Pre Season 2014

Derry beat Cliftonville 2-0 yesterday afternoon at solitude. Cliff Byrne and Rory Patterson with the goals. Thoroughly deserved, if not for their keeper could've been four or five.

Enda Curran and Mark Stewart started up front, they were useful enough although Curran was getting frustrated by a few misplaced passes and missed controlled touches. Aaron Barry and Cliff Byrne at the back looked steady.

Shane McEleney has started pre-season on the left wing (Roddy and his zany ideas) and was popping up on the right on occasion too. Bizarre.

Patrick McEleney was outstanding, best player on the pitch by a distance. Hope is Roddy is easing him into becoming the main man, he's certainly got the ability.

David Elebert is currently on trial and came on at HT to play right back. Can't see him signing though, with Byrne, Barry, McBride and McEleney we're well stocked for centre halves. Wing backs and wingers please.

Bluebell 1 - 2 Pats FT

Did Fahey play a half for each side?

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Originally Posted by legendz

Is there any appetite within clubs for a shorter off season? I suppose those giving players contracts for 42 weeks or so prefer it. I always think the weekend in February where there's no 6 nations games after the first two weekends is the ideal weekend to start.

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Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Always thought that myself. The off-season is far too long in the League of Ireland.

The problem is, the Premier Division could comfortably run from February - November with a mid season break, but the First Division would still only work from March - Oct with the lack of teams.

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Back on this topic again, with no 6 nations next weekend, it'd be ideal for the start of the LoI season. An extra few weekends of action in place of some midweek games. This off season drags on far too long.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Did Fahey play a half for each side?

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No, he played the first half, pats played a completely different team in the second half. Also played Akpua on trial in the first half. Don't know anything about him!

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Originally Posted by legendz

Back on this topic again, with no 6 nations next weekend, it'd be ideal for the start of the LoI season. An extra few weekends of action in place of some midweek games. This off season drags on far too long.

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Yeah but it's apparent that a subset of the clubs don't want it because their crowds don't justify weekend games in place of midweek games.

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Originally Posted by Fester

No, he played the first half, pats played a completely different team in the second half. Also played Akpua on trial in the first half. Don't know anything about him!

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Haha, I wasn't being serious. Buckley seems to be managing the squad and Fahey pretty well so far, although I'd suspect Fahey is closer to match fitness than anybody else. If he is anything like the player he was at Birmingham, he will be the best player in the league by far.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Haha, I wasn't being serious. Buckley seems to be managing the squad and Fahey pretty well so far, although I'd suspect Fahey is closer to match fitness than anybody else. If he is anything like the player he was at Birmingham, he will be the best player in the league by far.

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It was a good run out. Pats had most of the ball for the whole game, Fahey didn't particularly stand out but he's is only coming back from injury. Lee Lynch was impressive and Brennan a nice touch of class when he came at half time

Cork City had a couple of friendlies against the Kerry District League on Friday night & Sat afternoon.
Friday nights game in Tralee was abandoned after about an hour because of the weather with City leading 2-0.
On Saturday afternoon in Killarney, City won easily 6-2.
The Kerry lads tried hard but there was a noticeable difference in class between the two sides.
City used all their squad on Saturday with virtually a different team in each half.
All the players showed a good level of fitness apart from Elding who looks like he needs to shed his winter coat :) I'm sure John Caulfied will sort him out quickly.

In passing I must mention the fine complex Killarney Celtic have down there.
They had everything well organised.
We even got tea, sandwiches & cake in the club house at half time.
So much so that yours truly missed the start of the second half :o
Well done to everyone down in Kerry.

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Originally Posted by PartySaint

It was a good run out. Pats had most of the ball for the whole game, Fahey didn't particularly stand out but he's is only coming back from injury. Lee Lynch was impressive and Brennan a nice touch of class when he came at half time

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In fairness he can be very impressive. What you might find is that in competitive games when the physicality comes into the game ... he goes out of it. If he was stronger and willing to tackle more he'd be a gem of a CM.

hey disgruntled - did kerry have lads who could step up to the league?

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Originally Posted by disgruntled

We even got tea, sandwiches & cake in the club house at half time.
So much so that yours truly missed the start of the second half :o
Well done to everyone down in Kerry.

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Prawn Sandwich brigade :mad:

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Originally Posted by disgruntled

Cork City had a couple of friendlies against the Kerry District League on Friday night & Sat afternoon.
Friday nights game in Tralee was abandoned after about an hour because of the weather with City leading 2-0.
On Saturday afternoon in Killarney, City won easily 6-2.
The Kerry lads tried hard but there was a noticeable difference in class between the two sides.
City used all their squad on Saturday with virtually a different team in each half.
All the players showed a good level of fitness apart from Elding who looks like he needs to shed his winter coat :) I'm sure John Caulfied will sort him out quickly.

In passing I must mention the fine complex Killarney Celtic have down there.
They had everything well organised.
We even got tea, sandwiches & cake in the club house at half time.
So much so that yours truly missed the start of the second half :o
Well done to everyone down in Kerry.

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Good luck with that

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Originally Posted by outspoken

Prawn Sandwich brigade :mad:

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But of course :coffee:

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Originally Posted by disgruntled

Cork City had a couple of friendlies against the Kerry District League on Friday night & Sat afternoon.
Friday nights game in Tralee was abandoned after about an hour because of the weather with City leading 2-0.
On Saturday afternoon in Killarney, City won easily 6-2.
The Kerry lads tried hard but there was a noticeable difference in class between the two sides.
City used all their squad on Saturday with virtually a different team in each half.
All the players showed a good level of fitness apart from Elding who looks like he needs to shed his winter coat :) I'm sure John Caulfied will sort him out quickly.

In passing I must mention the fine complex Killarney Celtic have down there.
They had everything well organised.
We even got tea, sandwiches & cake in the club house at half time.
So much so that yours truly missed the start of the second half :o
Well done to everyone down in Kerry.

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Originally Posted by avvenalaf

Good luck with that

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If he doesn't get trim then its out the gate with him. :car:

Elding always looks that way, has done since he came into the league, he's just built. It's a strength as he doesn't get bullied off the ball by defenders. Of course he's not gonna sprint around the pitch for you, but you know what you're getting with him... his job is to put the ball in the net.

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Originally Posted by adamd164

Elding always looks that way, has done since he came into the league, he's just built. It's a strength as he doesn't get bullied off the ball by defenders. Of course he's not gonna sprint around the pitch for you, but you know what you're getting with him... his job is to put the ball in the net.

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He certainly won't get bullied with the ass he had on him last Saturday but he might get a few offers :love:
There's bulk & then there's excess.
JC remarked he'll have him sorted in a few weeks.

Well pre-season is all about shipping those few pounds put on and getting fit. Elding though looks like he will always look a bit bigger, similar to North even when he is fully fit.

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Originally Posted by passingview

hey disgruntled - did kerry have lads who could step up to the league?

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It was my first time ever seeing any of the Kerry lads so its hard to say.They had one or two useful lads but I wouldn't know anything about them.I do know that the lad who got Kerry's first goal is or was a Junior International & plays his football with Killarney Celtic.Even though the goal came about because of a mix up in the City defense he did take it very well curving it just inside the far post giving the keeper no chance.I think his name was Peter McCarthy.

I did a check & in one week he played three games, one for Kerry in the Oscar Trainor Cup & two for Killarney Celtic.In those three game he scored 12 goals.Yes 12 goals so he must have something.

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Originally Posted by disgruntled

It was my first time ever seeing any of the Kerry lads so its hard to say.They had one or two useful lads but I wouldn't know anything about them.I do know that the lad who got Kerry's first goal is or was a Junior International & plays his football with Killarney Celtic.Even though the goal came about because of a mix up in the City defense he did take it very well curving it just inside the far post giving the keeper no chance.I think his name was Peter McCarthy.

I did a check & in one week he played three games, one for Kerry in the Oscar Trainor Cup & two for Killarney Celtic.In those three game he scored 12 goals.Yes 12 goals so he must have something.

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Thanks for that, it sounds like they might do well in the Oscar Traynor so - up against a Dublin side next i believe.