Games w/e 6 Sept

I can't disagree with a lot of what u say Nesta. Probably harsh to say rovers could have dominated after the group stages last time as the EL was very much smaller even only 5 years earlier. I think rovers only got 1 million odd compared to dundalks 6 odd as uefa were trying to encourage the bigger clubs to treat the comp seriously.
As regards dundalk qualifying for the group stage, with any kind of luck and keeping green lists etc into account it is a very realistic possibility. Linfield are playing the faroe side that got a walk over and should be in the draw for the 3rd round. The champions path is the only realistic route to group stages. As regards the league 5 points clear with 8 games to go is nothing , I'd rather be ahead then behind but one loss and it's wide open.

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Originally Posted by placid casual

I know. Its great isn't it!!

Meanwhile dundalk have taken the most advantageous financial situation in LOI history and managed to completely obliterate itself whilst simultaneously prostituting itself to some gruuby yank who desires a small plaything.
You better dig out the buckets and the bedsheets
Meanwhile Rovers and Bohs will flourish in your absence.

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ffs and we have been the bastions of financial propriety, be nice.

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Originally Posted by The Lilywhites

No idea about other games but we beat them on 23 September last year, I'm sure you remember that game, so you pulled your stat out of nowhere.

It's a strange year obviously but Rovers will be the worst champions here in over 20 years. They're so poor for a team with some of the quality players they have.

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Hook this bitterness up to my veins please! :o I like my cornflakes with extra salt!

I chuckled when I heard that stat on eir sport yesterday about Rovers being unbeaten in almost a year. While it may be factually correct, they omitted to mention that with the off season and the covid shutdown there was no football for almost 8 months!
Anyway, if Rovers go on to win the league, they’ll deserve it. Dundalk can only blame ourselves for our self inflicted implosion.

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Originally Posted by Yossarian

I chuckled when I heard that stat on eir sport yesterday about Rovers being unbeaten in almost a year. While it may be factually correct, they omitted to mention that with the off season and the covid shutdown there was no football for almost 8 months!

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Yet no one else could manage it.

Very dissapointing start to Stephen kennys Ireland. Do ubley so as I am convinced that with the talent we have coming through over the next few years and the football Kenny likes to play we could do well. The loi haters and barstoolers will be out in force soon .

They're already out in force, so much so that there's probably huge pressure already on the Slovakia game, given some of the reaction to the 2 games so far.

Really, it might have been better for Kenny if McCarthy had had the Slovakia/playoff games, but this situation couldn't really be avoided.

If Ireland don't want him we'll take him back please.

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

I can't disagree with a lot of what u say Nesta. Probably harsh to say rovers could have dominated after the group stages last time as the EL was very much smaller even only 5 years earlier. I think rovers only got 1 million odd compared to dundalks 6 odd as uefa were trying to encourage the bigger clubs to treat the comp seriously.
As regards dundalk qualifying for the group stage, with any kind of luck and keeping green lists etc into account it is a very realistic possibility. Linfield are playing the faroe side that got a walk over and should be in the draw for the 3rd round. The champions path is the only realistic route to group stages. As regards the league 5 points clear with 8 games to go is nothing , I'd rather be ahead then behind but one loss and it's wide open.

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Ahh I was being narky as PC cut a bit close to the bone. Its a fair point that the money of EL rose massively but in 2010 what Rovers achieved was generally considered (and bemoaned) a game changer and should dominate LoI after. What happened was a turnover of managers, the cost of paying for that eroding the cash reserve, and the club ended up with financial losses. Those losses had to be covered and were by a wealthy Rovers fans but not without any cost. Some luck involved and that there was a fan ownership that would probably prevent something terminal with finances. Its not a safety net that we have at Dundalk if the proverbial hits as we dont currently have either supporter involvement on the board or a supporters club/trust ready to fight the good fight. I think that is poor by Dundalk fans in not being ready (as per 2012) if things nosedive.

In saying that we could well have Peak6 spend and continue to spend going forward. There is currently no change in their committment to the club from day 1, lots of speculation and reading between the lines and indeed plenty of people with 'told ye so' on the tip of the tongue.

I dont think we will get to the EL groups this year, another year we'd be verging on expecting it with the draw. Inter is no gimme but at the same time the club will be in the ball park of 1mil for being rubbish in Europe. It could further whet the appetite of owners as one win changes a whole lot.

I can appreciate how fan owned involvement is held in such importance at Rovers and Cork as best examples. Diluted or not with private investors there is an influence! By the seat of the pants supporting Dundalk but certainly not dull .....

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Originally Posted by Yossarian

I chuckled when I heard that stat on eir sport yesterday about Rovers being unbeaten in almost a year. While it may be factually correct, they omitted to mention that with the off season and the covid shutdown there was no football for almost 8 months!
Anyway, if Rovers go on to win the league, they’ll deserve it. Dundalk can only blame ourselves for our self inflicted implosion.

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The joys of ESPN coverage was Kenny never managing outside the RoI - would have bugged even Derry fans;) Co commentator saying a team should play to its strengths and for Ireland that is physical, long ball. Even suggested that Duffy should be moved up top with 5 to go. SK is on a hiding to nothing and has a target on his back after 180mins and 3 or 4 days training. For trying to break with British style footy we can be very British as supporters and media these days!

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

Ahh I was being narky as PC cut a bit close to the bone. Its a fair point that the money of EL rose massively but in 2010 what Rovers achieved was generally considered (and bemoaned) a game changer and should dominate LoI after. What happened was a turnover of managers, the cost of paying for that eroding the cash reserve, and the club ended up with financial losses. Those losses had to be covered and were by a wealthy Rovers fans but not without any cost. Some luck involved and that there was a fan ownership that would probably prevent something terminal with finances. Its not a safety net that we have at Dundalk if the proverbial hits as we dont currently have either supporter involvement on the board or a supporters club/trust ready to fight the good fight. I think that is poor by Dundalk fans in not being ready (as per 2012) if things nosedive.

In saying that we could well have Peak6 spend and continue to spend going forward. There is currently no change in their committment to the club from day 1, lots of speculation and reading between the lines and indeed plenty of people with 'told ye so' on the tip of the tongue.

I dont think we will get to the EL groups this year, another year we'd be verging on expecting it with the draw. Inter is no gimme but at the same time the club will be in the ball park of 1mil for being rubbish in Europe. It could further whet the appetite of owners as one win changes a whole lot.

I can appreciate how fan owned involvement is held in such importance at Rovers and Cork as best examples. Diluted or not with private investors there is an influence! By the seat of the pants supporting Dundalk but certainly not dull .....

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Are Peak 6 actually spending any money or just dipping into the reserves from the Europa League pot of gold?

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

I dont think we will get to the EL groups this year, another year we'd be verging on expecting it with the draw. Inter is no gimme but at the same time the club will be in the ball park of 1mil for being rubbish in Europe. It could further whet the appetite of owners as one win changes a whole lot.
.

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Would that not be one of the main concerns tho. When you say 1 million, of course thats an awful lot of money (sure top to bottom to run the Showgrounds is about 1.2m). In LOI terms its big money money, but when you are 'chasing Europa League' success ... thats small change. Especially when you are losing money hand over fist every season.

Again its hard to argue against that observation. Hopefully its enough to keep interest in that even a poor campaign nets circa 1mil. That could still increase with an Andoran side up next. The minimum required money each year to satisfy Peak6 has been long discussed by Dundalk fans but is all speculation. I still think Peak6 will roll the dice again with a new influx of players from outside the league and probably a new permanent coaching team also. If things still fall flat after a couple of attempts at cracking Europe, imo then the plug will be pulled.

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

Again its hard to argue against that observation. Hopefully its enough to keep interest in that even a poor campaign nets circa 1mil. That could still increase with an Andoran side up next. The minimum required money each year to satisfy Peak6 has been long discussed by Dundalk fans but is all speculation. I still think Peak6 will roll the dice again with a new influx of players from outside the league and probably a new permanent coaching team also. If things still fall flat after a couple of attempts at cracking Europe, imo then the plug will be pulled.

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If ye can find suitable replacements that are clearly better than Gartland and Rogers during the off-season, there might be half a chance of a successful Euro campaign.

A cynical Finn Harps try to kick themselves off the bottom of the table, faiingl in the attempt picking up 10 yellows including 2 for Horgan and finish with 9 men.

Rob Harvey:mad::mad::mad:

Jesus wept!

Harps just kicked everything moving but then the 2 reds were harsh enough I thought. Crazy tackle for the penalty.

Really enjoyable game I thought

Harps play like thugs and then cry over cards being dished out. Horgan sent off again, what's new!

Their tweets tonight were very bitter too. Bad losers.

It was obvious from about 15 minutes in that Harps wouldn't finish with 11 on the pitch and then Horgan starts to try and referee it himself. Big questions need to asked about him as the suspensions picked up tonight could lead to the clubs deserved relegation.

I think some of the refs start off with that attitude towards harps and are quick with the cards compared to some other teams. Give a dog a bad name as such. Guarantee if that had been either dundalk or rovers card count would be different.

That is because the aforementioned teams would have concentrated on kicking the ball, the things is they didn't let up fouling when the yellows started to mount, instead they doubled down on it.

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Originally Posted by redarmyfaction

It was obvious from about 15 minutes in that Harps wouldn't finish with 11 on the pitch and then Horgan starts to try and referee it himself. Big questions need to asked about him as the suspensions picked up tonight could lead to the clubs deserved relegation.

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They've been that way for years. Not going to change now. Gas thing is how Harps fans seem to blame the ref each time.

We have a real gem of a player in Niall Morahan

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

They've been that way for years. Not going to change now. Gas thing is how Harps fans seem to blame the ref each time.

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Are you still crying about big bold Harps!!Haha! Derby match tonight, no bad tackles of any note. I'll be the first to admit it if there are. Our discipline has been very good this season in fact. Plenty of niggly fouls tonight which we haven't been doing this season eventually ended in bookings. My main gripes where that Junior ran into Coyle, didn't see how it could be a booking. Clear foul for Sligo's second goal also. The 3rd goal and Sadiki's sending off I think was fair enough. Just have no idea why it took so long. Pity all in all as we played well. Ollie's sending off again inexcusable though. If there was any complaining to do then he should have gotten someone else to do it!

Hmm. Lots of people criticising Harps, but you pick my post out. I wonder why that is?

Harps under Horgan are a nasty little side. Let's just accept it.

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Originally Posted by thebronze14

Are you still crying about big bold Harps!!Haha! Derby match tonight, no bad tackles of any note. I'll be the first to admit it if there are. Our discipline has been very good this season in fact. Plenty of niggly fouls tonight which we haven't been doing this season eventually ended in bookings. My main gripes where that Junior ran into Coyle, didn't see how it could be a booking. Clear foul for Sligo's second goal also. The 3rd goal and Sadiki's sending off I think was fair enough. Just have no idea why it took so long. Pity all in all as we played well. Ollie's sending off again inexcusable though. If there was any complaining to do then he should have gotten someone else to do it!

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Coyle should have been booked twice before he picked up his first actual booking, one for a free kick outside the box he gave away after 7 or 8 minutes and a second free a late challenge on Junior after about 20.

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Originally Posted by thebronze14

Are you still crying about big bold Harps!!Haha! Derby match tonight, no bad tackles of any note. I'll be the first to admit it if there are. Our discipline has been very good this season in fact. Plenty of niggly fouls tonight which we haven't been doing this season eventually ended in bookings. My main gripes where that Junior ran into Coyle, didn't see how it could be a booking. Clear foul for Sligo's second goal also. The 3rd goal and Sadiki's sending off I think was fair enough. Just have no idea why it took so long. Pity all in all as we played well. Ollie's sending off again inexcusable though. If there was any complaining to do then he should have gotten someone else to do it!

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This is very true. Harps were very good and shot themselves in the foot. Devers at the end of the first half and Junior early in the second half could have had penalties also. Ollie has done a great job but constantly getting himself sent from the line is no use to anyone.

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Originally Posted by The Lilywhites

Harps play like thugs and then cry over cards being dished out. Horgan sent off again, what's new!

Their tweets tonight were very bitter too. Bad losers.

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Stephen...
I need some players...
STEPHEN

Bitter pill to swallow having played well and looked like pushing on at 1-1.

Sadiki wasn't sent off for the penalty decision either. He was sent off after arguing with a Sligo player..which I can't understand.

It wasn't a dirty game, there wasn't a bad foul in it. Harvey has history with Harps and he was trigger happy with his cards again tonight.

Quite a number of similar fouls by Sligo players not cautioned by him.

Would fancy Junior to make an Olympic diving squad too.

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Originally Posted by The Lilywhites

No idea about other games but we beat them on 23 September last year, I'm sure you remember that game, so you pulled your stat out of nowhere.

It's a strange year obviously but Rovers will be the worst champions here in over 20 years. They're so poor for a team with some of the quality players they have.

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I've been on this board for ten years and pretty sure every new league winner has been declared the worst ever. I'd be fairly confident Kenny's Dundalk probably were the year they won it first.

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Originally Posted by Nah Nah Nah Nah

Harps just kicked everything moving but then the 2 reds were harsh enough I thought. Crazy tackle for the penalty.

Really enjoyable game I thought

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The one for the penalty was silly but, to be fair, I think he was close to the ball (he just took the Sligo player down first). I assume he was sent off for mouthing off because the tackle was never a yellow. First red was never a second yellow either.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

The one for the penalty was silly but, to be fair, I think he was close to the ball (he just took the Sligo player down first). I assume he was sent off for mouthing off because the tackle was never a yellow. First red was never a second yellow either.

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You are right the first red was not a second yellow it was a fifth. Boyle is a decent enough CB but absolutely filthy. I believe he does be at the garlic football, let him go back there.

Wouldn't mind seeing the stats on Rovers / Harps game, especially the foul stats. Id tend to agree that it wasn't a dirty game but persistent fouling gets you yellow cards too.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I've been on this board for ten years and pretty sure every new league winner has been declared the worst ever. I'd be fairly confident Kenny's Dundalk probably were the year they won it first.

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Not sure I would agree with that, but the 1994/95 League win by Dundalk was up there for that argument. We were in 3rd spot on the final day, and won it by a point. I wouldn't say there was much style about that team, dogged would be a better word, we had two good wingers, the best player in Brian Byrne and also Joe Hanrahan on the other wing, but Byrne also played up front ! We ended up with at least 3 different main striker options, one being a GAA player, and changed keeper half way through campaign, and lost 8 games I think from 33, but only one after xmas.

It was of course brilliant to win it, esp listening to last few mins of the Athlone v Derry game played over the PA in oriel park, 1-1 draw, but I would have said 3rd spot would have befitted that season's efforts, but we did get the most points although no players made it on the league team of the year, that was hillarious.

There are good and bad champions but any club who achieves anything this year is worthy of it. That goes for the eventual champions and every team who manages to stay alive/qualify for Europe etc.

For Rovers, it's tough to take. I felt we were catching Dundalk on the field last year and just needed to add numbers to the squad as our worst spell came after red cards and injuries last season ruined our blistering start. Obviously it culminated in a great cup win against the champions and one of the best teams in league history. I think we were the better team that day and deserved it. We'd been the better team against Dundalk before but they'd always found a way to win. That was a Dundalk side who were chasing a treble with the Manager of the Year and with no outward signs of the madness to come. So it was a good Rovers side that started this season with expectations to really challenge Dundalk for the title. We started brilliantly..... and then all hell broke loose. It's still the same team, but the league has changed so much. Dundalk have imploded beyond belief, Bohs have gotten better while also dropping their two of their best players from last season in Talbot and Mandroiu, Sligo went from trying to have the league shut down to trying to win it and Alan Reynolds went from manager of Waterford to one of 4 coaches at Dundalk to unemployed. And John Sheridan arrived just to add that sense of calm and community we all need in these times.....

Regardless, you have a situation now where every point matters. Shels and Pats played for a draw against us halfway through the season. They are two teams who had designs on Europe and they parked the bus.....Every game is tough. It's a completely different animal and whoever comes out on top will have done well. There will still be an asterisk....but I'll be happy to claim it if we hold on. Plenty more upsets and dropped points on the way though and I wouldn't be shocked if Bohs get there. If we can't figure out a way to break down the bus and teams tend to be more open against Bohs you could easily see them picking up more 3s while we struggle along with 1s. Or Sligo will romp to a double.

Fair play to the FAI's youtube channel for doing a highlights package of the Sligo/Harps game and leaving out the most important incident!

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Originally Posted by oriel

Not sure I would agree with that, but the 1994/95 League win by Dundalk was up there for that argument. We were in 3rd spot on the final day, and won it by a point. I wouldn't say there was much style about that team, dogged would be a better word, we had two good wingers, the best player in Brian Byrne and also Joe Hanrahan on the other wing, but Byrne also played up front ! We ended up with at least 3 different main striker options, one being a GAA player, and changed keeper half way through campaign, and lost 8 games I think from 33, but only one after xmas.

It was of course brilliant to win it, esp listening to last few mins of the Athlone v Derry game played over the PA in oriel park, 1-1 draw, but I would have said 3rd spot would have befitted that season's efforts, but we did get the most points although no players made it on the league team of the year, that was hillarious.

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Yeah that season was summed when ex Longford town player Stephen Kelly was Dundalks top scorer with 9!

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I've been on this board for ten years and pretty sure every new league winner has been declared the worst ever. I'd be fairly confident Kenny's Dundalk probably were the year they won it first.

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10 years? Scarily more like 18 years CD even when lurking in the shadows with Dundalk in the 1st Division every champion has been the worst ever. From Shels to Derry, Cork to Drogheda, Rovers just in general and Dundalk - most overated side ever!!

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Originally Posted by ontheotherhand

There are good and bad champions but any club who achieves anything this year is worthy of it. That goes for the eventual champions and every team who manages to stay alive/qualify for Europe etc.

For Rovers, it's tough to take. I felt we were catching Dundalk on the field last year and just needed to add numbers to the squad as our worst spell came after red cards and injuries last season ruined our blistering start. Obviously it culminated in a great cup win against the champions and one of the best teams in league history. I think we were the better team that day and deserved it. We'd been the better team against Dundalk before but they'd always found a way to win. That was a Dundalk side who were chasing a treble with the Manager of the Year and with no outward signs of the madness to come. So it was a good Rovers side that started this season with expectations to really challenge Dundalk for the title. We started brilliantly..... and then all hell broke loose. It's still the same team, but the league has changed so much. Dundalk have imploded beyond belief, Bohs have gotten better while also dropping their two of their best players from last season in Talbot and Mandroiu, Sligo went from trying to have the league shut down to trying to win it and Alan Reynolds went from manager of Waterford to one of 4 coaches at Dundalk to unemployed. And John Sheridan arrived just to add that sense of calm and community we all need in these times.....

Regardless, you have a situation now where every point matters. Shels and Pats played for a draw against us halfway through the season. They are two teams who had designs on Europe and they parked the bus.....Every game is tough. It's a completely different animal and whoever comes out on top will have done well. There will still be an asterisk....but I'll be happy to claim it if we hold on. Plenty more upsets and dropped points on the way though and I wouldn't be shocked if Bohs get there. If we can't figure out a way to break down the bus and teams tend to be more open against Bohs you could easily see them picking up more 3s while we struggle along with 1s. Or Sligo will romp to a double.

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All very fair comment and analysis of the current position. I also agree with Oriel that the 1994/95 Dundalk champions team were somewhat underwhelming in the pantheon of league winning greats!

Although Rovers are obviously strong favourites to finish the league as champions, I'm far from convinced that the quality of the team performances even remotely justifies some of the bombast and braggadocio here.

I think that Rovers have recruited well over the last few seasons and have built on a fairly ordinary squad that Bradley first worked with. Bradley also seems to have matured somewhat as a person and a coach and presumably is the prime mover in changing from ball-in-the-air kick em hard style to something much more effective.

The good fortune in getting the benefit of a witless referee against Bohs - Rovers could easily have inexplicably lost that match - underlines the gaps are not as wide as some perceive. Dundalk's implosion could be temporary, or more long lasting, but either way have eased the pressure significantly on a side who may well jog to the title at the end of the shortened season.


For Dundalk, consolidation in the upper end of the table is clearly the ambition. Qualify for Europa League for 2021, get past Inter and have a crack off Sheriff, hopefully take home another FAI Cup trophy & a solid to radical rebuild of the squad for next season. Despite the alternative universe type of madcap stuff at Oriel Parl in recent times, most of the above is realistic and attainable

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Originally Posted by oriel

Not sure I would agree with that, but the 1994/95 League win by Dundalk was up there for that argument. We were in 3rd spot on the final day, and won it by a point. I wouldn't say there was much style about that team, dogged would be a better word, we had two good wingers, the best player in Brian Byrne and also Joe Hanrahan on the other wing, but Byrne also played up front ! We ended up with at least 3 different main striker options, one being a GAA player, and changed keeper half way through campaign, and lost 8 games I think from 33, but only one after xmas.

It was of course brilliant to win it, esp listening to last few mins of the Athlone v Derry game played over the PA in oriel park, 1-1 draw, but I would have said 3rd spot would have befitted that season's efforts, but we did get the most points although no players made it on the league team of the year, that was hillarious.

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Ha well I'm sure there is a legitimate 'worst ever' league winner there but it seems to come up quite often. Sligo fans were very fond of declaring everyone who won the title except them to be terrible (until they turned ****e and most of the posters disappeared into a black hole).