Shamrock Rovers V Dundalk (Presidents cup)

[sbgawa]

So its the FAI cup replay

Rovers minus Byrne and McEneff v Dundalk minus Gannon and Rogers

On that basis Dundalk clear favourites
PaddyPower has Rovers at 5/4 and Dundalk at 19/10 so they dont agree with me anyway although i supose Rovers are at home so if it was in Oriel they might reverse that.

[oriel]

Hope you have made the necessary adjustments to the dug outs for our 10 man mgt team - not forgetting the tea lady !

[Nesta99]

Filipo caught shadow coaching !
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ef/3e/f9/ef3ef9a20de6d7745c830cbf10560be1.jpg


So its the FAI cup replay

Rovers minus Byrne and McEneff v Dundalk minus Gannon and Rogers

On that basis Dundalk clear favourites
PaddyPower has Rovers at 5/4 and Dundalk at 19/10 so they dont agree with me anyway although i supose Rovers are at home so if it was in Oriel they might reverse that.

Its about this time that we protest having favourites tag all right! I dont think Dundalk are near favourites for this game at least, with still so many unknowns in the squad and limited preseason games to gel thing. Usually the Presidents Trophy is a 'nice to have' piece of silverware but I think it carries some more significance this year. It wont determine who is most likely to win the league but I think a Dundalk win will help settle some reservations on the new setup and quality of signings and possible back to back wins over Rovers will be a significant boost. There is a sense that there is pressure on the coaches at Dundalk before a ball has even been kicked so anything bar a good performance will get a very negative rection very early! Rovers wont want back to back losses to a schoolboy tea lady coach and maybe the unknowns are an advantage. Rovers have lost key players but I fully expect that players used to replace Byrne and McEneff will be more than good enough. Byrne was exceptional, almost a luxury, replacements may not be as good but good enough to be league winning squad, if that makes sense. One thing is for sure, I'll be very glad of the return of the league season and in due course getting back to games.

[placid casual]

We can certainly agree on the idea of LOI football being back-my good god english football is, for the most part, turgid rubbish. The only decent game in the last few months was the Juve Porto game the other night.
I'd love to be able to get back into the ground, but imo, it will be the last round of games at best when I can sit in the windy tallaght freezing my nuts off, listening to Joey screaming at everyone to "Close him down!"

[Nesta99]

It was a cracking CL game, and yer right the majority of EPL games are dull. Enjoyed the Granada v Molde game in EL for different reasons where Granada were fooked with suspensions, injuries and had older players out on their feet by the end. Mid summer with restricted attendances is quite possible but then I did say that March was a possibility on a best case scenario until all the messing with vax supplies happened so freezing in Tallaght last round with the title on the line will be grand!

[Sonny]

Filippo is set up in a luxury penthouse suite in the Maldron with a telescope and a carrier pigeon coop ready to rock on the balcony and a live satellite link to Buffalo Bill's compound in Florida!

[Dalymountrower]

Filippo is set up in a luxury penthouse suite in the Maldron with a telescope and a carrier pigeon coop ready to rock on the balcony and a live satellite link to Buffalo Bill's compound in Florida!

Thought Rovers were the coop specialists?

[Sonny]

Thought Rovers were the coop specialists?

We specialize in aviary major trophy.

[sbgawa]

In fairness to Rovers apparently we are installing a big red phone in the away dugout with a speed dial for the States.:rolleyes:

[Nesta99]

Filippo is set up in a luxury penthouse suite in the Maldron with a telescope and a carrier pigeon coop ready to rock on the balcony and a live satellite link to Buffalo Bill's compound in Florida!

Id have thought Buffalo Bill would be more a smoke signal chap.

Football cant start soon enough!!!!

[sbgawa]

I'm like a kid on Christmas morning its 4 a.m but i cant get up for a few more hours , excitement is building

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

So its the FAI cup replay

Rovers minus Byrne and McEneff v Dundalk minus Gannon and Rogers

On that basis Dundalk clear favourites
PaddyPower has Rovers at 5/4 and Dundalk at 19/10 so they dont agree with me anyway although i supose Rovers are at home so if it was in Oriel they might reverse that.

17/20 v 3/1 now. Sounds like you should be putting a lot of money on Dundalk.

[Sonny]

17/20 v 3/1 now. Sounds like you should be putting a lot of money on Dundalk.

I haven't seen any team news published but Rovers are missing a few bodies as well including both Farrugia and Kavanagh, so no first team LWB available. Gambling on friendlies is mad carry on anyway.

[D24Saint]

Why do Watchloi require a credit card to get the game tonight when its free ?

[sbgawa]

Why do Watchloi require a credit card to get the game tonight when its free ?

System built that way id say.

[Longfordian]

Why do Watchloi require a credit card to get the game tonight when its free ?

It was the same last year with the play off final. Quite common for subscription services to be honest, even if they don't charge you they'll be set up so that you have to provide a card to register.

[Straightstory]

Good qualityy game; good quality coverage (except for the inexplicable lack of replays - which is unforgiveable). Dundalk a bit fortunate to be ahead. Their new keeper looks solid enough.

[mcgonigle]

Good qualityy game; good quality coverage (except for the inexplicable lack of replays - which is unforgiveable). Dundalk a bit fortunate to be ahead. Their new keeper looks solid enough.

Shocking that there are no replays, our game v Bohs had replays straight after any chances, inexcusable really.

Happy enough with that half, lucky not to concede from Scales header but have butchered some good chances as well.

Don't mention the keeper....

[Kiki Balboa]

Ref would have only given a yellow unless for the Rovers reaction

[mcgonigle]

Ref has lost the plot. How has he sent Nattestad off. Definite yellow for the foul but then he walks away and McCann starts the scuffle, incredible. Then books anyone in his eye line. LOI is well and truly back 🙄

[Fermoy Blue]

As a neutral....looks like Rovers have brought in their own referee to bolster their title defence this year....that McCann has the potential to be the biggest harsehole in the league this year?

[Munster Saint]

Ref would have only given a yellow unless for the Rovers reaction

I think it looked worse because Burke angled to go infield just before the tackle came in, the ref will probably put it down as either out of control or a tackle from behind - I don't think it was either really, should have just been a yellow.

[Nugget]

Ref has lost the plot. How has he sent Nattestad off. Definite yellow for the foul but then he walks away and McCann starts the scuffle, incredible. Then books anyone in his eye line. LOI is well and truly back 

After watching a replay, the ref may have been right.

[Kiki Balboa]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EwTylV7XEAEGJ-M?format=jpg&name=900x900https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EwT0fBdXIAEDm-T?format=jpg&name=small

[Straightstory]

This will be the least tense penalty shoot out in history.

[D24Saint]

This will be the least tense penalty shoot out in history.

It was entertaining all the same.

[mcgonigle]

1-0 to the tea lady.

The useless keeper is the hero

[2 Year Contract]

Decent game for what it was. Unbelievable technique from Scales for the goal. Never ever a red card for Nattestad who clearly won the ball, yellow card at worst for the way he jumped into it. Some good saves from Abibi in the shootout to set up possibly the most depressing trophy lift I’ve ever seen as Shields lifted the President's Cup in silence bar one man standing right infront of him applauding :D

[placid casual]

Sack the board.

Tasty enough affair in the end, ruined by the conditions and a ref ****eing his jox halfway through cos he had no control of the game.
For Rovers, McCann looks decent, mandriou was anonymous and Gaffney still looks crap and unsuited to this Rovers team. What a goal of the cruyff-like Scales tho!
Real business starts next week for Rovers against the dundalk retirement home.

[sbgawa]

Rovers should have put it away in normal time. Decent game for entertainment. Does the red bring a suspension in the league

[D24Saint]

Real business starts next week for Rovers against the dundalk retirement home.

I resent that comment.

[geysir]

Poor from SR, a feeble (asterisked) title defense beckons.

[placid casual]

Good man yourself.

[ToberonaTornado]

Rovers should have put it away in normal time. Decent game for entertainment. Does the red bring a suspension in the league

No - game is classed as a friendly.

[oriel]

Thought it was a decent game, well first half our perspective, two good teams having a right good go at each other. Sending off ? Not sure how Ref can give a yellow then change mind to a red so quick, can that even happen unless something quick happens after the yellow?

Anyway was also surprised how lack of penetration Rovers had last 30 v 10 men, granted DFC just defended, but not sure it was anything less than comfortable defending. Finn / McCann look to be a poor mans McEneff / Byrne, but its really only a friendly, DFC managed the game out and the pens better, but two very poor efforts by Sloggett and Boyle mind, decent saves by Abibi though.

(Edit, to be fair McCann raised his game later in the match)

Sonni looks like he can be a big player this year, Stanton showed glimpses, McEleney driffted out (a worry) but great options having McMillan first 45 then Hoban second half. GK, Abibi, well he made two good saves in penos, this was a big game for him, he deserves a chance.

Conclusion, not sure too much to gain from the game to what 2021 will be like, as I said two good sides, decent game, but all changed after the sending off.

Just great to see LOI football back.

[Nesta99]

Enjoyable enough game that was scrappy in spells though with the conditions. Surprising to see any surface water on the Tallaght pitch but it didnt cut up at all which was the main thing. Some good moments of play from both sides and will improve with more games. The sending off seemed harsh but the letter of the law is if a player is no in control of a tackle then there is little choice for the ref but Nattestad is a big lad and while initially lunging from a bit of distance by the time he was at the player was in control, feet low, no studs up and cleanly got the ball with minimal contact with the player, there wasnt much follow through either. It wasnt from behind either. But I can see why a red was given from the initial phase of the tackle. Yellow at worst and imo was a good solid tackle that wasnt dangerous. VAR would have overturned a red as at full speed may be a bit harsh to be very critical of the ref who wasnt bad overall either. Though the Rovers players over reacted particularly O'Brien and Sheilds at each other just out of camera. There was a risk of the game getting too feisty so the few yellows including to Bradley was no harm. Do cards get carried over to the league?

The defensive performance from Dundalk was positive with no complete confusion with zonal marking. When down to ten men Rovers were kept at arms length and Dundalk managed the game circumstance. The bit of guile that Byrne/McEneff bring to teams would probably have created more clear cut chances when Dundalk were defending deep. Lovely control and finish from Scales. Nattestad is like a battering ram for attacking corners but he was let get free too easily for the Dundalk goal imo.

Little between the sides tonight even with the red card and with players to come back from injury so ye'd have to be more positive from a Dundalk perspective with the unknowns. Keeper did his day job well and then was good for the penos. The ones that were missed off target were so similar ye'd have to think that the surface and conditions played a part but then ye have to play the conditions and not go for the top corner,

The little niggles that happen between Finn and some of the Dundalk lads makes me laugh, there is no love lost any any chance to land a nudge and put him on his arse is taken;) Conversely it was good to see Hoare and Gannon with the Dundalk players and coaches so obviously no hard feelings there.

So that's 2 solid preseason games v the champions and runners-up, and a battling win in a derby match. If we can keep solid early on, start quickly and build momentum well it could be an interesting league season. Im looking forward to Sligo now as one of the dark horses.

[Charlie Darwin]

That was a mad game. More niggle than you'd see at your average friendly - two teams don't like each other very much. I thought it was even enough first half and we were poor on the goal. Dundalk will probably say the same about our goal, but you have to applaud Scales for how he took it. Dundalk are very well-organised and saw out the last half an hour well. Less said about the penalties the better, for both sides. Although Abibi looks like he has a few peno saves in him.

[Calcio Jack]

Enjoyable enough game that was scrappy in spells though with the conditions. Surprising to see any surface water on the Tallaght pitch but it didnt cut up at all which was the main thing. Some good moments of play from both sides and will improve with more games. The sending off seemed harsh but the letter of the law is if a player is no in control of a tackle then there is little choice for the ref but Nattestad is a big lad and while initially lunging from a bit of distance by the time he was at the player was in control, feet low, no studs up and cleanly got the ball with minimal contact with the player, there wasnt much follow through either. It wasnt from behind either. But I can see why a red was given from the initial phase of the tackle. Yellow at worst and imo was a good solid tackle that wasnt dangerous. VAR would have overturned a red as at full speed may be a bit harsh to be very critical of the ref who wasnt bad overall either. Though the Rovers players over reacted particularly O'Brien and Sheilds at each other just out of camera. There was a risk of the game getting too feisty so the few yellows including to Bradley was no harm. Do cards get carried over to the league?

The defensive performance from Dundalk was positive with no complete confusion with zonal marking. When down to ten men Rovers were kept at arms length and Dundalk managed the game circumstance. The bit of guile that Byrne/McEneff bring to teams would probably have created more clear cut chances when Dundalk were defending deep. Lovely control and finish from Scales. Nattestad is like a battering ram for attacking corners but he was let get free too easily for the Dundalk goal imo.

Little between the sides tonight even with the red card and with players to come back from injury so ye'd have to be more positive from a Dundalk perspective with the unknowns. Keeper did his day job well and then was good for the penos. The ones that were missed off target were so similar ye'd have to think that the surface and conditions played a part but then ye have to play the conditions and not go for the top corner,

The little niggles that happen between Finn and some of the Dundalk lads makes me laugh, there is no love lost any any chance to land a nudge and put him on his arse is taken;) Conversely it was good to see Hoare and Gannon with the Dundalk players and coaches so obviously no hard feelings there.

So that's 2 solid preseason games v the champions and runners-up, and a battling win in a derby match. If we can keep solid early on, start quickly and build momentum well it could be an interesting league season. Im looking forward to Sligo now as one of the dark horses.

A reasoned reflective well thought out piece..... you’re no fun at all

[sbgawa]

Farrugia and kavangh would have offered more as left wingbacks then scales, unfortunate to have them both out but dfc had players out as well so both teams can probably take positives out of it.
Rovers should have taken a chance when down to 10 men but even if they had dfc could have argued it was even steven 11 against 11.
Rovers look more comfortable on the ball at the back than dfc byt dfc look more dangerous on the break. Should be an interesting season

[Sonny]

Entertaining enough game without a massive amount of chances or standout performances really. I thought Gannon did very well and Leahy really struggled to deal with him. Shields was decent in patches. Jurkovskis looked lively as well but his decision making in the final third was poor and end product was lacking. McCann looked very comfortable on the ball, but Gary O'Neill has to start at 6 for me. His energy was badly missed in there especially with McEneff gone. It's gonna take time to work out that midfield setup after it kinda picked itself last year.

The ref was awful throughout, and the sending off was harsh enough even if it was a bit of a bizarre lunge. Either way it killed the game, and Rovers struggled to break down the 10 sitting in. I actually think we would have been more likely to score against 11 tbh, but it will be interesting to see if we can replace Jack's creativity especially when teams sit in a low block. Pat's will be an interesting challenge next week because they successfully parked the bus against us twice last season.

[Yossarian]

Entertaining enough game without a massive amount of chances or standout performances really. I thought Gannon did very well and Leahy really struggled to deal with him. Shields was decent in patches. Jurkovskis looked lively as well but his decision making in the final third was poor and end product was lacking. McCann looked very comfortable on the ball, but Gary O'Neill has to start at 6 for me. His energy was badly missed in there especially with McEneff gone. It's gonna take time to work out that midfield setup after it kinda picked itself last year.

The ref was awful throughout, and the sending off was harsh enough even if it was a bit of a bizarre lunge. Either way it killed the game, and Rovers struggled to break down the 10 sitting in. I actually think we would have been more likely to score against 11 tbh, but it will be interesting to see if we can replace Jack's creativity especially when teams sit in a low block. Pat's will be an interesting challenge next week because they successfully parked the bus against us twice last season.

Think that’s a good sum up of the game. I thought Gannon did well particularly in the first half and Leahy struggled and misplaced a few passes. I think Dummigan will start as first choice in that position in the league. The sending off definitely killed the game although there will have been a lot to take from that period. Dundalk did quite well keeping Rovers at arms length and I think Rovers probably should’ve mixed things up a bit. The insistence on trying to pass their way into Dundalk’s box was fine but if they had have put a few crosses in it may have tested our keeper and defence.
While the game was certainly edgy I think the ref was too eager in dishing out the yellow cards but that’s par for the course for this league.
Both sides had players out that will make a difference so it’ll be interesting to see how different the game is in the league in a couple of weeks.

[placid casual]

Bradley needs to decide on how he wants the midfield to look like.
In my honest opinion, Finn shouldn't be in midfield anymore as better players are there, and Burke and Mandriou can't play together in the same team. Gary O'Neill simply has to start every game if he's fit.
I'd have
Mannus
Gannon Scales Pico Kavo
Watts McCann O'Neill Farrugia
Mandriou/Burke
Greene
Bar the dundalk and maybe boez game, Rovers are going to face blanket defences so pace & guile are needed imo.

It's a long season and injuries play their part, but I'd hope Bradley has a starting 11 more or less in his head

[Kiki Balboa]

Is Farrugia any good? Seemed to be a lot of hype when he was at UCD, but hasnt seem to grab a consistant starting place.

Mandriou/Burke were both probably Rovers worst players yesterday. Burkes shooting was woeful, summed up by his penalty.

Some of McCanns touches were great, some great passing to Gaffney running the channels.

[pineapple stu]

21 international, so he can't be that bad, but he does seem to have hamstrings made of china

[Nesta99]

A reasoned reflective well thought out piece..... you’re no fun at all

Oh wait until its crunch league game or the 2021 FAI Cup Final - I'd not be so meh on the red card or making excuses for ballooning a penalty in to the shopping centre!:D

[mcgonigle]

The ref was awful throughout, and the sending off was harsh enough even if it was a bit of a bizarre lunge.

Don't tell Bradser, he thought the ref had a great game and it was a definite sending off. Let's hope he's as complimentary when he's on the receiving end because as we know in this league you're sure to be on the wrong side of some bizarre decisions.

[Charlie Darwin]

Is Farrugia any good? Seemed to be a lot of hype when he was at UCD, but hasnt seem to grab a consistant starting place.
His lack of game time is mainly down to injury, but with Sean Kavanagh fit I think he'll be second choice there. Not entirely sure if a wing back system will suit him.

[sbgawa]

Don't tell Bradser, he thought the ref had a great game and it was a definite sending off. Let's hope he's as complimentary when he's on the receiving end because as we know in this league you're sure to be on the wrong side of some bizarre decisions.


Just watched the highlights back , definite red he jumped off his feet , these days a red all day.
I dont agree with suspensions carrying from these games or yellows as it gives other teams an advantage starting the league simply because they were not playing...Have seen conflicting opinions on this as to the rule

[pineapple stu]

Is there a video of it anywhere?

(Still photos of a tackle are completely worthless really)

[Asterix]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4Iz3MYs7wY&t=125s&ab_channel=ShamrockRove rsTV

2 minutes in, 100% a red.