Games Weekend 23rd to 25th October

[sbgawa]

Premier Division

Saturday 23rd

Longford v Shamrock Rovers 19:30
Finn Harps v Sligo 20:00

Sunday 24th
Drogs v Derry City 14:00

Monday 25th 19:45
Bohs v Waterford
Pats v Dundalk

First Division
Friday 22nd 19:45
UCD v Treaty
Galway v Bray

[sbgawa]

The Premier Division is not lacking for excitement this season.
Every match prety much every week has something on it.
Harps have a chance to bounce back from losing in Waterford with a win against Sligo who desperately need a result themselves.
Drogs v Derry vital for Europe for Derry and also for Drogs who don't know whether to look up or down.
Bohs Waterford Europe and relegation at stake and Pats Dundalk also vital for Dundalk who again are probably looking both ways.

If Bray can beat Galway they will leapfrog Treaty unless Treaty win at UCD and thus avoid Galway in the first round of the playoffs.
Thats as exciting as i can make the flirt division. Roll on the playoffs, drama guaranteed.

Almost forgot Rovers ...a win in Longford (hopefully not in the 95th minute) and it tees up hopefully winning the league in Tallaght Friday week against Harps. After last seasons behind closed doors presentation it will be nice to win it and have a crowd there.....unless Harps spoil the party.

[Longfordian]

This time we'll beat ye in the 95th minute. Mark my words.

[Mr A]

This time we'll beat ye in the 95th minute. Mark my words.

In fairness this would be very funny

[Nesta99]

The Premier Division is not lacking for excitement this season.
Every match prety much every week has something on it.
Harps have a chance to bounce back from losing in Waterford with a win against Sligo who desperately need a result themselves.
Drogs v Derry vital for Europe for Derry and also for Drogs who don't know whether to look up or down.
Bohs Waterford Europe and relegation at stake and Pats Dundalk also vital for Dundalk who again are probably looking both ways.
.

Excitement?? Well now Rovers are absolutely champions when you can sit back relax and enjoy run in sbgawa. Excitement....flipping more like torture!

[sbgawa]

I'll definitely enjoy the run in and will try to get to all the matches.
Unusual to be able to relax at a match.
The race for Europe will go down to the wire and ironically the team i think will finish third (Derry) probably don't need the money as much as say a Sligo or a Bohs. Dundalk's coefficient means missing out on Europe is like throwing away a fairly predictable 750k at least but at the risk of jinxing you i think their name is on the cup.

[DCWA]

Any Drogheda men recommend somewhere about 20 of us could get in to watch Utd-Liverpool after the game on Sunday?

Aware obviously of extended hospitality restrictions now.

[2 Year Contract]

Here’s a new one for you's, Pats physio has received a 3 match suspension! Only in the LOI….

https://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/match-officials-suspension-list--fai-cup-sf-series-32--25/id-3980 (https://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/match-officials-suspension-list--fai-cup-sf-series-32--25/id-3980)

[PartySaint]

Here’s a new one for you's, Pats physio has received a 3 match suspension! Only in the LOI….

https://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/match-officials-suspension-list--fai-cup-sf-series-32--25/id-3980 (https://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/match-officials-suspension-list--fai-cup-sf-series-32--25/id-3980)

He was suspended last week as well so it was a 4 game ban in total. I assume it's for the handbags in Sligo after the game.

[osarusan]

The UCD commentator again! He's gas.

[pineapple stu]

Did you expect someone else apart from our commentator? :p

He certainly is a bit of Bovril in LoI circles.

Tonight's match programme is here for you (http://www.ucdsoccer.com/airtricity-league/programme) while I think of it.

[osarusan]

He does next to no commentary, just regales us with tales of yore. It's the other guy, Peter Branigan, who makes an effort to describe what is actually happening on the pitch.

[pineapple stu]

Ah sure you can see what's happening yourself :)

[Finlay Harp]

Officiating exemplary so far in Finn Park ☹️

[joey B]

We somehow grab a point after playing 85 minutes with 10 men and going 2 down in the second half,personally I thought the ref was right to sent Sadiki off,brain dead stuff from him,Johnny Kenny also missed a penalty in the first half and needless to say a pretty embarrassing result for Sligo….

[dong]

The last throes of a dying team.
Pity we didn't give Buckley the bullet earlier but too late now for anyone to turn it around.
I would find this pretty amusing if it was happening at another club but it's so pathetic now I can barely watch it anymore.

[2 Year Contract]

Wow, had been keeping an eye on updates of the Harps game until Sligo scored their first goal and didn’t bother until full time, crazy lead to be throwing away with 5 mins to play against 10 men. The result prompted me to check Sligo's form since the European games at the start of July.

Played 14, Won 2, Drew 2, Lost 10

Obviously 3 of those losses are in europe/cup but it really doesn’t make for good reading from a Sligo point of view and doesn’t say a whole lot about the sides below them that they still sit in third the whole time.

[sbgawa]

Good win for Rovers in Longford.
Even i'm calling it now.
Looking forward to Harps next Friday if Pats dont **** it up on Monday against Dundalk.

[SeanDrog]

Good win for Rovers in Longford.
Even i'm calling it now.
Looking forward to Harps next Friday if Pats dont **** it up on Monday against Dundalk.

Harps are unreal, you just can’t kill them off lol very frustrating as a Drog - will the teams around us plz go on a big losing streak. This play off spot battle is surreal.

[Finlay Harp]

We have a siege like mentality when playing in Ballybofey. Last ten minutes were incredible. All Sligo had to do was keep the ball in the Harps half the last couple of minutes. I don’t know what Buckley was thinking with his subs and decision making but it played into Harps hands. 5 games to go 3 of which are at home. I’d be disappointed to end up in a playoff with how we’ve performed this season.

[nigel-harps1954]

It's a totally mental season, a side with 40 points could end up in a playoff. Even still, it's not totally inconceivable that a Dundalk or Drogheda could end up stealing the fourth placed spot, or could end up in a playoff. Great entertainment right until the end of the season. Going to be a fascinating few weeks.

[Nesta99]

4th is still just about doable, St Pats have to continue to ablate their cup hoodoo thanks! We've spurned 2 possible routes in to Europe already so third times a charm starting with a win v Pats. Hopefully the busted a gut on Friday.

[pineapple stu]

Drogheda 1-0 Derry. So once again, the lower team wins, and once again Sligo keep hold of third spot.

Fully expecting Waterford to beat Bohs tomorrow. Mental season.

Big result at the bottom though as Drogs had been slipping dangerously close to the playoffs

[SeanDrog]

Great result for Drogs v Derry - badly needed three points :)

[DCWA]

A 0-0 game if I have ever seen one but fair play Drogs took their set piece chance and we didn’t have enough quality to properly threaten to overturn it.

Europe wide open, not that it matters to us in the billionaire club whi will win league at a canter next year anyway.

As you all know there are no good teams in it and we have mopped up the best players…Kelly, Patching, welcome home…

[Bohtastic]

Jesus, it's started again.
DCWA might be tongue in cheek, but I've a pain in my hole with clubs that come into money forgetting that they were all passing the begging bowl around the league in recent memory. Dundalk the same.
I know, it's the LOI so all clubs have their chequered history in thus regard, but a touch of humility might not go amiss.

[Nesta99]

4th is still just about doable, St Pats have to continue to ablate their cup hoodoo thanks! We've spurned 2 possible routes in to Europe already so third times a charm starting with a win v Pats. Hopefully the busted a gut on Friday.

Reassessment. If rumours are to be believed there is a greater risk of relegation than kicking on and trying to get to 4th.

[pineapple stu]

Relegation by losing the playoff (which I don't see the PD side doing) or.. ?

[Nesta99]

Yes! Dependng on what happens over the next week, things could sway in to trouble.

[sbgawa]

Reassessment. If rumours are to be believed there is a greater risk of relegation than kicking on and trying to get to 4th.

So spill the rumour beans

[Nesta99]

Well the exit of all the medical staff over the weekend is a start. Perth confirming that there are no talks with him or players for next season, rumour of Perth leaving before the end of the season so back to Magilton managing a team that has been messed about plenty already with players on the move. None of those players are going to risk injury, whatever pride instilled by Perth, if he leaves then players are fully in self preservation mode and that doesnt bode well for scrapping against relegation or against a 1st division side that can smell a big scalp. Of course a new owner could be announced and the ship is steadied in the interim phase.

[sbgawa]

thats a fair point about players in self preservation mode.
A bad injury now and you could be unemployed until next July.
Its a tough game.
Letting all the medical staff go wouldnt impress me either if i was a player

[boynemunich]

Yes! Dependng on what happens over the next week, things could sway in to trouble.

Should be a cracker of a Louth derby in Drogheda in a couple weeks time. 5 games left and remains to be seen whether it will be a relegation scrap or a fight for Europe. Very interesting end to season in store for lots of clubs.

[Calcio Jack]

Well the exit of all the medical staff over the weekend is a start. Perth confirming that there are no talks with him or players for next season, rumour of Perth leaving before the end of the season so back to Magilton managing a team that has been messed about plenty already with players on the move. None of those players are going to risk injury, whatever pride instilled by Perth, if he leaves then players are fully in self preservation mode and that doesnt bode well for scrapping against relegation or against a 1st division side that can smell a big scalp. Of course a new owner could be announced and the ship is steadied in the interim phase.

If all the medical staff are gone ; surely a case for the players union to step in and rightly advise the club/league that the players won’t play until a full medical team put in place

[Nesta99]

Im sure they will have a doctor and a physio for games, but the FT/PT people have left. Im not sure whether staff have been let go or walked tbh.

[sbgawa]

Most clubs don't have full time medical teams , generally it's outsourced.
Not a reason to not play but not a happy circumstance if u are used to having full time people around u

[SeanDrog]

Halftime
Bohs 1-0 Waterford
Pats 1-0 Dundalk

Come on Drogs ;)

[D24Saint]

It was a nice strike by Billy King to put the Saints ahead.

[SeanDrog]

It was a nice strike by Billy King to put the Saints ahead.

Bohs 1-2 Waterford (82min) ….. grumble grumble

[pineapple stu]

Are Sligo going to get into Europe by voodoo or what?

[Jack B]

Dundalk were absolutely abysmal there. Bit of an effort in the first half with a few chances and next to nothing from them after. We looked happy enough managing things at 1-0 after having made 6 changes from Friday.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Are Sligo going to get into Europe by voodoo or what?

Well we won’t be doing it on our own

[PartySaint]

Pleasantly surprised with that win, I wasn’t expecting much after the high of Friday and then making 6 changes. Dundalk are pathetic.

Bohs bad start to the season costing them again I see. So close to the title.

[joey B]

Harps slip into the play off right on time! Bohs were abysmal in the second half there,Dundalk/Waterford on Friday is a pretty huge game now and I’ve no idea who I want to win it…..

[Finlay Harp]

Thanks Bohs!

[sbgawa]

4 wins in 13 league games for bohs, if it wasn't for the bad start they'd be at least 4th ��.
Could be in the play off yet

[Knocklyonhoop]

Pleasantly surprised with that win, I wasn’t expecting much after the high of Friday and then making 6 changes. Dundalk are pathetic.

Bohs bad start to the season costing them again I see. So close to the title.

their very mediocre finish isn’t helping either….

[Buller]

Sligo are falling into Europe somehow! Everytime they lose everyone else does, it's amazing. Surely someone will catch them!

[2 Year Contract]

Good win for St Patrick's Athletic II tonight against the side that were widely tipped as favourites to make the cup final this time last week

[ToberonaTornado]

Dundalk were absolutely abysmal there. Bit of an effort in the first half with a few chances and next to nothing from them after. We looked happy enough managing things at 1-0 after having made 6 changes from Friday.


Pleasantly surprised with that win, I wasn’t expecting much after the high of Friday and then making 6 changes. Dundalk are pathetic.
,,,,.

We lost 1-0 and bar a poor refereeing/lino decision AND then if Dicky had have got a leg to Duffy's cross(2nd half) we would have deservedly drawn the game. Reading those remarks above you would think yous absolutely BATTERED us and ran 6 goals in FFS! The euphoria of reaching a cup final prob blinkered your opinion,i don't know but Apart from that,Pat's are nothing to write home about.
Huge game coming up now for Dundalk on Friday v Waterford - and then every game after that one!