Games weekend 2nd / 5th June

[legendz]

Winning the First Division is the best route for promotion. Cork, Drogheda or Sligo will be a tough opponent. Waterford have a mountain to climb to catch Galway. Waterford could be looking at another year in the First Division.

[SPXcyan]

I currently wouldn't be confident on getting through the promotion playoff as I have found the premier league clubs to be a lot quicker on the ball and more creative compared to ourselves, maybe the transfer window will help to bridge the gap.

[JC_GUFC]

Waterford were a better team last season than they are this season.

They could improve in the 2nd half of the season as there are a lot of new players in their team but I would favour Cork/Sligo/Drogheda to beat them.

In saying that in a one-off game anything can happen.

[Jack B]

We're in a dodgy position at the moment with injuries in defence, have done well in recent weeks despite them but they're now mounting and Derry tomorrow are a different proposition to UCD.

Redmond, Grivosti, Sjoberg already out, McGrath went off on Friday so he'll presumably be missing also. Harry Brockbank while not great at all is at least a defender so with him back we should at least be able to field an uninspiring backline that features him and goal machine Noah Lewis.

[legendz]

In saying that in a one-off game anything can happen.
I'm surprised clubs haven't pushed for a return to two legs. Waterford played Galway in Limerick and UCD in Dublin when those rounds over two legs could have provided Waterford with the boost of two high profile home games last year.
Similarly for Galway last year, instead of going to Limerick, if Waterford were in Galway, it would have been a high profile home game. High profile home games are a better promotion activity for the league. No gimmicks required.

[The Bowler]

I think the relegation playoff fight will be interesting too. Cork have found form, which has brought Drogheda and Sligo into the mix. I can't see Waterford messing up again. I absolutely can see Waterford messing up again. They were shambolic against UCD in each of the last two play off finals, and their track record is none from 7 I think in playoffs. No doubt they will have some sort of Waterfordesque drama between now and then. I wouldn't back them with your money Stu !

[The Bowler]

It's weird - it's like he just gave up on it before the attacker had even reached the ball

There's been lots of terrible goalkeeping this season - I don't think it's the worst, but it's pretty bad alright
Our lad Lorcan Healy did his bit for the bad goalkeeping club on Friday. Pats had clearly worked out we were vulnerable and delivered perfectly executed corners time after time. The disappointing part more than anything was the naivety to be done 3 times by the same ball. 12 points off the pace now, sure there is no chance of us picking up 12 more this season in total. We are barely threatening the goal week in week out. Danu got a nice snapshot finish late on, but it's a painful watch game after game. The 9th place playoff spot going to be a great fight now.

[Knocklyonhoop]

And if it is Galway & Waterford up next season it’ll be very interesting at the bottom next season!

[joey B]

Waterford 1/33 away to Kerry today,must be a pretty unusual price for an away team the LOI…..

[legendz]

Treaty United Club Statement 05.06.2023
The Board at Treaty United condemns the inappropriate chants heard from some fans during our last home game with Finn Harps. Hateful chanting has no place in football and we apologise to anyone who has been offended by them.

Treaty United have always strived to be respected, both on the field and off the field. Individuals who think engaging in this behaviour is at all acceptable are entirely unwelcome at the Markets Field Stadium.

The club will not tolerate any behaviour of this kind. We pride ourselves on providing a family friendly environment at the Market’s Field. Anyone found to behaving in such a manner will be ejected and permanently banned from attending any games or events at the ground.

Ends.

[culloty82]

Waterford 1/33 away to Kerry today,must be a pretty unusual price for an away team the LOI…..

Not alone that, but would worry about whatever attendance figure might be announced this afternoon - Bank Holiday Monday, and the beaches will likely be packed across the county ...

[culloty82]

Treaty United Club Statement 05.06.2023
The Board at Treaty United condemns the inappropriate chants heard from some fans during our last home game with Finn Harps. Hateful chanting has no place in football and we apologise to anyone who has been offended by them.

Treaty United have always strived to be respected, both on the field and off the field. Individuals who think engaging in this behaviour is at all acceptable are entirely unwelcome at the Markets Field Stadium.

The club will not tolerate any behaviour of this kind. We pride ourselves on providing a family friendly environment at the Market’s Field. Anyone found to behaving in such a manner will be ejected and permanently banned from attending any games or events at the ground.

Ends.

Fair play - no equivocation in that statement.

[joey B]

Kerry were doing ok until an absolute howler from their keeper….

[pineapple stu]

Ronan Coughlan with his 20th, 21st and 22nd goals of the last 13 games.

That has to be some sort of record?

Edit - has scored again; 23 goals in 13 games now

[joey B]

Ronan Coughlan with his 20th, 21st and 22nd goals of the last 13 games.

That has to be some sort of record?

Make that 23! Has there ever been such a gap between the top 2 and the rest in the First divison? Harps getting embarassed in Galway aswell,4 goals conceeded in the first 20 minutes......

[SPXcyan]

Coughlan had it handy today, he looked half arsed and yet still scored for fun.
Galway and Waterford again.. are just way ahead of the rest, it's difficult to imagine that Waterford may not get promoted this season!

[nigel-harps1954]

The gulf in budget, standard, and all in between on show in Galway.

[Bohtastic]

Fairly drab affair In Turners Cross so far. Pitch looks dry as a bone which is detracting from the spectacle

[pineapple stu]

Make that 23! Has there ever been such a gap between the top 2 and the rest in the First divison? Harps getting embarassed in Galway aswell,4 goals conceeded in the first 20 minutes......
2004 springs to mind, when Harps and UCD lost five games between us (Galway and Waterford have lost four so far). UCD broke the First Division points record but still only came second.

But both Galway and Waterford are on track for 100 goals and that really sets it apart from 2004 I think, when neither of us managed two goals per game on average (and actually Bray, ten points behind us in third place, outscored Harps)

There was also the Premier season when Cork and Pat's both started with something like eight wins in a row; early 2000s. But again, the goals didn't roll in like here

[pineapple stu]

Just to add on Coughlan - he's already scored enough goals to be top scorer in all bar five First Division seasons -

24 - Kevin McHugh (2004, Harps)
24 - Graham Cummins (2011, Cork)
27 - Kevin McHugh (2001/02, Harps)
29 - Andy Myler (2000/01, Athlone)
30 - Danny Furlong (2015, Wexford)

[Nesta99]

I think that Myler haul in 01/02 included Athlone, under Buckley, completely collapsing in the run in and blowing a double digit points lead!?

[pineapple stu]

Something like that, yep

Then they lost a playoff on penalties against UCD, who'd started the season in Europe

[Nesta99]

Fairly drab affair In Turners Cross so far. Pitch looks dry as a bone which is detracting from the spectacle

You were saying....

[joey B]

Galway scored 6 this evening and didn’t get out of second gear,a dismal Harps team just…..

[Bohtastic]

You were saying....

Toxic performance from us.

Criminal to concede so quickly after the equaliser.

[Shinkicker]

Have to say Cork v Bohs for 60 mins looked like second bottom v third, after 60 mins a complete turnaround looked like third v second bottom. Bohs weren't ruthless enough when they were in control and paid the price

[joey B]

4 wins on the spin now for Cork,Bucko working his magic!!

[pineapple stu]

Drogheda drop into the playoffs; I reckon Waterford would be happy if it stayed that way tbh

Nothing at all for us to play for now the second half of the season, which has to be dangerous really.

[joey B]

Pats 1 up with a 25 yarder from a center half,questionable defending and goalkeeping though….

[Nesta99]

It would be terrible for the game if the footballing public are denied a Munster showdown! Drogheda are a better side than Cork, well the pre Buckley version, so it will be some battle and others are more than capable of being pulled in to it also. I dunno, if I were a Waterford fan I think Cork are the better option, Drogheda are a beligerent lot and should be at least 6 points better off - I wouldnt be too sure of meeting them in a playoff if they do end up in that slot. It adds to Fridays game as Dundalk have flirted the dreaded relegation rut so to lose Friday and its a momentum switch.

[joey B]

It would be terrible for the game if the footballing public are denied a Munster showdown! Drogheda are a better side than Cork, well the pre Buckley version, so it will be some battle and others are more than capable of being pulled in to it also. I dunno, if I were a Waterford fan I think Cork are the better option, Drogheda are a beligerent lot and should be at least 6 points better off - I wouldnt be too sure of meeting them in a playoff if they do end up in that slot. It adds to Fridays game as Dundalk have flirted the dreaded relegation rut so to lose Friday and its a momentum switch.

Dont count Sligo out of that play off spot either......

[El-Pietro]

We look like a completely different team the last few weeks. Much more solid defensively, limiting teams to mostly not great chances. Jimmy Corcoran looks much more confident than he did at the start of the season, and we're playing some really nice passing football at times. Sometimes too much and its taking getting used to as we play it out from the back.

We're still not a great team, but a month ago I thought we had 2, maybe 3 Premier Division players (Keating, O'Brien-Whitmarsh and Honohan) but now the team as a whole are holding their own.
We're not out of it yet, and we won't keep up this form, but we're at least in the fight now.

[joey B]

Pats 2 up in Inchicore,Derry have been diabolical….

*And then a goal back from Derry …

[El-Pietro]

Also... Bohs fans climbing out of the away section, to give it large to City fans in the Derrynane stand of all places, after their goal, only to concede immediately is one of the objectively funniest things to happen in the League of Ireland in years.

Seriously, the Derrynane is at best full of snarky fans who like to make mildly funny comments to away players as they take throw ins. Its a weird group to get upset at.

[sbgawa]

Rovers were excelent up in Sligo and well worth the 3 nil.
Sligos keeper kept the score down.
If we can win our next 3 against UCD, Bohs and Derry we will be in pole position......big ask but a big oppurtunity

[pineapple stu]

Not looking forward to that trip to Tallaght in fairness...

Drogheda 1-0 up on Shels; dumps Cork back into the playoffs. Cork v Dundalk on Friday is a big game now; you'd have to have Cork as slight favourites based on recent form. That would make things even more congested in the bottom half

[joey B]

Pats excellent this evening,also Jamie Lennon is a sensational DM,really good….

[placid casual]

Derry had the opportunity 8 days ago to put 4 points between themselves and Rovers. They've managed to do that, but not in the manner of a team professing to be going for a title. The quality of players at derry would lead me to think the problem is on the dugout not on the pitch.
Good win for Rovers against a sligo team with lots of injuries apparently.
On we go.

[Candystripe]

Pats excellent this evening,also Jamie Lennon is a sensational DM,really good….

Derry gave up after Pats 1st goal. We were actually the better team before that but just seemed to give up!

Well beaten.

[Nesta99]

Derry gave up after Pats 1st goal. We were actually the better team before that but just seemed to give up!

Well beaten.

That'd fit with PCs thoughts on there being issues with management and not a lack of ability on the pitch.

[ontheotherhand]

Higgins under a bit of pressure now? I'd imagine he will get to the end of the season but that's a bad run of games. More injuries tonight as well.

Rovers were very comfortable against Sligo who were way off the levels they showed in Tallaght. Lot's of players missing for them and it was more like a training match for us in the end. 3 lovely goals to cap a nice weekend of maximum points with clean sheets. It slightly clears the head of last weeks games.

The turnaround in the cork/bohs game was something else. Delighted for the few gob****es who charged the seated Cork fans only to miss the winning goal going in.

[ger121]

If Rovers don’t start to pull away now, they never will. No consistency from anyone else bar a resurgent Pat’s and that won’t last.

If I was Cork, I’d stay managerless. Bucko doing something right down there.

[Jack B]

Genuinely could have put about 8 past Derry tonight. Some going from the lads, especially with the worry going into it over all the defensive absentees.

[sbgawa]

Pats Bohs and Dundalk all with tricky away matches next weekend, Shels could be right in the battle for Europe if they beat Sligo next week in Tolka.
Boyd being back seemed to give them something of a goal threat, not just the one he scored but the distraction from other players

[brendy_éire]

Higgins under a bit of pressure now? I'd imagine he will get to the end of the season but that's a bad run of games. More injuries tonight as well.

Maybe from some fans, but unlikely the board.
He has made mistakes this season and last, and probably most concerning is the consistent failure to create chances. Leaving an isolated striker up front just isn't working. We may as well not play on, as we have done in somes games this year.

On the last run of games, it's one goal in three games. Shocking stuff, and presumably that's any pretence of league challenge gone.
Added to that, it's our biggest loss is years.
I don't even know if Pat's were that good tonight, or if it was a case of us gifting them goals.

Worried for the Bohs match in the Brandy on Friday now.

[sbgawa]

Maybe from some fans, but unlikely the board.
He has made mistakes this season and last, and probably most concerning is the consistent failure to create chances. Leaving an isolated striker up front just isn't working. We may as well not play on, as we have done in somes games this year.

On the last run of games, it's one goal in three games. Shocking stuff, and presumably that's any pretence of league challenge gone.
Added to that, it's our biggest loss is years.
I don't even know if Pat's were that good tonight, or if it was a case of us gifting them goals.

Worried for the Bohs match in the Brandy on Friday now.

Jaysus your 4 points behind with 16 games to go....i thought Rovers fans were bad :)

[brendy_éire]

Jaysus your 4 points behind with 16 games to go....i thought Rovers fans were bad :)

TBF, I never thought we had any chance to begin with!
We're definitely not as good as Shamrock Rovers, and we haven't taken advantage of any of the chances we've been given.

Rumours that Paddy McEleney has done his achilles, Dummigan his hamstring and Micky Duffy his ankle. Horrible stuff.

[patsdad]

Derry gave up after Pats 1st goal. We were actually the better team before that but just seemed to give up!

Well beaten.

Not sure I’d agree you were the better team before we scored. Eoin Doyle had had an easy lob over Maher but put too much on it, Adam Murphy had squared when the finish was on, and I don’t remember Lyness having a single save tk make.

The real difference tonight was workrate. The effort from Pats was phenomenal and I worried they’d run out of steam in the heat but in fact they finished the stronger.

The difference in Pats since earlier in the season is remarkable. It’s partly about new players finally finding their feet at last but it’s also about better tactics, better game management and clearly better motivation. Happy days.

[Nesta99]

TBF, I never thought we had any chance to begin with!
We're definitely not as good as Shamrock Rovers, and we haven't taken advantage of any of the chances we've been given.

Rumours that Paddy McEleney has done his achilles, Dummigan his hamstring and Micky Duffy his ankle. Horrible stuff.

Sounds just like a good old Dundalk injury list!!

[TonyD]

Not sure I’d agree you were the better team before we scored. Eoin Doyle had had an easy lob over Maher but put too much on it, Adam Murphy had squared when the finish was on, and I don’t remember Lyness having a single save tk make.

The real difference tonight was workrate. The effort from Pats was phenomenal and I worried they’d run out of steam in the heat but in fact they finished the stronger.

The difference in Pats since earlier in the season is remarkable. It’s partly about new players finally finding their feet at last but it’s also about better tactics, better game management and clearly better motivation. Happy days.

Agree with all of that. I think we were the better team from the off. Especially agree about the work rate, to a man the team were phenomenal. A very satisfying night.