Games weekend 3rd to 7th May 2024

[nigel-harps1954]

It wouldn't be a weekly match thread without Nigel giving out yards about the referees!




To be fair, I think you'll find I've been largely fairly complimentary of referees this season. Last night was just woeful though.

[Knocklyonhoop]

Didn’t have huge chances to win it but shoes the gaps in the squad with injuries.

completely dominated that wins half but can’t really point to clear cut chances. Having watts / Byrne for a full game that’s 3 points . Have to be happy where we are with bodies seemingly coming back

[da bishop]

Not a great game at Finn Park,Harps deserved the win as they were the only ones trying to play ball.As the commentaters on Loitv were saying Treaty were just hoofing it upfield.,no chances ,no shot on target,no decent passages of play.Barrett can make all the excuses he wants but its awful stuff and 9 of that lineup started the first game of season v Cobh plus Walsh back tho minus Curran who is obviously missed ,players look lost ,lacking confidence and dont look fit.3 points v Athlone a must at this stage given no wins in 9.

[Nesta99]

Don't really know. There was talk last night that we're doing really well given the players we lost in pre-season and how badly last season went. I think with a young part-time squad though, the Premier can go badly wrong and that's what happened last year. That we're up near the top is probably more a reflection of the gulf between the two divisions than anything else.

Was a bit worried after losing three of the first four, but we're motoring along nicely now without really playing great. Our best performance may have been the defeat in Cork


The league has moved on in terms of S+C but I always thought one of UCD's strengths was the way the young players seemed to play with that youthful free abandon, no fear, bags of energy and didnt let the pressure of big games or crowds get to them. Crops of players can come together too of course but more recently UCD sides have looked almost over coached, rigid systems rather than just playing whats in front of them. If the sort of talent that was in the side that scared some FT European sides, under the last coach I'm not sure a European adventure would have been put in a book. Having not seen UCD this season, there is at least the impression of getting back to some traditional strengths - can never be ruled out of a promotion stuff. Maybe Bowler just tainted my perspective on Meyler as a coach.

[pineapple stu]

Ah I think the 2015 side was very good though. Benson, O'Neill and Watts in midfield - all multiple title winners now. Mulhall and Langtry with a lot of experience - adults in the side effectively. Corbet was a very solid keeper (I remember suggesting Dundalk sign him to replace Rogers, but ye went for McCarey and Abibi instead!) and Swan up front in great form.

It was a much better team than this year's I think. And yet it also started out with three defeats in the first four games before finding form

[Nesta99]

Ah I think the 2015 side was very good though. Benson, O'Neill and Watts in midfield - all multiple title winners now. Mulhall and Langtry with a lot of experience - adults in the side effectively. Corbet was a very solid keeper (I remember suggesting Dundalk sign him to replace Rogers, but ye went for McCarey and Abibi instead!) and Swan up front in great form.

It was a much better team than this year's I think. And yet it also started out with three defeats in the first four games before finding form

I would have said pound for pound a great LoI side then you mentioned a couple of our former underage international gaolkeepers...

[joey B]

Enjoyable enough game in Drogheda if lacking quality,plenty of tackles flying in…..

[Nesta99]

The old helter skelter derby type game indeed. Its hard to knock it around the tight pitch with passes getting cut out more often than not. Battle of attrition stuff and a single goal could be enough. Can 22 players stay on the pitch - Deegan gave Doyle quite a clatter for his yellow and leading with the elbow in to the head youd see given as a red in LoI but not one youd shout for arguably could have had a second. Awful shame that a player was again hit by something thrown from the crowd. Using the tifo flag to disrupt a throw in is childish stuff. Right under the cameras so the person who threw the bottle could be identified but fine nonetheless.

[joey B]

Dreadful goal for Dundalk to concede ,the keeper and Paul Doyle badly at fault,mostly Doyle I think…..

[Nesta99]

Yeah the last thing you can do in United Park is concede softly like that. Very hard place to chase a game so will stay as it is or Drogheda add to the score on the break while Dundalk chase a leveller late on. Even if we werent goal shy its shut up shop for DUFC time.

[joey B]

Advantage Dundalk now,rash from Barr and the young keeper will be disappointed to let that free kick in…

[joey B]

Big win for Drogs,really enjoyable watch for the neutral but Dundalk fans will be tearing their hair out to lose from the position they were in with 10 minutes to go….

[Straightstory]

A cracking derby! Drogs now level with Sligo on 14 points.

[sbgawa]

Pohls flaps one in for waterfords first and then is beaten from 30 yards for second.

[joey B]

Bray very bright and Harps very poor in that first half,havent strug 2 passes together...

[Bohtastic]

Very poor here in Dalymount. We're way off the needed levels and Galway worth the lead, while showing while they haven't scored too much this year.
Lilander looked terrible and is being subbed off it seems. Has a bang off the Dundalk match we lost last week.

[Kiki Balboa]

Clear handball to win it for Drogheda. The linesman bottled it. Always embarrassing to lose to the Louth team with no history, but I guess, every team has their day sometimes...

Like usual, Dundalk huff and puffed, but no end product. The Ghost of Pat Hoban must haunt us...

[ger121]

Not a good day so far for the Goal Keepers Union.

[Nesta99]

Can there be a worse set of scorse at the moment...

[Jack B]

This has been a bad enough watch as a Pats without without your man on commentary breathing into the mic so intensely.

[sbgawa]

Rovers shockingly bad not helped by the keeper throwing in the first. The league is absolute crap. Even at 3 to 1 I thought we could beat a poor waterford and had the chances to do it. So disappointing, even a second string 11 should be well clear

[Shinkicker]

Very poor here in Dalymount. We're way off the needed levels and Galway worth the lead, while showing while they haven't scored too much this year.
Lilander looked terrible and is being subbed off it seems. Has a bang off the Dundalk match we lost last week.
Bohs poor decision making, bad passing, poor clearances and now real desire to win let's Galway walk away with three points. Flores couldn't pass water never mind a football, so uncharacteristic from him.

[joey B]

About as comfortable a 1 nil win for Bray as you’ll get,did very little to affect the result in the second half far far too easy for them,unfortunately this as been us for the majority of the season and the early season promise looks a distant memory….

[Slartibartfast]

Clear handball to win it for Drogheda. The linesman bottled it. Always embarrassing to lose to the Louth team with no history, but I guess, every team has their day sometimes...

Like usual, Dundalk huff and puffed, but no end product. The Ghost of Pat Hoban must haunt us...

Oh , sore loser alert !!

[Jd2793]

city brutal against wexford. very little intent to score again after going 1 up and we got punished. not many chances 2nd half, wexford worth their point. clancy is boring me into submission.

[Nesta99]

Oh , sore loser alert !!

Is there any other kind in football?

[pineapple stu]

Bit of a hit-and-run job from Cobham - sit back, soak up the pressure and hit us on the counter (helped by a keeper howler from our guy on his debut)

But Cobh caused us more problems with their less amount of possession than we caused them; can't have any real complaints.

We've scored twice as many points away from home than at home, which is a bit weird

[Kiki Balboa]

Oh , sore loser alert !!

Yeah, probably. Thats football.

[dundalkfc10]

Oh , sore loser alert !!

I didn't think we deserved to win. Nothing going forward even against 10 men but it was a clear handball https://twitter.com/kevinmullen1981/status/1787512160890782026?t=xoMHf4b8D_901vgjxzSQgw&s=19

[Shearer]

Poor goal 15 seconds into the second half wins it for Athlone in Limerick.

Treaty denied a penalty and Evan O'Connor wrongly sent off by Alan Patchell. Had some good chances in the second half but didn't make them count.

[Knocklyonhoop]

Rovers were truly awful tonight. Never got going at all.

Not being able to enjoy Bohs losing at home and Pats losing to,Sligo…. Meh!

[D24Saint]

From what I’m reading online it appears that Jon Daly has ran out of cup related good will. I’d say Tallaght on Friday will be the final nail.

[CSAD]

At least Rovers compensate for these performances in the league with their performances in Europe....oh wait!

[placid casual]

From what I’m reading online it appears that Jon Daly has ran out of cup related good will. I’d say Tallaght on Friday will be the final nail.
If that's the case it's no wonder pat's haven't been title contenders for donkeys years.
Do any of the LOI boffins on here have any stats on changes of manager's at a particular club in the 21st century? - I'd wager pat's are right up there.
As for the game today in Tallaght,let's hope it's an injury related abberation from Rovers,but let's say fair play to waterford for taking their chances instead.

[placid casual]

At least Rovers compensate for these performances in the league with their performances in Europe....oh wait!
Is that you Lord Lucan?

[CSAD]

Is that you Lord Lucan?

Cant wait for Rover's to get their asses handed to them by a Gibralter/San Marino side and then hear the fans on here claim they played a "top class side" as a way to excuse their pathetic performance :p

[oriel]

Sickner for Dundalk today but unfortunately in our case, that's football.

This squad is clearly not good enough, conceding in 90+5 min and up against 10 men, we are bottom of the league for a reason.

[pineapple stu]

From what I’m reading online it appears that Jon Daly has ran out of cup related good will. I’d say Tallaght on Friday will be the final nail.
I hear Stephen O'Donnell is available...

(And in fact he might be the best candidate - although obviously the history there means he's unlikely to be hired)

[sbgawa]

Derry score if it finishes like that the top team in the division will have 26 points after 15 games. And it's not that there are a load of evenly matched teams. Anyone who starts to play well at all could win this league.
Rovers 2 points off the top and have been an utter shambles this season

[joey B]

Galway 4th with 20 points,8 goals scored and 7 conceded is amazing,hyper efficient!

[joey B]

Shels were awful there but grabbed a draw at the end…nice goal in fairness to them….

[Martinho II]

Finally at the 13th attempt we finally win a match. Huge improvement tonight. After a run of 19 games without a win since end of last season we finally break our duck! Phew!

[Dermobohs]

Rovers were truly awful tonight. Never got going at all.

Not being able to enjoy Bohs losing at home and Pats losing to,Sligo…. Meh!
Dyou know, I was just feeling how I wasn’t able to enjoy wofuss and st pattys losing….

[D24Saint]

If that's the case it's no wonder pat's haven't been title contenders for donkeys years.
Do any of the LOI boffins on here have any stats on changes of manager's at a particular club in the 21st century? - I'd wager pat's are right up there.
As for the game today in Tallaght,let's hope it's an injury related abberation from Rovers,but let's say fair play to waterford for taking their chances instead.

I’d consider that slapping it on a bit thick without having seen all of our games this season. The majority of them have been awful apart from the week we beat both Rovers at home.

[Nesta99]

Even at this stage of the season 11 points seperating potentially qualifying fo Europe and automatic relegation is a bit mad. Dundalk dont look like doing it but anyone who puts a run of say 3 wins together and the season looks ok, likewise get stuck in a rut, couple of losses on the bounce and a side wont be long being pulled in to a relegation playoff battle. Im not sold on 10 team league - we're missing a couple of sides that could fill the trapdoor...

[ontheotherhand]

Cant wait for Rover's to get their asses handed to them by a Gibralter/San Marino side and then hear the fans on here claim they played a "top class side" as a way to excuse their pathetic performance :p

What age were you when you got access to the internet?

[2 Year Contract]

If that's the case it's no wonder pat's haven't been title contenders for donkeys years.
Do any of the LOI boffins on here have any stats on changes of manager's at a particular club in the 21st century? - I'd wager pat's are right up there.

Hopefully you’re not a betting man anyways as this is a load of utter spoof. Pats have had 10 permanent managers in the 21st century which alongside shamrock rovers is the least amount of managers that any current premier division side have had in that time. I haven’t had a look at all first division clubs but the majority of those seem to be a lot higher too

[2 Year Contract]

Good 20 minute spell at the start of the game from Pats but 20 minute spells will get you nowhere in this league. The second half was particularly horrendous. Just could not get the ball from defence into midfield whatsoever, a team that looked totally devoid of any ideas, solutions or a plan B once they went a goal down

[Jd2793]

pats issue is their plan A is so bad, id be worried what an possible plan B looks like.

[placid casual]

Hopefully you’re not a betting man anyways as this is a load of utter spoof. Pats have had 10 permanent managers in the 21st century which alongside shamrock rovers is the least amount of managers that any current premier division side have had in that time. I haven’t had a look at all first division clubs but the majority of those seem to be a lot higher too
Honestly!??
Jeez how long was Liam Buckley there at inchicore? I could have sworn that there's been a bit of a revolving door at pat's just in the last 10 years alone,but if you have stats to back up you're claim then I've no reason to doubt it.
So what is the issue there then?