Big weekend

[micls]

Im sure Sky would think of a better name for it but anyway this weekend is huge imo.

So lets get a bit of Buzz going.

How do you think the games will go and will it have much impact on the league?

At the top end:

City vs Drogs
I think it'l be the usual 0-0 with Doolin having them sitting back. Given te result against Bohs Drogs cant afford to lose. City are playing recently but havnt really had any big challenge(Galway Harps etc). This will be a big test of whether our new formation will actually work against the bigger teams and if we'l be able to break them down

Pats vs Rovers
Rovers are in very poor form but I think they will be well up for this one. They need a result to get back on track and I'd say Scully will expect much better. Another loss could see them slipping towards the bottom half battle.
Pats have been getting very good results but showed that they are vulnerable against Derry. They also have injury problems which can only help Rovers.

I think it'l be a draw.

Bohs vs Derry
Bohs played well against Drogs and Derry have played poorly the last 2 games. However Bohs home form hasn't been great. Very hard one to call, depends which Bohs and Derry teams turn up.

Huge games in the bottom half too, in fact I think those games are actually more important in the context of the overall league.

Cobhs good home form should give them confidence. They'l expect a result but UCD have yet to be beaten easily by any team this season

Id fancy an on form Sligo against a very leaky Harps defense. But Harps have everything to play for. They know they need to start turning it around.

New manager syndrome might give Galway a boost against Bray but given Brays form they have to be very confident of winning.

[GavinZac]

i wonder what odds you'd get on a 1-0 victory for every home team? that'd be my prediction anyway

p.s. feel free to drag this post up repeatedly if it happens and I havent put anything down.

[atfconline]

A tenner stake returns over €2,500!

[Billy-Green]

Rovers are at home, Tolka @ 7 bells


i wonder what odds you'd get on a 1-0 victory for every home team? that'd be my prediction anyway.
Is that what your prediction is on?

[inchicore_saint]

Pats will still be top after the weekend :D

[superfrank]

Shels vs. Waterford will also be big too. Waterford win they're five points ahead of Shels and the top two could begin to pull away. Shels win and they're sandwiched between Dundalk and Waterford.

Galway vs. Bray is a big one as well. New manager, poor team, need to get some points but Bray are favourites and are more than capable of bottling it when favourites. Bray win, we're pulling away from the bottom few and with Cobh at home next week we could go on a bit of a run. Galway win, it's going to be a bigger relegation struggle.

[holidaysong]

Galway vs. Bray is a big one as well. New manager, poor team, need to get some points but Bray are favourites and are more than capable of bottling it when favourites. Bray win, we're pulling away from the bottom few and with Cobh at home next week we could go on a bit of a run. Galway win, it's going to be a bigger relegation struggle.

Not with the bookies, they're not. Galway 13/10, Bray a tasty 9/5.

[GavinZac]

Rovers are at home, Tolka @ 7 bells


Is that what your prediction is on?

no, from the way she wrote it out i thought pats were at home.

[Réiteoir]

Im sure Sky would think of a better name for it but anyway this weekend is huge imo.

Fantabulous Friday?

[micls]

Fantabulous Friday?

Possibly but the Pats Rovers game is on Sunday......

[Block G Raptor]

Possibly but the Pats Rovers game is on Sunday......

Fantabulous Friday 2.1

[CharlesThompson]

Cork vs Drogs
I really thought that Drogheda were poor against us last week and that we should have been easily 2 goals up before they equalised. On the basis of that and the fact that their form in general has been patchy, I would think that City should be good enough at home to win this.

City seem to have turned a corner and there quality is there for all to see. With Mooney scoring goals, O'Flynn & O'Callaghan off the mark they will certainly be confident.

On the other hand, Doolin being under serious pressure (did you hear his interview on MNS? - "Well with us being champions it was always expected that we'd have a slow start" WTF!!!?) I can see him sending his side out to upset Cork with variety of violent tactics. Will Cork be up for it when the going inevitably gets tough?

Pats vs Filth
Taking away my obvious dislike for Rovers for a second - I honestly believe that Pat Scullys constant schoolmaster tactics in the Rovers dressing room (:eek:) is winding the more senior players up the wrong way and that he is in serious trouble if he loses their faith. They didn't play well against Bohs, were beaten by Cobh and were lucky to get a point to UCD last Friday considering the chances that UCD had to win the game, notwithstanding Rovers missed peno.

Pats on the other hand are top of the league but it seems can blow hot and cold (see Derry City and UCD in the league Cup). Have to say I'd like to see this match end in an entertaining draw, however my head says that Pats will have too much at home for the hoops.

Bohs vs Derry
Bohs will certainly be bouyed by the win away to Drogs last weekend, but twice this season we have followed up good away wins with poor home displays against Pats and Bray. Derry have also had some issues in front of goal recently so I think that this could possibly be a very tight affair.

Under Kenny though Derry seem to have regained a bit of belief and Kenny does like his sides to play an expansive game of football. With the Bohs faithful looking for more on a ball playing front, especially at home, Fenlon will be under pressure to win this one, but more so by letting our players play a bit.

It's going to be tight and so I would expect that this one will end up being a low scoring draw.
__________________________________________________ _____________

No matter what happens, this is going to be a good weekend to throw a few markers down between these sides. I think that more than recently, this is going to be a season where a lot of sides are going to still be in the reckoning for league honours right up till October. With this in mind then it will be the results against the top sides that will be huge in deciding the title this year.

Pats have beaten Bohs. Bohs have beaten Drogs. Derry have beaten Pats.

Also some of the teams fighting against a three team relegation spot have done reasonably well against the top/middle ranked sides.

UCD drawing with Rovers. Cobh beating Rovers. Bray drawing with Bohs. Sligo drawing with Derry. Rovers beating Drogheda.

It's going to be very interesting.

[Sheridan]

I wouldn't be surprised if the three big games produce fewer than three goals between them. I reckon Cork will put at least one chance away against Drogheda (the later they score the better, as Drogs aren't good at chasing deficits or altering their tactics.) 1-0 to Cork I reckon.

Pat's vs. Shamrock Rovers; don't see any prospect of an away win here, but I fancy Rovers to nick a scabby draw as the period when they seem to wake up coincides with the period when Pat's inevitably fall asleep (last ten minutes.) 1-1.

Bohs vs. Derry - have a strange feeling Bohs will bottle this one with Derry scoring on the break. 0-1.

[superfrank]

Not with the bookies, they're not. Galway 13/10, Bray a tasty 9/5.
Bray are unbeaten in three games. Galway only have one point. We won the last time in Terryland. Think that'd make us favourites.

[MariborKev]

Bohs vs. Derry - have a strange feeling Bohs will bottle this one with Derry scoring on the break. 0-1.


Big game for the City support. Chance to show our appreciation to Fenlon:rolleyes:

[pete]

Wonderful Weekend *tm

Some great games this weekend & some more over the next few weeks. between the top 6.

The good thing is that this set of fixtures is also scheduled for 4th last weekend of the season which should go long way towards deciding the teams involved in the title race.

[ramsfan]

areal six pointer in st colmans park, premier league is defo the place to be, every game is a cup final:D

[4 in a row]

Rovers are at home on sunday... not pats

[Redie]

Originally Posted by CharlesThompson

Sligo drawing with Derry.

Sorry but you won't be given much credit for 'predicting' the result of a match played two weeks ago.

[Sheridan]

Read it again, he wasn't "predicting" anything.

Can we have an Antipost of the Month award for this kind of occurrence?

[thischarmingman]

Sorry but you won't be given much credit for 'predicting' the result of a match played two weeks ago.
Oh dear.

[Raheny Red]

i wonder what odds you'd get on a 1-0 victory for every home team? that'd be my prediction anyway



I reckon three draws myself.

[sligored]

all this talk of a top six bottom six divide and there is a distinct possibility that the minnows of sligo rovers might creep into 5th place this weekend.

considering that rovers finished top six last season also, people on here might have to reconsider this division

after saying that it would be my luck to f**k up and lose to harps

[Redie]

Apologies CharlesThompson.
Just found a spare hour to read your full post as opposed to just picking out Sligo Rovers and the three or four words either side and jumping to conclusions!
I'll try to do better in the future.

[CharlesThompson]

all this talk of a top six bottom six divide and there is a distinct possibility that the minnows of sligo rovers might creep into 5th place this weekend.

considering that rovers finished top six last season also, people on here might have to reconsider this division

after saying that it would be my luck to f**k up and lose to harps

I actually don't think that the season is going to be as simple as a top 6, bottom 6 divide. For the most part I think the divide will be the top 5 (Bohs, Cork, Derry, Drogheda, St. Pats), then a middle section (Rovers, Sligo, possibly with Bray and UCD) with a crossover with the bottom section (Galway, Cobh and Harps).

[pete]

I reckon three draws myself.

Some good odds on draws this week. E1 on 6 draws returns E916 :cool:

[CameramanConka]

Some good odds on draws this week. E1 returns E916 :cool:


How many draws are ye doing? :eek:

[pete]

How many draws are ye doing? :eek:

6 :D (edited above)

[reder]

Ok ppl, I am going to venture to a game this weekend. I live in the Dublin area so its between Bohs V Derry and Pats v Rovers. Which game should I go to? I am look for a good entertaining fixture, high tempo in particular mixed with good football.

[Sheridan]

Pat's vs. Rovers is your best bet, I would have thought. Probably a bigger crowd and a more open game.

[CharlesThompson]

Ok ppl, I am going to venture to a game this weekend. I live in the Dublin area so its between Bohs V Derry and Pats v Rovers. Which game should I go to? I am look for a good entertaining fixture, high tempo in particular mixed with good football.

You can go to both. Bohs match is on Friday and Pats match is on Sunday.

[holidaysong]

Ok ppl, I am going to venture to a game this weekend. I live in the Dublin area so its between Bohs V Derry and Pats v Rovers. Which game should I go to? I am look for a good entertaining fixture, high tempo in particular mixed with good football.

I'd pick Bohs-Derry. I'm going along as a neutral to that myself tomorrow night. You could always go to both of them, or watch the Rovers-Pat's game on the telly.

[onceahoop]

With Rovers, Derry and Drogheda not at their best you would naturally fancy Pat's Bohs and Cork. However every bad run comes to an end sometime. Can't fathom Doolin out. He doesn't seem to know what his best combo is up front. Then who usually gets the tactics wrong.

Three big game's and if all the teams play to their potential they could be crackers.

Don't think six draws is a reality.

[Candystripe]

Ok ppl, I am going to venture to a game this weekend. I live in the Dublin area so its between Bohs V Derry and Pats v Rovers. Which game should I go to? I am look for a good entertaining fixture, high tempo in particular mixed with good football.

Not just because I'm a Derry fan, but because atmosphere wise the Bohs V Derry game should be good.

If you do come along maybe take a seat in section B as you will hear the famous non-stop singing from the Derry fans. The drums might drive you mad but hey........the craic will be good.

If you like what you see take in the Rvrs V Pats game on sunday, although by that time I predict you'll be a Derry fan by then.

[GavinZac]

Ok ppl, I am going to venture to a game this weekend. I live in the Dublin area so its between Bohs V Derry and Pats v Rovers. Which game should I go to? I am look for a good entertaining fixture, high tempo in particular mixed with good football.

I'd go for Bohs-Derry. However, please just go to it, as a game of football. At best 50% of football games, regardless of the level they are played at and especially early in the season, are good entertaining fixtures. As a Liverpool fan, I'm sure you find most of their games exciting; however, that is because you have an emotional attachment, every offside decision or throw taken 5 yards too far forward has a bearing on something you care about. For whatever reason, you wont have that attachment to either side.

If it turns out to be a bit of a bore, please don't come crowing about being proven right or how your new found insight has granted you the ability to define exactly what is wrong with irish football. I'm not saying this to be mean, and I'm not saying this to be elitist, and I'm not saying this as a pre-emptive strike so you'll think better of the league if it does turn out to be a poor game. I'm saying this because I want you to enjoy the game for what it is; one game between two clubs.

It doesn't matter what league or level or standard you think it is, those don't come into play once the whistle goes. Each team has their weaknesses and their strengths, each team will have different tactics and ploys. Try to immerse yourself in them, as you would be if you were taking your intimate knowledge of Liverpool FC to a game against a familiar foe. To the unfamiliar eye, any game of football is 22 lads chasing a ball up and down a field in a mostly uneventful manner. The beauty is in the detail.

[thischarmingman]

I'd go for Bohs-Derry. However, please just go to it, as a game of football. At best 50% of football games, regardless of the level they are played at and especially early in the season, are good entertaining fixtures. As a Liverpool fan, I'm sure you find most of their games exciting; however, that is because you have an emotional attachment, every offside decision or throw taken 5 yards too far forward has a bearing on something you care about. For whatever reason, you wont have that attachment to either side.

If it turns out to be a bit of a bore, please don't come crowing about being proven right or how your new found insight has granted you the ability to define exactly what is wrong with irish football. I'm not saying this to be mean, and I'm not saying this to be elitist, and I'm not saying this as a pre-emptive strike so you'll think better of the league if it does turn out to be a poor game. I'm saying this because I want you to enjoy the game for what it is; one game between two clubs.

It doesn't matter what league or level or standard you think it is, those don't come into play once the whistle goes. Each team has their weaknesses and their strengths, each team will have different tactics and ploys. Try to immerse yourself in them, as you would be if you were taking your intimate knowledge of Liverpool FC to a game against a familiar foe. To the unfamiliar eye, any game of football is 22 lads chasing a ball up and down a field in a mostly uneventful manner. The beauty is in the detail.

You Sir, are on good form today.

I think both games will be good ones. Bohs-Derry might be a little less open but in any case, a goal would open the whole thing out. Plus you have the Fenlon/Brennan/Oman subplots.

Big day for Finn Harps, 4 defeats on the trot and away to Drogheda next week means they really have to get something from Sligo at home this weekend. Sligo unbeaten in 4 and look like they're finding their feet. I think on paper Sligo should have too much for Hegarty's side but the fact that it is such a big game so early on, in Ballybofey means Finn Harps will might just be able to do enough. 1-0 and a nervous finish.

Far too early to rule Drogheda out of the title race, even if they lose tonight but a 4th defeat in 8 would leave them in trouble. Cork are looking ominously good woth a potent strike partnership, but even Finn Harps last week had good chances against them. Cork to win 2-0 or 2-1.

Galway haven't earned a point since March 15th, and on the back of 5 straight defeats look dead certs to lose against in form Bray. New manager factor notwithstanding, Bray should take the opportunity to play a probable relegation struggler at a time when they're at their most vulnerable. The two lowest scoring sides in the country won't be serving up a goalfest, but Bray should take advantage tonight and win.

UCD and Cobh could be a good game with a win for either side probably taking them out of the relegation zone. Both sides have had similar form of late but when yo consider that both are relegation rivals, the onus is on the home side to pick up the points here. A draw would be much better result for UCD.

Bohs-Derry could go either way. Kenny has a good record against Bohs and Derry will be up for it. Bohs coming off a great results last weekend and our defence is weak. Heart says 2-1 Derry, head says 2-0 Bohs.

[reder]

If it turns out to be a bit of a bore, please don't come crowing about being proven right or how your new found insight has granted you the ability to define exactly what is wrong with irish football. I'm not saying this to be mean, and I'm not saying this to be elitist, and I'm not saying this as a pre-emptive strike so you'll think better of the league if it does turn out to be a poor game. I'm saying this because I want you to enjoy the game for what it is; one game between two clubs.


I think you should look back on my previous forum posts. I went to the Cork v Shamrock Rovers game last season and only had one grip with the whole thing. That was a song sung by a small section of the rovers fans. I had nothing but admiration for every other aspect of the game. I have said it before umpteen times and I say it once more, I dont understand the apathy that people here have towards the league. I have no chip on shoulder in relation to it (fans, players etc) unlike the un-educated masses who travel to Liverpool.

I have decided to go to the game tonight, judging by the responses here. Presuming I can get a ticket from the ticket office or pay at the gate.

[micls]

I have decided to go to the game tonight, judging by the responses here. Presuming I can get a ticket from the ticket office or pay at the gate.

You wont have a problem getting a ticket.

[GavinZac]

I think you should look back on my previous forum posts. I went to the Cork v Shamrock Rovers game last season and only had one grip with the whole thing. That was a song sung by a small section of the rovers fans. I had nothing but admiration for every other aspect of the game. I have said it before umpteen times and I say it once more, I dont understand the apathy that people here have towards the league. I have no chip on shoulder in relation to it (fans, players etc) unlike the un-educated masses who travel to Liverpool.

I have decided to go to the game tonight, judging by the responses here. Presuming I can get a ticket from the ticket office or pay at the gate.
Good, well enjoy the game. Hopefully its a high scoring draw :D

[Billy-Green]

Pat's vs. Rovers is your best bet, I would have thought. Probably a bigger crowd and a more open game.

Ye i cant wait for this game. Please god it is nice and sunny so every one can get the jersey's out. Rovers are also giving out free scarfs :D on the day. Should be a great atmosphere

[CvilleRovers]

ive a feeling we will shock pats, god knows were due a performance
cork drogs and bohs derry could go anyway

[Candystripe]

I have decided to go to the game tonight, judging by the responses here. Presuming I can get a ticket from the ticket office or pay at the gate.

As a fellow Liverpool fan you should defo sit near us as most of our songs resemble what be's sang in the Kop.

If you come early enough and fancy a pre-match drink.ask any Derry fan for Sean from the Brandywellpride supprters club. I'll be in the long bar at the ground from just before 7.

Enjoy

[Billy-Green]

ive a feeling we will shock pats,

Your not the only one m8

[The Lilywhites]

Ok ppl, I am going to venture to a game this weekend. I live in the Dublin area so its between Bohs V Derry and Pats v Rovers. Which game should I go to? I am look for a good entertaining fixture, high tempo in particular mixed with good football.

Shels v Waterford :ball:

[reder]

Went to the game last night. Just made it in at ko, partly due to the silly ticket system. I fail to see the logic in getting you to pay at the turnstile and handing you an open seating ticket only to stop you 2 foot further on and tear it.

Anyway, the game. Firstly, all credit to the Derry fans. I was down that end of the stand and the were top notch unlike (incredible I thought) the Bohs fans who were uhmm, not good, as home fans go. Derry were the better side and well deserved their point if not more from the game. The header at the start of the game was a bad miss and the shot that hit the post in the 2nd half was a cracking strike. Derry were by far the better footballing side and played some really good passing football in the 2nd half.

All in all a very enjoyable game. Will definitely attend more games after last nights game. On a personal note, I was very disappointed to see the S*n/NOTW sponsored kids at half time. Certainly will be keeping my attendance a Bohs games to a min as a result.

Is sponsorship from the source the norm in the league? What clubs in Dublin would this happen at?

[pól-dcfc]

Went to the game last night. Just made it in at ko, partly due to the silly ticket system. I fail to see the logic in getting you to pay at the turnstile and handing you an open seating ticket only to stop you 2 foot further on and tear it.

Anyway, the game. Firstly, all credit to the Derry fans. I was down that end of the stand and the were top notch unlike (incredible I thought) the Bohs fans who were uhmm, not good, as home fans go. Derry were the better side and well deserved their point if not more from the game. The header at the start of the game was a bad miss and the shot that hit the post in the 2nd half was a cracking strike. Derry were by far the better footballing side and played some really good passing football in the 2nd half.

All in all a very enjoyable game. Will definitely attend more games after last nights game. On a personal note, I was very disappointed to see the S*n/NOTW sponsored kids at half time. Certainly will be keeping my attendance a Bohs games to a min as a result.

Is sponsorship from the source the norm in the league? What clubs in Dublin would this happen at?

At the end of the day, money is money. And it's needed in a cash-starved league, even if it is from the hands of Murdoch. Take all ye can get should be the motto when it comes to funding for LoI clubs at the moment.