Matches weekend 7th -9th May

[sbgawa]

Premier Division

Friday
Derry City v Longford 17:45
Dundalk v Sligo 19:45

Saturday (All 18:00)

Waterford v Drogheda
St Patricks v Shamrock Rovers
Bohemians v Finn Harps

First Division
Friday (all 19:45)

UCD v Treaty United
Cork v Wexford
Cabo v Cobh
Shelbourne v Athlone
Galway v Bray

[sbgawa]

Dundalk v Sligo, Sligo have slipped a bit in the form stakes and DFC are improving (ex Keeper), Dundalk favourites bar another keeper howler or 2
Good chance for Drogs and Derry to pick up points but both Waterford and Longford cant be written off on an individual match basis.
Harps are BIG as well as being good on the ball and bohs are small , set pieces and corners will be tough,
Pats v Rovers , big chance for Rovers to go 5 points clear but id probably take a draw, Pats look good but i can see them dropping more points against other clubs.

First division matches will be all very competitive this weekend Shels Athlone is a chnace for Shels to stamp a bit of authority on the division , points badly needed by Galway and Bray, UCD with a win can can go top if Shels draw or beat Athlone, Cork v Wexford is a real must win for Cork even at this early stage.

[Mr A]

Harps haven't been great from set pieces this year TBH. We had many many on Monday and rarely threatened at all whereas in the past we generated a fair bit of havoc with them.

[sbgawa]

Dundalk v Sligo, Sligo have slipped a bit in the form stakes and DFC are improving (ex Keeper), Dundalk favourites bar another keeper howler or 2
Good chance for Drogs and Derry to pick up points but both Waterford and Longford cant be written off on an individual match basis.
Harps are BIG as well as being good on the ball and bohs are small , set pieces and corners will be tough,
Pats v Rovers , big chance for Rovers to go 5 points clear but id probably take a draw, Pats look good but i can see them dropping more points against other clubs.

First division matches will be all very competitive this weekend Shels Athlone is a chnace for Shels to stamp a bit of authority on the division , points badly needed by Galway and Bray, UCD with a win can can go top if Shels draw or beat Athlone, Cork v Wexford is a real must win for Cork even at this early stage

[Mr A]

Harps haven't been great from set pieces this year TBH. We had many many on Monday and rarely threatened at all whereas in the past we generated a fair bit of havoc with them.

[sbgawa]

I couldn't believe how big some of your guys were, Sadiki made Lee Grace look like a midget.
At corners the match ups looked very one sided

[mcgonigle]

Dundalk v Sligo, Sligo have slipped a bit in the form stakes and DFC are improving (ex Keeper), Dundalk favourites bar another keeper howler or 2


Not sure what makes us favourites here. We've won two games against a part-time team playing their third game in a week and an awful Waterford team. I'm presuming you've only seen us once or twice this season? Even taking the keeper mistakes out of it, we are awful. Things have quietened off the pitch but the players have decided to continue the circus on it

[pineapple stu]

How are the imports getting on (Abibi aside)?

I've seen mixed reviews, and the scorers tend to be the old reliables (McMillan, Shields, Hoban, even Boyle)

Goals don't tell everything of course, but Dundalk's foreign legion have generally flattered to deceive in recent years, while the old reliables are of course another year older this year.

[sbgawa]

Not sure what makes us favourites here. We've won two games against a part-time team playing their third game in a week and an awful Waterford team. I'm presuming you've only seen us once or twice this season? Even taking the keeper mistakes out of it, we are awful. Things have quietened off the pitch but the players have decided to continue the circus on it

With an average keeper
You would have got a result in Tallaght , drawn with Harps, beaten Longford just off the top of my head and there were others.
i did say favourites without keeper issues

[mcgonigle]

Hard to tell for most as they haven't had a run of games:

Abibi - lets not go there
Sonni - Hasn't played a league game, got injured on international duty
Jurkovskis - looks a player and has done the best out of everyone, although he's had a run of games. Was very poor on Monday though, hopefully just an off night
Stanton - anonymous the majority of the time he has played, but has shown some nice touches to make you think there is a player there and of course is now injured...
Han - bags of energy, looks a bit headless at times. Played well against the Drogs and you've guessed it, is now injured
Midtskogen - Got injured in preseason, came back and got injured. Is back now wearing a face mask. Has a decent touch for a big man. Mad thing is he's never been played up top, always on the right, seems crazy
Junior - a mixed bag, good in some games, anonymous in others. Another who is being swapped around, right-side, up top. To be fair to him he's getting a few goals and played well on Monday
Jesus Perez - Who???
Zahibo - too early. Looks to have something about him, and a nasty streak....

Having said that it's the established players that have disappointed me most. Other than McMillan (now injured :rolleyes:), Shields (not at his best but still one of our best) and Duffy in patches, the rest have been pretty awful. Are they being affected by the circus behind the scenes? probably, but they still should be doing better than they are.

Injuries are ridiculous also, can't all be bad luck.

The decision not to retain Gannon, Hoare, Mountney and even McCarey is really coming home to roost.

[mcgonigle]

With an average keeper
You would have got a result in Tallaght , drawn with Harps, beaten Longford just off the top of my head and there were others.
i did say favourites without keeper issues

Fair enough, I just see issues outside of the keeper. And we don't have an average keeper, one of the calamities has to play. We don't even know if we have a 19s keeper, can't be any worse

[Martinho II]

I thought that Dundalks GK the other night PC was extremely poor. I wasnt that impressed with Dundalk in Bishopsgate. I doubt Jim Magilton is the answer either. Hes more of a no 2 imo.

[pineapple stu]

Sheedy is gone now, so that makes the Drogheda game more interesting.

Questions have to be asked about the behind-the-scenes stuff though.

[Longfordian]

I was afraid this would happen. If they appoint someone with a bit of LOI experience and bring in a few players in the window they could pull away. Not sure we'll have much to play with in terms of money for signings.

[Jack B]

Expecting a tight one in Richmond on Saturday. Despite having the best squad in the league Rovers usually play about 8 defensively-minded players for some reason and we seemed to have settled on a 3 at the back of late which I can't see SOD deviating on for this one.

[Kiki Balboa]

How are the imports getting on (Abibi aside)?

I've seen mixed reviews, and the scorers tend to be the old reliables (McMillan, Shields, Hoban, even Boyle)

Goals don't tell everything of course, but Dundalk's foreign legion have generally flattered to deceive in recent years, while the old reliables are of course another year older this year.

For me, the worst outfield players this year have been Boyle, Cleary, Shields and Sloggett. Our spine is awful, and we cant defend. Cleary in particular has been awful. Keeping him and not Hoare is a massive mistake.

For the new players, they have shown some good stuff in parts, but mostly none have been fit enough to tell. Juries still out. But the fact we got a heap of unfit expensive players speak volumes of where the club is at the moment.

Ravis looks the real deal, but has gone a bit more quiet since moving from wing back to full back.

[boynemunich]

Sheedy is gone now, so that makes the Drogheda game more interesting.

Questions have to be asked about the behind-the-scenes stuff though.

Bad timing for us. Players like to prove a point once managers leave. They will probably have Murphy, Brennan and Ferguson back which makes it a very tricky tie. Hopefully can still manage to get 3 points.

[Nesta99]

Hard to tell for most as they haven't had a run of games:

Abibi - lets not go there
Sonni - Hasn't played a league game, got injured on international duty
Jurkovskis - looks a player and has done the best out of everyone, although he's had a run of games. Was very poor on Monday though, hopefully just an off night
Stanton - anonymous the majority of the time he has played, but has shown some nice touches to make you think there is a player there and of course is now injured...
Han - bags of energy, looks a bit headless at times. Played well against the Drogs and you've guessed it, is now injured
Midtskogen - Got injured in preseason, came back and got injured. Is back now wearing a face mask. Has a decent touch for a big man. Mad thing is he's never been played up top, always on the right, seems crazy
Junior - a mixed bag, good in some games, anonymous in others. Another who is being swapped around, right-side, up top. To be fair to him he's getting a few goals and played well on Monday
Jesus Perez - Who???
Zahibo - too early. Looks to have something about him, and a nasty streak....

Having said that it's the established players that have disappointed me most. Other than McMillan (now injured :rolleyes:), Shields (not at his best but still one of our best) and Duffy in patches, the rest have been pretty awful. Are they being affected by the circus behind the scenes? probably, but they still should be doing better than they are.

Injuries are ridiculous also, can't all be bad luck.

The decision not to retain Gannon, Hoare, Mountney and even McCarey is really coming home to roost.

Thats all a fair refelction of Dundalk fans thinking in general i think. Agree on Midtskogen, signed as an additional option up front and even with Hoban and now McMillan injured was still on the wing with Junior up front. That said yeah he is a handful on the wing and does drift inside but at 6'5 or whatever he isnt your traditional type winger!! He should be the foil for Duffy and with Junior maybe making the width. Jurkovskis was signed with a 3 at the back in mind but is just as effective in a far more comfortable back 4. Dummigan was looking very good on the opposite side but came off injured too, Gannon would have been real foil for the front men in his old role if he had been kept. We dont know the nature of the injures generally but why I think strength and conditioning needs looking at when a new manager is in - just seems to be a constant big injury list so something is off imo. If Patching is brought back in July and is interested he could be that bit of spark in attacking central midfield especially when others are not firing. You cant call McEleney out on effort but he isnt pulling the strings like he used to but then again we are now playing with 2 sitting defensive midfielders rather than one and pushing more in to attack. Could have been where Towell would have made a difference in getting midfield threatening again as imo the strikers had to drop too deep to get involved for the last while.

[Nesta99]

Not totally sure why the other thread was moved?

Derry v Longford
Dundalk v Sligo

Lots to find out tonight!

Satueday

Pats v Rovers the tie of the round for obvious reason.
Bohs v Harps will tell plenty for both clubs
Waterford v Drogheda - Drogs need to target 3 pointsl

[sulywaterfordfc]

Some positivity at least from the interim manager https://waterford-news.ie/2021/05/06/brian-murphy-confirmed-to-start-against-drogheda/ . Interestingly enough Murphy was dropped over raising issue with the previous management’s training method. To hear the interim speak about how little tactical training etc the team has done is a disgrace. Mike seems like a good guy, I feel him taking over this week gives us opportunity to possibly pick up points the weekend. Incredibly difficult to drop Martin in goal but with with Brian Murphy fit and able our with current form and lack of experience gives us no choice but to have Murphy in there. His experience and presence on the pitch should make a big difference, that’s not mentioning his qualities as a keeper. Martin didn’t put a foot wrong but certainly looks a prospect and seemingly highly rated also, working with a keeper of Murphys experience and quality will no doubt be beneficial for Martin. I’d say having Murphy back on the training pitch alone will make a difference going forward.

Tricky game for us this weekend, hopefully the management changes gives the players a spring in their steps. I’d be hopeful of us winning but on a side note It would be great to see us play with some level of shape and plan and actually look like a football team again.

[sbgawa]

Tough on the young keeper but im sure he would accept that Murphy is a class above.
Really does seem that the two boys were doing a poor enough job.
Will be interesting to see how much Waterford pick up, anything is possible and the bottom half is separated by only a few points.

[wonder88]

From the picture in the article, it looks like Waterford have really good training facilities.

[pineapple stu]

UCD v Treaty United match programme online now (http://www.ucdsoccer.com/airtricity-league/programme).

Includes Q&A with Shane Duggan, European opponents going to greatness and to jail, the eLoI, three keepers and a Davy's director v Limerick, UCD's 1950s Nigerians, how will England fare at the Euros, and various other bits and bobs.

[Finlay Harp]

The Late Late show in Derry. 1-1

[SeanDrog]

The Late Late show in Derry. 1-1

Longford can’t catch a break at all at the moment.

[pineapple stu]

Big game in Oriel you'd imagine. If Dundalk win, then maybe Magilton is stabilising the ship. If they lose - and keeper has to be a big concern - then they have to be in serious trouble of missing out on Europe altogether. Still a lot of games to play of course, but still; the signs wouldn't be positive at all.

[Longfordian]

That's a sickener but we were just kicking the ball away aimlessly and sitting too deep. It was asking for something like that to happen. I'd have taken a draw all day beforehand and Derry definitely deserved at least that but when you come to the last 30 seconds and you let it slip it's hard to take.

[sbgawa]

Tough on Longford but 2 points from dundalk and derry is not bad

[Nesta99]

Big game in Oriel you'd imagine. If Dundalk win, then maybe Magilton is stabilising the ship. If they lose - and keeper has to be a big concern - then they have to be in serious trouble of missing out on Europe altogether. Still a lot of games to play of course, but still; the signs wouldn't be positive at all.

The ridiculous amount of injuries are not helping steady the ship at all. Id like to see a settled squad play in to some form and build confidence for either 1 of the keepers at the same time.

4 points arguably squanard by Longford from winning positions in 2 games, Derry would have been a game targeted by Doyle and nearly got there. I think the equaliser was coming with the panic clearances, no one to hold the ball up or press in injury time. Possibly just out on their feet by then, nothing worse than hearing the likes 5 more minutes as a jaded defender!!

[Nesta99]

I serious hope that megaphone gets shoved up that lads hoop at Oriel, aside from the illegal gathering, its fooking annoying!!

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Someone should tell the cop beside them

[osarusan]

UCD commentator on LOItv is almost a parody of the D4 toff, making some cracking comments:

"Just to warn you that we are quite close to the pitch, so there is a chance you might hear some unparliamentary language, and if you do, it's not from us, it's from the protagonists on the pitch."

"The Treaty player gets stopped in a quazi-legal manner."

"Gives away the foul and the referee takes out his carte jaune."

"And McCarthy is chopped down by Weir and Weir joins the carte jaune cycling club."

[NeverFeltBetter]

Treaty know too much about the ol carte rouge this season.

2-1 up at half time all the same. They really will need to get someone sent off to secure the result.

[pineapple stu]

Treaty seem decent enough in fairness. We could do with an aul red card and a traditional knackering in the final 5 minutes.

Looking at the Sligo goal in Dundalk, and is the keeper at fault again? Decent effort from Sligo, but no more than that and I'd have thought the keeper should have dealt with it handily enough.

1390750652096262144

[osarusan]

Treaty seem decent enough in fairness. We could do with an aul red card and a traditional knackering in the final 5 minutes.



You'll get the knackering I expect, we did an awful lot of pressing in the first half so expect Hanlon and McSweeney to fade. UCD passing it nicely, but mostly in front of 8/9 Treaty players and not doing creating all that much. The UCD goal was lovely though, really nice move and finish.

[joey B]

Brainless from Buckley there...

[pineapple stu]

2-2 now in Belfield, which gives hope for the great knackering to come

Edit - 3-2 now! Great stuff, and very unexpected. Three goals in less than 10 minutes. We've scored 21 goals in seven games so far (or 6½ games)

[osarusan]

You won't even have to wait for the knackering.

[Zenith]

That clown of a commentator has moved beyond parody into a full blown idiot.

[pineapple stu]

There was Limerick's chance at a red anyway. Keeper maybe a bit lucky not to have been sent off. Probably right to only book him, but couldn't have complained much if he'd seen red.

[joey B]

Dundalk were a bit of a joke there, Sligo really comfortable even with 10 men....

[redarmyfaction]

Dundalk were a bit of a joke there, Sligo really comfortable even with 10 men....

They didn't threaten from Juniors one on one until added time, they need a manger.

[Nesta99]

Dundalk summed up in 2 moments, Cleary passing back to the keeper and puts it out for a corner, Boyle passing the ball from near the centre of the pitch to the Sligo bench. A centre half clipping balls in to the box when you have wide players like Duffy and Kelly on the pitch. Sligo sucked away any momentum Dundalk maybe had been making especially with 10 men. The players are there but they are rudderless with a few trying to drive things on like Shields and Murray tonight. When Sligo took off a striker for defender after the red we stuck with 4 defending deeply against 1, and when obviously were being told to push up, chasing a game against 10 men they looked very nervous (eg Boyle passing the ball out of play). Time to write off the season, get a manager in and rebuild confidence for better times - maybe a late push for Europe if the man in is a miracle worker. Need to just get rid of the squad passengers, there could be something in the rumours of complaints that the standard of training sessions were being dragged down but lads who just dont have it.

[pineapple stu]

3-2 a result in the Bowl; UCD go top. Decent game of ball; not sure how there weren't any more goals in the last half hour. We had two disallowed for offside and I'm not sure about the second one.

Can't complain about the result though. Bray, Galway and Cork struggling to make an impact; very open division this season.

[osarusan]

UCD the best team I've seen so far, passed it very nicely, and were able to keep us out fairly comfortably in the final 40 minutes. The only team I've seen (including Treaty) that doesn't just hoof the ball upfield most of the time. We ended up fairly ragged and aimless tonight.

It's a pretty poor first division I would say, but pleased that we are so competitive in it.

[sbgawa]

Dundalk summed up in 2 moments, Cleary passing back to the keeper and puts it out for a corner, Boyle passing the ball from near the centre of the pitch to the Sligo bench. A centre half clipping balls in to the box when you have wide players like Duffy and Kelly on the pitch. Sligo sucked away any momentum Dundalk maybe had been making especially with 10 men. The players are there but they are rudderless with a few trying to drive things on like Shields and Murray tonight. When Sligo took off a striker for defender after the red we stuck with 4 defending deeply against 1, and when obviously were being told to push up, chasing a game against 10 men they looked very nervous (eg Boyle passing the ball out of play). Time to write off the season, get a manager in and rebuild confidence for better times - maybe a late push for Europe if the man in is a miracle worker. Need to just get rid of the squad passengers, there could be something in the rumours of complaints that the standard of training sessions were being dragged down but lads who just dont have it.

Your 4 points off a place in Europe and can only improve from here but i cant blame you being down after that, its hard to believe how little was created in the last 35 minuts.
First time seeing zahibo play 90 , up to his two headers in the last few minutes i thought he was strolling around doing not a lot for a guy with a big rep and probably on a lot of money. Possibly not up to match fitness i suppose.
Bolger was excellent for Sligo , sorry hes still not at rovers

[Longfordian]

Waterford playing the u19s tomorrow in a two fingers to Sheedy and Newell.

Or due to Covid concerns if you want to believe the official line.

[sulywaterfordfc]

More statements then fu**ing goals

[placid casual]

Eeesh, dundalk are absolute gash..
It's only my 2nd time this season watching a full game with them, but they are all over the shop.
Sligo look lively I must say, and are very easy on the eye to watch, especially with Gibson & Kenny up front. Bolger is an absolute steal of a signing- very astute by Liamo.
Dundalk played like 11 fellahs who met up in a pub car park for a charity match with nothing on the line and no consequences to their actions. It looks like the actual tea lady is taking their training, if that performance was anything to go on. Its got to the stage now where performances like that will have dundalk playing relegation playoffs to stay in the division, which when you consider the money being blown on their squad is just mind boggling.

[Nesta99]

Your 4 points off a place in Europe and can only improve from here but i cant blame you being down after that, its hard to believe how little was created in the last 35 minuts.
First time seeing zahibo play 90 , up to his two headers in the last few minutes i thought he was strolling around doing not a lot for a guy with a big rep and probably on a lot of money. Possibly not up to match fitness i suppose.
Bolger was excellent for Sligo , sorry hes still not at rovers

I'll be grand in the morning lol. Havent felt as frustrated watching Dundalk play for a long long time. We have been pure muck and Ive not been as bothered as it was all that was there to give. Throw in that amoeba brained excuse with the megaphone that was wrecking my head and Na Gardaí that didnt use it to tell 'em to go home well yeah Im just slightly wound up!!