Best players in the Setanta cup

[Steve Bruce]

What players is worth keeping an eye on in the Setanta cup?

Also which players do LOI fans most fear from the Irish League?

(work is slow, need something to read/talk about)

[nijboyle]

Peter Thompson

[OneRedArmy]

Peter ThompsonWe're in 2008 now....

[Risteard]

Just Thompson really although I like Mulgrew.
Cliftonville should be interesting.
Colin Healy and Jason Gavin are the best eL players although George O'Callaghan might be a new experience for yourselves.
Joey molested the football Gamble has nothing on him for irritating opposition.

[Steve Bruce]

We're in 2008 now....

We are indeed and he is still the best striker in Ireland;):D

[Steve Bruce]

Jamie Mulgrew is a good player, but Gault has been particularly good this season. He has been a colossus in midfield for Linfield. Definitely the best he has ever played for us. If he could carry his form through into the Setanta cup I think he could capture peoples notice even more so than Thompson.

I would also have a look out for our other striker Tommy Stewart. He is now playing in his proper position and he is arguably more naturally talented than Thompson. He scored a sublime goal on Saturday against Portadown (when I get home I’ll post the site that has the highlights of the game).

Connor Downey is another player from Linfield who could surprise a few. He is like a more consistent version of McCourt although admittantly probably not as talented.

These players would probably be the players I would single out as being the players that the League of Ireland teams need to watch. 2 of them are practically unknown quanititys(Downey & Stewart) and the other 2(Gault & Thompson) are better players now than they where last season.

In other teams Hamilton is the player to watch. Great all round player and knows where the back of the net is. If he had a better team around him, he would be twice the player.

McCallister of Dungannon Swifts is another striker, who turned down Glasgow Celtic last summer. He is a great player and could cause anyone problems. Unfortunately for him, he isn’t playing for one of the better teams so we might not see the best of him.

Cliftonville as a team are very good, I cannot single out any of their players because I do not see any one particular player as being outstanding. They are all just good together. I would say Parker or some other Reds men would be able to tell you better who the players are to watch.

[AustinoAsprilla]

Hamilton defo.

What about Conor Downey? I thought he played well the couple of times I've seen him but could be wrong.

Thought Aaron Callaghan looked promising as well. Guess we'll get to see him still, in the Setanta cup.

[ndrog]

What players is worth keeping an eye on in the Setanta cup?

Also which players do LOI fans most fear from the Irish League?

(work is slow, need something to read/talk about)

Players to keep an eye on ? I hope we keep an eye on Chris Lindsay if we meet linfield in this years competition .Id say hes the most feared player by Drogs fans after that tackle on Barrett .Thats 3 seasons in a row hes been stretchered off against Linfiled .OUCH !!!

[Krstic]

The best player to play against Derry would have been Paul McAreavey.

Reminds me of Paul Doolin.

[Flexy]

McAreavey and Thompson - Linfield, McCourt ( If Fit ) & Morrow ( when fit ) Derry, GAvin and Gartland - Drogs, Hamilton Glentoran, Healy and Gamble Cork, Pats Ndo and Quigley

[Sniffer]

Conor Downey is a class player - will DJ let him into central midfield ahead of McAreavey though, he's wasted out on the right. Michael Gault is an excellent player.

[Risteard]

Not too far wrong.
Throw in Keith Fahy and John O'Flynn

[LeviathanNI]

Conor Downey is a brilliant player just coming back from injury, so a lot of you won't have seen him play. Peter Thompson and Tommy Stewart are gelling into a brilliant front two, and with the likes of Gaulty etc playing brilliantly.. we are confident (as usual).

Having said that, the draw itself was a bit of a boot in the ******, and apart from playing St Pats, I can't honestly say that any games have me excited.

[Jerry The Saint]

apart from playing St Pats, I can't honestly say that any games have me excited.

Don't worry, this opinion is shared by most LOI fans.

[SolitudeRed]

Eddie Patterson seems to be good at getting the best out the players and the whole team seems to be playing well at the moment so its hard to single players out. but midfielder George McMullan has been playing well of late and he got the IPL player of the month for December. Ronan Scanell in defence has played well so far this season, Oh and Kieran O'Connor hes our top scorer so far this season. Also our keeper John Connolly has been pretty solid as well, I think he played for Dundalk and a few other EL teams before moving to the IL so some of you might know of him already.

[Graemerz]

Conor Downey

[ifk101]

Mark Quigley at Pat's is a player to look out for. IMO.

[Hibs4Ever]

Mark Quigley at Pat's is a player to look out for. IMO.



yep, him and Keith Fahey for definite

[Lux Interior]

After Hamilton ran Linfield's defence ragged on Boxing Day, he has been heavily shackled by opposing defences (usually two cloggers follow him all over the park). Unfortunately, our other striker - Halliday - doesn't have the necessary oomph to carry the front line (whilst Hamilton is straight-jacketed) and as we've released every other striker we have this month, we're decidedly lightweight up front (Glen Fitzpatrick WON'T be coming).

We've signed the lad McCabe from Dungannon. Ex-Fermanagh GAA and is therefore supremely fit and not a bad passer of the ball either. Elsewhere Sean Ward - now in his proper position of centre-back - has been superb. Young, extremely quick, if he could work on his distribution, he'll be a helluva player.

We've brought U21 international Daryl Fordyce back from England but other than that, same old, same old and probably another season of serious underachievement in this competition.

We still have Willo McDonagh, relieving the club weekly of a serious amount of sterling ..... still he's always good for a winner versus jester city.

[Dodge]

Colin Healy and Jason Gavin are the best eL players

Healy wouldn't get a game for Pats, and Gavin isn't even the best centre half at his club

[cheifo]

I have heard McCabe is an exciting player.I really hope this competition captures the football publics imagination this year.Both leagues need it to work IMO.

[Risteard]

Red-tinted glasses there Dodge.
As for Gartland I think Gavin has been the making of him.

[Dodge]

Red-tinted glasses there Dodge.

Unlike your pure, unbiased opinion.

I'd have Ndo, Fahey and Gibson all ahead of Healy.

[Risteard]

I'd start Fahey in any team, didn't even know Gibson was a midfielder :eek: so I'll have to suss him out.
I'd expect Healy to really impress next season especially if he has George or Mooney to work with.
It was a bit frustrating last year to see our two most gifted players as defensive midfielders with little opening up ahead of them, especially after ROD left.