Games Weekend of Friday 22nd of Sep to Mon 25th

Drogheda United v Bohemian FC
Sligo Rovers V Derry City
UCD V Shamrock Rovers
St Patricks Athletic V Dundalk

Monday
Dundalk v Cork City
St Patricks Athletic v Drogheda United
Bohemian FC v Shelbourne.


Highly ulikely but to keep the slim chance of European qualification alive Dundalk need to win 6 points. Sligo could be pushed closer to trouble but cork need to capitalise in a game Dundalk also must win. Rovers should have max points so Derry need to stick to the form guide and beat Sligo. Bohs, Pats and Shels we want to drop points so Drogheda I hope will be ruthless in form. Will never happen but thats the ****ty situation we find ourselves in due to this late mid season drop in form and hoping for miracles.

Rovers have a fantastic record against UCD a d hopefully will continue on that vain. Can sligo in the Derby take anything off Derry? Doubtful.
Massive game on Monday between bohs and shels especially so if bohs drop points on Friday in drogheda...can duffer guide little old shels into Europe.....

We've really not been playing well since about June yet have (largely) been picking up results, it feels like something has to give either in terms of putting some performances together or our luck catching up to us. Hopefully it's the former as 3rd-6th looks like it could almost be anyone's game and we finish the season playing away to Bohs and Derry and home to Rovers, so could really do with a bit of breathing space before going into those. Fortunately for us Dundalk at home is the kindest tie you can have in this chunk of the table with how they've been going so have to make the most of that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jack B

We've really not been playing well since about June yet have (largely) been picking up results, it feels like something has to give either in terms of putting some performances together or our luck catching up to us. Hopefully it's the former as 3rd-6th looks like it could almost be anyone's game and we finish the season playing away to Bohs and Derry and home to Rovers, so could really do with a bit of breathing space before going into those. Fortunately for us Dundalk at home is the kindest tie you can have in this chunk of the table with how they've been going so have to make the most of that.

---

I agree with all of this. Since battering Derry 4-1 in early June, Pats have played 14 games and arguably only played well in a 7-0 win over UCD and a 2-0 win away to Sligo, the other 12 performances were poor, but the results in that time don’t reflect the performances with 7 wins, 3 draws, 4 losses (2 of those being in Europe). As you say, that trend of poor performances but picking up results surely won’t continue till the end of the season so fingers crossed the performances improve

Shels v Cork also on Friday

But in Division 1 the First National Silverware can be claimed (Cobh and Bohs have won their respective Provincial Senior Cups)

Friday

Cobh v Finn Harps
Kerry v Galway United
Longford v Waterford
Treaty v Athlone
Wexford v Bray

Monday

Galway United v Finn Harps
Wexford v Longford



Galway United will clinch the Division 1 title by getting at least a point in Kerry, or Waterford failing to beat Longford. If we lose and Waterford win we can still claim the title on Monday by getting a point at home against Harps.


Wexford have a couple of huge home matches which could all but clinch the playoffs if the beat Bray and Longford who are 7th and 6th respectively. Treaty's chances of 5th are probably gone but a win against Athlone and Wexford stumbling over the weekend would maybe give them a tiny squeak.

Harps season has been pretty much as bad as it could have been, apart from reaching a cup QF, and this weekend's fixtures are horrible for them - a long trip to the "form team" Cobh and then a trip to Galway. If we've won the League in Kerry maybe they'll catch us hungover and/or with a lot of academy players in the team - but we have a 100% home record we'll want to hold onto.

Its Xmas football morning for us Galway United fans
Is this the day we leave the football graveyard and confirm our first trophy in 26 years and return to the promised land in the Kingdom ??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Guitd

Its Xmas football morning for us Galway United fans
Is this the day we leave the football graveyard and confirm our first trophy in 26 years and return to the promised land in the Kingdom ??

---

Delighted for the way the timing has worked out for Galway. Whether it be tonight or next week, it's coming. It should happen tonight really though.

When you win the league by procession it's great and all but because it's inevitable it can lack that kind of amazing moment feel. By getting that result against Dundalk in the cup in and around the same time as confirming the league and having LOI fans/podcasts/forums focusing so much on Galway for the last week it feels like a procession that's culminated in that big moment. I'm sure Galway fans have been buzzing all week.

Congrats, enjoy. Hope the players relax after they confirm it and go on the beer for the rest of the year... for my own selfish reasons.

The Tralee-Killarney road has been closed for scheduled works until the 30th - won't affect travelling Galway fans, obviously, but Kerry fans arriving from East and South Kerry will want to make allowances this evening.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bohsmug

When you win the league by procession it's great and all but because it's inevitable it can lack that kind of amazing moment feel. By getting that result against Dundalk in the cup in and around the same time as confirming the league and having LOI fans/podcasts/forums focusing so much on Galway for the last week it feels like a procession that's culminated in that big moment. I'm sure Galway fans have been buzzing all week

---

Ordinarily yes, but the fact we haven’t won anything in 26 years means this one means a lot. It will end the longest wait of any club for silverware and added to the win and performance last week - it wasn’t all down to Dundalk being absolute pants - it could turn out to be a very special week

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WoodquayBoy

Ordinarily yes, but the fact we haven’t won anything in 26 years means this one means a lot. It will end the longest wait of any club for silverware and added to the win and performance last week - it wasn’t all down to Dundalk being absolute pants - it could turn out to be a very special week

---

True and I'm probably projecting but from the outside I'm glad for Galway that the finishing line looks to be coinciding with a moment where they genuinely are getting a lot of focus from general LOI circles. Maybe that doesn't matter all that much when you're on the inside and you've been waiting a long time. Next year and in the cup semi we're competitors but for now I'm getting 2nd hand enjoyment from the whole thing :-D
Best of luck tonight.

Also 'mon Bohs, into them from the start tonight etc

Yeah it does have a bit of a ‘stars aligning’ feel to it, and it’s nice to be in the news for the right reasons for a change

Not 8 minutes on the clock before Brian Kerr mentions the Oriel Park pitch, when we get rid of it eventually we should send him a piece of it he loves it that much.

Interesting changes made by O'Donnell, 4 at the back including Sloggett, switching Kelly to the opposite wing + a few other tweaks for the most tweaked side in the league. In fairness it seems a bit more balanced and composed albeit early in the game. Maybe Benson with some minutes under the belt adds that bit of composure.

Aouachria gives Galway the lead, unsurprisingly as they've pretty much owned the ball all game.

Sheppard poor for Pats goal there.....

Jesus these ucd commentators saying its not a disaster for Rovers not to win if derry don't........funking shambles. We need to win at some stage the rest of the division will step up

Big last few minutes at both ends of the table. Sligo hang on and Cork dont nick one is a big point for Sligo. Rovers could get one foot over the line or could be a hell of a run in if Derry score.

*Rovers with a foot and a bit over the line now, huge for Sligo, Derry doing their best to make it easy for Rovers.

Shambles, absolute disgrace by Rovers tonight.
We are a shadow of the team over the last couple of years.
Please God we hang on and win this league but this is the last year, we wont get away with this again

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Big last few minutes at both ends of the table. Sligo hang on and Cork dont nick one is a big point for Sligo. Rovers could get one foot over the line or could be a hell of a run in if Derry score.

*Rovers with a foot and a bit over the line now, huge for Sligo, Derry doing their best to make it easy for Rovers.

---

If Pats win their game in hand against Drogs on Monday then only 3 points off Rovers …. Next up for us is Shels followed by Drogs both of whom we’ve failed to beat this season…. So league wide open …. As for tonight utter disgrace by Rovers as they huffed and puffed and failed abysmally…. Hopefully Hoare and Burt won’t be let on the pitch again this season and then shown the door

Dreadful results for Derry and Rovers....
Massive result for Shels and they're well in the mix for Europe.
First Division pretty much done and dusted in terms of Play offs
Harps absolutely shocking once again.....
And finally congratulations to Galway on their promotion...

Pat’s well in the title race now. Derry look done. Rovers proving procession football is dead. We need to beats Shels Monday. PO for Cork.