Games week 20th to 27th

[sbgawa]

Premier Division (all 19:45)

Monday 20th September
Bohemians v Derry City

Friday 24th
Dundalk v Sligo
Waterford v Drogheda
Derry City v Longford
St Pats v Shamrock Rovers
Bohemians v Finn Harps

Monday 27th
Dundalk v Bohemians


First Division 19:45
Friday 24th
Treaty v Cork
Galway v UCD
Cabo v Shels
Athlone v Wexford

Saturday 25th
Cobh v Bray 19:00

[sbgawa]

Huge week all round
3 wins for Bohs would have them firmly in the hunt for Europe.
On the other hand tonight is a must win for Derry IMO if they beat bohs they are 4 points clear of them in the race for Europe and even though Bohs would have two games in hand they are right in it but if Bohs beat them and go two points ahead of them with two games in hand that is a long way back. The absolute epitome of a 6 pointer at least :eek:
Dundalk have two games that if they lose both will really leave them in deep relegation danger particularly if Waterford beat Drogs. Are they really to good to go down?
A win for Rovers at Pats will create a gap that would be very hard to bridge for anyone, im always a worrier and Pats simply have to win so will that extra motivation be enough. Banning Rovers fans is a statement of intent which i almost admire them for All or nothing.
If Athlone beat wexford on Friday they will be only 2 points behind a very nervous Bray team at cobh on Saturday.

[Nesta99]

Its indicative of the season that a relegation play-off spot already feels like actual relegation. It's hard to see any sort of run being put together to avoid the playoff. Maybe if injured players are back by then it could carry us over the line. But no we are not too good to go down, most of the player are too good to be in this position but the old Edison adage of 10% inspiration 90% perspiration fits too well.

[D24Saint]

Some turnaround in Dalymount.

[D24Saint]

2-2 all now

[D24Saint]

Fantastic Game 3-2

[2 Year Contract]

5 great goals too

[D24Saint]

5 great goals too

Some finish to the game.

[2 Year Contract]

Make that 6 great goals! Decent result for Pats and Sligo that

[joey B]

Brilliant game,4 cracking goals in there aswell…

[sbgawa]

Pats and Sligo will be happy with that result, great game.
Derry would have taken a point coming down id say but must be gutted with the late equalizer

[PartySaint]

Pats and Sligo will be happy with that result, great game.
Derry would have taken a point coming down id say but must be gutted with the late equalizer

Sure we’re going to win the league so that game was no concern to us ;)

[D24Saint]

Pats and Sligo will be happy with that result, great game.
Derry would have taken a point coming down id say but must be gutted with the late equalizer

When Derry got the late goal I thought it was wrapped up. You would have to admire Bohs for the come back so late on. It was an absolutely cracking game for a Monday night and miles ahead of some of the tripe you witness on Sky Sports.

[lofty9]

When Derry got the late goal I thought it was wrapped up. You would have to admire Bohs for the come back so late on. It was an absolutely cracking game for a Monday night and miles ahead of some of the tripe you witness on Sky Sports.

Superb game. Disappointed with the extra 3mins added on, with 4 mins gone I was sure he’d blow the whistle after the Bohs player was carded. My favourite goal was Juniors as it started from a great tackle by Harkin, with a few flying challenges then Fitzgerald made a great run. Hopefully we can get Georgie , another one of our academy players back home for next season.

[Northsider]

Just in the door, what a game! That's what we all missed, decent crowd, away fans, both teams giving 100%, beautiful goals and some late late drama. Derry's second goal would be one for the old school, full blooded tackles flying in left right and centre before the finish. Thought we'd blown it at the end but what a finish from Georgie.

Still got our destiny in our own hands for third place but two very tough games coming up.

[sbgawa]

If Long missed out on Europe would bohs fans see him as under pressure?
Decent budget and the pick of the St Kevins Academy every year or is there a feeling he would get more time?
How long is he at bohs now?
2 years ago Bohs and Dundalk fans were calling for long term contract for Bradser so giving more time might be the thing to do

[Northsider]

If Long missed out on Europe would bohs fans see him as under pressure?
Decent budget and the pick of the St Kevins Academy every year or is there a feeling he would get more time?
How long is he at bohs now?
2 years ago Bohs and Dundalk fans were calling for long term contract for Bradser so giving more time might be the thing to do

Well he's just signed a 4 year extension so he's going nowhere for the foreseeable.

Missing out on Europe would be a disaster but it's not a sacking offence, he's done enough good work in the past and the European run was excellent.

Big off season coming up, need to keep a hold of Devoy and Georgie. If we keep losing our best players we will never become realistic title challengers.

[vinnie]

That was one of the most exciting games of football I've seen in years, fair play to Bohs and Derry for that spectacle

[D24Saint]

If Long missed out on Europe would bohs fans see him as under pressure?
Decent budget and the pick of the St Kevins Academy every year or is there a feeling he would get more time?
How long is he at bohs now?
2 years ago Bohs and Dundalk fans were calling for long term contract for Bradser so giving more time might be the thing to do

It would be short term thinking to dispense with Long. He has brought serious revenue into the club this year with the European run for that alone he should be kept on. I think clubs are starting to tune into long term thinking and planning. In fairness to Mr K with us it took a look of guts to appoint SOD & Mathews but it’s starting to bear fruit. We have a plan to develop our own young players and use the loan system to pad out the squad and it’s working for the moment. I think Bohs have a plan with Long and won’t make a knee jerk reaction if they get Europe or not.

[sbgawa]

From what i hear Devoy (at least) is Rovers bound , Long might try to freeze him out the way he did Mandriou to drag it out but are you better off cutting your losses.

I've no idea what Kellys contract situation is but with Derry the new Man City of the LOI youd better tie him down quick.
He was interviewd on a podcast during the week and he is doing a masters in UCD so it might suit him to stay in Dublin

[SkStu]

Well he's just signed a 4 year extension so he's going nowhere for the foreseeable.

Missing out on Europe would be a disaster but it's not a sacking offence, he's done enough good work in the past and the European run was excellent.

Big off season coming up, need to keep a hold of Devoy and Georgie. If we keep losing our best players we will never become realistic title challengers.

Absolutely. In my opinion, the club needs to start backing him and the squad a little more. Some investment in multi-year contracts for our best (especially our young) players. It can be done in a way that doesnt expose us to much risk but does provide a lot of upside. A win win for Long and for the club.

[Northsider]

From what i hear Devoy (at least) is Rovers bound , Long might try to freeze him out the way he did Mandriou to drag it out but are you better off cutting your losses.

I've no idea what Kellys contract situation is but with Derry the new Man City of the LOI youd better tie him down quick.
He was interviewd on a podcast during the week and he is doing a masters in UCD so it might suit him to stay in Dublin

Where are you getting the Devoy rumour from? I'm hearing very different. The Mandriou situation can't be compared to this. Devoy kept Mandriou out of the team, he wasn't frozen out, we were a better team without him. Devoy is still one of the first names on the team sheet.

Georgie is in UCD doing a masters degree in economics, and apparently he is being mentored by Dave Tilson. I'd be hopeful he stays, he seems to genuinely love it. But if Derry blow the doors off with a huge offer then he will have to think long and hard about it, finishing above Derry might be crucial for us this season.

[sbgawa]

Where are you getting the Devoy rumour from? I'm hearing very different. The Mandriou situation can't be compared to this. Devoy kept Mandriou out of the team, he wasn't frozen out, we were a better team without him. Devoy is still one of the first names on the team sheet.

Georgie is in UCD doing a masters degree in economics, and apparently he is being mentored by Dave Tilson. I'd be hopeful he stays, he seems to genuinely love it. But if Derry blow the doors off with a huge offer then he will have to think long and hard about it, finishing above Derry might be crucial for us this season.

Just talk tbh but i heard the same about Mandroiu from same people so i guess we will see.
I think Devoy is excellent but i think Brandon Kavanagh who we have on loan at Bray is excellent as well and would be happy to see him come back in as well as or instead of Devoy.

Given the money Derry have at their disposal i dont think euro money is going to be an issue for them.
I'm trying to dream about who i would sign for Rovers if i sold my business for 2 billion ;)

I dont buy that bohs were a better team with Devoy than Mandroiu stuff, Danny has scored 8 goals this season compared to Devoy 2 as well as making a huge contribution to overall play, he didn't play for Bohs because Long was annoyed he wanted to leave. Has Long learned from that ? the number of yound lads who stay will say a lot

[wexfordned]

Where are you getting the Devoy rumour from? I'm hearing very different. The Mandriou situation can't be compared to this. Devoy kept Mandriou out of the team, he wasn't frozen out, we were a better team without him. Devoy is still one of the first names on the team sheet.

Georgie is in UCD doing a masters degree in economics, and apparently he is being mentored by Dave Tilson. I'd be hopeful he stays, he seems to genuinely love it. But if Derry blow the doors off with a huge offer then he will have to think long and hard about it, finishing above Derry might be crucial for us this season.

Devoy is not going to SRFC. Greatest load of s**te that no one should believe. He's a far better player than Mandriou (better attitude as well) and he'll go far further than him provided he stays injury free.

Georgie Kelly is doing a masters in Dublin and specifically signed for Bohs as they're in Dublin and it's part time. He's not going anywhere next season either

[EatYerGreens]

Georgie Kelly is doing a masters in Dublin and specifically signed for Bohs as they're in Dublin and it's part time. He's not going anywhere next season either

When did he start the Masters ? They're usually only a year.

[DCWA]

Kelly will be signing for Derry that’s after speaking to him at Dalymount tonight not sure if he can squeeze his masters un before doing so or they are giving him a few months but he will be with Derry.

To be honest only solace taken off a serious boot in the you know whats is now knowing he will be on the opposite side next year.

[DCWA]

Devoy is not going to SRFC. Greatest load of s**te that no one should believe. He's a far better player than Mandriou (better attitude as well) and he'll go far further than him provided he stays injury free.

Georgie Kelly is doing a masters in Dublin and specifically signed for Bohs as they're in Dublin and it's part time. He's not going anywhere next season either

Ha you might want to ask him

[Northsider]

he didn't play for Bohs because Long was annoyed he wanted to leave. Has Long learned from that ? the number of yound lads who stay will say a lot

Thats utter nonsense. He was sub in the very first game of the season (against Shamrock Rovers) and was lucky not to be sent off. When we went on our long unbeaten run that propelled us up the table he was sub throughout. He was a fringe player in his final season.

It didn't work out for him, it happens, look at Georgie Kelly for example. Doesn't mean he's a bad player, but Bohs were simply better last year when he didn't start. The stats prove this beyond doubt.

[placid casual]

What isn't in dispute is that Kelly is a goalscorer - I did predict he'd be top scorer at the start of the season.
I've heard no rumours about any bohs player joining Rovers but devoy is well thought of throughout the league.
Bohs have to win the cup or hope pats win it now, to qualify for Europe- you'd have to assume that would be a factor in who goes where next season.
Personally I'd love to have Fitzgerald & the goalkeeper from Derry at Rovers next season, but this impending wealth on the bogside may prevent that from happening.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Don’t know where you’re coming up with that from. 7 points behind us with 2 games in hand. And they still have to play us again.

[sbgawa]

Thats utter nonsense. He was sub in the very first game of the season (against Shamrock Rovers) and was lucky not to be sent off. When we went on our long unbeaten run that propelled us up the table he was sub throughout. He was a fringe player in his final season.

It didn't work out for him, it happens, look at Georgie Kelly for example. Doesn't mean he's a bad player, but Bohs were simply better last year when he didn't start. The stats prove this beyond doubt.

Hard to improve your stats if your manager has a face on him and keeps you benched :)

[PartySaint]

Listening to pundits this season you'd swear Bohs would be top 'only for a bad start'. 18 points off top isn't a bad start it's a bad season. If they don't win the cup Long might have questions to answer, even if their players do get player of the month each month.

[Longfordian]

Where would Bohs be in terms of the largest budgets?

Please don't say fourth unless you think it actually is fourth biggest, thank you please.

[2 Year Contract]

Listening to pundits this season you'd swear Bohs would be top 'only for a bad start'. 18 points off top isn't a bad start it's a bad season. If they don't win the cup Long might have questions to answer, even if their players do get player of the month each month.

They got 8 points in the first 9 games of the season, 25% of the games is a bit more than just the start!

They get a remarkably easy time in the media for their domestic form based off of their European performances. Alan Cawley for example who is number 1 Bohs fan these days would have you believe they’re the best side in the country bar none. The 'bad start' is part of the 36 games in the season and you finish where you deserve to finish at the end of the season

[sbgawa]

Budget wise id say Dundalk then Rovers with Dundalk double Rovers according to wild Bill
I would say there is very little budget wise between Sligo and Pats then not a lot between Bohs and Derry (pre Higgins)
Longford at 10, Harps and Waterford (pre Bircham) 7 and 8 and Drogheda 9 probably not a whole lot between them either.
Just my impressions obv

In truth there is probably only 250k-300k between 3rd and 6th.
Long also benefits from the pick of the St Kevins Academy Devoy,Tierney, Lyons etc and then gets lauded for discovering them ;) by people who should know better.
He has been in charge for 7 years and won nothing. thank God he has 3 more years on his contract as someone said earlier.

I agree if you listened to pundits you would imagine they were close but they are excellent at PR and journalists are lazy by nature and just regurgitate whatever is fed to them. Easy to get up for the odd big match but they were a last minute equalizer last night from 10 losses in 25 matches and that has to be Management issue, just like at Dundalk (not as bad obviously or indeed remotely)..

[bohsmug]

Since 2011, Bohs have only been in a position to have any reasonable expectation of winning a trophy in the last 2/3 years. Even the word "expectation" is stretching it a bit, with the exception of this year. The growth in the club over that time is obvious. Long has done a very good job, as has Croly since he came in. The time has come to add a cup win and there is pressure there now. Not "sack the manager" pressure but pressure nonetheless.
I do agree that this season we have gotten some unjustified praise, that's not commensurate with our league performance. Fair enough. Our first series of games was horrific and we don't get to disown that. We didn't manage the end of the Harps game very well and we didn't manage the end of the Derry game very well, so the same issue from earlier in the year still exists. Albeit not to the same extreme. Bohs get in to Europe by whatever means necessary then it's a good season. Bohs don't and it's a disappointing one. All hangs in the balance for Bohs this year. We have a team that are prone to dramatic moments (good and bad) but very hard to trust. I don't have a clue what will happen.

[Dalymountrower]

Long also benefits from the pick of the St Kevins Academy Devoy,Tierney, Lyons etc and then gets lauded for discovering them ;)

.

Devoy, Tierney and Lyons played for our senior team when they were 17 and came up through our under 19`s . I think that Long and Crolly deserve some credit for identifying the potential and developing those players ?
Anyway , while you are banging your normal drum about Saint Kevin`s, you can give a little drum roll for your star player Kevin Zeffi who was hardly in the door to you from Saint Kevin`s ( gosh, how was it possible for him to escape the dastardly Bohs/Kevin`s "pick of" deal?), when you off loaded him to Italy.

[pateen]

Kelly will be signing for Derry that’s after speaking to him at Dalymount tonight not sure if he can squeeze his masters un before doing so or they are giving him a few months but he will be with Derry.

To be honest only solace taken off a serious boot in the you know whats is now knowing he will be on the opposite side next year.

All this talk of Derry and money bags.
Have their owners actually spent any money on players yet?

[sbgawa]

Devoy, Tierney and Lyons played for our senior team when they were 17 and came up through our under 19`s . I think that Long and Crolly deserve some credit for identifying the potential and developing those players ?
Anyway , while you are banging your normal drum about Saint Kevin`s, you can give a little drum roll for your star player Kevin Zeffi who was hardly in the door to you from Saint Kevin`s ( gosh, how was it possible for him to escape the dastardly Bohs/Kevin`s "pick of" deal?), when you off loaded him to Italy.

Well number one we would have loved him to stay and number 2 he obviously wasn't happy at the prospect of playing for bohs so he left ;)
I wouldn't call him our star player btw but he was certainly a talent who hopefully will play for Ireland one day.

[sulywaterfordfc]

All this talk of Derry and money bags.
Have their owners actually spent any money on players yet?

The owner has been covering Derry’s losses financially for years in order to balance the books. The sale of his company has only it gone through. Derry have already announced McEleney will be signing once his contract with Dundalk expires. The manager has also signed a long term contract. Suspect they’ll be quick off the market once the season ends.

[placid casual]

Rovers can sell them Gannon, Hoare & Towell. They can get the aul dundalk band back together.

[sbgawa]

Rovers can sell them Gannon, Hoare & Towell. They can get the aul dundalk band back together.

Cant agree with you here at all.
Hoare has been excellent defending well and creating several goals, Towell was brilliant when he came in and has just had a few average matches lately and Gannon has been adjusting to playing wingback and i think will be excellent for us
They can have McCann
Derry also gave a 3.5 year contract to Gartside and i think any top player out of contract at the end of this season will be a target for Derry
They will probably concentrate in Derry lads first but players will follow the money

[pateen]

The owner has been covering Derry’s losses financially for years in order to balance the books. The sale of his company has only it gone through. Derry have already announced McEleney will be signing once his contract with Dundalk expires. The manager has also signed a long term contract. Suspect they’ll be quick off the market once the season ends.

Was going to say excluding McEleney but yeah, will be interesting to see how it pans out.

[placid casual]

Cant agree with you here at all.
Hoare has been excellent defending well and creating several goals, Towell was brilliant when he came in and has just had a few average matches lately and Gannon has been adjusting to playing wingback and i think will be excellent for us
They can have McCann
Derry also gave a 3.5 year contract to Gartside and i think any top player out of contract at the end of this season will be a target for Derry
They will probably concentrate in Derry lads first but players will follow the money

Rovers have benefitted from having no other half decent rival to push them this year and the relatively old profile of Rovers hadn't really been tested - That could well happen next year if Pat's, Sligo and Derry improve.
For my money the Rovers management team need to recruit more young, hungry players who are desperate to succeed (Scales, Mandriou etc) instead of seasoned seen-it-all-before veterans like McCann, Gannon. Towell etc.
I'd exclude Joey OBrien from that 2nd list as Joey has been great for the club but father time is calling him in- He will be impossible to replace imo.
I'm probably been harsh on towell as he arrived mid season but one's thing's for sure. We won't win the league playing the way we have for about half the games this year.

[David BOHie]

Listening to pundits this season you'd swear Bohs would be top 'only for a bad start'. 18 points off top isn't a bad start it's a bad season. If they don't win the cup Long might have questions to answer, even if their players do get player of the month each month.

TBF, Bohs got 8 points in their first series of games, 19 in their second series. If we beat Harps at home on friday we'll have 14 from the third series.

If you take our average points per game over the 2nd and 3rd series (including beating Harps on Friday which is absolutely no gimme but one we have to win if we want to qualify for Europe) then we'd have 50 points and a game in hand against Rovers and we still have to play them twice. So yeah we'd be right in it if it wasn't for that first series of games.

Sorry, all the european postponements played havoc with my calculations of which games belong to which series, hence all the edits. I've gotten it right now I think.
Two games left this series, Harps on Friday and the re-arranged games versus Rovers. But we'll probably start series 4 before we finish series 3.

[sbgawa]

TBF, Bohs got 8 points in their first series of games, 19 in their second series. If we beat Harps at home on friday we'll have 14 from the third series.

If you take our average points per game over the 2nd and 3rd series (including beating Harps on Friday which is absolutely no gimme but one we have to win if we want to qualify for Europe) then we'd have 50 points and a game in hand against Rovers and we still have to play them twice. So yeah we'd be right in it if it wasn't for that first series of games.

Sorry, all the european postponements played havoc with my calculations of which games belong to which series, hence all the edits. I've gotten it right now I think.
Two games left this series, Harps on Friday and the re-arranged games versus Rovers. But we'll probably start series 4 before we finish series 3.

You cant just exclude the matches that don't suit you, Rovers only got 12 points from their second 9 games when we had a mini injury crises and 23 from the first. If we beat Pats 24 from the next 9. if we excluded the middle 9 we could be way miles ahead, every team has good and bad patch's.
Im a scratch golfer if i can pick my best 15 holes out of 18 :D

[DCWA]

All this talk of Derry and money bags.
Have their owners actually spent any money on players yet?

Paid Crusaders ~30k stg for McGonigle and give him a 3.5 year contract.

McEleney 3.5 year pre contract of course it will be the off season tells a story.

[David BOHie]

You cant just exclude the matches that don't suit you, Rovers only got 12 points from their second 9 games when we had a mini injury crises and 23 from the first. If we beat Pats 24 from the next 9. if we excluded the middle 9 we could be way miles ahead, every team has good and bad patch's.
Im a scratch golfer if i can pick my best 15 holes out of 18 :D

What? That's literally the point. His point was Bohs would not be up there with a better Round 1. I made the point "well if our first round of games was as good as our next two then yes, we would"

Is that a hard concept for you to grasp?

[sbgawa]

It was you I was saying you can't just pick and choose games too.
You'd be up there ad u say if u had a better round 1 but apply the same logic and give rovers a better round 2 and your no where. Is that to difficult to grasp?

[David BOHie]

It was you I was saying you can't just pick and choose games too.
You'd be up there ad u say if u had a better round 1 but apply the same logic and give rovers a better round 2 and your no where. Is that to difficult to grasp?

You're changing the debate. You're adding an extra criterion.

The debate is, if Bohs had a better round 1, not if Bohs had a better round 1 and also Rovers didn't have a blip. Do you see how those are two different things?