Games Weekend 18th September

[sbgawa]

Premier Division

Friday 18th

Derry City v St PAtricks Ath 17:45
Sligo v Bohemians 19:45

Saturday 19th

Shelbourne v Harps 19:30

Sunday 20th

Cork City v Dundalk 17:00

Monday 21st

Shamrock Rovers v Waterford 19:00

First Division

Friday 18th

UCD v Drogs 19:45
Galway v Wexford 19:45
Bray v Longford 19:45
Athlone v Cobh 19:45

Saturday 19th

Shamrock Rovers ii v Cabinteely 15:00

Monday 21st
Longford v UCD 19:45
Cobh v Bray 19:45
Wexford v Athlone 19:45

Tuesday 22nd

Drogs v Shamrock Rovers ii 19:45
Cabinteely v Galway United 19:45

[sbgawa]

Exciting week ahead.
Harps could close the gap on Shels with a win and make the bottom two fight a lot tighter, Derry v Pats and Sligo v Bohs should be very competitive all need the points badly for different reasons.
Potential banana skin for Rovers against a Waterford team with momentum, a win would take a bit of pressure off the Dundalk match.

Busy weekend for the First Division , a pair of wins for anyone and they could break out of the pack and position themselves for automatic promotion.
Real chance for Galway to muscle their way in to playoff hopes with two games against an out of form Cabo and Wexford.

[Nesta99]

Its possible that the moving on of JS could disrupt Waterford momentum. For the benefit of the league (;)) a Waterford win would be good. Elsewhere Pats badly need to pick up a point even to stop the slide. Sligo v Bohs is unexpectedly a European slot game. For all the slagging the 1st Division can get, it is often more intriguing that the Premier beyond a couple of clubs. There is merit to the number of potential promotion slots, certainly based on the last couple of seasons.

[D24Saint]

I wouldn’t think Peter Cherrie is tossing and turning at night at the thought of us coming to the Brandywell. I didn’t think we actually played too badly against Sligo and should have won. We need a goal another blank and we would be heading into the beginnings of a crisis. It’s all very tight at the end of the table so neither side will want to lose this one.

[Nesta99]

Cherrie is a great shot stopper, crosses that make him have to decide to whether to come and claim or stick is the weakness. With Kelly also now and his potential for getting on the end of a cross, that surely should be the tactic from O'Donnell. Pragmatism needed as much as playing nice football being in the managers plan.

[sbgawa]

Listening to John O Sullivan on Cawleys call complaining about the lack of fight from Cork against Rovers and comparing them unfavorably to Harps who he said had ball players but also a willingness to compete
Kenny Cunningham also on the Pod and showed a really impressive level of knowledge about the League with in depth tactical and formation analysis of several teams.

Hard to see Cork based on that display picking up points against Dundalk this weekend and harps could get something off Shels.
I have been assuming that Cork would get it together as i couldn't see them going down but that was a relegation performance last weekend.

[Nesta99]

Possible relegation 3 years after being double winners, now thats a team on the slide!

[ger121]

The one bloody weekend I’m actually in Sligo!

[DCSIL]

The one bloody weekend I’m actually in Sligo!

Mooneys need an upstairs beer garden...

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

The one bloody weekend I’m actually in Sligo!

You shouldn’t be leaving Dublin!

[D24Saint]

You shouldn’t be leaving Dublin!

Jawohl !

[ger121]

You shouldn’t be leaving Dublin!

I live in Wicklow. Probably more chance you are based in Dublin ;)

[The Lilywhites]

Cork v Dundalk off now after our win. Doesn't really do Cork any favours as they'll have to squeeze it in somewhere on their run-in.

[Yossarian]

Cork v Dundalk off now after our win. Doesn't really do Cork any favours as they'll have to squeeze it in somewhere on their run-in.

Dundalk v Rovers next Friday will have to be moved aswell.

[Asterix]

Why are dundalk postponing games, weren't they complaining that their squad was designed for more games?

[Yossarian]

Why are dundalk postponing games, weren't they complaining that their squad was designed for more games?

Dundalk don’t postpone the games, it’s the FAI that do it. We ask like every club is entitled to.
I don’t know if the Rovers game next week will be postponed or moved but it definitely won’t be on the Friday.

[Ezeikial]

Why are dundalk postponing games, weren't they complaining that their squad was designed for more games?

it's difficult to get so many things incorrect in such a such a short sentence.

The National League postpones fixtures, not clubs

The league Champions are likely to fly out on Monday or Tuesday playing Moldovan s Sheriff Tiraspol on Thursday in the Europa League Third Qualifying Round.

Shamrock Rovers will just have to wait their turn with the Cork game re-fixed for later

[sbgawa]

i imagine the Rovers game will be next Monday. Hopefully anyway

[D24Saint]

AFAIK watchloi are making the Shamrock Rovers v Waterford match available FOC, for what reason I don’t know.

[placid casual]

Sligo bohs game tonight should be a decent watch.
Boez have started to wobble a bit in recent weeks and probably need a victory to stave off the chasing pack. One of which now appears to be sligo.
You wouldn't have said that 3 months ago!

[Nesta99]

AFAIK watchloi are making the Shamrock Rovers v Waterford match available FOC, for what reason I don’t know.

I emailed them after purcasing one of the games where the stream failed (think it was Cork v Rovers?). Got a message back saying that customers were being refunded but didnt happen. Is it possible that this might be the 'refund'? Not in a complaining manner as its a service that needs to be successful and Id probably have purchased this game anyway.

[The Lilywhites]

I emailed them after purcasing one of the games where the stream failed (think it was Cork v Rovers?). Got a message back saying that customers were being refunded but didnt happen. Is it possible that this might be the 'refund'? Not in a complaining manner as its a service that needs to be successful and Id probably have purchased this game anyway.

Cork v Sligo failed. They added the UCD v Sligo Cup game to the schedule, which maybe acted as a replacement.

Not sure how that helped Cork fans or others who paid for the Cork v Sligo match individually.

Gary Owens saying that WatchLOI income has been low, but surely that was expected with all Season Ticket holders getting a free pass. Hopefully it's continued next season.

[joey B]

Jaysis the fake crowd noise in Derry is irritating .....

[DCSIL]

Rough tackle by Jackie Harkin but the Pats no 19 attempting a headbutt 🙁

[D24Saint]

I might have start attending mass regularly. The boredom spent on the pews might make our games seem tolerable to watch again.

[Jack B]

Do Dundalk want Kelly back?

We are never going to score again (hoping I've jinxed it...).

[DCSIL]

Painful to watch

[D24Saint]

Two absolutely poison sides , both absolutely ****e. That was dreadful. Nothing else to say really.

[Nesta99]

Cork v Sligo failed.

Aye so it was Cork v Rovers :eek:

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Bohs much better team and no idea how linesman didn’t see the handball

[wonder88]

The Showgrounds looks well in this rte coverage. Sligo also has what looks like a good/lucrative shirt sponsor this year. Decent enough First half, expect Sligo to do more, perhaps go more direct now.

[dong]

'Don't Fear The Reaper' playing on the tannoy at the Showgrounds at half time.
Dark.

[joey B]

Cornwall's a lucky boy there.....

[dong]

How is that not a yellow card at least?

[wexfordned]

Justice done in the end. Bohs yet again denied a stone wall penalty for that handball in the 1st half.

Bohs were far superior to Sligo and eventually their pressure paid off. Nearly guaranteed European football for next season. Huge achievement given Bohs budget compared to Dundalk and Shamrock

[Nesta99]

What is it, 4th, 5th or 6th biggest budget in the league? (we know the top 2 for certain this time for this specific annual discussion!).

[sbgawa]

Keith long on his way to dundalk.
You heard it here first guys.
See out the next 7 matches then adios

[D24Saint]

Keith long on his way to dundalk.
You heard it here first guys.
See out the next 7 matches then adios

Sounds Trollish

[Nesta99]

Nah just getting a rumour mill going that could get in the heads of nearest challangers. Pressure on for Monday night!

[sbgawa]

Pressure on allright good win for bohs, gap down to 5 points.

[Martinho II]

The Showgrounds looks well in this rte coverage. Sligo also has what looks like a good/lucrative shirt sponsor this year. Decent enough First half, expect Sligo to do more, perhaps go more direct now.

Yeah its Avant card based in Carrick on Shannon. I worked for them when it was MBNA and was 7 years there. Carrick have a big support base that follow Sligo. Think a few Sligo rovers fans are still working there as when I was there there was a huge amount of people from Sligo working there that were Sligo Rovers fans!

[joey B]

Proverbial game of 2 halves in Tolka,Shels much better first,Harps the second and could and maybe should have won the game,Shels played the last 10 or so minutes with 10 men and we didn't capitalize unfortunately....

[sbgawa]

Another point t that could have been 3 for harps.
Cork could be adrift if harps had a bit more luck in the last few games

[nigel-harps1954]

Killer instinct in the final third costing us again. We're dropping points where we shouldn't be really.

Big Kogler was superb for Harps up front, but in an isolated role, he really needs someone running off him. Karl O'Sullivan should have been that player tonight arguably.

Another vital point on the board for us though. Next Sundays game in Finn Park against Cork is massive.

[MattB11]

Good point for Harps, we were shocking in the 1st half much better in the 2nd, shels red card was a poor decision

[D24Saint]

Good point for Harps, we were shocking in the 1st half much better in the 2nd, shels red card was a poor decision

It’s all set up for a huge next weekend. The Harps v Cork game & our game v Shels are massive. If either pick up three points and we lose our game we are right in the mix.

[oriel]

Hadn't realised how low Pats were and so close to the danger zone, if as suggested the above happens next week. Then again there are a number of clubs looking over their shoulder.

Still think it will be big surprise if the auto relegation / play off is not anyone but Cork / FH, if there was hope for either, I would lean towards FH who have got some hard working results of late. They might sneak into 8th, but even if they don't avoid the play-off, I think they would be well placed to win it. Far too many games for FD sides in the multi play off before the final, plus they look stronger.

[sbgawa]

I think the fact the first division is so tight is symptomatic of all the teams being pretty poor tbh.
Can't see any of them giving a PD club a game

[pineapple stu]

It's possible Cork and Harps are that bad that there could be a match in it.

But in general, yeah, the gap between the Premier and the First has probably never been this large.

[nigel-harps1954]

It's possible Cork and Harps are that bad that there could be a match in it.

But in general, yeah, the gap between the Premier and the First has probably never been this large.

Harps didn't really have to get out of second gear to easily beat Bray in the cup..