LOI In Europe 2025

[Philosophizer]

I had high hopes for Pats in Europe this year after such a good run last year, but they’ve managed this tie v poorly so far.

[Philosophizer]

Pats looked jittery and nervous now. Kalju are unspectacular but dogged at the back, and took their chances when they came.

Can’t understand how Kenny left Keena and Forrester on the bench tonight.

[placid casual]

Said it last night that our sides just aren’t clinical enough when it matters. Rovers aside.
In fairness shels were up against a quality opposition so chances become more of a premium - these Estonians are worse than linfield and only marginally better than Joseph's ( cue Rovers 0:5 Joseph's now :))

[ger121]

Pats looked jittery and nervous now. Kalju are unspectacular but dogged at the back, and took their chances when they came.

Can’t understand how Kenny left Keena and Forrester on the bench tonight.

He has done it in previous games and I just don’t understand it. If they lose this tie, it is an embarrassment.

[Philosophizer]

Estonians are looking tired now - going down every chance they get. If Pats can get one you’d fancy them with Kalju tiring.

[pineapple stu]

He has done it in previous games and I just don’t understand it. If they lose this tie, it is an embarrassment.
Who are you telling. The UCD programme for tomorrow night has a profile of Besiktas as Pat's next European opponents - "After straightforward ties in Lithuania and Estonia..." :embarrassed:

[ger121]

I wonder who is part of that match programme team :D

[pineapple stu]

Well not Stephen Kenny any more anyway :rofl:

[ger121]

Well not Stephen Kenny any more anyway :rofl:

You might be saved yet!

[pineapple stu]

The programme is saved - Pat's score in the 90th again.

Extra time incoming as we stand

[ger121]

The programme is saved - Pat's score in the 90th again.

Extra time incoming as we stand

Don’t tear out anymore pages for now.

[yurt]

Pat's very lucky to get that equiliser. Their keeper is poor and he was finally put under some pressure to make it count.

[pineapple stu]

Don’t tear out anymore pages for now.
Got some stickers printed off so I can paste in a new column if necessary :p

[pineapple stu]

2-2 now - and that should be it. Momentum back in Pat's favour, so hard to see Nomme coming back from this.

Shakhtar 2-0 up on Besiktas at half-time - 6-2 on aggregate - so Turkey it is after all.

Larne losing to Prishtina - 1-0 after 135 minutes. Might be an indicator of where the Kosovan sides are with Rovers due to head there next it seems.

[texidub]

A goal worthy of saving a UCD programme right there...

[pineapple stu]

A goal worthy of saving a UCD programme right there...
Chris Forrester of course. Foot.ie knows its stuff!

[Roones26]

Even if it finished 2-2 or Pats won the game, itll do nothing for the coefficient right ?

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, fairly sure Pat's lost the match in that regard alright.

[ger121]

Yeah, fairly sure Pat's lost the match in that regard alright.

It is the result after ET that counts. So would be 0.175 towards the auld coefficient if it finishes a draw.

[holidaysong]

It would be 0.125. Go on and grab a winner and make it 0.250 though!

[Roones26]

It is the result after ET that counts. So would be 0.175 towards the auld coefficient if it finishes a draw.

it all counts with the drogs thing

[holidaysong]

Drogheda United's mates Silkeborg are currently losing their tie away in Iceland... :laugh:

[ger121]

It would be 0.125. Go on and grab a winner and make it 0.250 though!

Sorry, you are correct. My maths is shocking.

[ger121]

Job done in the end but that was hard work. But more importantly, no match programmes were harmed.

[Philosophizer]

Pats got there in the end but by god they made hard work of it.

[pineapple stu]

Job done in the end but that was hard work. But more importantly, no match programmes were harmed.

No such thing as bad publicity I guess :)

[ger121]

Floriana 1 up against Ballkani.

Edit: And now 1-1

Nordie teams going well so far.

[Roones26]

Sorry, you are correct. My maths is shocking.

Rovers could show a bit of urgency for another .250 as well

[ger121]

Not a good night for the Icemen so far. 2 sides out but Vikingur have managed to get it back to 4-4 on agg with ET looming.

Have been watching the clubs from the Countries around us in the rankings. Not too bad of a night for us but we could do with someone making a league stage to maintain a EL spot.

[ger121]

Floriana 1 up against Ballkani.

Edit: And now 1-1

Nordie teams going well so far.

Larne done it again on penalties and Linfield won as well. Swifts into ET but down to 10 men.

[pineapple stu]

Larne through on penalties in Kosovo; great result for them. Santa Clara of Portugal next

Dungannon gone to extra time against Vaduz - winner gets to concede a shedload against Troy Parrott next

[ger121]

Not a good night for the Icemen so far. 2 sides out but Vikingur have managed to get it back to 4-4 on agg with ET looming.

Have been watching the clubs from the Countries around us in the rankings. Not too bad of a night for us but we could do with someone making a league stage to maintain a EL spot.

Vikingur now 5-4 up on agg against I think Sligo’s old match fixing friends from Albania.

[ger121]

Larne through on penalties in Kosovo; great result for them. Santa Clara of Portugal next

Dungannon gone to extra time against Vaduz - winner gets to concede a shedload against Troy Parrott next

2 nil Vaduz, A long way back now for 10 man Dungannon.

[holidaysong]

It's an underwhelming week to only get 0.250 points.

In the next round, my prediction would be:

- St. Pat's: lose both legs (Optimistic view: possibly scrape a home draw)
- Shelbourne: lose the tie but get a draw at home in the 2nd leg (Optimistic view: win at home in the the 2nd leg)
- Shamrock Rovers: a win and a draw (Optimistic view: two wins)

[outspoken]

Admittedly knowing little enough about the womens game, I was surprised by the scoreline being so emphatic. I know Cardiff's woment dont play in the Englsh system but the club is still a damn big club so you'd think they'd be prepared better, especially on the most basic of things like general fitness. Seems a bit of old Irish League style prep for Europe, though I didnt hear of a manager being off on holidays. I'm presuming the Croats will be a good step up. It is something of a milestone when a senior LoI clubs outstanding performances and largest support is the womens senior team!

I think the fact the LOI is so competitive is helping Athlone, they've won 10 of 13 league games yet are only 3 points ahead of Shelbourne. Cardiff won the treble and the double in the last two seasons, some right hammerings handed out a long the way.

Cardiff seemed to have a lot of younger players, plenty of them underage internationals, whereas Athlone obviously have plenty of American influence.

Doing notes on the Croatian team this evening, they have senior Croatian and Montenegro internationals by the bucket load, I'd imagine it will be a big step up.

[holidaysong]

I know that Derry City women's team play in the IFA league, but it seems quite odd to have different teams playing in different associations. I'm surprised that UEFA didn't have some issue with this regarding the Welsh women's teams.

[ger121]

Doing notes on the Croatian team this evening, they have senior Croatian and Montenegro internationals by the bucket load, I'd imagine it will be a big step up.

I watched extended highlights of their game and even before they went down to 10 and then 9, they were fairly limited up front. Dinamo Zagreb they are not. Ludogorets were also no great shakes it must be said. Don’t see them making the CL League stage.

I actually thought Qarabag were a better quality side than either of the 2 teams. Maybe not so much of a step up, but a bit more of the same type of opposition, though not as clinical. I’d say it is a 70/30 tie and maybe Shels can make it interesting.

[yurt]

Two really bad games to watch there today. Was supremely confident of two wins after seeing the opposition a week ago but what's important is qualification and the money that comes with it.

Rovers will be delighted it's Larne in the next round. They'll be odds on to reach the playoff round and the draw Monday will be very interesting. There are only a handful of teams from smaller leagues but there's a lot of potential opponents that Rovers will fancy giving a rattle to reach the groups proper.

Can Shels play Winfield again in the conference league playoff? They're in opposite sides on Mondays draw again

[TVFBLOCKF]

Two really bad games to watch there today. Was supremely confident of two wins after seeing the opposition a week ago but what's important is qualification and the money that comes with it.

Rovers will be delighted it's Larne in the next round. They'll be odds on to reach the playoff round and the draw Monday will be very interesting. There are only a handful of teams from smaller leagues but there's a lot of potential opponents that Rovers will fancy giving a rattle to reach the groups proper.

Can Shels play Winfield again in the conference league playoff? They're in opposite sides on Mondays draw again

Larne? They're playing Ballkani of Kosovo in the next round. Larne are playing Santa Clara.

[EatYerGreens]

I know that Derry City women's team play in the IFA league, but it seems quite odd to have different teams playing in different associations. I'm surprised that UEFA didn't have some issue with this regarding the Welsh women's teams.

Why would they? Women's leagues are completely separate from men's leagues anyway. And they rarely contain exactly the same teams either (e.g. Peamount, DLR). So what does it matter in amongst all of that if a female team plays in Wales whilst the men's team at the same club doesn't? Everton have just sold their women's team, so their different gender sides play under the same name but have different owners & different stadia in different leagues. The only thing they have in common now is the branding. It's like Tayto both sides of the border here.

[yurt]

Larne? They're playing Ballkani of Kosovo in the next round. Larne are playing Santa Clara.

Whoops, I don't know how I got that so arseways.

I heard them saying on commentary that Larne won on pens in Kosovo and someone got my fixtures all mixed up.

[D24Saint]

Pats got there in the end but by god they made hard work of it.

We played just awful. This season has showed how vital the conference league is for LOI team to progress. The only good part of that game was the one litre beers.

[BigEars]

Whoops, I don't know how I got that so arseways.

I heard them saying on commentary that Larne won on pens in Kosovo and someone got my fixtures all mixed up.

Maybe the fact Shams would have been playing Northern opposition (Cliftonville) in the previous round had they got over St. Joseph's.

You would expect Besiktas to have far too much for Pat's (especially in current form as opposed to last year's), however both Shels and Shams have a shot at the Conference League Group stages.
A kind draw will be important in the playoffs round should they both get there.

[cláirseach]

Why would they? Women's leagues are completely separate from men's leagues anyway. And they rarely contain exactly the same teams either (e.g. Peamount, DLR). So what does it matter in amongst all of that if a female team plays in Wales whilst the men's team at the same club doesn't? Everton have just sold their women's team, so their different gender sides play under the same name but have different owners & different stadia in different leagues. The only thing they have in common now is the branding. It's like Tayto both sides of the border here.

Or indeed like Waterford.

[Buckett]

What's wrong with the Tayto in Waterford?

[pateen]

Any highlights from Pat's game last night?

[outspoken]

I watched extended highlights of their game and even before they went down to 10 and then 9, they were fairly limited up front. Dinamo Zagreb they are not. Ludogorets were also no great shakes it must be said. Don’t see them making the CL League stage.

I actually thought Qarabag were a better quality side than either of the 2 teams. Maybe not so much of a step up, but a bit more of the same type of opposition, though not as clinical. I’d say it is a 70/30 tie and maybe Shels can make it interesting.

I was talking about the athlone women's game on saturday lol

[EatYerGreens]

What's wrong with the Tayto in Waterford?

They only have Taaaayto there.

[pineapple stu]

Any highlights from Pat's game last night?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY-FJHhL5z4

Here you go

[WoodquayBoy]

Why would they? Women's leagues are completely separate from men's leagues anyway. And they rarely contain exactly the same teams either (e.g. Peamount, DLR).

I’m probably very very wrong, but always thought/presumed/assumed that DLR Waves were UCD-light, basically the UCD women’s team?