11th-14th March Fixtures

Rovers - Youths was fairly turgid. Youths won most of the physical battles on the night and arguably had the more clear cut chances but Rover ground out the win. Murphy and Furlong will need to be taking the type of opportunities they missed if Youths are going to avoid relegation. Rovers still lacking any real creativity, apart from the odd flash, and they look lacking a bit of physicality too, can't see Killian Brennan and Gary McCabe striking fear into too many other central midfield pairings this season. Youths lack pace up front but they are well organised and worked hard, Murphy up top has a bit of class about him but still needs to lose a bit of timber.

Apart from the alleged trouble pre match in Derry, discussed on a separate thread, can any Cork fans who were at the match comment on the match? what were the reasons for the defeat, as this is a match that cork have recently done very well in.

Was the Bolger red card warranted? Also does he miss the Longford game on Mon or the Dundalk one next Friday or both? I'm undecided if I want to see him play or not, he won't be popular with Dundalk fans for a variety of reasons, not giving 100% when he was with Dundalk is the top one, bailing out after one season is next (after being injured for months) but whatever the reasons getting a red in your second competitive game for your new club is not a good start.

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Originally Posted by oriel

Was the Bolger red card warranted? Also does he miss the Longford game on Mon or the Dundalk one next Friday or both? .

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He misses Monday

Depending on what he was sent off for he could be given additional ban

What was he sent off for?

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Originally Posted by oriel

I'm undecided if I want to see him play or not, he won't be popular with Dundalk fans for a variety of reasons, not giving 100% when he was with Dundalk is the top one, bailing out after one season is next (after being injured for months) but whatever the reasons getting a red in your second competitive game for your new club is not a good start.

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If Cork are without Bolger, they will have to revert to their route one game. They don't have anyone else near the class of Bolger to pull the strings and link the back four and midfield. People were raving about Maguire after the Bohs game but it was Bolger who impressed me.

I always liked him as a player but as you say he did not cover himself in glory in his time at Dundalk. We had a good team that year but he looked uninterested. Didn't he only come to Oriel as his move to Sporting Fingal fell apart when the franchise went bust?

AFAIK Fingal paid UCD 20k for him but went bust soon after.

Without seeing the Bolger red, I think we can assume it was warranted.

Yep, afaik we never got the transfer fee out of Fingal - but we took their Setanta Cup spot when they went bust, so it balanced out in a LoI kind of way.

UCD v Cabo saw the sons of a one-time UCD strike force up front - Ben Hanrahan for Cabo (who scored) and of course Ryan Swan for UCD.

That's about as interesting as the game got really.

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Originally Posted by White Horse

If Cork are without Bolger, they will have to revert to their route one game. They don't have anyone else near the class of Bolger to pull the strings and link the back four and midfield. People were raving about Maguire after the Bohs game but it was Bolger who impressed me.

I always liked him as a player but as you say he did not cover himself in glory in his time at Dundalk. We had a good team that year but he looked uninterested. Didn't he only come to Oriel as his move to Sporting Fingal fell apart when the franchise went bust?

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That's correct Bolger had already signed with Fingal then he became a free agent and joined Dundalk just before start of 2011 season. He will definitely miss tomorrow night, wonder if it's just a one game ban. He did well in that live TV match v Bohs on the opening night.

Cork were poor enough on Friday night. Granted, we started well and controlled the pace of the game, but the tempo and drive that we were expecting from Cork just didn't appear. They'd a few wee chances, but nothing of note really, and I'd say we were good value for our win.
Cork are still a quality side though, you can tell that. Maybe they could just put it down to a bad day at the office?

As for the Bolger red, definitely. It was a mad challenge, miles away from the ball, just inside the Cork half. Can't understand what he was thinking. I'd dare say he got some bollocking after.

Some grainy footage is available here. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=46f84vX8mik
The goal is at 3:02, the challenge at 4:02.

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Originally Posted by brendy_éire

The goal is at 3:02, the challenge at 4:02.

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That was a dreadful kick by Bolger, high and from behind.

Really bad foul that by Bolger.
I was impressed by Kevin Devaney in the Galway Bray game, reminds me a bit of Tony Galvin. Bray lost 4 players to injury on the night as well, and apart from one cross Dylan Connolly had little influence on the game. Ref, who was called Buttimer, had a good game.

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Originally Posted by White Horse

That was a dreadful kick by Bolger, high and from behind.

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Part of the course with Bolger his whole game is played on the edge which sometimes he treds over , one of the best DM I've ever seen.

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Originally Posted by wonder88

Ref, who was called Buttimer, had a good game.

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I'm still trying to make sense of that sentance

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Originally Posted by White Horse

Harps worked hard but had very little up front. Their main threat is set pieces but Dundalk are so good at defending those.

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Don't think we lost a single game away from home in the league last year.

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

Cork fans very conspicuous by their absence!

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Long way home from Derry!

Monday night is brutal especially with Paddies day coming up
Rovers as appreciated will have small support tonight which is a a shame for Harps

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Originally Posted by El-Pietro

Don't think we lost a single game away from home in the league last year.

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I'll correct myself, we got battered by Rovers 3-0 in Tallaght.

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Originally Posted by ForzaHoop

Monday night is brutal especially with Paddies day coming up
Rovers as appreciated will have small support tonight which is a a shame for Harps

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It's ridiculous. We have to get to Wexford. Just one bus going, and perhaps another 20-30 by car. I'd be surprised if we even get 100 there.

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Originally Posted by White Horse

It's ridiculous. We have to get to Wexford. Just one bus going, and perhaps another 20-30 by car. I'd be surprised if we even get 100 there.

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I think I may be the only car making the trip from Longford to Cork. Second year in a row we've had cork away on a Monday.

I think there's one or two other cars going down to Cork, same as last year!

You'd think the league would have the games midweek more localised to allow more away fans the chance of travelling. Derry v Harps, Galway v Sligo and Longford, Dundalk and Bray playing Dublin clubs and Wexford play Cork.

Im surprised the league didn't put Harps and Cork playing each other!

I'm particularly miffed that I cannot travel to Donegal tonight either. These weekday games are both senseless and pointless at the same time. We've already one of the longest off-seasons in Europe, extending the league out another 3 or 4 weeks either at the start or the end of the season should be looked at to get rid of this nonsense.

Besides all else, for the part-time teams in the league it means a full day or at least half day off work for some players. It just doesn't make any sense.