Just the 19 goals in the 3 first division games! cagey!!
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Just the 19 goals in the 3 first division games! cagey!!
Some spankings in both divisions … the bray result has me shocked 😳 Wexford also must be disappointed as some their signings are decent. UCD and Shels had tough openers tbf.
Listened to the match on Radio Foyle, will take the point.
Yeah, I'm not too put out by that tonight. Jack Byrne had about eight great crossing opportunities and they scored twice. He'll do that to other teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by SeanDrog
We could have been 2-0 up at that stage strangely, but second half we weren't at the races. Couple of great saves from Healy and poor finishing from Rovers kept us in it till a defensive howler late on to let in a third.
It's really one last friendly for us ahead of a big double header next week - home to Harps and Shels.
Just thawing out now, and a fiver for a programme is a bit steep I think, but otherwise it's good to be back!
Glad you were able to go stu.
Kerrigan looked so dangerous and should have had you ahead. We didn't look great but I'm not too bothered this early on. Still missing McEneff's energy in midfield though. Jack did look fairly sharp though all things considered so that bodes well. And Mandroius header was quality. He could've had a hattrick.
Absolutely gutted for Farrugia. You'd fear his career is done if that's the same injury back again.
I think it was 15 or 16 games into the season last year before we scored from a corner. Jacks first match back and we score. His balls into the box just need a flick. Mandroiu scored his most difficult chan e and missed 3 sitters. Good start, win in derry next Friday and we are off and running
On cloud nine after that one. Fair play to tim for setting up the team. It wasn’t a cut and dry result as Shels caused a lot of bother. The goal by Mark Doyle was my favourite, sensational.
Forrester is great fun to watch when he's on song. Pats were good, very good in the cases of M Doyle, Burns and Forrester but the scoreline was a little bit harsh on Shels.
cant believe we won a game 6-0. must watch it back over the weekend but that looks horrendous for bray.
On the balance of play 3-0 was a touch harsh on Shels but also probably reflected the difference in quality as we were just much more clinical. They kept it tight early and we were patient while also a bit lost on how to move the ball through the lines, but once Burns scored it forced them to push the issue a bit and the game opened up a lot more.
Massively encouraged by what Clancy is doing so far. Still think we're a midfielder short in terms of challenging at all but can't have it all, some great work has been done regardless. Breslin and Mark Doyle have gone under the radar I think, they're looking like serious signings to go along with the more obvious names.
Breslin is a quality full back. Three former LTFC players on the pitch in Tolka tonight plus of course Stuey Byrne of "Stuey Byrne Special" circa 2001/2002 fame. Can't remember the exact ingredients beyond vodka and red bull and alcopops of some kind (Smirnoff Ice maybe). Macy if he's reading and his kids aren't could probably confirm.
In fairness all of them played well & scored 2 goals.It was an old hand that F'd up for the 1st(Boyle).Didn't get a proper look at the 2nd but heard someone beside me mentioning Boyle was someway culpable again and i just nodded ;) as you do.Quote:
Originally Posted by joey B
It was an excellent match has to be said with both sides playing some lovely football and plenty of goal scoring incidents for both side. McGonigle hit a post or two and was brilliant. Sam Bone was unlucky not to score.(was excellent) Dundalk's 1st was really well worked and hopefully a sign of things to come from young Bradley.
A classic "this game could go anyway" opener and it was great to be back in Oriel at a proper match.
It's going to another long season for Shels battling against relegation the clubs never learns when it comes to our recent Premier Division recruitment. Some promising spells with a definite Duff imprint but ultimately his 3-4-3 wingback system is doomed to fail especially with small central midfielders and we've signed a number players on full-time contracts who are definite downgrades on last season in the First division. Duff's first clanger was dropping the excellent Brendan Clarke against his old club in a massive televised opener in favour of the Swansea loanee who looks dodgy and would not inspire any confidence or organisation in a young defence
On Pats they have to be very happy to win 3-0 away from home on opening night without looking overly impressive and feeling they have more in the tank, much bigger tests for them in their next 3 games to have any idea where they really are in terms of title contention
I'm not particularly shocked by Waterford and Cork scorelines, Athlone look a mess and Bray are effectively a higher budget Cabinteely and Devlin was taking them nowhere anyway and shouldn't be managing in LOI anymoreQuote:
Originally Posted by joey B
Now Treaty that's the impressive one. I think they could be going under the radar again this season. Wexford must be bitterly disappointed with the start considering Ryan has been backed big time in the off season
Other way of looking at Bray is they made the playoffs last year (and beat Galway) and have basically nabbed Cabo's best players (well, Kieran Marty Waters anyway). 6-0's quite surprising I think. Ditto Wexford getting thumped alright; Ian Ryan had been doing well there since taking over and has added some good players for this year
Decent game last night in tallaght. UCD really should have been 2 up in the first 20 mins as Rovers struggled to get going. Once we did it was tough for the young UCD lads. Kerrigan looks a real player, I must say.
Jack controlled the game as expected, and Rovers ground down the students before getting 2 up at halftime.
Could have been more than 3:0 in the 2nd half but at least it seems the rocket up the hole from Bradley last week worked. Game in Derry should be decent next week.
UCD have fine technical players but could struggle against big imposing sides.
10 am pitch inspection in Sligo,seems to have been quite a bit of snow there overnight …
If you take a closer look at the Bray squad, most of them were with Cabo last year, and very few Bray players were retained. It's basically a Cabo squad with a few Bray additions rather than the other way round. Still, the 6-0 also came as a surprise to me. Bray basically collapsed defensively once the second goal went in.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
tbf the starting 11 was more of a mix, added a few new players like byrne douglas zambra and manley ontop of cabo lads. but yeah its mostly a cabo mark II squad. in saying that we struggled against cabo last year , mainly because we were blunt in attack and all they did was sit off us for 90 mins in 3 games. it will be interesting to see where they go from that one, i think devlin is a poor manager in this day and age, wonder will he come under any pressure should results not go well in the first 10 games.
Be surprised if it’s on. Forecast awful also.Quote:
Originally Posted by joey B
So the cuckoos rather than the seagulls …. I’ll get my coatQuote:
Originally Posted by sidewayspasser
Longford/Cobh game OFF.
Our game off also
Disappointing all the postponements, puts a bit of a dampener (no pun intended) on all of the hype of the opening weekend.
Thought Dundalk were excellent last night and probably the better side. There are a few handy players there alright. Take the hand and all for that point back up the road.Quote:
Originally Posted by ToberonaTornado
Eveb if we could have had all 3 with McGonigle’s late chance, it wasn’t deserved.
There is extended highlights from the match on the Dundalk FC Youtube channel. But here's the goals from last night. AdriannTaffe on coms and John Flanagan on co comms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp1d-s64yvk
I know it’s only a few minutes of highlights but Bradley looks like a very tidy playerQuote:
Originally Posted by ToberonaTornado
He came on as a sub for Hibs at Celtic Park a month ago,looks a coup for Dundalk that one,however long he's there for......Quote:
Originally Posted by PartySaint
Cabinteely regressed past couple of seasons under Devlin with bloated squads, never a settled XI, leaking stupid goals and under 17/19 players regularly thrown in randomly probably under some influence from the schoolboy section. The new Bray are mirroring that with another bloated squad and Devlin has already chucked out Oscar Brennan after some falling out who has now signed for CrumlinQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
I think if Devlin had stepped aside from the managerial role to concentrate on DOF with a decent younger manager in place that squad slimmed down to a good core 20-22 players would be in the mix with Waterford, Cork and Galway
Bradley was the standout player on the pitch in a good game where there was no shortage of quality on show. Boyle's timing in tackling Akintunde was poor but it was also the strength of the lad that then got him goal side and Boyle unable to recover - you'd expect more of a player of Boyle's experience but Akintunde made a mug of him too. 1st goal he may have got a nudge in the back but both goals similar in that if the ref doesnt call anything Boyle is on his ass. In general I was surprised with how Dundalk played as a team considering the amount of new players, if its a sign to come and we improve with games then 4th is doable. I think the rate of progress will depend on keeping players fit with the small squad. When Derry get in to their stride and have a full hand to pick from they wont drop many points. That said Dundalk were first to a lot of the breaking ball so if we shaded it it was down to graft. Patching, for example, goes missing in srappy phases of play.
Looking back at highlights it was Bone who got his positioning/timing all wrong for he 2nd goal not Boyle for both, but both goals were similar in the error of over committing in the tackle a long way out from goal.
Good to see you appreciating Bradser at last Nesta
Ha, I had actually put Bradser initially as a nod but threw in 'player' just in case of being misquoted;)
[QUOTE=joey B;2102891]He came on as a sub for Hibs at Celtic Park a month ago,looks a coup for Dundalk that one,however long he's there for....../QUOTE]
Season long contract.
That's the move i missed and its a pity because he(Bone) was very good otherwise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
Not sure I'd agree with that. Played OK, had a couple of good shots but if it was Duffy playing left instead of Lafferty we would have been in a lot of trouble. If Leahy is back next week I would be moving Macari right back and dropping Bone, looks suspect.Quote:
Originally Posted by ToberonaTornado
Why did Derry fans have Russian and Chinese flags with them last night? Would have thought people from Derry would be against foreign occupation?
Pretty sure its smirnoff ice thats a drink I will ave to sample again!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Longfordian
I expected Derry to have more of the ball with the wind in 2nd half, Dundalk won every 2nd ball in first 20mins of that half and it showed. Dundalk came out with a better attitude, and Derry didn't react until they conceded. I could see how mad Higgins was at a few of the Derry players in that period of the 2nd half.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
Good game in Oriel Park last night, and great atmosphere, big crowd down from Derry too, the club announced 'approx 3,500' or something like that, but most I spoke to thought just over 4k.
Dundalk def the better side the first half, but not good from Boyle who was knocked off the ball far far too easy for Derry equaliser. I wasn't overly impressed with Derry in first half, expected Patching to dominate the middle. With so many new debuts for Dundalk I was worried going up, would have taken a draw before the game.
Second half, Bone skinned, pardon the pun for the second equaliser, he had a good game actually, could have scored with a cracking long range effort first half. To be fair though Derry def finished the stronger side, and McGonigle should really have scored to make it 3-2 last 5 mins, hit the bar when he had time, but what a player he is, he looks to have it all, pace, skill, strength, the whole package, I was very impressed with him. I had good chat with a friendly Derry crew in the upstairs bar of the stand after the match, all seemed to enjoy the trip and the game. Super display by young Bradley on the right wing for us.
Overall a draw was a fair result, and great to get off and running with a good display and the first point onboard.
Well Bone certainly kept Maher on his pins all night that's for sure.I think Sam knows he's behind Leahy in the pecking order and is trying in his absence to lay down a marker.He needs to concentrate a bit more on not get caught out of position so much but he had a good game.Quote:
Originally Posted by mcgonigle
Anyone else see Mark Connolly having a right snap at Nathan Sheppard at FT? I like Connolly but if he needed to say something to him he should have waited until they got back to the dressers.
Actually I now recall, there were Derry fans in the upstairs bar last night taking a photo with a flag I couldn't see clearly, maybe Cuban ?Quote:
Originally Posted by mcgonigle