Games Weekend 4th 5th March

[sbgawa]

Premier Division

Friday 4th March

Drogheda v UCD 19:45
Shels v Derry 19:45
St Pats v Shamrock Rovers 19:45
Finn Harps v Bohemians 20:00

Saturday 5th

Sligo v Dundalk 19:45

First Division

Friday 4th

Cobh v Treaty 19:45
Galway v Waterford 19:45
Wexford v Athlone 19:45

Saturday 5th

Longford v Cork 19:30

[sbgawa]

Drogs and UCD is it an early season six pointer?
Pats v Rovers gives Rovers a chance to put six points between themselves and last years 2nd place team but will need to improve on the Derry performance to do so.
Sligo v Dundalk is an interesting one, two teams that have stared well, one more win for either and they will be entitled to call that a good start.
Table will need a few more games to shake out but already a few interesting sub plots emerging, are Harps as bad as their results say? are bohs as good as theirs?

Waterford were unconvincing against Bray but a win against potential title rivals Galway will give them 3 wins to start the season and momentum is everything.
Caulfield will be anxious even this early i reckon, 3rd year with a full time Galway, promotion or the door??

[PartySaint]

Drogs and UCD is it an early season six pointer?
Pats v Rovers gives Rovers a chance to put six points between themselves and last years 2nd place team but will need to improve on the Derry performance to do so.
Sligo v Dundalk is an interesting one, two teams that have stared well, one more win for either and they will be entitled to call that a good start.
Table will need a few more games to shake out but already a few interesting sub plots emerging, are Harps as bad as their results say? are bohs as good as theirs?

Waterford were unconvincing against Bray but a win against potential title rivals Galway will give them 3 wins to start the season and momentum is everything.
Caulfield will be anxious even this early i reckon, 3rd year with a full time Galway, promotion or the door??

There's no need for Rovers to be worrying about Pats this season. We look clueless.

[placid casual]

You've thrown the towel in there nice and early. I can only assume the pats players themselves haven't.
Rovers playing the potential bottom 2 and top 2 in our first 4 games is interesting. How we fare against the middle bit (sligo, bohs etc) will determine how the league goes, I guess.

Should be a decent crowd in Richmond tomorrow anyway. Hopefully the coked up young fellas will keep themselves in check should/if/when Rovers score.

[PartySaint]

You've thrown the towel in there nice and early. I can only assume the pats players themselves haven't.
Rovers playing the potential bottom 2 and top 2 in our first 4 games is interesting. How we fare against the middle bit (sligo, bohs etc) will determine how the league goes, I guess.

Should be a decent crowd in Richmond tomorrow anyway. Hopefully the coked up young fellas will keep themselves in check should/if/when Rovers score.

In terms of the title race I never had us in it, think I had us down for finishing 5th in the Prediction thread and so far we look like a mid table team.

It will be a sellout tomorrow, not many tickets left.

[pineapple stu]

Drogs and UCD is it an early season six pointer?
Definitely. Even though there's another 9 games against the bottom four (if that's what UCD/Drogheda/Harps/Shels are), to be winless after the first round of those matches really wouldn't be great even this early on. We could even be goalless after them.

[Jd2793]

youd be worried for ucd if they shoot another blank here. huge game for drogs too though i can see it being very cagey. pats need to shape up quickly too , clancy has to sping a few changes from what i saw monday

[D24Saint]

The last game we needed tomorrow was Rovers tbh. I wouldn’t go as far as panicking yet but last Monday was definitely cause for concern. I think some of the pre season worries about how our squad was built have come to fruition very early. We need a big performance tomorrow to steady the ship as another defeat could cause heads to drop in the stands and in the squad. I think it will be 2-1 Rovers.

[Finlay Harp]

Third game for Harps. Time to start taking our chances. In front of a good home crowd we might finally kick in to action. It won’t be as easy for Bohs as some pundits are claiming.

[Bohtastic]

It never is easy for us up in Finn Park.
We could easily slip up on Friday .
Still thinking (hoping?) a win - Twardek is due a goal.

[oriel]

The last game we needed tomorrow was Rovers tbh. I wouldn’t go as far as panicking yet but last Monday was definitely cause for concern. I think some of the pre season worries about how our squad was built have come to fruition very early. We need a big performance tomorrow to steady the ship as another defeat could cause heads to drop in the stands and in the squad. I think it will be 2-1 Rovers.

Curious to know D24 where you see the weakness, as after the opening night 3-0 you looked in good shape, I suppose it is only 3 games in, but if you don't get a result tonight its a bad start.

Is it lack of cover / options in defence with Barrett out, or is it the MF that is the problem with likes of Lewis and Benson gone maybe?

I wouldn't be panicking, most clubs could drop a good few places after a few bad results, including Dundalk if we lose tomorrow, could go from 2nd to 6th. in saying that I fancy us to get a draw in Sligo.

[D24Saint]

Curious to know D24 where you see the weakness, as after the opening night 3-0 you looked in good shape, I suppose it is only 3 games in, but if you don't get a result tonight its a bad start.

Is it lack of cover / options in defence with Barrett out, or is it the MF that is the problem with likes of Lewis and Benson gone maybe?

I wouldn't be panicking, most clubs could drop a good few places after a few bad results, including Dundalk if we lose tomorrow, could go from 2nd to 6th. in saying that I fancy us to get a draw in Sligo.

The defence is definitely the weak point so far. I like the look of Redmond but haven't seen enough of Grivosti yet to judge. I think Abankwah has bags of potential but has a mistake or two a game in him at this point in his career. I thought Breslin was excellent versus Shels particularly going forward but his form has dipped since and id go with Bermo tonight. The biggest issue defensively so far has been RB the lad Scott just hasn't hit the ground running and had a nightmare last Monday.

[Shinkicker]

No bigger game than rovers, this could be the kick in the arse your players need to prove they are or could be possible contenders. BUT if you loose it could kill any confidence the squad has and make for a long season.

[Jack B]

Curious to know D24 where you see the weakness, as after the opening night 3-0 you looked in good shape, I suppose it is only 3 games in, but if you don't get a result tonight its a bad start.

Is it lack of cover / options in defence with Barrett out, or is it the MF that is the problem with likes of Lewis and Benson gone maybe?

I wouldn't be panicking, most clubs could drop a good few places after a few bad results, including Dundalk if we lose tomorrow, could go from 2nd to 6th. in saying that I fancy us to get a draw in Sligo.

Midfield is the issue for me, was the one area of the squad I worried about prior to the season as well. Barrett is a loss but at least will be back and has decent enough cover in that position (though right back is a concern as Jack Scott is the only option there and has been a bit ropey so far to say the least), right now the midfield is entirely dependent on Forrester and he can't do it by himself. Tbf we have been playing wingers as 10s which I'm hoping Clancy will learn isn't particularly viable and then you'll see us improve. Feels like we've a lot of forward players that are trying to be shoe-horn in at the expense of balance, but if we start playing a Forrester-Lennon-O'Reilly/McCormack midfield then I think we'll end up somewhat back on track. Not replacing Lewis has definitely been the problem from the limited amount we've seen thus far.

[SPXcyan]

Junior scores for Waterford, GUFC 0-1 WFC

[SPXcyan]

Eddie Nolan doubles the lead, GUFC 0-2 WFC.

[pineapple stu]

Well this is a disaster.

3-0 down at halftime in Drogheda. Hasn't been a 3-0 game at all, but two 20-yarders found the top corner.

Very annoying

[Straightstory]

Three excellent goals for Drogheda. Top class.

[SPXcyan]

Galway get one back, GUFC 1-2 WFC.

[SeanDrog]

Three excellent goals for Drogheda. Top class.

4-1 now :)

[Calcio Jack]

Really poor stuff from Rovers huffing and puffing their way to mid table against an average ( no disrespect meant) Pats side…. No chance of 3 in a row based on that crap- disgraceful , metronomic tippy tippy with no end product as no pace in the team ; we created a few half chances and conceded a soft goal ; going nowhere but down fast; as lost to average Derry and Pats and only wins against relegation teams

[SPXcyan]

Cozy for GUFC in the second half, 2-2 now.

[Jack B]

Chris Forrester > whoever you think the best player in this league is

[D24Saint]

That’s was a pleasant surprise. I thought Rovers had enough of the ball and enough chances to win the game. I thought they were much the better side in the first half. The second was a different story as we battled hard to win the game. I gave Scott guff but I felt he fought hard tonight while being overlapped a lot of the time. The CB grivosti had a tidy game and O’Reilly worked very hard in midfield. The Motm was super git yet again immense. The crowd was amazing , must have been 5k at it. I’ve missed Loi nights like this. On a side note I was surprised by the carry by mandroiu to the Rovers bench , poor form when he was taken off.

[SeanDrog]

4-1 now :)

FT Drogs 4-2 UCD

Good result - great to see the strikers get a few.

Disappointed to let two very soft goals in but this defence is still finding its feet.

Felt we missed a few real chances too.

Getting closer to our starting 11 but I think 2-3 spots still not bedded down yet which is reasonable given the amount of squad rebuilding needed. This team has more to give.

We need to build on this result and pick up points from teams who will finish above us etc.

[joey B]

Bohs probably shaded it in Ballybofey,but have a look out for Connollys goal,great strike,ref also had a shocker and the only surprise was he sent off a Bohs player instead of a Harps one ,red was very harsh aswell….

[Northsider]

Bohs probably shaded it in Ballybofey,but have a look out for Connollys goal,great strike,ref also had a shocker and the only surprise was he sent off a Bohs player instead of a Harps one ,red was very harsh aswell….

Was a tough game, I'd say a draw was fair enough. The Harps goal was the best bit of quality in the match, lovely ball by Hery and a brilliant strike by Connolly.

Really tough conditions, but both teams gave their best and there was hardly a bad challenge in the game, yet the ref has dished out 8 yellows, and a red to Promise. Its farcical. Promise was our best player too, could have had a hat trick. But I assume he misses next week's game against the Shams.

Harps should be able to stay above the relegation trapdoor playing at home like that, really well organised and a tough place for anyone to visit.

[oriel]

Really poor stuff from Rovers huffing and puffing their way to mid table against an average ( no disrespect meant) Pats side…. No chance of 3 in a row based on that crap- disgraceful , metronomic tippy tippy with no end product as no pace in the team ; we created a few half chances and conceded a soft goal ; going nowhere but down fast; as lost to average Derry and Pats and only wins against relegation teams

Didn't see any of it, another shocking LOI TV thing, hardly an incentive for a fan to pay for a game not involving your own team, example this time last year, Dundalk not playing Fri, I was all over this Pats v Rover game.

Anyway very early days for Rovers, two defeats maybe but still two hardest away games gone until series 3, then again Dundalk is next away after Bohs!

Look, for me I still think whoever finishes ahead of Rovers wins it, Derry look in great shape and 100% top 2, and as for Pats v Rovers, I never saw this win tonight, a draw at best, but there you go.

Calcio, is it possibly a case of too much to pick from in MF maybe the challenge for Rovers?

[total hoofball]

Shels defence held out an unimpressive Derry comfortably enough until a few series of corners around 75 mins led to our keeper finally getting tested and he duly palmed the ball to McEleney on what should have been a bread and butter save, we have Brendan Clarke sitting on the bench for the past 4 games it's staggering

No controlling physical presence in the middle of the park and no attacking talent apart from Moylan. Duff has a grim job ahead of him

[placid casual]

Really poor stuff from Rovers huffing and puffing their way to mid table against an average ( no disrespect meant) Pats side…. No chance of 3 in a row based on that crap- disgraceful , metronomic tippy tippy with no end product as no pace in the team ; we created a few half chances and conceded a soft goal ; going nowhere but down fast; as lost to average Derry and Pats and only wins against relegation teams

And the award for the biggest overreaction goes to....

Tight enough game, Rovers had some good chances in the first half, but once pats got themselves ahead they battled hard to win the game so fair result I suppose.
Great crowd there anyway, and should be another decent crowd next week in Tallaght against boez.

[Calcio Jack]

Didn't see any of it, another shocking LOI TV thing, hardly an incentive for a fan to pay for a game not involving your own team, example this time last year, Dundalk not playing Fri, I was all over this Pats v Rover game.

Anyway very early days for Rovers, two defeats maybe but still two hardest away games gone until series 3, then again Dundalk is next away after Bohs!

Look, for me I still think whoever finishes ahead of Rovers wins it, Derry look in great shape and 100% top 2, and as for Pats v Rovers, I never saw this win tonight, a draw at best, but there you go.

Calcio, is it possibly a case of too much to pick from in MF maybe the challenge for Rovers?

For me the problem is a lack of pace… we play a very predictable controlled but too slow approach …. Think we’ll improve greatly once Farrugia and Burke are available… I don’t buy into the we’ve too many top class players to pick and keep happy…. They are happy as they’ve the best wages, contracts , training centre, stadium , support etc.

Next few games Bohs, Duns & Sligo will be interesting though

[Calcio Jack]

And the award for the biggest overreaction goes to....

Tight enough game, Rovers had some good chances in the first half, but once pats got themselves ahead they battled hard to win the game so fair result I suppose.
Great crowd there anyway, and should be another decent crowd next week in Tallaght against boez.

Glad you seem to be able to accept a defeat to an average Pats team that follows on from last week in Derry … we should be easily beating the like of Pats , not conceding a soft goal and then with 35 mins left unable to create anything but a few half chances - mid table mediocrity performance levels - no thanks , we’re way better than that

[patsdad]

Glad you seem to be able to accept a defeat to an average Pats team that follows on from last week in Derry … we should be easily beating the like of Pats , not conceding a soft goal and then with 35 mins left unable to create anything but a few half chances - mid table mediocrity performance levels - no thanks , we’re way better than that
But maybe you’re not way better than that.

[PartySaint]

Chris Forrester is the best midfielder in the country.

Rovers don’t look a patch on last season or the season before. Joey O’Brien looks a big loss and too much goes through Byrne.

Derry’s title to lose from here ;)

[placid casual]

This is clearly the overreaction thread...

[PartySaint]

This is clearly the overreaction thread...

Isn’t every match week thread?

[Northsider]

At half time in the Bohs game, I switched over to the action at Richmond.

In that 15 minute spell, I saw Forrester head in the winner, Mandroiu get subbed off and throw a strop, and Lyons get hit on the head with a ball thrown at him from behind by a Pats fan.

Were the other 75 mins as good as that?

[wonder88]

Great second half comeback by Galway tonight, started by a lovely worked headed goal by Jordan Adeyemo. Important to have not lost tonight's game, after the terrible start last year. Good crowd and atmosphere on a lovely night weatherwise.

[2 Year Contract]

Big result for pats tonight, much needed 3 points after the previous 2 results. Improved performance from Scott at RB. Adam O'Reilly was brilliant in midfield on his first start for the club alongside the best midfielder in the league Forrester.

Surprised at how toothless rovers were tonight. They’ll no doubt improve when the likes of Jack Byrne and Mandroiu return to the starting 11 though…

[nigel-harps1954]

The most kind thing I can say about Damien MacGraith is that he clearly dislikes football and done his best to prevent any being played in Finn Park.

Shambles of a referee.

[Nesta99]

Really poor stuff from Rovers huffing and puffing their way to mid table against an average ( no disrespect meant) Pats side…. No chance of 3 in a row based on that crap- disgraceful , metronomic tippy tippy with no end product as no pace in the team ; we created a few half chances and conceded a soft goal ; going nowhere but down fast; as lost to average Derry and Pats and only wins against relegation teams

Worst standard season ever!

Looking like a nip and tuck season so far. I'd expect that to change as the season goes on and teams settle and the league positions with it. Its a bit mad and a great thing that IF Dundalk win this weekend we go top or joint top with Dundalk MkII. Im all for a club dominating the league when it is my club but genuinely not knowing how things will pan out has its attraction.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Was a tough game, I'd say a draw was fair enough. The Harps goal was the best bit of quality in the match, lovely ball by Hery and a brilliant strike by Connolly.

Really tough conditions, but both teams gave their best and there was hardly a bad challenge in the game, yet the ref has dished out 8 yellows, and a red to Promise. Its farcical. Promise was our best player too, could have had a hat trick. But I assume he misses next week's game against the Shams.

Harps should be able to stay above the relegation trapdoor playing at home like that, really well organised and a tough place for anyone to visit.

Saw them in pre season and Harps looked vastly improved. Few good signings. Ollie some man.

[Jack B]

As someone who only really watches Rovers when they play Pats I do think they can be less than the sum of their parts. The talent in that squad is well beyond any other side in the league yet they manage to overcomplicate things by flooding central areas and have their most talented player pick the ball up far too deep when there really is no need for it. Still think they'll win the league relatively comfortably over the course of the season but can't help but think they don't help themselves at times.

Forrester was once again phenomenal but a special shout out to Joe Redmond who has surprised me with how much of an excellent defender he looks. Still has growing to do elsewhere but I'm not surprised that Clancy is a fan given how much of a natural he is in keeping the ball out of danger. Adam O'Reilly was great also and I can see him keeping Jamie Lennon out of the team at this rate. Offered an energy and ability to compete for the ball in midfield that we've sorely lacked in the last couple of games.

[2 Year Contract]

I don’t buy into the we’ve too many top class players to pick and keep happy…. They are happy as they’ve the best wages, contracts , training centre, stadium , support etc.

Even if that was the case, it wouldn’t be great to have too many football players happy to pick up their big wages while not actually playing football.

Doesnt really matter though because that’s not the case at all. We're 4 games into the season and there’s already been visible strops thrown by Burke, Mandroiu and Towell over their playing time. And that that’s only what the public has seen

[Calcio Jack]

Even if that was the case, it wouldn’t be great to have too many football players happy to pick up their big wages while not actually playing football.

Doesnt really matter though because that’s not the case at all. We're 4 games into the season and there’s already been visible strops thrown by Burke, Mandroiu and Towell over their playing time. And that that’s only what the public has seen

Sorry , simply not the case re ‘strops’ being an issue…. But no doubt others will disagree as we all have to believe our own narrative

[Nesta99]

Sorry , simply not the case re ‘strops’ being an issue…. But no doubt others will disagree as we all have to believe our own narrative

I tend to agree with this, a real player strop is when they stop bothering not when they are p1ssed off at being subbed or not starting. That shows a desire to play and its often when a players has had a poor game that they look most annoyed at being taken off as they want to make amends. Its the coaching staff on the sideline that kinda need to protect players from themselves at certain at times like that. Its also obvious that it is hard to keep a large talented squad happy but managers get paid for their man management and players paid well knowing that there is competition for places and the old needing to tak their chance when they get it adage applies.

There does seem a bit of rinse and repeat from Rovers fans from last season, slow build up play, not pulling opposition around to wear them down, lack of pace, lack of that bit of attacking guile to cut open a defence, generally laboured feel to performances, players out of position, management not knowing best midfield combo, injuries, loss of players - the usual complaints that nearly all football fans have when their team is not playing with a swagger. Its early season but it is a settled squad, Towell has been brought in to add drive to midfield, Jack Byrne has been brought in to replace the massive hole left by Jack Byrne, the vilified Gannon has found a slot right side of a central 3 rather than wingback, Lopez is back available etc. So the laboured performances have a common denominator either Bradley is genuinely hitting the ceiling of his coaching/tactical abilities, or its just very early in the season (though the dublin derby could be fun as a bit of a lottery and damaging for Rovers having dropped points already elsewhere). Again its too early make any big calls on a title being out of reach but you have to consider the similarities between what was said last season and this considering that holes have been plugged. One important thing has been a good spread of goals regardless of results from Watts, Byrne, Mandriou, Burke, even Agent Hoare.

[sbgawa]

Obvuiously its all over, hopefully we can avoid getting sucked into the relegation scrap. Time to accept its the end of a short era.
Maybe we can still have a decent season but the odds are firmly against us now.

[2 Year Contract]

I tend to agree with this, a real player strop is when they stop bothering not when they are p1ssed off at being subbed or not starting. That shows a desire to play and its often when a players has had a poor game that they look most annoyed at being taken off as they want to make amends. Its the coaching staff on the sideline that kinda need to protect players from themselves at certain at times like that. Its also obvious that it is hard to keep a large talented squad happy but managers get paid for their man management and players paid well knowing that there is competition for places and the old needing to tak their chance when they get it adage applies.

There does seem a bit of rinse and repeat from Rovers fans from last season, slow build up play, not pulling opposition around to wear them down, lack of pace, lack of that bit of attacking guile to cut open a defence, generally laboured feel to performances, players out of position, management not knowing best midfield combo, injuries, loss of players - the usual complaints that nearly all football fans have when their team is not playing with a swagger. Its early season but it is a settled squad, Towell has been brought in to add drive to midfield, Jack Byrne has been brought in to replace the massive hole left by Jack Byrne, the vilified Gannon has found a slot right side of a central 3 rather than wingback, Lopez is back available etc. So the laboured performances have a common denominator either Bradley is genuinely hitting the ceiling of his coaching/tactical abilities, or its just very early in the season (though the dublin derby could be fun as a bit of a lottery and damaging for Rovers having dropped points already elsewhere). Again its too early make any big calls on a title being out of reach but you have to consider the similarities between what was said last season and this considering that holes have been plugged. One important thing has been a good spread of goals regardless of results from Watts, Byrne, Mandriou, Burke, even Agent Hoare.


If you’s read my last post again you'll see that I said the same thing, it would be worse if the players were just accepting not playing games and happy with their big wages as Calcio Jack suggested they are doing by his comment about the players being happy. I then pointed out that there has in fact been public strops thrown which indicates that they clearly aren’t happy with not playing.

Again, it’s definitely better to throw a strop about not starting a game/being taken off than it is to just turn up to training and pick up a wage but if those strops continue for a number of weeks then you’re in trouble as a manager. Rovers aren’t at that stage yet but the way around it is giving those lads more game time and tinkering with the team is a lot easier said than done so it’s something Bradley will have to manage over the course of the season with so many big egos in his squad

[Nesta99]

Obvuiously its all over, hopefully we can avoid getting sucked into the relegation scrap. Time to accept its the end of a short era.
Maybe we can still have a decent season but the odds are firmly against us now.

Aye 4 games in 2 points off top, not too much here but some Rovers fans have gotten a right dose of the Ollies!

[Nesta99]

If you’s read my last post again you'll see that I said the same thing, it would be worse if the players were just accepting not playing games and happy with their big wages as Calcio Jack suggested they are doing by his comment about the players being happy. I then pointed out that there has in fact been public strops thrown which indicates that they clearly aren’t happy with not playing.

Again, it’s definitely better to throw a strop about not starting a game/being taken off than it is to just turn up to training and pick up a wage but if those strops continue for a number of weeks then you’re in trouble as a manager. Rovers aren’t at that stage yet but the way around it is giving those lads more game time and tinkering with the team is a lot easier said than done so it’s something Bradley will have to manage over the course of the season with so many big egos in his squad

I meant more in general rather than claims about Rovers tbh, like the media making a fuss about a player not being happy at a club because there was a shake of the head when being subbed. Id be a lot more concerned if a player had a grin on the face and sprinted to the bench when spotting their number go up! Or players/teams do an 2021 early season Dundalk FC.

Starkly contrasted by the graft from the start in Sligo tonight. Reasonable game so far. Can help but worry about Bone playing left back. He is managing just about with help but Sligo target that area and we will be doing plenty of scrambling to cover.