Games Friday 12th to Monday 15th May

[sbgawa]

Premier Division

Friday 12th (All 19:45)

Bohemians v Derry
St Pats v Drogheda
UCD V Shamrock Rovers
Dundalk v Cork City

Saturday 13th

Sligo v Shelbourne

Monday 15th

Derry v Dundalk
Shamrock Rovers v St Pats

First Division

Friday 12th (All 19:45)

Galway v Wexford
Waterford v Cobh
Athlone v Kerry
Bray v Finn Harps

Saturday 13th

Longford v Treaty 19:30

[sbgawa]

With the European qualified Teams having a double week it a chance for any of them to with two wins shoot up the table.
Rovers mustnt fall into the trap of underestimating UCD next Friday,
Bohs v Derry is obviously a huge game , hard to know the best result from a Rovers perspective..a draw i suppose.
Drogheda away to Pats is an interesting one, Drogs have about the minimum number of points they deserve but at some point the hard luck stories have to turn to wins and Pats despite a win in Cork habe looked a bit flakey.


Waterford v Cobh is a chance for Cobh to make an effort to avoid the first division being a procession for the top two.

[Nesta99]

Couldnt have worked out a better schedule for Rovers if they had fixed it themselves - UCD and defencless St Pats, while something has to give between the other sides of the to 4. If Dundalk were to take 6 points it would be some serious turn to our season. 3 is realistic v Cork in Oriel, but its hard to know what Derry will turn up albeit it at home, United Park is not an easy away day but Drogheda would have been full value for 3 points against the nouveau riche on Friday, so ye never know!

[ontheotherhand]

Nice set of fixtures for us alright but then we just had Sligo, Derry and Bohs so that's how it goes. Would expect us to be top by the end of this round but it's a mad league. Great entertainment so far. The best team I've seen are Sligo and there they are sitting in 7th with the leagues top scorer by a good margin. I know it's only 3 points to 4th place for them but form seems so erratic. I'm not sure I could get the season predictions close to correct now after a full series of games.

[outspoken]

Premier Division

Friday 12th (All 19:45)

Bohemians v Derry
St Pats v Drogheda
UCD V Shamrock Rovers
Dundalk v Cork City

Saturday 13th

Sligo v Shelbourne

Monday 15th

Derry v Dundalk
Shamrock Rovers v St Pats

First Division

Friday 12th (All 19:45)

Galway v Wexford
Waterford v Cobh
Athlone v Kerry
Bray v Finn Harps

Saturday 13th

Longford v Treaty 19:30

We've got to make it 3 wins in a row or this recent turn of form will look like a bit of a false dawn, we were dreadful on Friday but performances before that defo much improved

[thebronze14]

I expect another defeat, even if Bray are no great shakes at the moment

[oriel]

Didn't realise until now the 4 euro teams in action Monday, makes sense of course to bring forward the July original date to free that weekend up for euro prep.

We have an incredible record away to Derry last 10 years, very few defeats but somehow I can see this running out on Monday, but first things first, need 3 points v Cork City on Fri.

[sbgawa]

The league is so mad this year.
Dundalk appear to be over achieving on points to performance, ditto bohs, Sligo and Drogs are under achieving points wise compared to performance.
Cork and UCD are where they should be but prob a bit of hope for UCD.
Shels and PAts about where they should be with Shels a more solid version, but basically if anyone can go on a run they will look like title contenders.

Dundalk and Shels have the most potential imo to make a run, Dundalk because they are Dundalk and Shels becasue Boyd will be back soon and they might have a goal in them with him up front chalenging OG for top scorer

[Nesta99]

If Dundalk do put a run together it will be both due to players returning from injury allowing some squad rotation, and that as the season progresses the team will play with more and more cohesion as if a proper preseason was had with all players signed well before season KO. It has been said, locally at least, that if we keep in touch with European chasers, we will improve as the season goes on and kick on then. I feel that we are just too reliant on a very small number of key players so a lot of luck will determine how the season goes. That said, Martin has had a good bit of game time, wasnt scoring, but now has bagged a few - he badly needed them and even his body language he looks more like he expects to score now than expecting to shank a chance. Kelly was a big loss but how its helped the like of O'Kane's development - seeing both play with all that pace out wide cant come too soon. They're the main ones for me anyway. Couple of potential summer signings ive heard mentioned, if they happen, i'd be confident of staying top 4. We need the money from a couple of European rounds, seeded, to continue to build a young squad, but we could do without the games!!

[Shearer]

Five players who were in last week's matchday squad for Kerry are absent this week.

Wonder how many are injuries or getting let go, admittedly I haven't read any Kerry match preview if there is one.

[culloty82]

Let's not get carried away just yet, but Kelliher and Gleeson have put us 2-0 up away to Athlone!

[culloty82]

Pierrot pulls one back, but still ahead at the break.

[nigel-harps1954]

I cannot describe how much I hate Pixellot.

Let's play a game of 'spot the ball'..

https://i.imgur.com/fbMKJmc.png

[legendz]

Five players who were in last week's matchday squad for Kerry are absent this week.

Wonder how many are injuries or getting let go, admittedly I haven't read any Kerry match preview if there is one.Three were taken off at half-time last week.

[Bohtastic]

Derry one up in Dalymount.
Horton's sending off has rocked us, lucky to be only one down.

[Burnsie]

Kerry have a young keeper O'Sullivan making his debut and he seems like a massive upgrade on that GAA player they had before

Wasn't expecting to be watching this one on LOITV but it's been decent viewing.

[Burnsie]

how in christ have Athlone not equalised here?

[joey B]

Fair play to Kerry on their first win....
Harps hopeless again ,Bray arent up to much and still won pretty handy ,we're the worst team in the divison at the minute.....

[MattB11]

Kerry might catch us yet

[legendz]

Kerry have won the league! I mean, a league game!!

[SPXcyan]

A comfortable 5-0 win at the RSC for Waterford, Cobh were shockingly poor.

[kksaints]

In no way was that a 3-0 game but the final scoreline is all that matters. We were fairly awful for at least 70 minutes of that match. Mason Melia came on as a sub,15 years old, he's very well regarded.

[nigel-harps1954]

Well, that was dreadful. Bray are awful, we are worse.

[kksaints]

Congrats to Kerry on their 1st win. Great to see.

[Longfordian]

Jaysus Cork. Congrats to Kerry a perfect game to get your first win!

[Jack B]

Thanks for that one Cork.

Never a 3-0 game but when you have Chris Forrester that can happen. Thank god for him.

[pineapple stu]

A remarkably profitable injury time for us there

[placid casual]

We are top of the league I said we are top of the league. Thanks to all for keeping it warm.

[Nesta99]

Well they say its a sign of a good team to play poorly and still grind out results - Dundalk must be world class! Dont know how we have 4 wins in a row. Derry, Bohs, Pats and Rovers all up next, 12 points from these games and it'll be Rovers keeping the top spot warm....

Drogheda are really being shafted by the football gods!

[Shearer]

The honeymoon phase between Harps fans and Dave Rogers may be coming to an end, with the former finally realising that the latter doesn't actually s**t chocolate.

A four year deal for a fella with no senior experience who seems more concerned with taking photos at a funeral mass, buying bottles of wine and deleting his twitter account after every loss.

[Yossarian]

I’d like to apologise to any Cork fans for the robbery in Oriel tonight.
It was the worst 90 minutes I’ve seen from Dundalk in a long time but the 8 minutes of injury time somehow saved us.

[Jd2793]

I’d like to apologise to any Cork fans for the robbery in Oriel tonight.
It was the worst 90 minutes I’ve seen from Dundalk in a long time but the 8 minutes of injury time somehow saved us.

ye were somehow a mile worse in the reverse game we won. indiscipline costing us again, complete headloss there tonight. we badly need 7 or 8 bodies in or we'll be rooted to that 9th spot. once ucd dont go on a run of course

[oriel]

Dundalk were rubbish for most of the game, possibly only started playing at 85 or maybe 90, that said even at 0-1 didn't think we deserved to lose it, but it was a very poor game overall up to 90 mins.

Cork City can only have themselves to blame for the added time, guys going down at almost every opportunity, one stage a stretcher taken out and the guy walks off, before board went up I thought it would be 6 or 7, then 8 appeared a chance to salvage a draw, to win it like we did, amazing scenes.

Maybe this is papering over the cracks, as not sure this team is value for 4 wins on the spin, but 6 big players still out injured including a former and current international in Boyle and Annesely and both first choice in central defence, then we have a 20 and 21 yo deputising in the middle, Benson, Sloggett also out, Doyle only fit for sub, same for Kelly, and Mountney out for months, I'm more amazed we are competing let alone will be in 4th by the end of the weekend, beat Derry (it won't happen) we can go second !

On a more serious note, very tough next 4 games v Derry, Bohs, Pats & Rovers. We'll see where we are on the June BH weekend after that little run of games.

Cork City will feel disappointed, but not sure they did too much in the second half really, and only one team looking to win it but 90+4 and 90+7 is a killer, they look to be in a bit of trouble and need wins.

Dundalk played poorly for 85-90 mins, but full credit for coming alive in added time.

[CraftyToePoke]

Congratulations to Kerry. Must be a relief and a half.

[legendz]

https://twitter.com/KodaSamm/status/1657167024085258240?t=qrbY2L1o7T0lsLNnQWE1-w&s=19

The historic winning goal!

[Kiki Balboa]

Actually think both red cards were justified for Cork. The first red card was just so stupid by the cork player - you are already on a yellow and you drag the striker down like that? Its soft but cynical and unnecessary and always picks up a yellow. The second red is harder to see, but definitely think the ref got it right. Cork lad jumps in from an angle and he follows through into Doyles knee. Ball was there to be won for the cork lad, a bit of discipline was all that was needed. Overall, the two Cork players only have themselves to blame - both were on the halfway line and in no danger, and could have been avoided.

[Philosophizer]

Judging purely from the LOI highlights Cork only created one chance and scored whereas Dundalk created 5/6, even if they apparent played poor.
On the UCD-Rovers highlights those marmite commentators at Belfield were on form again. The main commentator didn’t realise a goal had been scored and had to be informed by his co-commentator. And it was clear as day! It was the 1st time I burst out laughing at football highlights in a long while.
The same guy had another gas one where he was praising Graham Burke’s fine gentlemanly behaviour because he placed the ball on the six yard line for a kick out. ?

[2 Year Contract]

Pats looked poor last night but still probably deserved the win. Started the game with a centre mid at right back, a 17 year old right back and a 19 year old centre back in the back 4 yet Drogheda decided to play very defensively and try and score on the counter which I thought was bizarre given how bad pats have been defensively particularly in recent weeks. That resulted in not a huge amount of chances in the game, McCabe pulled off an excellent save in each half and Lyness made 1 decent enough save from a Keeley volley. Took the lead through a corner with 8 mins to go and then some Forrester magic coupled with some inept defending by Ryan Brennan at centre back resulted in a 3-0 win but as mentioned, it wasn’t a 3-0 game at all. I’ll take the result but the performance needs to be a lot better

[Kiki Balboa]

Big game tonight now with Sligo vs Shels considering the results yesterday. Kinda of a must win for Sligo to not get cut adrift from the teams chasing Europe.

[oriel]

Judging purely from the LOI highlights Cork only created one chance and scored whereas Dundalk created 5/6, even if they apparent played poor.
On the UCD-Rovers highlights those marmite commentators at Belfield were on form again. The main commentator didn’t realise a goal had been scored and had to be informed by his co-commentator. And it was clear as day! It was the 1st time I burst out laughing at football highlights in a long while.
The same guy had another gas one where he was praising Graham Burke’s fine gentlemanly behaviour because he placed the ball on the six yard line for a kick out. ?

For the UCD v Dundalk game they covered IPA / Spice Bags / Cheese and other delicacies, even mentioned Harp Larger and 'do they still brew Macardles Ale up in Dundalk? All during non stoppage parts while the game was in full flow.

[oriel]

Actually think both red cards were justified for Cork. The first red card was just so stupid by the cork player - you are already on a yellow and you drag the striker down like that? Its soft but cynical and unnecessary and always picks up a yellow. The second red is harder to see, but definitely think the ref got it right. Cork lad jumps in from an angle and he follows through into Doyles knee. Ball was there to be won for the cork lad, a bit of discipline was all that was needed. Overall, the two Cork players only have themselves to blame - both were on the halfway line and in no danger, and could have been avoided.

Ah I'm not sure Coleman's was a red KB, looked a fair old swipe, but not too dissimilar to Benson v Rovers, prob same spot too and not unlike same bench reaction aswell, both were yellows for me.

[joey B]

Oriel badly needs a camera on that side of the ground,missing out on alot of better angles! Fwiw it looked harsh from the angle I seen it but maybe there’s a better view for people standing over that side…..

[sbgawa]

Some comeback from dundalk to be fair to them. Dundalk with a win on Monday in derry could go second.

[Kiki Balboa]

Ah I'm not sure Coleman's was a red KB, looked a fair old swipe, but not too dissimilar to Benson v Rovers, prob same spot too and not unlike same bench reaction aswell, both were yellows for me.


I think your view would be fair. Its a debatable decision, even though I lean one side, could see arguments for the other.

Altogether, hardly the most egregious decision.

[oriel]

Judging purely from the LOI highlights Cork only created one chance and scored whereas Dundalk created 5/6, even if they apparent played poor.
On the UCD-Rovers highlights those marmite commentators at Belfield were on form again. The main commentator didn’t realise a goal had been scored and had to be informed by his co-commentator. And it was clear as day! It was the 1st time I burst out laughing at football highlights in a long while.
The same guy had another gas one where he was praising Graham Burke’s fine gentlemanly behaviour because he placed the ball on the six yard line for a kick out. ?

Just looking at LOITV highlights now, of course making use of the 2 men sent off, but for almost all of the 8 added mins Dundalk kept going wide and on the ground, patient build ups with decent crosses in from both sides, and both goals came from quality balls in, it was a fully deserved win.

[oriel]

I think your view would be fair. Its a debatable decision, even though I lean one side, could see arguments for the other.

Altogether, hardly the most egregious decision.


Looking again at Coleman sending off, I think the Doyle was going to be clean through down the wing so maybe that changes things a little on my initial view, Coleman did get the ball but he also took Doyle out, but ref's only get one look !

[Philosophizer]

For the UCD v Dundalk game they covered IPA / Spice Bags / Cheese and other delicacies, even mentioned Harp Larger and 'do they still brew Macardles Ale up in Dundalk? All during non stoppage parts while the game was in full flow.
There was other bizarre tangents in the UCD-Rovers highlights too, I didn’t even mention them all. There was a corner at one point and he was most focused on the fact that the sun would be shining in the taker’s eyes rather than anything else.

[Battery Rover]

https://twitter.com/KodaSamm/status/1657167024085258240?t=qrbY2L1o7T0lsLNnQWE1-w&s=19

The historic winning goal!

Any screen grab from the the start of the 2nd half when the ball came down off the Kerry crossbar that looked close of being in.

[Calcio Jack]

For the UCD v Dundalk game they covered IPA / Spice Bags / Cheese and other delicacies, even mentioned Harp Larger and 'do they still brew Macardles Ale up in Dundalk? All during non stoppage parts while the game was in full flow.

They had an unusual catch phrase they used whenever a player was booked , something like “.. he’s the latest to join the French cycling club as he gets a carte jaune…”

[Jack B]

The UCD commentators are something else. "THE CHALLENGE WAS OUTSIDE THE SHAGGING BOX" from the Sligo game will do well to be topped this season, there was another game a few weeks ago where they only seemed to be half-joking that there was a conspiracy to never award them a penalty.