Matches Friday 29th March to Monday April 1st

[pineapple stu]

Another one for the keeper howler thread sees Kerry equalise with about their first attack of the game

[Calcio Jack]

Superb result for Rovers not pretty but considering the number of starters missing a really important result especially with Shels starting to feel the pressure and only drawing

[legendz]

Another draw for Kerry. That's 5 draws in a row now. Kerry thought they had scored a late winner but it was flagged offside.

[sbgawa]

Great result for rovers in Waterford.
Gaffney , Kenny and greener all injured now so young cian dillon might get a start Friday. Getting results like this without yhe players we are missing is huge
We aren't falling further behind.

[Shearer]

Bad result for Treaty.
Better side in the opening half but well off it in the second period. Extremely disjointed up front.

[joey B]

Great result for us again,fairly poor game but we were rarely troubled by Bray,an excellent start to the season all in all!

[Jack B]

Huge improvement from Pats today, best performance of the season by a country mile. Aaron Bolger finally got his chance, partnered Jamie Lennon in midfield and the difference from previous games was night and day.

[pineapple stu]

Frustrating afternoon in the Bowl. 70 minutes of puke football from Kerry, and then when they stopped racking up the yellow cards, we were much the better side but just couldn't find a way through. So the keeper howler cost us.

Oh well. A learning experience I guess. Onwards!

[Jd2793]

city are crap. luckily it doenst seem like the rest of the division is much better. awful game today especially 2nd half when we decided to sit off wexford. they deserved their goal.

[Onapointoforder]

Great result for us again,fairly poor game but we were rarely troubled by Bray,an excellent start to the season all in all!

The Bray Head Coach got rid of 15 of his own picks from last season..doesn’t seem to have made a difference… maybe it’s on the Head Coach ???

[joey B]

The Bray Head Coach got rid of 15 of his own picks from last season..doesn’t seem to have made a difference… maybe it’s on the Head Coach ???
I think the best chance they had was their centre half when he was fired up front for the last 20,really struggled to make a chance with admittedly plenty of possession…

[2 Year Contract]

A nice underdog story as relegation battling Pats breezed past title challenging Sligo. 3-0 and could’ve been more with Keating missing a good chance in both halves, Alex Nolan having an effort pushed onto the bar, Brandon Kavnagh coming close to scoring late on as well as being blatantly fouled in the box but no foul was given.


Huge improvement from Pats today, best performance of the season by a country mile. Aaron Bolger finally got his chance, partnered Jamie Lennon in midfield and the difference from previous games was night and day.

Yeah Bolger was impressive in the midfield, as was Nolan on the wing particularly in the first half, he gave Hutchinson a tough time with his pace and tricks

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

We were lucky to get nil

[brendy_éire]

Another boring one for ourselves, this is time in Tolka.
Not much to say about the game really, though we did have a shot on target, I suppose. Had expected more off Shels, but thought both teams looked a bit tired.
We were never going to score, so clean sheet what we needed. Got it. Fine.

[nigel-harps1954]

The Bray Head Coach got rid of 15 of his own picks from last season..doesn’t seem to have made a difference… maybe it’s on the Head Coach ???

It wasn't a great game, but Bray were utterly putrid. Their only plan B, as Joey says, was to throw Cole Omorehiomwan up front for 20 minutes at the end, in the end, it was him who missed their biggest chance to get a goal, but Hiemer wasn't really tested at all.

On another note, David Cawley has been a fantastic signing. Himself and Tony McNamee have gelled superbly together in midfield.

[ger121]

Frustrating afternoon in the Bowl. 70 minutes of puke football from Kerry, and then when they stopped racking up the yellow cards, we were much the better side but just couldn't find a way through. So the keeper howler cost us.

Oh well. A learning experience I guess. Onwards!

Very poor from the keeper for the equaliser. Lovely strike for the first goal. You probably deserved the win but Kerry becoming that bit harder to beat this season.

[pineapple stu]

I honestly thought he'd parried it around the post.

I think he got distracted by the Kerry guy running across the ball, but still a poor one to drop

[osarusan]

Treaty were brutal in Athlone. Had a decent spell in the first half, but the second half was awful stuff, just rudderless, flat, almost resigned to defeat. Mahdy is woeful.

[ger121]

I honestly thought he'd parried it around the post.

I think he got distracted by the Kerry guy running across the ball, but still a poor one to drop

Been at a couple games now and one thing I’ve noticed is how wasteful you are in front of goal. Could and should have scored more and then that poor mistake by the keeper would not have cost you two points.

[ger121]

That’s a very good win in Galway but really need to back it up at home to Waterford on Friday.

[pineapple stu]

Been at a couple games now and one thing I’ve noticed is how wasteful you are in front of goal. Could and should have scored more and then that poor mistake by the keeper would not have cost you two points.
Yeah, we don't have a Kilduff/Kelly/Swan type this season who'll bang the goals in. Doyle tends to start stead of Danú but I think Danú poses more threat tbh (we livened up when him and Parker came on for example)

The Kerry keeper looked quite dodgy but we didn't really test him enough

[Shinkicker]

That’s a very good win in Galway but really need to back it up at home to Waterford on Friday.
Thought Bohs thoroughly deserved the win, great team performance, Mills was superb, Matheson on his debut was also brilliant, keeper always looked to be in control of his box and the crosses Galway put in was terrific. Should have been 3 or 4

[Knocklyonhoop]

Getting to watch 4 games live in 0ne say (thanks pi Stu) is just magnificent!

Rovers were good, created a load of chances. But the mounting no of injuries has to be a concern. Over next few weeks the two Louth teams and two promoted teams will need some results or they’ll have their own mini league

[SkStu]

Thought Bohs thoroughly deserved the win, great team performance, Mills was superb, Matheson on his debut was also brilliant, keeper always looked to be in control of his box and the crosses Galway put in was terrific. Should have been 3 or 4

Matheson was excellent. He put in some block there towards the end and was up and down all night. I have to say I really like Connolly too, he’s such a good outlet to relieve pressure.

[thebronze14]

Treaty were brutal in Athlone. Had a decent spell in the first half, but the second half was awful stuff, just rudderless, flat, almost resigned to defeat. Mahdy is woeful.
Amazing how bad mahdy has gotten. He was woeful for Harps in the premier a few years ago and hasn't gotten any better since it seems

[D24Saint]

Big turnaround from us today. The players of the game were Nolan, Turner & Bolger. Hopefully a corner has been turned but with Rovers on Friday could nip that in the bud. The ref was decent in the first half but had a mare in the second half very strange decisions particularly the peno that wasn’t given.

[da bishop]

A well organised though pretty limited Athlone deserved their 3 points,Treaty as is often the case rudderless ,summed up by a passage of play in first half which saw them pass the ball across the back multiple times and finally lump it into touch.coupled with Barretts bizarre tactical substitutions when he did finally change the shape of the team.

[Jd2793]

Big turnaround from us today. The players of the game were Nolan, Turner & Bolger. Hopefully a corner has been turned but with Rovers on Friday could nip that in the bud. The ref was decent in the first half but had a mare in the second half very strange decisions particularly the peno that wasn’t given.

forrester dropped, just a coincidence ye get the win? only saw highlights from pats games but hes looked very lazy defensively so far.

[nigel-harps1954]

Amazing how bad mahdy has gotten. He was woeful for Harps in the premier a few years ago and hasn't gotten any better since it seems

Couple of decent years at UCD but otherwise he's been fairly crap everywhere.

[WoodquayBoy]

We were pure stink there tonight, Bohs thoroughly deserved the win, and by a greater margin - comfortably the best performance from an opposition team that we have come up against this season

[pineapple stu]

Couple of decent years at UCD but otherwise he's been fairly crap everywhere.
Was thinking that alright - more than decent for us in fairness. 12 in the 2018 title winning season - a great total given he was usually behind Georgie Kelly and Conor Davis. 9 in the Premier team that had a run of 12 defeats in a row; he scored two of our three goals in that period. 16 in the shortened 2020 season - top scorer in the division, ahead of Colm Whelan. Number 9 in our all-time senior goalscorers. But everywhere else he's gone - Shels, Harps, Bray, Treaty, Olympic Alexandria - hasn't worked out at all. Strange that the 2020 FD top scorer can maybe be on his last chance four years later.

[outspoken]

Another disappointing result for Longford. Poor game of football. New pitch in Cobh was awful. Huge clumps of pellets all over the place, I'm told it will take 6-8 weeks to bed in properly. It's absolutely horrendous.

Two poor teams today. Cobh went more direct second half and got their reward but an awful lot of long aimless stuff too.

Longford crested feck all and gave away a crap goal again. Only for Brady we might have lost. Friday is huge now. A very disheartening start to the season.

What an utterly crap division it is this year btw.

[culloty82]

Another draw for Kerry. That's 5 draws in a row now. Kerry thought they had scored a late winner but it was flagged offside.

Remarkably, Novara in Serie C lead the current global streak with eight straight stalemates!

https://www.fctables.com/stats/most_draws/

[2 Year Contract]

forrester dropped, just a coincidence ye get the win? only saw highlights from pats games but hes looked very lazy defensively so far.

He was benched yesterday to rest him after running over 10.5km against Drogheda on Friday. Not exactly what you’d call lazy. Good call from Daly to be fair as he didn’t make many changes in the last Friday-Monday and the players looked dead on their feet that night down in Waterford

https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/they-have-taken-a-lot-of-stick-st-pats-boss-jon-daly-hits-back-at-criticism-after-saints-sink-sligo/a78566933.html

[Jd2793]

Another disappointing result for Longford. Poor game of football. New pitch in Cobh was awful. Huge clumps of pellets all over the place, I'm told it will take 6-8 weeks to bed in properly. It's absolutely horrendous.

Two poor teams today. Cobh went more direct second half and got their reward but an awful lot of long aimless stuff too.

Longford crested feck all and gave away a crap goal again. Only for Brady we might have lost. Friday is huge now. A very disheartening start to the season.

What an utterly crap division it is this year btw.

its the worst ive seen since probably 2018. absolutely appalling. city are haunted its so poor because any of the last 3 seasons i'd have us as like the 6th best in the division

[Jack B]

forrester dropped, just a coincidence ye get the win? only saw highlights from pats games but hes looked very lazy defensively so far.

Aside from his horrendous effort marking Amond for the goal vs Waterford I wouldn't say he's been lazy, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the team functioned better having Bolger in there to give Lennon a bit more help. It's not Forrester's fault specifically but the balance has just been off generally I think, swap him for Leavy yesterday and I'd say things would have still worked just as well.

[Onapointoforder]

its the worst ive seen since probably 2018. absolutely appalling. city are haunted its so poor because any of the last 3 seasons i'd have us as like the 6th best in the division

Wouldn’t be too harsh on 1st Div !…. Galway v Bohs last night brutal (maybe cos it’s Galway!)… but Dundallk v Drogheda yesterday not great either apparently

[Shinkicker]

Wouldn’t be too harsh on 1st Div !…. Galway v Bohs last night brutal (maybe cos it’s Galway!)… but Dundallk v Drogheda yesterday not great either apparently
I started to watch the second half of the Louth Derby, it was so good I turned it off after 10 minutes. The pitch was terribly bobbley too much crumb rubber in some parts and none in others didn't help, but the game was terrible.

[2 Year Contract]

Aside from his horrendous effort marking Amond for the goal vs Waterford I wouldn't say he's been lazy, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the team functioned better having Bolger in there to give Lennon a bit more help. It's not Forrester's fault specifically but the balance has just been off generally I think, swap him for Leavy yesterday and I'd say things would have still worked just as well.

If Mulraney is out for Friday I'd stick Leavy on the wing in his place and then go with a midfield 3 of Lennon, Bolger and Forrester.

[Nesta99]

I started to watch the second half of the Louth Derby, it was so good I turned it off after 10 minutes. The pitch was terribly bobbley too much crumb rubber in some parts and none in others didn't help, but the game was terrible.

That actually is an improvement! Pitch neglected, rubber crumb added and brushed as per maintenance standards, but the added infill takes time to bed in. You could see it 'worst' in areas with most traffic like along the sidelines. That does not mean it wasnt bobbly but it should be relatively better in future games....which obviously means the hidden silky footballers in this Dundalk time will now come to the fore and we will be right on the coat-tails of 10th in November...

[Neish]

Amazing how bad mahdy has gotten. He was woeful for Harps in the premier a few years ago and hasn't gotten any better since it seems

Yeah one of these players who has the ability to be a top player in the league but just lacking in work ethic an/or determination

[osarusan]

Yeah one of these players who has the ability to be a top player in the league but just lacking in work ethic an/or determination

I thought the opposite yesterday - he worked hard, but everything about him is just not quite good enough, whether it's his strength, his first touch, his positioning, or his decision-making. He tried and tried, but nothing worked.

[Nesta99]

I thought the opposite yesterday - he worked hard, but everything about him is just not quite good enough, whether it's his strength, his first touch, his position, or his decision-making. He tried and tried, but nothing worked.

He's an interesting one, showed potential but not progressed as hoped, is it poor coaching in his early development, his own work ethic, confidence shattered, new or too many clubs as a young player, covid, being clattered too often under long balls at Finn Harps or could he settle with time at Treaty? He should be hitting the average peak age so no kid yer hoping for it to all click.

[joey B]

He lost his Dad last year aswell which could have been the culmination of a few years of illness and I’m sure watching a parent die in your middle twenties is a tough situation for anyone…..

[total hoofball]

He's an interesting one, showed potential but not progressed as hoped, is it poor coaching in his early development, his own work ethic, confidence shattered, new or too many clubs as a young player, covid, being clattered too often under long balls at Finn Harps or could he settle with time at Treaty? He should be hitting the average peak age so no kid yer hoping for it to all click.
Mahdy looked lost when Ian Morris dumped him out on wing for every single appearance during his sole season at Shels in 2021, I saw enough of him when he was UCD to know he has the ability to be a serious goalscorer in the First Division if used correctly in the right system

[Jack B]

If Mulraney is out for Friday I'd stick Leavy on the wing in his place and then go with a midfield 3 of Lennon, Bolger and Forrester.

Yeah have thought similar at times myself this season with Leavy, obviously talented but feels like he'd be more suited in that area of the pitch until he can tidy up his overall game a bit. Might work best for the balance of the team especially with Bolger coming in and possibly Palmer if he's ever fit.