Weekend 14th to 16th April

[ger121]

Tis a mad mad league this season. Almost anyone can get a result on the day against each other.

[bohsmug]

...their fans pleas for the game to be abandoned at half time because they were getting battered (see below), it really was a night to forget for ‘the big club’

https://twitter.com/mcdonnelldan/status/1646961969126166568?s=46

Confirmation bias.

[Dermobohs]

Confirmation bias.

Ha! Heard a few lads jokingly saying call it off ffs, and one fella made the good point that if we got back in and took the lead all pats had to do was feck a flare on lol.
Some of you lot really need a humour transplant.

[joey B]

Are Dundalk in the relegation picture? They dont look very good anyway.....

[pineapple stu]

Too early to say that I think when any win seems to lift you halfway up the table.

But certainly five defeats in a row would have to be a worry. Especially with a Euro campaign coming up.

Hoban not making any impression this season?

[sbgawa]

Are Dundalk in the relegation picture? They dont look very good anyway.....
If cork had beaten ucd dundalk would have been in the relegation playoff off spot now (currently losing 1 nil to derry).
Cork need to improve for Dundalk to have a problem

[total hoofball]

Are Dundalk in the relegation picture? They dont look very good anyway.....
It's too tight in the middle of the division at this early stage of the season before things start to flesh out after the mid-way point

Even if Dundalk lose today their next 5 fixtures may be the against the 5 weakest sides in the division. Pats and Tim Clancy best example of this a few weeks ago 'struggling' then they had UCD, Cork, Drogheda in their 3 games and now in 3rd spot things all great again for them before the next bad run comes up

[joey B]

Dundalk are grand lads,in the European mix :D :D

[pineapple stu]

Two goals in a minute and Dundalk are a point off third and Derry are the ones on a losing run

[Kingdom]

Disappointing result but hugely entertaining game tonight, games between pats and ourselves usually are.ref was a total loose cannon, 4th official threatening abandonment at h/t because of pats fans throwing flares, poor defending and great goalkeeping on both sides, and a proper gutsy comeback from us when we looked dead and gone, marvellous!!!
Really enjoying this season, it’s a real rollercoaster.

Really surprised to read the bit about the goalkeeping. Talbot was poor again tonight, was poor against rovers and has looked jittery the few games I've seen this season. Even in the warm-up vs Rovers he looked dodgy. I'd be on the verge of dropping him to be honest.

[Nesta99]

Too early to say that I think when any win seems to lift you halfway up the table.

But certainly five defeats in a row would have to be a worry. Especially with a Euro campaign coming up.

Hoban not making any impression this season?

He's (was) out injured and badly missed! Our did in form coincided with him being unavailable so how our season pans out could be based on his keeping fit. I thnk we are too good for a relegation battle as the seaso progresses but decent sides have been relegated when unable to break out of a rut. Late goals have cost is 4/6points which would be 3rd or even 2nd so fine margins. Losing to Cork was like being 3 up and throwing it away also. So poor yet dropped points....they are adding up and turning European contention in to relegation zone stuff.

As a club that has a loose cannon on the PA and has cringed by some of the antics, that Bohs announcement is somethig i'd expect from a neighbouring nuisance like Drogheda or formerly Monaghan so super affs stuff. The remote control bus was funny, nice and accurate crashing in to ref and the guy controlling it did not look pleased so deliverate childish behaviour imo

[Philosophizer]

Really surprised to read the bit about the goalkeeping. Talbot was poor again tonight, was poor against rovers and has looked jittery the few games I've seen this season. Even in the warm-up vs Rovers he looked dodgy. I'd be on the verge of dropping him to be honest.
It’s amazing how goalkeepers can go from great to a liability in no time. Talbot was the best in the league a few years ago at one point but has been dodgy now for a while.
Similar thing happened to De Gea years ago. He was one of the best in the world at one stage and within a year he was a total calamity. Casillas too was probably the best in the world and within a couple of seasons he became so terrible Real had to sell him to the Portuguese league.

[outspoken]

It’s amazing how goalkeepers can go from great to a liability in no time. Talbot was the best in the league a few years ago at one point but has been dodgy now for a while.
Similar thing happened to De Gea years ago. He was one of the best in the world at one stage and within a year he was a total calamity. Casillas too was probably the best in the world and within a couple of seasons he became so terrible Real had to sell him to the Portuguese league.

Tbf, he was the best of a bad bunch for a few years as opposed to ever being high class. McGinty was the best keeper in the league while he was here, I;d say Shepperd at Dundalk probably number one now.

[patsdad]

It’s been a crazy start to the league but maybe it’s starting to take shape. There’s a clear top 4 (and check the latest Paddy Power title odds if you don’t believe me), a clear bottom two (I think Dundalk have just enough to stay out of that) leaving four for mid-table mediocrity and a possible cup run.

On the best keeper in the league question, too soon to judge Lyness but his first month has been phenomenal.

[total hoofball]

The league hasn't seen many consistent goalkeepers for a lot of years now. I never rated Talbot as highly as some and I was baffled at his Ireland call ups. Maher might the next one with the best chance of breaking into the Ireland squad if one of our main 3 three of Bazunu/Kelleher/Travers are out

I must say on LOI goalkeepers Conor Kearns has been really surprisingly great for Shels so far despite questionable reports about him in the First Division for Galway and myself seeing specular saves with erratic stuff from him at UCD when he was younger

[joey B]

Just seeing Dundalks 2 goals,incredible sloppiness from Derry for the second,really really bad…..

[Nesta99]

The reaction for the Derry players after the game was a little odd after being 2-1 down with 10 to go. They reacted like a side that had just lost a cup tie. They cant have capitulated in a league race and yes it is a game they should have won certainly on paper but they didnt pepper the Dundalk goal and cursing some poor luck. They were sloppy but it happens and arguably many goals in LoI are defensive sloppiness rather than pure genius attacking play. It could be a good thing of course, where thay have been talking about and working on weaknesses and fell victim irrespective. It just seemed a bit OTT, it maybe was also a contrast that Dundalk and fans werent celebrating a good point after giving us a chance for 3.

I dont agree with you patsdad, another moment of wishful thinking stated as fact by you maybe? You can argue that the bookies rarely get wrong but i'll bet they are loving the lack of clear lack of consistancy with results so far. Dundalk I think we are a mid-table side unless we get some luck with injures and recapture some of the early season spots of form again. I could see us far too close to a relegation battle with some key injuries and a run of poor form can be hard to stop, maybe the breaks have been applied. Pats were one of the worst organised sides I have ever seen in the LoI Premier Division at Oriel, for a side that have expectations of being competitive, that form has been turned but is too recent and an example of it being compeletely premature to make much of a call on things beyond the next round of games with 5 points seperating 2nd to 8th and Cork only 3 now adrift of this group. Derry and Rovers will likely hit the top 2 at some stage and Bohs may be in the mix but would be particularly impressive to be involved in the run in, my bold statement is that they will follow Devine's usual trend and fade. St Pats more recent form could be argued as a 4th place but there is a lot of football to play with even the bottom 2 being written off prior but not dead and buried yet.

[ontheotherhand]

Tbf, he was the best of a bad bunch for a few years as opposed to ever being high class. McGinty was the best keeper in the league while he was here, I;d say Shepperd at Dundalk probably number one now.

Spot on. In the alternate universe where Alan Mannus never played football.

[ToberonaTornado]

Every decent keeper in the league gets shipped off to English or Scottish leagues prob why the standard here is pretty low.

Anyone thinking Hoban is finished should have a look at todays game v Derry. He was outstanding.He was subbed on in the 51st min,ran the game from then on and only that Benson was totally brilliant for Dundalk he would have been MOTM!
Such a class player.

[ontheotherhand]

The league hasn't seen many consistent goalkeepers for a lot of years now. I never rated Talbot as highly as some and I was baffled at his Ireland call ups. Maher might the next one with the best chance of breaking into the Ireland squad if one of our main 3 three of Bazunu/Kelleher/Travers are out

I must say on LOI goalkeepers Conor Kearns has been really surprisingly great for Shels so far despite questionable reports about him in the First Division for Galway and myself seeing specular saves with erratic stuff from him at UCD when he was younger

Mannus and Murphy both left for a spell but otherwise were/are very consistent and very good. Probably the best two I've seen in the league and by a fair margin as well. Maher does look promising. McGinty was great while here. Will be interesting to see if he can make it further. Talbot's Ireland call ups were purely for convenience. He's a long way off that level.

Kearns is still only 24. Would agree he looks like he's finding his feet now. Could go on to be a very good LoI keeper.

[outspoken]

Spot on. In the alternate universe where Alan Mannus never played football.

Mannus has been the best keeper in the league since he came back but you'd imagine this is his last season. Im talking about who's going to pick up the torch and run with it for the next few years, it's probably Sheppard

[pineapple stu]

I must say on LOI goalkeepers Conor Kearns has been really surprisingly great for Shels so far despite questionable reports about him in the First Division for Galway and myself seeing specular saves with erratic stuff from him at UCD when he was younger
Funny, I always thought Niall Corbet - our keeper before Kearns - was far more solid. But there's so few pro goalkeepers in the league (and I imagine pay isn't great for some of those) that it hinders it. It's not worth a lot of players' while trying to make a career out of it, and those who do give it a go mayn't be the most promising options

[Another Bohemia]

It’s amazing how goalkeepers can go from great to a liability in no time. Talbot was the best in the league a few years ago at one point but has been dodgy now for a while.
Similar thing happened to De Gea years ago. He was one of the best in the world at one stage and within a year he was a total calamity. Casillas too was probably the best in the world and within a couple of seasons he became so terrible Real had to sell him to the Portuguese league.

For Talbot you would have to think that the injuries the last couple of years are playing a part. Which is a shame because he was certainly a very good keeper a few years ago. Time to see what Dennison has to offer imo. Funnily enough he wouldnt be the first American keeper to play for us either.

[lofty9]

Every decent keeper in the league gets shipped off to English or Scottish leagues prob why the standard here is pretty low.

Anyone thinking Hoban is finished should have a look at todays game v Derry. He was outstanding.He was subbed on in the 51st min,ran the game from then on and only that Benson was totally brilliant for Dundalk he would have been MOTM!
Such a class player.


I cursed the fact he came on at the time. Did his usual and gave the Derry defence a torrid time and just gets Dundalk higher up the pitch. Invaluable.

[brendy_éire]

The reaction for the Derry players after the game was a little odd after being 2-1 down with 10 to go. They reacted like a side that had just lost a cup tie. They cant have capitulated in a league race and yes it is a game they should have won certainly on paper but they didnt pepper the Dundalk goal and cursing some poor luck. They were sloppy but it happens and arguably many goals in LoI are defensive sloppiness rather than pure genius attacking play. It could be a good thing of course, where thay have been talking about and working on weaknesses and fell victim irrespective. It just seemed a bit OTT, it maybe was also a contrast that Dundalk and fans werent celebrating a good point after giving us a chance for 3.

After the previous two performances and results, we needed to be winning yesterday. We don't concede many goals, let alone two in one game, so by scoring two ourselves, we should be winning.
I'd say they were particularly disgusted with conceded two so close together.

Ultimately, the players probably expect to win almost every game, hence their reaction.
Looking at the match in isolation, a point away to Dundalk, especially after being a goal down, isn't a bad result. But coupled with previous results, it's very annoying. One point from the last nine won't qualify you for Europe, never mind win a league.

[outspoken]

For Talbot you would have to think that the injuries the last couple of years are playing a part. Which is a shame because he was certainly a very good keeper a few years ago. Time to see what Dennison has to offer imo. Funnily enough he wouldnt be the first American keeper to play for us either.

He's an excellent shot stopper, big tall athletic lad too so should be good under a cross etc, the fear is if he makes a mistake like he did with longford last year the reaction will be very different, no hiding place.

[ontheotherhand]

Mannus has been the best keeper in the league since he came back but you'd imagine this is his last season. Im talking about who's going to pick up the torch and run with it for the next few years, it's probably Sheppard

I'd say Maher but only because I think Sheppard will be gone. He's so young and so good already. I think he's better than Maher and Maher will stay in the league but who knows.

Or maybe it's Dean Lyness!

[Philosophizer]

Mannus has been the best keeper in the league since he came back but you'd imagine this is his last season. Im talking about who's going to pick up the torch and run with it for the next few years, it's probably Sheppard
Mannus was outstanding last year, best in the league no doubt, but the previous year he wasn’t great at all - had a few v poor performances in Europe.

[Nesta99]

Looked like the Cork City backroom team (didnt see players) are off somewhere, were in Dublin Airport departures this evening. In official gear so presumibly an official trip. Is Dan Murray coaching with CCFC, im pretty sure it was him in among the group but havent seen him mentioned for a while, well not with the first team staff.

[Hitman]

Looked like the Cork City backroom team (didnt see players) are off somewhere, were in Dublin Airport departures this evening. In official gear so presumibly an official trip. Is Dan Murray coaching with CCFC, im pretty sure it was him in among the group but havent seen him mentioned for a while, well not with the first team staff.

"Best of luck to our MU17 side who are in Portugal this week, playing friendly matches against S.L. Benfica & Sporting CP!"

https://twitter.com/CorkCityFC/status/1648234920446414848

[Nesta99]

Finances sorted at Turners Cross so! Nice to be able to send U17s on such a trip and high quality opposition too so great experience for those kids. They must have been upstairs in Burger King for a pre flight meal.

[ontheotherhand]

Mannus was outstanding last year, best in the league no doubt, but the previous year he wasn’t great at all - had a few v poor performances in Europe.

True, that was his weakest season but even then he was solid outside of a few very uncharacteristic errors. He was carrying knee and back injuries that required injections to get him through the campaign. I thought that'd be his last season to be honest but then he bounced back.

[sulywaterfordfc]

Funny, I always thought Niall Corbet - our keeper before Kearns - was far more solid. But there's so few pro goalkeepers in the league (and I imagine pay isn't great for some of those) that it hinders it. It's not worth a lot of players' while trying to make a career out of it, and those who do give it a go mayn't be the most promising options

Is it Corbet’s choice not to be playing in the league though? Recall him being poor when he was with Waterford a few years ago, and he didn’t bark up any trees at Bohs either.

[pineapple stu]

It is his choice, sure, but that choice is going to include what you can earn from the league versus what you can earn from a real job. He left Bohs after a couple of months for work reasons as far as I know.

Kearns didn't do much at Pat's either, but the more chance you give players, the more likely they are to grow into it. I think player drain is a big problem for the LoI

[JC_GUFC]

Kearns was decent for us. On the first day of last season he made a few brilliant saves in our 1-0 win at Cork.
He set a new club clean sheet record without conceding a goal for over 500 minutes but in many of those matches he had nothing to do.
Then unfortunately in the playoff against Waterford he had an absolute nightmare.
It sounds like the “swap” of Kearns for Clarke has worked well for both clubs as Clarke’s experience has been a huge boost for us.

[ontheotherhand]

Decent promo video here for the Dundalk v Shels game from RTE. (https://twitter.com/RTEsoccer/status/1648438754296619008?s=20)

Had to laugh at the Perth and Kenny section set being perfectly to the lyrics. Poor old Vinny.

[2 Year Contract]

Kearns didn't do much at Pat's either, but the more chance you give players, the more likely they are to grow into it.

He only actually made 1 competitive appearance for Pats, a 1-0 FAI Cup loss to Finn Harps in which he dropped an uncontested catch into the path of a Harps player for the goal. This was in the 2020 season so only 18 league games of course and no LSC or League Cup games for him to prove himself outside of training. He did look shocking in the pre-season games before that however which is probably why O’Donnell went with Brendan Clarke in goal from the start of that season after previously telling him in the off season that he was surplus to requirements

[outspoken]

Kearns ability to launch an attack with a long kick from his hands is incredible but then when he has to kick off the ground he often shanks it.

[outspoken]

Decent promo video here for the Dundalk v Shels game from RTE. (https://twitter.com/RTEsoccer/status/1648438754296619008?s=20)

Had to laugh at the Perth and Kenny section set being perfectly to the lyrics. Poor old Vinny.

Ffs done him like a kipper there lol

[Tomas]

Hi there any thread on this weekends fixtures? Would like to gamble a few quid but too far away I lost track on current form of the teams.

Despite loosing to unpredictable Pats at Dalymount I still wouldnt rule out Bohs from this title surge very few´d guess before the season. I will have a time to look at least the latest scores and come up with some sort of prediction for tonights matches later on. With educated eyes, whats your favorites for tonight? (tips on 1. division matches also very welcomed)

As an "aside", had a quick glance at attendances so far and have to say fair f.cks LOI fans for such great numbers. So much improved since I´d attended between 2006-2015. Well done, keep it up.

[Martinho II]

Whats story with stand behind goal in Tolka closed?

[joey B]

Whats story with stand behind goal in Tolka closed?

Stands condemned ........

[outspoken]

Stands condemned ........

Another ground that looks woeful on TV.