Games weekend Friday 24th to Monday 27th

[sbgawa]

Premier Division

Friday 24th June

Drogheda v Sligo 19:45
Shels v Dundalk 19:45
Shamrock Rovers v Bohs 19:45
UCD v Derry
Finn Harps v St Pats

Monday 27th

St Pats v Shamrock Rovers 19:45

First Division (All 19:45)

Friday 24th

Wexford v Longford
Waterford v Bray
Cork v Cobh
Galway v Treaty

Monday 27th

Treaty v Cork
Longford v Galway
Bray v Wexford
Athlone v Waterford

[sbgawa]

Big weekend for Rovers, with Dundalk now officially the title rivals and only 2 points off the top (if win game in hand) we really need to pick up maximum points in both matches or risk being potentially behind heading into a potential 8 weeks a row in Europe. The rotation didnt work against Dundalk (i'm sceptical of Byrne and Burke being injured and Lyons started the next day against Clifftonville in a friendly).
I would play the first 11 against Bohs and minimum rotation against Pats , the league is more important than Europe IMO.

Hopefully Shels can do us a favour against Dundalk , Drogs v Sligo is an interesting match for both teams and UCD will travel with a bit of hope to Derry, keeping it scoreless for a while will be vital as Derry must be shellshocked at this stage.

[pineapple stu]

UCD will travel with a bit of hope to Derry, keeping it scoreless for a while will be vital
We'll be doing well to keep them scoreless for a while in Derry given they'll have an open goal in the Bowl :p

[JC_GUFC]

Big weekend for us in Division 1.

We've got back to the top after last weekend - both Cork and Waterford should take maximum points from their games - so we have the toughest set of fixtures on paper. Obviously Cork just dropped points in Longford and we were beaten up there earlier in the season - if we can go up there and win it will send a strong message to the others.

[Jd2793]

wouldnt be confident of cork getting 6 pts from the next 2 games. we've been poor for a while, couple that with a few key players injured. cobh are terrible but we'll probably sneak past them like the 3-2 in colemans. treaty were poor in our two meetings this season but they should be able to put up a much better challenge against our 2nd string

[sbgawa]

We'll be doing well to keep them scoreless for a while in Derry given they'll have an open goal in the Bowl :p

I'm officially losing it ;)

[El-Pietro]

wouldnt be confident of cork getting 6 pts from the next 2 games. we've been poor for a while, couple that with a few key players injured. cobh are terrible but we'll probably sneak past them like the 3-2 in colemans. treaty were poor in our two meetings this season but they should be able to put up a much better challenge against our 2nd string

Weve been poor enough of late but Ramblers are a different proposition at the Cross than they are in Cobh. We historically have found it very difficult to get a win in St. Colmans Park, but we typically steamroll them at the Cross. They've sacked their manager so who knows what to expect but I'd be very dissapointed if we don't win by a couple of goals Friday.

[trevy]

It'll be good to see Waterford back in action after a 4 week break. Hopefully the long break and arrival of new manager won't break the momentum we built up. We should be good enough to beat Bray at home anyway.

[sbgawa]

It'll be good to see Waterford back in action after a 4 week break. Hopefully the long break and arrival of new manager won't break the momentum we built up. We should be good enough to beat Bray at home anyway.

Just wondering is there any local knowledge as to why you didnt stick with the lads who have gone on such a good run?
Did they not want it full time? i still cant get my head around it particularly given the history

[joey B]

If we’re to make Drogheda anyway uncomfortable we need to start winning home games,we’ve won twice at home since the 3rd of September last season,against already relegated Longford and last minute against Shels…..

[trevy]

Just wondering is there any local knowledge as to why you didnt stick with the lads who have gone on such a good run?
Did they not want it full time? i still cant get my head around it particularly given the history

They said Hunt and Breen didn't have the coaching badges to remain in charge and club could be fined if they did not have a qualified head coach/manager in place by a certain time. They are rightly being kept on as coaches and the new manager has said they are happy with him coming in and there will be no issues between them.

[sbgawa]

They said Hunt and Breen didn't have the coaching badges to remain in charge and club could be fined if they did not have a qualified head coach/manager in place by a certain time. They are rightly being kept on as coaches and the new manager has said they are happy with him coming in and there will be no issues between them.

Ok , good to hear the two lads havent been screwed. If i was them id be doing my badges with your Chairman holding the trigger ;)

[redarmyfaction]

UCD will travel with a bit of hope to Derry, keeping it scoreless for a while will be vital as Derry must be shellshocked at this stage.


UCD could be a price 9/1 on Betfair.

[brendy_éire]

UCD could be a price 9/1 on Betfair.

That's some value! We seem fairly incapable of keeping a clean sheet at present, and aren't being clinical in front of goal.

I don't think we'll lose tonight, though if don't score early, I could see us struggle. I know we put seven past UCD last time out, but we struggled to break them down in the first game in Belfield.

Interested to see how Sligo get one. Drogheda gave us plenty of chances last week, but always looked capable of scoring. A win for Drogheda would only have them four behind Sligo, with a game in hand.

In the FD, Galway-Treaty should see a decent crowd. Few ex-Galway players in the Treaty side too, could be tasty.

[sbgawa]

Massive interest in tonights matches judging by this thread.
Hearing Bohs didn't sell all their allocation which is disappointing as the rest of the ground is sold out so these tickets will go unsold.

[joey B]

Ollie Horgan’s 300th game in charge of Harps tonight…….

[Nesta99]

So things have been a bit too plain sailing for Dundalk of recent, so before we kick off Shels to win and Rovers to hammer Bohs and Dundalk's title challenge lasts a week!

McMillan starts for Dundalk, Shels been good the 1st 10-15 but I think its because of not having Hoban to make the ball stick and lay it off. McMillan hasnt played much so dont know if he has the legs to deputise in the Hoban role.

Watching the live game from Tallaght on RTE and from Tolka on LoITV and its chalk and cheese. I know its the Dublin Derby and all but its a very entertaining game if not full of quality and its a super atmosphere. Bohs the better side really but havent made it count with many/any chances. In Tolka I was sure Benson had scored but the ball was just wide of the post. Muted atmosphere and quite scrappy. If Dundalk put even 10 minutes of how we played last week we'd get 3 points. Be interesting to see if there are any HT changes. Decent crowd up from Dundalk, maybe 5-600?

For years it was pure fantasy for LoI fans to want a game live on TV in a good stadium, big crowd with an atmosphere to fit - well its all there live on RTE tonight! Its something of a vindication of the belief over the years that these things were possible if the league wasnt held back by a short sighted FAI. Over the years I always hated when it was said 'great advertisement for the league' it seemed almost patronising. Well I think the game in tallaght is a great advertisement for the league - its not full of quality but is certainly entertaining. When the final stand is built, it looks like it will be right on top of the pitch and could be a real cauldron of a ground. The fantasy is now that other clubs like Dundalk and the council (off the back of SDCC vision) see the merits in doing a municipal stadium and work to provide or at least help with the provision of quality facilities.

Ok rovers score so the start of my prediction kicks in and the 3 steps forward 2 back in terms of getting a proper title race going!

[Philosophizer]

Great spectacle on TV. Looks to be rocking in Tallaght...

[Calcio Jack]

Great spectacle on TV. Looks to be rocking in Tallaght...

Bohs all over us…. We seem to be turning into Derry

[sadloserkid]

Great spectacle on TV. Looks to be rocking in Tallaght...

It's all about opinions obviously - I think it's been a bit rubbish. Not much real quality from either side so far. Fiercely contested is about the best thing I could say. Scummy tackle from Levingston too.

[Philosophizer]

It's all about opinions obviously - I think it's been a bit rubbish. Not much real quality from either side so far. Fiercely contested is about the best thing I could say. Scummy tackle from Levingston too.
My earlier post was about the pre match scenes, which looked great. The game hadn't even started when I posted that 😁

[sadloserkid]

My earlier post was about the pre match scenes, which looked great. The game hadn't even started when I posted that 😁

Ha! My bad. In that case we're of the same opinion.

[pineapple stu]

Another game, another penalty conceded.

This one was utterly stupid rather than soft/dubious at least. We really don't help ourselves...

[Nesta99]

It's all about opinions obviously - I think it's been a bit rubbish. Not much real quality from either side so far. Fiercely contested is about the best thing I could say. Scummy tackle from Levingston too.

I agree, but the crowd and derby feel is carrying it imo. If sky were covering it it would be the best football product ever sales mantra! Maybe Ive gone soft but the overall spectacle is as much as the quality of the football thats standing out for me.

[Nesta99]

Dundalk goal and win, purely for the benefit of the league of course, just to keep it an honest title race!!

[The Bowler]

Nothing much to say. Students devoid of ideas in attack, and ridiculous challenge to give away yet another pen. All the interesting action was the gossip in the stands. Kerrigan off to Italy

[CorribsideSteve]

Tallaght looked great on TV. Atomsphere really came across with a full house, with the sunshine on top. The game itself was a 3/10 for entertainment value though. Rovers were fairly ordinary. Slow, ponderous, lacking cutting edge. Bohs were even worse aside from giving it a right go in the opening 20 minutees or so. Dreadfuly soft goal to concede. The kind of goal you just know an LOI team will concede in Europe this season. The game was destined to peter out to an 0-0 draw without that goal.

[sadloserkid]

Keith Long has the eyes of a man who is mentally updating his CV as he stumbles through this interview.

[Philosophizer]

All the interesting action was the gossip in the stands. Kerrigan off to Italy
Wow, what club?

[pineapple stu]

Como in Serie B

[ontheotherhand]

Tallaght looked great on TV. Atomsphere really came across with a full house, with the sunshine on top. The game itself was a 3/10 for entertainment value though. Rovers were fairly ordinary. Slow, ponderous, lacking cutting edge. Bohs were even worse aside from giving it a right go in the opening 20 minutees or so. Dreadfuly soft goal to concede. The kind of goal you just know an LOI team will concede in Europe this season. The game was destined to peter out to an 0-0 draw without that goal.

There were two others cleared off the line, Ryan saved point blank from Gaffney and the cross bar was hit.....plenty of chances in the game Steve but you're right, goals do usually mean 0-0 draws aren't on the cards.

[pineapple stu]

Oh **** off Pat's!

2-0 up against Harps after 88 minutes and can't see out the win

[The Bowler]

I need a stiff drink. Harps doing a Harps and pulling a result out their arse

[EAFC_rdfl]

Who was on co-comm on rte tonight? Up the harps!

[SeanDrog]

Oh **** off Pat's!

2-0 up against Harps after 88 minutes and can't see out the win

Given the players Pats have I think they are seriously under performing this year …

[Jack B]

Unreal

[joey B]

Pats could have scored 5 or 6 before their collapse at the end,Clancy emptied the bench with 10 minutes left and will probably regret that,valuable point but points aren’t much use still…

[TonyD]

Oh **** off Pat's!

2-0 up against Harps after 88 minutes and can't see out the win

You think you’re upset ? Terrible two points to throw away. Eoin Doyle had three great chances and flunked them all. Not the first time this season either. He’s been a big disappointment it has to be said. We were comfortable 7ntil the last couple of minutes and should have seen that out. Raging !,

[El-Pietro]

Very poor game at the Cross in front of a small crowd in horrible conditions.
Big win though with Galway dropping points. Need to win in Limerick on Monday.

[placid casual]

There's only one Stephen Bradley.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

One of the worst games I’ve ever seen tonight in Drogheda

[sbgawa]

Should have won more comfortably but I'll take 1 nil all day in the derby.

[oriel]

One of the worst games I’ve ever seen tonight in Drogheda

The fayre at Tolka wasn't much better, really poor standard and worse tempo by both sides, thought it was a terrible match to watch, 0-0 summed it up.

But........if you had asked me at 7.44pm last Fri if I would have taken 4 points by this time tonight, damn sure I would, still in second and looking fairly good for an auto euro spot.

[total hoofball]

I think in literally every moment tonight in the Shels final third all of our players took the hardest/worst option available, quite a few times players were open and they smash it straight into a Dundalk defender's feet

Saying all that I'm satisfied to get point tonight, Dundalk are a really average 2nd place team

[joey B]

I think in literally every moment tonight in the Shels final third all of our players took the hardest/worst option available, quite a few times players were open and they smash it straight into a Dundalk defender's feet

Saying all that I'm satisfied to get point tonight, Dundalk are a really average 2nd place team

Is Mark Coyle injured Total?

[mackend6]

One of the worst games I’ve ever seen tonight in Drogheda

It was a nice change watching us and not being on the back foot at all in a match.

We'd a few chances to get the win, will have to look at it back but I've no idea how Foley didn't bury his chance from a few yards out. We'd a header from a corner that went straight at the keeper unfortunately.

Markey and Lyons both made a difference when they come on. Markey's creativity will be big for us when he gets back fully fit.

Was surprised by how bad Sligo were, they didn't seem to have any intention of trying to play football. Not sure I've ever seen them approach a game like that against us.

[oriel]

I think in literally every moment tonight in the Shels final third all of our players took the hardest/worst option available, quite a few times players were open and they smash it straight into a Dundalk defender's feet

Saying all that I'm satisfied to get point tonight, Dundalk are a really average 2nd place team

Nothing average in any team getting their 9th clean sheet and who Shels have yet to beat in 3 games.

That said, it was a really poor game, very little quality by both sides.

[nigel-harps1954]

At 2-0, we all said it was game over. So did the couple hundred that exited the ground with ten minutes or more left.

We were rubbish for 85 minutes, and then just threw everything at Pats.

Mad night.

[joey B]

Who was on co-comm on rte tonight? Up the harps!

Pat Morley....

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

It was a nice change watching us and not being on the back foot at all in a match.

We'd a few chances to get the win, will have to look at it back but I've no idea how Foley didn't bury his chance from a few yards out. We'd a header from a corner that went straight at the keeper unfortunately.

Markey and Lyons both made a difference when they come on. Markey's creativity will be big for us when he gets back fully fit.

Was surprised by how bad Sligo were, they didn't seem to have any intention of trying to play football. Not sure I've ever seen them approach a game like that against us.

Well we’d a few chances as well but it was still an horrific game