Games weekend 2nd August

[sbgawa]

Premier Division

Friday 2nd

Drogheda v bohemians 19:45
Dundalk v Galway 19:45
Waterford v Shamrock Rovers

Sunday 4th

St Pats v Sligo 19:00

Monday 5th

Shelbourne v Derry 19:45

First Division

Friday 2nd all 19:45

Athlone v Kerry
Cobh v Longford
Finn Harps v Bray
Treaty v Cork
Ucd v Wexford

[sbgawa]

Season defining weekend for a few teams. Waterford v Rovers huge for European qualification places and Rovers really can't afford to lose. Shels will look to win I think Monday and put the league well in their own hands.
Hopefully Dundalk and Pats can take points off Galway and Sligo and help us out there. A loss tonight and we are looking at missing Europe next year imo lots of European games coming up and an already injury prone old squad. We can't expect to come from behind.

[WoodquayBoy]

Massive game for us tonight - with Waterford or Rovers to drop points (or even both with a draw), this is must-win territory for us but our away form has been pathetic so I’m not too hopeful.
Shels v Derry on Monday could decide the title or open everything up. A win for Sligo and they are a real shout for a great run for the top 3

[culloty82]

A good evening for new signings in the Midlands - Gaxha's opener quickly levelled by Oran Crowe.

[sbgawa]

Rovers well worthy of the 1 goal lead. Hopefully we can see it out.

[legendz]

Once Gaxha signed for Athlone, it was inevitable he was going to score against Kerry this evening. Kerry have responded well to lead 1-2 at half time.

[culloty82]

And rather improbably, Andy Spain gives Kerry the lead just before HT!

[sbgawa]

Penelty and an own goal for bohs. Using all of there luck up before the Fai cup decision :)

[sbgawa]

What a ****ing clown pohls is. Someone in Rovers should be sacked because he is still at the club. An absolute disgrace .

[Calcio Jack]

Usual from Rovers ; should off had the game done and dusted by h/t…. Haven’t turned up for the second half and now 1-1…. Dreadful stuff

[sbgawa]

Is there not some GAA player anybody that is available??

[Calcio Jack]

What a ****ing clown pohls is. Someone in Rovers should be sacked because he is still at the club. An absolute disgrace .

Pohls may be poor but real blame is with the rest of the team not turning up for the second half

[sbgawa]

We are now bottom half.
Thanks a lot Leon.
Thanks a lot the Rovers management team who thought after 5 years watching this imbecile that he was a keeper

[sbgawa]

It's literally like we are playing with ten men every match

[legendz]

1-3 to Kerry currently. That man Kelliher again from a penalty.

[Jack B]

Drogs-Bohs has been a fun one, two own goals, belter of a free kick and a daft penalty for the goals. Would be pulling my hair out were I a Bohs supporter, when they've tried to play they've looked the much better side, only they've only done so when they haven't had the lead and just invited Drogheda back into it. Tierney's just fluffed a sitter and I'd expect them to find a way to win it based on the flow of the game since the equaliser.

[Calcio Jack]

It's literally like we are playing with ten men every match

Pohls not to blame for the team being overrun in the second half….and he just pulled off a great save to keep it 1-1

[sbgawa]

Bull he kept a shot from a difficult angle at his near post big deal.
On the other hand he came missed a punch and a waterford player headed in. He is a joke and we are that he us at our club.
Have a look at telephone reactions of Rovers fans online. With a barely competent keeper we would be way higher than now.

[Calcio Jack]

Bull he kept a shot from a difficult angle at his near post big deal.
On the other hand he came missed a punch and a waterford player headed in. He is a joke and we are that he us at our club.
Have a look at telephone reactions of Rovers fans online. With a barely competent keeper we would be way higher than now.

I not saying he shouldn’t be replaced - but imo he’s not our main problem this season - it’s been a combination of a mega injury list and poor attitude…. And Rover go ahead

[legendz]

Athlone with a second. Athlone Town 2-3 Kerry FC.

[legendz]

... and Athlone with a third. 3-3.

[Patrickccfc84]

We leave it as late as we possibly could to equalise away to Treaty. Another point closer.

[sbgawa]

Over the moon we won but we have been giving most teams a one goal start with this clown on goals. Who decided he was fit to be a goalie for Rovers? There has to be accountability

[Calcio Jack]

Despite ourselves a great result for us and up to third a Derry win on Monday and who knows

[joey B]

Our slide is well underway now,just a very poor side that other poor sides don’t need to play well to beat,awful…

[sbgawa]

Despite ourselves a great result for us and up to third a Derry win on Monday and who knows

100% it's not dead in the water despite the abject incompetence of our management team to recruit a barely competent keeper.
Is pohls the worst keeper in the Premier and first division...ge uine question.
Keep in mind he has been retained year after year and as a foreign import is probably costing us decent amount

[Shinkicker]

Drogs-Bohs has been a fun one, two own goals, belter of a free kick and a daft penalty for the goals. Would be pulling my hair out were I a Bohs supporter, when they've tried to play they've looked the much better side, only they've only done so when they haven't had the lead and just invited Drogheda back into it. Tierney's just fluffed a sitter and I'd expect them to find a way to win it based on the flow of the game since the equaliser.
Not a daft pen, clever play by the Bohs player. For the Drogheda equaliser Bohs tried to play too much football under pressure and were caught. As much as I like good football, I've always admired the good auld hoof when under pressure.

[RealJohn91]

Have absolutely no idea what Rooney was doing after half time pulling the ball back for McDonnell when he was one on one with the keeper. Awful miss from Tierney too. Some good saves from Chorazka to get us a point at the end.

[Burnsie]

great spraoi for the neutral at the end of Drogs v Bohs. Chorazka really bailed out the visitors . Drogheda definitely have a bit about them.

[wonder88]

Important win for Galway, as been pointed out our recent away results have been poor. Key for a newly promoted team is to take points off those in the bottom 3/4 positions in the table which mostly has been done. With the new signings (4 players), there is now a substantial change from the first division squad, so it is vital that they get used to wining games to boast their confidence. Can we relax about relegation now?

[ger121]

100% it's not dead in the water despite the abject incompetence of our management team to recruit a barely competent keeper.
Is pohls the worst keeper in the Premier and first division...ge uine question.
Keep in mind he has been retained year after year and as a foreign import is probably costing us decent amount

Now it’s been subtle but I’m getting the impression you are not a fan of Herr Pohls.

[ger121]

Kavanagh at it again this week. We really are hopeless even when we get into positions to win games.

[sbgawa]

Now it’s been subtle but I’m getting the impression you are not a fan of Herr Pohls.

Find me one Rovers supporter who is a fan. What is so disappointing is he was crap last year and we kept him.

[Jack B]

Not a daft pen, clever play by the Bohs player. For the Drogheda equaliser Bohs tried to play too much football under pressure and were caught. As much as I like good football, I've always admired the good auld hoof when under pressure.
I'd say Pierrot was quite naive for it myself.

[oriel]

100% it's not dead in the water despite the abject incompetence of our management team to recruit a barely competent keeper.
Is pohls the worst keeper in the Premier and first division...ge uine question.
Keep in mind he has been retained year after year and as a foreign import is probably costing us decent amount

Are you nuts? Take a look at the first goal from Galway tonight, Dundalk have used 4 GK's this year, effectively sacked one, a current loan one getting in ahead of one signed on perm deal, and the only one who has not made a howler is a young lad called Molloy, so I think we are nailed on for worst GK(s) award this year, that's a safe bet.

[oriel]

On the game itself tonight, Dundalk look like a team going down, still 2 points clear in play off, but that won't last on current form.

No positives at all to take from the game, and utter doom and gloom at FT.

[Philosophizer]

Pohls isn’t the worst in the league, but he’s nowhere near good enough to be a starter for Shamrock Rovers, who are attempting to win leagues and qualify for group stages.
I was stunned Bradley chose him as no1, AND then decided to stick with him. Lads like Anang were available this summer. If they had a decent gk they’d be right up there with Shels.
I still maintain that they were duped by his good shot-stopping. But being a top gk is so much more than reflexes and diving about, it’s positioning, decision making, and organising and communicating with a defence.
He could have honed those skills if he had a few seasons of experience, but he’s 27 and only has 50 appearances in his career so far.

[CorribsideSteve]

13 clean sheets for Galway now (8 wins, 5 draws). Very impressive, even though it may be hard going to watch at times. !990-era 442 long ball has us closer to Europe than relegation, with the second lowest amount of goals scored. We haven't been this comfortable in mid table for about 15 years.

[SeanDrog]

Despite being bottom of the table the confidence of the Drogs overall is remarkable - there is serious belief across the board that we will stay up (players, management to supporters), the signings have been revolutionary and we are looking very good - Doherty has the spirits very high. Tonight Bohs played very well and it was a good game - ref was card happy (joke at this stage) and someone was going to get a red at some point with him. Overall I thought we should have won it (I am bias) but a draw is another step towards safety.

[Nesta99]

13 clean sheets for Galway now (8 wins, 5 draws). Very impressive, even though it may be hard going to watch at times. !990-era 442 long ball has us closer to Europe than relegation, with the second lowest amount of goals scored. We haven't been this comfortable in mid table for about 15 years.

The old become the new new. It amuses at times when people talk about gegenpress/high press as a football revoluton - Jack Charltons Ireland were all about pressing and putting pressure on out of possession, closing down all the time, full of fish and chips and minus the fitness levels today. Sure it was long ball, no passing out from the back heart attack football but effective. Ive been a critic of Caulfield and his rudimentary tactics in the past but mainly because he had players that could do more than run through walls but this Galways side are not full of ballers but credit where it is due, he is getting the job done of consolidating Galway in a pragmatic way. Now if the qualify for Europe and sign a bunch of top players and keep with plan A then its back to criticism. It would be a repeat of the cycle that happened at Cork.

I havent seen a keeper practically throw a ball in to the net like tonight since Jody Byrne but at least we ended up winning the league that year after he was dropped for the mad hatter Van Boxtel. If in trouble at the bottom of the table, the last thing you need is players with no confidence in a keeper. The body language was like having Abibi back where players just dropped the heads after a pretty soft goal and just retreat deep. Loss of any momentum being built up and even a couple of draws and its advantage Drogheda. Thought Dundalk were wasteful too, it looked like the lack of goals was lifting a bit but when you see a bunch of long range efforts being pinged in and off target its a sign of desperation in the players imo.

[outspoken]

Having seen a lot of Dundalk this season I thought they were going in the right direction even before Daly came in, Burns and Garts got rid of the ticky tacky crap and had Dundalk going after teams again and it was working. Daly came in and got some good early results but that was one of the worst performances I've seen from any side so far this season tonight.

I've also very rarely if ever seen the home fans turn on the players but the ground emptied very quickly with chants of your not fit to wear the shirt and words exchanged between some players and fans. Not exactly what Daly and Moutney had in mind when they talked about the importance of the crowd in the lead up to the game all week.

Lots of talk on here tonight about Pohls but my God this new chap at Dundalk is a total calamity.

[oriel]

If Dundalk start that GK again for rest of season he will effectively give the opposition a one goal start, he is brutal. End of. I'd actually put the first goal down as an own goal, the state of him flapping at it, actually embarrassing for a pro.

He's not alone mind, the defence as a whole is all over the shop with no one taking control, Mountney as captain was as quiet as a church mouse, Boyle has to be the man to lead, not sure he did, but this is a team which should be fighting for their lives, yet they are in almost in pedestrian pace.

Shocking performance and deserved nothing, Galway could have won by 3 min.

[trevy]

3 defeats in a row for Waterford now. Rovers dominated the first half and could have been 2 or 3 up by half time. We stood off them. Big change in 2nd half when we got on top and deserved to be level. Rovers had a good finish to game with Burke finishing well from a cross to back post for winner.
We need a win v Bohs away next week to get back on track and keep in hunt for European football.

[legendz]

"Leonardo Gaxha opened the scoring for Athlone in the 33rd minute just two weeks after departing Kerry for the midlanders, but Oran Crowe and Andrew Spain had the visitors ahead at the break."
Very lazy by RTE.

[Another Bohemia]

3 defeats in a row for Waterford now. Rovers dominated the first half and could have been 2 or 3 up by half time. We stood off them. Big change in 2nd half when we got on top and deserved to be level. Rovers had a good finish to game with Burke finishing well from a cross to back post for winner.
We need a win v Bohs away next week to get back on track and keep in hunt for European football.

Sorry best we can do is an entertaining draw.

[Philosophizer]

Just watched the clanger from Pohls. He’s woeful when he has to come off his line. How many costly mistakes has he made this year?

[WoodquayBoy]

I havent seen a keeper practically throw a ball in to the net like tonight since Jody Byrne but at least we ended up winning the league that year after he was dropped for the mad hatter Van Boxtel.
You’ve a very short memory so - Ross Munro did the exact same thing back in May when we beat ye 2-0 down here, he threw the first goal into the net

[CorribsideSteve]

The old become the new new. It amuses at times when people talk about gegenpress/high press as a football revoluton - Jack Charltons Ireland were all about pressing and putting pressure on out of possession, closing down all the time, full of fish and chips and minus the fitness levels today. Sure it was long ball, no passing out from the back heart attack football but effective. Ive been a critic of Caulfield and his rudimentary tactics in the past but mainly because he had players that could do more than run through walls but this Galways side are not full of ballers but credit where it is due, he is getting the job done of consolidating Galway in a pragmatic way. Now if the qualify for Europe and sign a bunch of top players and keep with plan A then its back to criticism. It would be a repeat of the cycle that happened at Cork.

I havent seen a keeper practically throw a ball in to the net like tonight since Jody Byrne but at least we ended up winning the league that year after he was dropped for the mad hatter Van Boxtel. If in trouble at the bottom of the table, the last thing you need is players with no confidence in a keeper. The body language was like having Abibi back where players just dropped the heads after a pretty soft goal and just retreat deep. Loss of any momentum being built up and even a couple of draws and its advantage Drogheda. Thought Dundalk were wasteful too, it looked like the lack of goals was lifting a bit but when you see a bunch of long range efforts being pinged in and off target its a sign of desperation in the players imo.

That'd be fantastic for the club, a real boost in confidence and obviously the money made from it. Even if it were just for a round (Derry) or two, a la Shels this year, it'd be a great experience. You can see how much it meant to them after nearly 20 years without any Euro competition.




I havent seen a keeper practically throw a ball in to the net like tonight since Jody Byrne but at least we ended up winning the league that year after he was dropped for the mad hatter Van Boxtel. If in trouble at the bottom of the table, the last thing you need is players with no confidence in a keeper. The body language was like having Abibi back where players just dropped the heads after a pretty soft goal and just retreat deep. Loss of any momentum being built up and even a couple of draws and its advantage Drogheda. Thought Dundalk were wasteful too, it looked like the lack of goals was lifting a bit but when you see a bunch of long range efforts being pinged in and off target its a sign of desperation in the players imo.

Oh God, I forgot about that guy.




I havent seen a keeper practically throw a ball in to the net like tonight since Jody Byrne but at least we ended up winning the league that year after he was dropped for the mad hatter Van Boxtel. If in trouble at the bottom of the table, the last thing you need is players with no confidence in a keeper. The body language was like havingAbibi back where players just dropped the heads after a pretty soft goal and just retreat deep. Loss of any momentum being built up and even a couple of draws and its advantage Drogheda. Thought Dundalk were wasteful too, it looked like the lack of goals was lifting a bit but when you see a bunch of long range efforts being pinged in and off target its a sign of desperation in the players imo.
Funnily enough, my first experience of LOI would've been 93/94 ish, watching Sports Stadium highlights on Saturday mornings. I remember both of them being awful whenever I saw them on TV as a little kid.




Loss of any momentum being built up and even a couple of draws and its advantage Drogheda. Thought Dundalk were wasteful too, it looked like the lack of goals was lifting a bit but when you see a bunch of long range efforts being pinged in and off target its a sign of desperation in the players imo.

I'd like to see Dundalk stay up, but with the lowest goals scored, and despite beating Drogs recently, they're looking like they're getting their act together. It's gonna be an all Louth shootout to stay up.

[Shearer]

Harps in a bad run of form. Success' inconsistency has shone through after a bright start, just one goal in his last ten.

Would take him back in the morning tho.

[legendz]

Kerry need an experienced no nonsense defender. Throwing away two goal leads isn't good enough. Bray and Athlone taking a share of the spoils.