Matches Friday 29th March to Monday April 1st

[sbgawa]

Premier Division

Friday 29th (all 19:45)

Drogheda v St Pats
Shelbourne v Dundalk
Waterford v Sligo
Shamrock Rovers v Bohemians
Derry v Galway

Monday 1st April

Dundalk v Drogheda (13:00)
St Pats v Sligo (17:00)
Waterford v Shamrock Rovers (17:00)
Shelbourne v Derry (17:00)
Galway Bohemians (19:45)


First Division

Friday 29th (All 19:45)

Kerry v Wexford
Bray v Cobh
Cork v Athlone
Longford v UCD
Treaty v Finn HArps

Monday April 1st

Wexford v Cork (15:00)
Athlone v Treaty (17:00)
Cobh v Longford (17:00)
Finn Harps v Bray (17:00)
UCD v Kerry (17:00)

[sbgawa]

Approaching a first full round of fixtures by Monday evening and a couple of wins over the weekend will make a dramatic difference to the "starts" for many clubs.
A couple of wins for Rovers and combined with other result would have us nearly top but on the other hand we could be 16 points behind Monday evening.
If Dundalk lose at Shels on Friday Mondays match with Drogs could start to look like an early relegation 6 pointer.
Shels v Derry on Monday the stand out game with a full Stadium on Friday for Rovers v Bohs the highlight on Friday.

[culloty82]

The three straight draws have hopefully taken the "soft three points" reputation off Kerry for the time being - tough ask to get something up in Belfield on the Monday, so could do with a win on the board on Friday to finally get the Wexford hoodoo off our backs.

[Dermobohs]

New manager bounce incoming?ooooh that’d be nice, he couldn’t ask for a better first game anyhow.

[Another Bohemia]

New manager bounce incoming?ooooh that’d be nice, he couldn’t ask for a better first game anyhow.

Agreed. Once the team puts in a good performance I'll be happy. I think if the team is as organised as it was v Derry a win is possible. Either way should be an interesting game and I'll be excited to see what his first starting 11 is because I had thought Devine's selections were questionable at times and he put players in positions they were clearly uncomfortable in.

[nigel-harps1954]

The three straight draws have hopefully taken the "soft three points" reputation off Kerry for the time being - tough ask to get something up in Belfield on the Monday, so could do with a win on the board on Friday to finally get the Wexford hoodoo off our backs.

To be fair, if it weren't for Tuta on Friday, it would have been another loss.
Kerry are difficult to break down, sit very deep and don't allow teams to play any football. They won't concede a huge amount of goals but if they have any ambitions of starting to climb the table they'll need to get a bit more brave in their approach. They can't draw their way through the season.

[sbgawa]

New manager bounce incoming?ooooh that’d be nice, he couldn’t ask for a better first game anyhow.

If Rovers play the same 11 we played against Galway id give Bohs every chance. We need some pace back in the team, Clarke was on the bench against Sligo but given we had three keepers and the bench wasnt full i suspect he was there for appearences only. If he is able to play agaisnt Bohs and we have Gary O Neil bak it will be a big help. Byrne or Mc Aneff even off the bench would also be great to see. We have 6 points after 5 games for a reason, we arent that good without Clarke and Farrugia to go past people as an alternative to playing it around in front of teams. Thats where Jack is missed as he can find a pass to break teams down. Either way will be a great ocasion, heading for a 10,000 crowd live on RTE and the new pitchside LEDs look great on TV for the people who cant get there

[Another Bohemia]

the new pitchside LEDs look great on TV for the people who cant get there

Probably better suited to the ground improvements thread but I personally hate LED advertisement hoardings at pitch side. I find it very distracting when watching a match on tv having this flicker around the pitch trying to draw attention away from the game. I know it's pretty standard now and they will more than likely be in new Dalymount but if I was given the choice they would be banned.

[sbgawa]

i think from a TV perspective it makes it look like a "real match" from the bar stoolers perspective who are used to seeing it.
Maybe i shouldnt care but i still would like to convert a few more of them to the LOI.

Youve had your new/no manager bounce against Derry , im hoping it was a dead cat bounce :)

[Another Bohemia]

i think from a TV perspective it makes it look like a "real match" from the bar stoolers perspective who are used to seeing it.
Maybe i shouldnt care but i still would like to convert a few more of them to the LOI.

Youve had your new/no manager bounce against Derry , im hoping it was a dead cat bounce :)

Oh yeah completely understand why they are being brought in and it does make it seem more professional. I just hate them because I feel they distract from the actual football on the pitch. But I might be entering my old fogies mindset because I also hate LED screens in cars replacing physical buttons (they cannot be safe) and LED advertisements on the roadside, same argument distracting and just can't be safe.

[Knocklyonhoop]

I prefer them!

[redarmyfaction]

Why is Dundalk v Drogs on at 1 bell on Monday?

[legendz]

To be fair, if it weren't for Tuta on Friday, it would have been another loss.
Kerry are difficult to break down, sit very deep and don't allow teams to play any football. They won't concede a huge amount of goals but if they have any ambitions of starting to climb the table they'll need to get a bit more brave in their approach. They can't draw their way through the season.
Walk before they can run. Kerry need to get their defensive setup right first before being braver in their approach.

[ger121]

Why is Dundalk v Drogs on at 1 bell on Monday?

April Fool’s went too far.

[Shearer]

Treaty and Finn Harps is a massive game, but would be quietly confident we'll have the beating of them.

[sbgawa]

I think treaty have overacheived on a points for performance basis but now is a chance to stamp a bit of authority on things if they can.

[joey B]

Treaty and Finn Harps is a massive game, but would be quietly confident we'll have the beating of them.

I think it’s still very early in the season for talks of massive games,fwiw I think Cork will win the league by about 15 points but god knows what way the playoffs will shake up,we’ll have to be a lot better than we have been in our last few games to take anything on Friday though….

[holidaysong]

Why is Dundalk v Drogs on at 1 bell on Monday?

Garda request. It'll be 1pm for the reverse fixture on the May Bank Holiday too.

[Budgie]

Agree way too early ..harps on paper to beat treaty but think it will be a draw . Two good defences it seems . Cork will beat Athlone and go 5 clear

[Nesta99]

Hoping nobody turns up to see how bad Dundalk are...

Ridiculous time, Presuming its about limiting peoples time boozing prior to the game well those who will get jarred before a game will do it anyway. What would be the difference for a Friday night fixture? Can 3.5k tops not be policed. There have been fixtures with greater potential for issues played later in the day. It can only be to do with the number of Gardaí available in the Louth/Meath district!? Do they think that current league positions are a crowd control issue? Id certainly love to hear the rationale. There may be a surge in LoI attendances but hardly a need to start thinking like UK policing of football. Then again if it were an evening kickoff and some idiots acted up Id probably be saying where was the common sense and should have been an early kick off!

[Another Bohemia]

Bit today in the Indo with Reynolds ahead of the derby. The good he wants a dressing room of winners over a nice dressing room. Far too often in the last few years Bohs have had a soft underbelly and were too nice on the pitch. That needs to change if they want to progress. The bad he mentioned that Talbot may return to the starting line up. I much prefer the new keeper to Talbot. Talbot has always had bad distribution and was ropey under a cross which only got worse after his shoulder injury. With the new lad not doing anything worth of him being dropped I don't see why you would change it up now especially when then new keeper is actually capable of picking out a pass.

[Dermobohs]

I think he’s carrying a knock,

[Another Bohemia]

I think he’s carrying a knock,

That would be a big shame. I know he was at his hamstring during the Derry game but figured if he was able to play on it wasn't a big issue and would be resolved over the international break. Hopefully he's fit as I think he gives us a better chance at a win

[sbgawa]

Id love to have Talbot in goal for the derby.
First game back and he has in general been poor agasint us for a good while.

Although i still reckon our teamsheet will decide the match more than Bohs will

[ger121]

Id love to have Talbot in goal for the derby.
First game back and he has in general been poor agasint us for a good while.

Although i still reckon our teamsheet will decide the match more than Bohs will

That’s the risk you take when you sign a bunch of crocks.

[sbgawa]

Can't argue with that but bit unlucky to have so.many out at one time

[ontheotherhand]

That’s the risk you take when you sign a bunch of crocks.

Crocks of gold though ger.

[nr637]

Do all LOI clubs selling tickets online have a service charge or is it just the price of the tickets you pay?

[nigel-harps1954]

Do all LOI clubs selling tickets online have a service charge or is it just the price of the tickets you pay?

No service charge at Harps

[Buckett]

Cheaper to buy on line than at the gate for Galway Utd, €18\€20

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Im sure been said before but €24 for Inchicore is pulling the ****

[culloty82]

Sean O'Connell gets the first goal of tonight's matches, with a Ryan Kelliher assist.

[Jack B]

Some absolute muck being played by Pats here thus far.

[joey B]

Exciting night in the Premier Division!

[SkStu]

Should that have been a penalty for Bohs? I am biased but I’d have been furious if that was given against us.

Even Stevens so far overall.

[Dermobohs]

Watching the derby here in Cardiff, thank **** for loitv!!!
Not getting a lot our way, good peno shout, and Flores then getting booked for a superb tackle, took the ball cleanly . Then shams head it wide from a corner and he gives them another!
Playing well so far.

[The Bowler]

A leading contender for comedy goal of the season at Bray, as Cole (who increasingly looks like he has no clue how to defend) and the keeper (who seems to have no clue where his goalposts are) conspire in a comedy double act that wouldn't have been out of place in the old slapstick black and white movie days

[Nesta99]

No peno imo, i'd be making the shout if it were at a Dundalk game though. That Flores tackle was superb, side on and cleanly got the ball. More of a free when he initially tried to pull the player back, missed but made up the ground to make the tackle. If it makes a difference ie a second yellow - obviously very possible for a centre midfielder, it would be infuriating. This will come down to Bohs managing fatigue under increasig pressure unless there is a momentum shift with a goal at that stage.

[SkStu]

Ugh…poxy defending for both.

[Dermobohs]

For all 3, really have to be doing better.
No complaints they just look cuter and more determined.

[Shinkicker]

For all 3, really have to be doing better.
No complaints they just look cuter and more determined.
Yeah I would agree, first half was really positive, but no real creativity,. I'd like to see the same Bohs team play in 2 weeks when they have fully bought into the Reynolds style of play. Never so glad to see the keeper save that tap in from towel, and at least we scored a tap in

[Jack B]

Horrific performance from Pats. Drogheda will be gutted they haven't won that, genuinely could have won 3-0 and it wouldn't have looked undeserved on the balance of chances.

Feel sorry for Keating at the moment, the guy hasn't a chance to make an impact. Daly has more credit in the bank than Clancy had but it's all looking very familiar, with Sligo on the bank holiday Monday to come funnily enough. He'll need to get things working extremely quickly but I'm not sure these performances are giving me much hope of that.

[joey B]

Great win for Harps in Limerick,easily our best performance of the season!

[SwanVsDalton]

Higgins might have liquidated whatever remaining credit he had in the bank with that muck tonight. Disgraceful showing. Don't think we had a single shot on target. Galway had the two best chances of the match, both created by lumped clearances that somehow caught our centre halves dozing.

There's some big red flags - important players going missing; a total lack of urgency; zero plan B. But ultimately we've been chugging out a bunch of stinkers of this ilk every year under Higgins and it simply can't cut it anymore.

[Shearer]

Treaty brought absolutely nothing to the plate tonight, the best they could have hoped for was a 0-0.

No coming back once Harps got their deserved winner.

[osarusan]

Dreaful performance by Treaty. Edogun tore us apart and we created nothing all night.

[Nesta99]

Whatever about Dundalk and turnover of players, Higgins has a settled squad, a bunch of players that knew each other well before, off-field stability with massive budgetry potential and finally one of the leagues most consistant goal scorers so yup getting very hard to understand why Derry are not a lot better for reasons other than the managers limitations. Another very good coach that just isnt able to cut it as the main man? Its old, GAA like, but while there may be head coaches doing interviews etc. Its coaching and selection teams that may be key to some clubs' successes more than the rarer exceptional managers! Matthews/Croly will be an interesting combination to watch.

[Calcio Jack]

Decent performance by Rovers against albeit the most average Bohs team in years …. Really should have scored 5 or 6 in the second half…. Thought Dan Cleary was back to his best….. great occasion to see a proper ground full…. Downside was conceding so late and the ongoing game of WhersJack…. Getting a bit concerning that

[joey B]

O’Donnell must be on borrowed time,I’d imagine even a draw wouldn’t save him on Monday….

[da bishop]

Great win for Harps in Limerick,easily our best performance of the season!

Cant argue with that ,as good an away performance as you will see,should have won by more and both Cawley and Mcnamee controlled the game from start to finish.Treaty clueless tbh ,hoofing the ball aimlessly all match and normal routes to goal from setpieces closed off due to brilliant defending from Harps,despite being outplayed Barrett didnt change the shape of the team.On the plus side still a good start to season for Treaty .