Robbie Martin gone to Longford

[The Pie Man]

full details on www.longfordtownfc.com

any thoughts ???

[pineapple stu]

Arse. We've lost far too many forwards. That said, last season wasn't Robibe's best by any distance - five goals in the league, of which four were penalties. Good player, but I don't think he was ever the same after injuries. Think this move was coming for a long time though - heard rumblings even before it was mentioned on the board here. Hopefully this means Andy Myler will be coming back though!

[CollegeTillIDie]

Andy Myler would be a most welcome addition to the ranks... hope it's true.


Stephen Cashin , Liam Tiernan and Darren O'Brien II have all signed for Kilkenny City as well as an Under 21 Centre-half whose name I forget.

[John83]

In the Montrose after the last game of the season:

Me: So Robbie, who's leaving?
Robbie J Martin: Well, not me for a start.

[thegit]

i don't think Martin is a centre forward anyway anytime i've seen him play he was better as a left winger....

[max power]

thats fine we need a left winger.

[Roo69]

Are you's worried about the new season ? Lost a lot of quality and not really replaced it...... how do ya think ya will do ?

[Schumi]

I think we're reasonably OK other than up front. We really need another experienced striker though.

[pineapple stu]

Lost a lot of quality and not really replaced it

Not really... (Cue ear-bashings from some players for me now!!) We've lost...

Anto Murphy (St Pat's)
Aidan Lynch
Neil Gallagher* (both Dundalk)
Liam Tiernan (released)
Brian Gannon (Monaghan United)
Mick O'Donnell (Dublin City)
Willie Doyle (Shamrock Rovers)
Damien Dupuy (Switzerland)
Robbie Martin (Longford)
Séamus Long* (Rovers)

So of that - Aidan Lynch only played about ten games last year before going out on loan again. A good player, I still think, but seeing as he didn't feature much last season, his loss won't hit us much. Gally only played League Cup - I would hope if (when) Darren Quigley goes to England, we can get Gally back. Would be a more than adequate replacement. Liam Tiernan's an U-21 with only one or two games, ditto Séamus Long. Damo and Willie Doyle scored one goal from 35 games between them up front last year, while Robbie Martin only scored two league goals that weren't penalties.

Anto Murphy is a bit of a loss, but again only scored three goals or something last season. Newguy and Micko are disappointing, can't argue with that, but we've signed Darragh Ryan and Alan Cawley, who should be adequate replacements. If Gary Dicker goes, we have Stephen Hurley and Ronan Finn to step up.

We've kept all our best players - Quigley, McNally, Kenna, Al Mahon, Tony Mac, Podge (!), etc.

Our first XI is still quite good -
Quigley
Mahon
Ryan/McEniff
Kenna
McNally
McDonnell
Dicker
Hurley
Cawley
Podge
Paul Byrne

With on the bench - Hussey, Ryan/McEniff, Shortall, Finn, Conan Byrne.

Add in players from our U-21 winning team - Kelly, Brophy, Last, Matthews, etc. - and the squad is comparable to last year, maybe a bit weaker in depth. And the general feeling is we underachieved last year. Given how poor Waterford, Pat's and Dublin City are/were for a start, we should be OK this year again.

[Poor Student]

Are you's worried about the new season ? Lost a lot of quality and not really replaced it...... how do ya think ya will do ?

Yes and no. I'm particularly disappointed in losing Martin, Anto Murphy, Dupuy and Gannon and I agree they haven't really been replaced but that's the UCD way isn't it? You hope that more good kids will be produced by the squad. We have kept the nucleus of our team so I hope we can stay injury/suspension free.

Ronon Finn is my one to watch this year. Sadly last year's one in Paul Byrne had an injury hit season.

Pineapple, you're putting Paul Byrne in your starting lineup, do you know for a fact he's fit and still around?

[pineapple stu]

Pineapple, you're putting Paul Byrne in your starting lineup, do you know for a fact he's fit and still around?

thegit noted on another thread that he's still around and is about a month from full fitness. He seems to be in the know, so I'm happy to go with that. Though Robbie Mac was also a month from full fitness several times...

[Poor Student]

Ah, didn't see that. Glad to hear.

[CollegeTillIDie]

In the Montrose after the last game of the season:

Me: So Robbie, who's leaving?
Robbie J Martin: Well, not me for a start.

Maybe he didn't leave voluntarily!

[De Town]

With on the bench - Hussey.

As in Jimmy Hussey?

[CollegeTillIDie]

Yes Jimmy played in our first pre-season friendly V Monaghan