Seems to be a huge dearth of quality in the whole league this season.
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Playing four strikers and no wingers was just plain weird. They don't complement each other at all and Pats found it way too easy to defend. Same old story with us, we'll kick the ball across the pitch all day but any decent defence can deal with us unless Miele does something spectacular.
Pats were very poor too I thought. Rovers were there to be got at and Pats were settling for a 0-0 before Dennehy scored. If we'd scored first (unlikely I know) I don't think Pats would have got back into it.
We're 4 games in, let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Our team certainly has more talent in it than it did last year, obviously how they end up working as a team is still to be seen, but there's a lot of new players in teams and it takes time to get to peak performance.
Apparently, that was our first win in Oriel since 2009, that's a pretty shocking stat!
It may be early in the season but the league does seem to be a bit weaker this year. It may take a season or two of new talent coming through to pick it back up again.
The first division based on the two teams we have seen so far is far weaker than it ever was. Even 5 years ago the division was far superior to what it is now.
There's an obvious solution.
From next week First Division Champions 2016 Limerick FC should be asked to field two teams. Our current first team could slot into the Premier Division and our u 17s could mop up whatever is left in division one, St James Gate and shelbourne and the like.
Improved standard in the Premier and a (slightly) more competitive First Division.
Win Win.
Rovers are the same as last year. All passing and no killer instinct. And no discernible leaders in the team either.
As for pats,they should wrap fagan in cotton wool, as without him they'd be relegation candidates.
Has Dean Clarke played for Rovers yet?
Dundalk controlled the game up until the penalty. I was surprised at how comfortable we were all over the pitch. Cork asked a lot more questions of us when they visited Oriel Park last season.
On the basis of last night, Cork have not improved. However, we don't seem to be able to dominate midfield. Our whole gameplay is predicated on having good possession of the ball.
Started the first game or 2 but got injured. Came on as sub last night and did more in 15 minutes than Drennan did for the 75 mins before that
Maybe, but it beats the hell out of getting blitzed 4-0 up there. Nobody's getting carried away but being able to go up there and grind out a victory can only be a good sign. Means nothing at this stage if only just an injection of confidence. Pity the rovers game was postponed, would've got a decent crowd
Limerick fans will chuckle at this, but Waterford looked a decent enough outfit last night.
Main difference was they took their chances while we didn't take ours.
Swanny badly needs a goal or two to get back to last season's form.
Credit to Wexford last night, very comfortable on the ball, tore us apart a few times in the first half.It's a pity they didn't bring a crowd with them to appreciate it
Two dodgy penos ,a push on Delaney for third goal, Ref did his best to ruin an entertaining game
At this point the foolishness of playing non tackling players like Paddy Kavanagh, Quiet and Curtis Byrne on the one team must be self evident, even for Keith Long
Wexford a better football side than Sligo, should be safe once they get a win under their belts.
The one positive from last nights game is that this is first time in 6 seasons that Cork have come to Oriel Park and not complained about the pitch. Not a peep about it.
Well done to the grounds staff.
Quigley.
It was clear game of two penalties, one given for a hand ball by Massey who couldn't get his hand out quick enough then, one not given when Bennett threw Kilduff to the ground. Dundalk were awful in the second half and Cork defended very well, their back line was very well set up.
We probably deserved a draw, better side in the first half, but that counts for nothing if you can't score.
First defeat in the league to Cork in 10 matches, something had to give eventually and no coincidence this happened in the first league game between the two post Towell.