Games weekend Friday 21st March

[legendz]

FIRST DIVISION

Friday 21st March (All 19:45)

Dundalk v Longford
Cobh v Athlone
Finn Harps v Bray
UCD v Treaty
Wexford v Kerry

[legendz]

I forgot there are no Premier Division games this weekend! Full steam ahead in the First Division anyway.

Dundalk and Cobh will be expected to put up home wins. Finn Harps and UCD will be looking for their first wins. Wexford seem to be going well under Stephen Elliott. A tough game in store for Kerry who would have been disappointed with the sloppy concession of goals in recent games.

[sbgawa]

i forgot the other way around that there were first division fixtures on :)
I guess ill head to UCD , surely they have to win this one, due a win as they say.
In Finner we trust

[legendz]

i forgot the other way around that there were first division fixtures on :)
I guess ill head to UCD , surely they have to win this one, due a win as they say.
In Finner we trust
Thought you'd forget alright! ;)

UCD v Treaty might give an indication of how both will get on this year. Surprised UCD are still without a win. Thought they would be among the favourites for the playoffs.

[culloty82]

Kerry 2-0 up at HT thanks to very early goals from Adams and McQueen - still, after the Longford game, chickens certainly won't be counted at this stage!

[legendz]

Great start for Kerry. 0-2 up after 2 and 6 minutes. Definitely can't take anything for granted at half time.

[sbgawa]

Even Harps can't lose it from here :) just need Finner to step up for UCD.

[pineapple stu]

just need Finner to step up for UCD.
He'll do well to do that from the bench.

(Went off injured again)

[Nesta99]

Dont need Longford to kickstart their promotion challange tonight!!

[sbgawa]

He'll do well to do that from the bench.

(Went off injured again)

Ronaldo won the euros from the bench with a foot brace on. Keep the faith Stu

[legendz]

Wexford pull a goal back. 1-2.

[Nesta99]

Can we hang on to win 'Outspoken's Derby' and stay top under pressure from free scoring Harps?

[ger121]

He'll do well to do that from the bench.

(Went off injured again)

Feels like he never gets a proper run of games. I wonder could this be his last season.

[ger121]

Can we hang on to win 'Outspoken's Derby' and stay top under pressure from free scoring Harps?

That name could catch-on.

[culloty82]

Kerry have finally broken through the grass ceiling!

[legendz]

Much needed win for Kerry. Good result against a Wexford side who had the season well. Dundalk and Cobh have a bit of a gap to the rest.

[Longfordian]

I wasn't expecting much from tonight anyway but at least it was competitive. Quite a big difference in budgets.

[sbgawa]

I wasn't expecting much from tonight anyway but at least it was competitive. Quite a big difference in budgets.

Longford have the 4th biggest budget in the league

[joey B]

Dundalk better enjoy their time at the top ,we’re coming!!!!!!

[Longfordian]

Longford have the 4th biggest budget in the league

Outrageous slur :)

[Jamesie]

Kerry have finally broken through the grass ceiling!

Is that the first grass win?

[outspoken]

Great effort from our lads tonight albeit lacking any attacking threat second half. I wasn't that impressed with Dundalk against Treaty and same again tonight. They'll not be walking away with anything on that basis

[cobhlad]

Cobh ticking along nicely now. Strong at the back and lots of players stepping in with goals. Expected a bit more from Athlone, their bigger name players not really up to much.

[Kiki Balboa]

Great effort from our lads tonight albeit lacking any attacking threat second half. I wasn't that impressed with Dundalk against Treaty and same again tonight. They'll not be walking away with anything on that basis

It was completely a new back 5 than started the first game of the season. With the two players on international duty, meant that two midfielders and a just-turned 16 year-old starting his first game made up the back 4, with a another starting debut in centre midfield. Going into the game, I was worried enough, as it (hopefully) might be our weakest starting 11 for the year.

Once the back 4 settled, it turned into a game of attackers and defenders, and Longford never really threatened after half-time. The game was flat, but Dundalk dominated the ball. Happy to have scored the winner as it was starting to feel like one of those days.

The biggest complaint is that we didn't win easy enough, and are not turning dominance into goals, allowing teams to stay in games longer than needed. But still, only a 5 minute calamity vs Treaty is stopping us from a perfect record.

Harry Groome is a star at this level. Played center half yesterday and was excellent. Eoin Kenny might have had his best game for Dundalk.

Kilduff is having a fantastic start at Dundalk.

[outspoken]

It was completely a new back 5 than started the first game of the season. With the two players on international duty, meant that two midfielders and a just-turned 16 year-old starting his first game made up the back 4, with a another starting debut in centre midfield. Going into the game, I was worried enough, as it (hopefully) might be our weakest starting 11 for the year.

Once the back 4 settled, it turned into a game of attackers and defenders, and Longford never really threatened after half-time. The game was flat, but Dundalk dominated the ball. Happy to have scored the winner as it was starting to feel like one of those days.

The biggest complaint is that we didn't win easy enough, and are not turning dominance into goals, allowing teams to stay in games longer than needed. But still, only a 5 minute calamity vs Treaty is stopping us from a perfect record.

Harry Groome is a star at this level. Played center half yesterday and was excellent. Eoin Kenny might have had his best game for Dundalk.

Kilduff is having a fantastic start at Dundalk.

100% and it very may well soon click in front go goal when all players are available but definitely not blowing teams away so far apart from Bray. If Dundalk dispatch Cobh with handyness in a few weeks time then it will be a one horse race but hopefully for the good of the league Cobh can show they are genuine title contenders.

[Nesta99]

1 goal wins are underrated, win leagues as Shels have shown and keep fans...engaged for the full match! Who'd have a 3 or 4 goal cushion with 10 minutes to go:confused:

[oriel]

Kilduff made good point post match, we had 2 starters (defenders too) on international duty, but seems no rule to call off if a FD game, not sure that sounds fair.

This was a bunch of kids mostly last night, bar Ward and Cherrie, so its a great win.

[joey B]

Kilduff made good point post match, we had 2 starters (defenders too) on international duty, but seems no rule to call off if a FD game, not sure that sounds fair.

This was a bunch of kids mostly last night, bar Ward and Cherrie, so its a great win.

Tbf though Horgan,Ebbe and Dervin aswell would make it a bit more than a bunch of kids !

[Nesta99]

How much is a bunch, i'd say 6 is a fair call.

[joey B]

How much is a bunch, i'd say 6 is a fair call.

I don’t think Gaxha and Groome are kids either but that’s just my opinion ;)

[Kiki Balboa]

Think I remember the average age of the Back 4 that finished vs Treaty was 16 or 17 (Mulligan, Leonard, McHale and Spaight). Paraschiv and Tracey are both 18 too, but not sure if they finished that game.

[outspoken]

Kilduff made good point post match, we had 2 starters (defenders too) on international duty, but seems no rule to call off if a FD game, not sure that sounds fair.

This was a bunch of kids mostly last night, bar Ward and Cherrie, so its a great win.

Longford also without a key player on international duty last night, definitely something that needs to be looked at

[ger121]

If that pitch at the bowl gets any worse,it will be like playing football at the National Ploughing Championship.

[Nesta99]

Id love to get to a game there before the pitch improves, I do actually miss the days where even English top flight games had worldclas players navigate total mudbaths, real levelers and seeing how teams coped. Would be a bit of a throw back if its as bad as claimed. As long as Dundalk dont have to play on that terrible pitch!

[da bishop]

If that pitch at the bowl gets any worse,it will be like playing football at the National Ploughing Championship.

Was present to watch the Bowl bore and correct on the pitch ,however was wondering how Ucds Brennan still managed to play some decent football on it.

[cláirseach]

He was always a decent player, Brennan. It was a shame that the move to Drogheda didn't work out for him, as he has something about him. His namesake is a good young player too.

Watched Harps - Bray on Friday. It was no fluke of a scoreline - the hosts ran right over the top of a very poor Bray side. Harps' media team love such statistics but really it must be rare for the Harps starting lineup to be older and more experienced than their opponents (only academy grad was a full back who is fairly established at this stage), however rather than pointing at the younger players I'd have to suggest that the players that let Wanderers down on the night were the ones who have been around the league the longest. That is not a great back four at all, might be worth a revisit. But then again, they aren't threatening the other way either, so perhaps it was bound to break at some point. Lots to work on there!

Just on the Belfield pitch, I have had the joy of two visits this season and very little football was played on either occasion (for which I do not blame the four sides in question). This comes up annually now at this time of year, and really it seems like it could be solved or at least mitigated, internally. With such a fine set of facilities available to the college, does that volume of recent rugby really need to be played on that specific pitch? Perhaps the UCD posters here know more.

[pineapple stu]

Id love to get to a game there before the pitch improves, I do actually miss the days where even English top flight games had worldclas players navigate total mudbaths, real levelers and seeing how teams coped. Would be a bit of a throw back if its as bad as claimed. As long as Dundalk dont have to play on that terrible pitch!
Well we've Dundalk on Friday week so there's your chance. It's not really worth seeing though - or at least not more than once. The best save on Friday night was from a downward header which produced a good reaction save when the ball barely bounced at all.

It's way, way more bobbly than any 70s/80s pitch seemed to be too.


This comes up annually now at this time of year, and really it seems like it could be solved or at least mitigated, internally. With such a fine set of facilities available to the college, does that volume of recent rugby really need to be played on that specific pitch? Perhaps the UCD posters here know more.
Another poster suggested a pipe has burst under the pitch, which would explain why it's so much worse than it usually is at this time of year. Have also heard the pitch is getting relaid and again that would point to something more unusual than just a few rugby games

[Nesta99]

Well we've Dundalk on Friday week so there's your chance. It's not really worth seeing though - or at least not more than once. The best save on Friday night was from a downward header which produced a good reaction save when the ball barely bounced at all.

It's way, way more bobbly than any 70s/80s pitch seemed to be too.


An exceptional example but no mention of player health and safety!! I remember this game just cause of Stapleton's move not long after featuring for Ajax against Dundalk in Europe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ycx9ABUcXg

[pineapple stu]

Ah, the olden days, when a guy with a broken leg was walked off the pitch!

The Bowl pitch didn't look that bad, but it probably was in reality.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM-dde4ZjrM