connor out at this stage is premature. There are some here that are talking their own book. they were critical of NOC at the start of the season and are taking the poor current form (after 7 games to say 'I told you so').

We are unbeaten at home - we need to keep that going. :ball:

[4tothefloor]

All I see here is people calling it as it is. Nothing wrong with dealing in facts and voicing opinions. Very few are calling for NOC's head. I couldn't care less if Mary Poppins was the manager, as long as the football is watchable and a decent standard. As I've already said, I'm not too bothered about the defeats, it's the football on show that I'm not happy with. As someone quite rightly said, even though we are second bottom, we're still only a win or two from the top. However, we are playing quite poor stuff at the moment. Generally, when teams play poor stuff, they get criticised, and that's all that is happening here. Lets hope NOC turns it around, starting friday night.

[the ox]

Would we be so low in the league if Mike Kerley hadn't been sacked? Obviously ifs and buts will break your butt...but still! we did well the season before last with him.

[LFC in Exile]

Would we be so low in the league if Mike Kerley hadn't been sacked? Obviously ifs and buts will break your butt...but still! we did well the season before last with him.

Well if we had the same players as well... :ball:

[the ox]

He had a summer to bring in players. Forcing Fyffe out is still beyond me. According to the lads in charge "mooney is the best goalkeeper in the first division". if thats the judgement of the guys in charge...!!

[deise deserter]

Add my vote to that! :)

[Poor Student]

Who is Jimmy Fyffe with now?

[sadloserkid]

Who is Jimmy Fyffe with now?

Was talking to Jimmy the other day actually. he's not playing football at all at the moment which is some loss to the First Division anyway. He said that he'd no interest in playing 'for some team like Cobh or Athlone because I hate them anyway'.

It was always gonna be Limerick (or Bray who made him an offer but he felt it was too far) or nothing.

[joeSoap]

The terms that were offered, and refused, by Jimmy obviously didn't suit him. Maybe competition, and not being guaranteed a first team spot contributed.
Maybe he didn't want to play any more.
Maybe he thought that the training, and travelling to matches would clash with his music career, which is quite lucrative to him.
The fact is, he chose not to sign, so maybe it should be portrayed in black and white, not as if he was 'forced' from the club.

[LFC in Exile]

He had a summer to bring in players. Forcing Fyffe out is still beyond me. According to the lads in charge "mooney is the best goalkeeper in the first division". if thats the judgement of the guys in charge...!!

In fairness - Mooney was brilliant against Dublin City.

[sadloserkid]

The fact is, he chose not to sign, so maybe it should be portrayed in black and white, not as if he was 'forced' from the club.

No real argument from me there Joe but I don't think it's as black and white as you're portraying things. Not to mention that for something you're trying to portray as black and white there are a hell of a lot of 'maybe's in your post! :p

I think the fact is that, like Dave Conway and James Sugrue, Fyffe felt he was being significantly undervalued by Limerick. He certainly chose not to sign but I do think it's important to acknowledge that he wanted to sign for Limerick this season. The question of whether he was offered fair terms is totally relative and could be debated to death. Likewise the question of whether Fyffe is as good (or bad) as both he and Noel O'Connor would believe is just two more opinions. Everybody will hold one.

Personally I think he's a huge loss, Noel Mooney is a smashing guy but nowhere near as capable a keeper. He made 2-3 good saves against Dublin City but conversely he dropped at least one cross that he shouldn't have. He was adequate on the night but hardly brilliant I would have thought.

[LFC in Exile]

Noel Mooney is a smashing guy but nowhere near as capable a keeper. He made 2-3 good saves against Dublin City but conversely he dropped at least one cross that he shouldn't have. He was adequate on the night but hardly brilliant I would have thought.

I haven't seen Mooney away from Rathbane - he was really good in those games. I think you are being unfair on him in relation to the Dublin City game - it was more than 2-3 good saves - one in particular was outstanding. Another was excellent even if he did play up the dive. Against Mons he had little to do but did it well.

I don't doubt for a minute he had a howler in Cobh. As you say whether he is better than Fyffe or not is a moot point. Opinions are like assh oles - everybody has one, but if Fyffe chose not to play for the terms on offer then given Mooney's ability I think Limerick were right not to get involved in negotiations to keep him - with the possible efect that might have had on other players' demands. :ball:

[sadloserkid]

I don't doubt for a minute he had a howler in Cobh.

And in Athlone let's not forget. I fully respect your opinion because I believe that you know football. That said, I don't agree with you. Based on what I've seen of Noel Mooney thus far I'm not convinced that he's good enough to keep goal for a side hoping to finish in the top half.

He made one excellent save against Dublin City, anything else he did I'd expect from a keeper at this level. I don't think he's bad as such but I think he's a definite step down on what we had last season. Again I'll stress that this is an opinion only but I think that anybody who reads this board will have to see that I'm not alone in this view.

I think people should forget about Jimmy Fyffe for now. If nothing else it'll depress you at times after another dropped cross... more seriously though I can't see Jimmy Fyffe being anywhere near a Limerick side this season. I think he's a big loss to us on the playing side of things and I also don't think he was either particularly well treated or offered a particularly good contract by Limerick. That's the managers perogative. Come the end of the season he'll be judged on such decisions. So be it. :ball:

[jebus]

Come the end of the season he'll be judged on such decisions. So be it. :ball:

Will he though??

[joeSoap]

So, Jebus. Tell me what your expectations for the club were for the season last December.... Then perhaps you could tell me if you expect miracles to happen overnight....then perhaps you can explain to me how a new squad is supposed to automatically gel together in the first quarter of the season...then you can explain to me just what Noel O'Connors many faults are and why we're not running away with the league already...it is a simple game after all... :confused:

Not only do you want your cake and eat it....you want everyone elses as well.A little reality check from time to time might be in order..The club is learning to walk before it can run both on and off the field of play. Mistakes are going to be made by everyone. Support is whats required, nothing much to ask I'd say, plus a little faith in the regime. A little longer than some are prepared to wait perhaps....

[jebus]

So, Jebus. Tell me what your expectations for the club were for the season last December.... Then perhaps you could tell me if you expect miracles to happen overnight....then perhaps you can explain to me how a new squad is supposed to automatically gel together in the first quarter of the season...then you can explain to me just what Noel O'Connors many faults are and why we're not running away with the league already...it is a simple game after all... :confused:

Not only do you want your cake and eat it....you want everyone elses as well.A little reality check from time to time might be in order..The club is learning to walk before it can run both on and off the field of play. Mistakes are going to be made by everyone. Support is whats required, nothing much to ask I'd say, plus a little faith in the regime. A little longer than some are prepared to wait perhaps....

Is this man the best PR guy in the business or what? Well Joe if your remember back to the takeover, and the sacking of Mike Kerley, you'll remember that I have NEVER been in favour of Noel's appointment as LFC manager. Not only did I/still do believe that Mike had done Limerick proud in his stint with us, but I also believe that Mike was shat on by the new owners in regards to his departure. I have alwasy stated that what I go on is rumour and in some areas of my criticism I may not be 100% accurate with what I say, but with little or no information coming out of the club, and without an affective PR department than thats all I have to go with. You, Willie John and the rest of the 'Hey guys lets not criticise Limerick' obviously don't have much contact with general football fans. Whenever we sit down and talk about the sport, whether its about Man Utd, Limerick, Ireland, or Qutar's chances of making the World Cup, 95% of the time all we do is criticise, jesus I even remember one Utd fan I know even having complaints about their Treble winning year in '99. Now as regards to miracles happening overnight, than let me remind you of the talk and promises made to the supporters on this very board by you and others allegedly associated with the club. Remember the talk of being in the upper reaches of the Premier League within three years? Of players of Boby Ryan's calibre coming to the club? Well riddle me this Batman, how are we going to get to the upper reaches of the Premier League with a manager who is about as tactically sound as Kevin Keegan's defence coach in his Newcastle prime? And how are we supposed to attract the Bobby Ryans of the world on a performance/appearance orientated contract? Fact of the matter is, is that Noel's appointment was met with mixed feelings at best, and Noel, the club and yourself should have been well aware that building a management team on such shaky ground was always going to be a challenge that would be met with enthusiastic criticism by the supporters who were displeased with the appointment, so instead of the club telling the supporters to stop moaning, maybe we should be telling you lot to stop moaning about us and just get on with making your on and off field mistakes.

[joeSoap]

Thanks for that ... :D :D

The points I'm trying to make are that firstly, you can't satisfy 100% of the people all of the time. Secondly, the fact of the matter is that Noel is in the job, irrespective of peoples personal feelings on the subject, and that a little faith and support might not go amiss,rather than heckling and jeering every decision he makes. He has brought in class players like Mooney(though others do not agree), Tobin, Kelleher, Barrett, into the club, and re-introduced others. He has implemented a very professional set-up to the on-field activities, with proper structures now in place, and off the field Danny Drew and Kieran Judge in particular are moving mountains to ensure we will never go back to the days of begging Pike Rovers for the use of a ground, travelling to games in Donegal in cars, and eating out of McDonalds on the way home. Limerick FC is now a business, and a very promising one at that. Criticism, once constructive is always great, and welcomed. But when it becomes personal do you not think it understandable for people at the club to want to defend it. The sun isn't going to shine on this club for a while yet, and the simple fact that it is now financially secure won't guarantee the overnight success that seems to be desired.

Speaking of your Man United references, if my memory serves me correctly, Alex Ferguson was one game away from getting the chop in 1990 after 3 1/2 years of no success. A 90th min winner by Mark Hughes against Forest in the cup kept him in his job, and I think he's been responsible for the club winning a trophy or two since.What might have happened if the board didn't persist with him, and sacked him because they didn't like his tactics or poor initial results.

Sorry about the lack of 'effective' PR in the club , but I do have a full-time job to hold down, 125 miles away from Limerick, and volunteer my services wherever and whenever I can. I spend a lot of that time talking with media people. If you have any fan-based pr ideas, please let me know, ad I'll see what I can organise. :ball:

[LFC in Exile]

A 90th min winner by Mark Hughes against Forest in the cup kept him in his job

Actually, 'twas Mark Robins. This is typical of the type of misinformation that we fans are subjected to constantly from the club. How are we supposed to take anything the new regime says seriously when they try to convince us that Mark Hughes saved Fergies job against Forest. It just isn't on.



;)

[joeSoap]

Actually, 'twas Mark Robins. This is typical of the type of misinformation that we fans are subjected to constantly from the club. How are we supposed to take anything the new regime says seriously when they try to convince us that Mark Hughes saved Fergies job against Forest. It just isn't on.



;)
:o :o :o :D

[deise deserter]

In regards PR ideas, what has happened to our website? Isn't that part of the licencing scheme? I was under the impression that it was to be up and running at the start of the season.

[joeSoap]

It should be completed within the next week to 10 days.

[deise deserter]

Sounds good. If it's that close I assume the url is purchased etc, so is there an address we can bookmark to keep an eye out for it?

[jebus]

He has brought in class players like Mooney(though others do not agree), Tobin, Kelleher, Barrett, into the club, and re-introduced others.

What, no mention of Colin Patrick? Surely even the club haven't given up on 'the player that will knock in the goals for us'* aswell? :D Sorry I'm just nitpicking at CP now.

*description courtesy of Willie John from a few weeks back

[LFC in Exile]

What, no mention of Colin Patrick? Surely even the club haven't given up on 'the player that will knock in the goals for us'* aswell? :D Sorry I'm just nitpicking at CP now.

*description courtesy of Willie John from a few weeks back

Wouldn't he be included in "reintroduced others"?

Just you wait. CP will win you all over yet. And I'll have a big banner saying "Told you so". ;)

Deise, is the fanzine out tonight? Keep me a copy.

[sadloserkid]

Well with all due respect, while we quite poor overall tonight, Can't Pass was utterly anonymous bar one exception in the first half when he beat his man and got in a cross. That aside, he dived, he ran close to the action without ever really getting involved and basically displayed the type of application I've come to expect from him (very little). It baffles me that Derek McCarthy was played in midfield to accomodate him while players like Conor Molan, Brendan Hughes, Darren Young, Ross Cosgrove and Keith Hartnett have to make do with a place on the bench (or even the sidelines).