Games weekend 23rd to 26th June

Frustrating night coming home with only a point from Oriel. Should’ve killed the game off early in the second half with the chances created but they were squandered and you felt the longer the game went on that Dundalk would nick a goal which they managed to do with their only shot on target of the half through poor communication/decision making between Lyness and Lewis. I thought Mulraney in particular was excellent tonight and once he came off the quality and frequency of deliveries into the box dropped off. Anyways, a marked improvement to the previous visit to Oriel so onwards and upwards

Punt you RH and i.m all in and i'll say Damien McGraith AND his officials were worse in OP last night.(for both sides). Just fuqing awful. Apart from the Tulloch s.o they missed SO much and couldn,t keep up. in all my life never seen a more incompetent ref display since Buttimer v Drogs '07 season.

?Just thought the referee last night in Oriel was ... just out of his depth. I hate giving out about refs in general, and is often too easy of an excuse and often comes in swings-and-roundabouts, but this ref would just drive you a bit mental. It was like watching a Gaa match with its unbelievable inconsistencies. No one could tell me that Tulloch would have been sent off if the same incident happened anywhere else on the field other than in front of the Pat's bench - which for me is the ultimate sign of a bad ref. It wasn't that he missed a call or didn't have a good view or something, just plain influenced. Luckily, I didn't affect the game because Tulloch was buck-useless.

On the game, Dundalk should have won it with Kellys great chance at the end. Pats have two outstanding players in Mulerney and Forrester. Dundalk is a lot weaker at the back this year than last, but they still have a lot about them. Great game to watch, massive game on Friday.


P.S. very frustrating that Derry just never seem to get going and actually challenge for the league.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023...rent-schedule/

Not sure it makes much of a difference to Derry's form. They have a few brittile players so maybe the schedule affects them but other clubs have to mind key players too - its a different Dundalk side when Hoban is rotated and often has to be brought on to chase a game anyway. Excuses from a manager under presure or par for the course if you want to challange for titles? Didnt sound like Derry were in control for the 'majority of the game'?

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Originally Posted by Kiki Balboa

?Just thought the referee last night in Oriel was ... just out of his depth. I hate giving out about refs in general, and is often too easy of an excuse and often comes in swings-and-roundabouts, but this ref would just drive you a bit mental. It was like watching a Gaa match with its unbelievable inconsistencies. No one could tell me that Tulloch would have been sent off if the same incident happened anywhere else on the field other than in front of the Pat's bench - which for me is the ultimate sign of a bad ref. It wasn't that he missed a call or didn't have a good view or something, just plain influenced. Luckily, I didn't affect the game because Tulloch was buck-useless.

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Interesting where it occurred - there have been quite a few sendings-off in Oriel this season and most of them seem to have been in front of the dugouts... Off the top of my head Benson v Rovers, Williams v Derry, Cork lad, Tulloch last night - I think there may have been another one too...

I was at Rovers v Derry - Derry started really well but I don't know has McGonigle lost confidence or was he just not particularly good but it looked like he was on a totally different wavelength to the rest of the team. He wasn't in position to receive through balls or ran to the wrong position for crosses etc.

Once they got the lead Rovers were happy to let Derry keep possession - they didn't really create anything of note for all the ball they had. I thought Rovers might have hit them on the break bringing on Simon Power with his pace.

I'm still not sure what to make of Rovers - they seem to play a lot of games at just 70 or 75% but often at the back they look quite suspect to me. Pico made a couple of mistakes last night but got away with them. In Europe I just think they'll get punished by a team like FCK but hopefully will be good enough to win their first round.

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023...rent-schedule/Excuses from a manager under presure or par for the course if you want to challange for titles? Didnt sound like Derry were in control for the 'majority of the game'?

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I think it's just Higgins joining some of the others who've been giving off about the scheduling of midweek games.
The break gets some people talking, but it's one week off, and it now is scheduled with the international games. If we didn't have it, we'd have half the games called off anyway.
I do take his point on the extension to the season, though I understand why some clubs would be against it.

On the game, a typical performance from us. Creating lots, finishing nothing. I counted two shots on target, neither of which were good.

I don't blame McGonigle at all for his lack of goals this season. We don't use him correctly. He needs to have someone else up top with him, Cian Kavanagh for example. We actually did try it for the last 15 odd minutes of the match, shockingly. More time at it, and it may have worked?

I suppose to take a positive from last night, we were ok at the back. Granted, Rovers were content to let us have possession, but neither team were going to concede many.
I think Hennessy is usually ok as a ref, but that yellow he gave to Graydon was ridiculous. I'm not sure how he pieced together what happened. Did he think Lopes didn't get the ball, and also didn't make contact with Graydon, but that would involve missing two points of action? Baffling.

So we're now joint second with Pat's. I don't think we're getting value for money for what we're spending on wages.

The irony though is that Derry have those midweek games to help them in Europe.

It seems what he's suggesting is to extend the season instead, and still have the Euro weekends off? That doesn't stack up.

I think it's just under pressure manager looking to deflect from performances tbh

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Originally Posted by Kiki Balboa

?Just thought the referee last night in Oriel was ... just out of his depth. I hate giving out about refs in general, and is often too easy of an excuse and often comes in swings-and-roundabouts, but this ref would just drive you a bit mental. It was like watching a Gaa match with its unbelievable inconsistencies. No one could tell me that Tulloch would have been sent off if the same incident happened anywhere else on the field other than in front of the Pat's bench - which for me is the ultimate sign of a bad ref. It wasn't that he missed a call or didn't have a good view or something, just plain influenced. Luckily, I didn't affect the game because Tulloch was buck-useless.

On the game, Dundalk should have won it with Kellys great chance at the end. Pats have two outstanding players in Mulerney and Forrester. Dundalk is a lot weaker at the back this year than last, but they still have a lot about them. Great game to watch, massive game on Friday.


P.S. very frustrating that Derry just never seem to get going and actually challenge for the league.

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There were plenty poor decisions in both games, from what I saw, but the ref got the Tulloch red absolutely spot on. It was pointless stuff from Tulloch straight after getting booked.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

The irony though is that Derry have those midweek games to help them in Europe.

It seems what he's suggesting is to extend the season instead, and still have the Euro weekends off? That doesn't stack up.

I think it's just under pressure manager looking to deflect from performances tbh

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It is a deflection no doubt.

I do have an issue with the teams competing in Europe playing each other on Monday’s though (especially after playing the Friday) you are taking away from the leagues best and biggest games. Atmosphere and game flat as hell last night.

Big games should be for Friday nights unless completely impossible.

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Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

There were plenty poor decisions in both games, from what I saw, but the ref got the Tulloch red absolutely spot on. It was pointless stuff from Tulloch straight after getting booked.

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I just cannot see how it was a yellow when the Pats player is also dragging him down. If that is a yellow, then nearly every foul in a game is a yellow. No doubt in my mind that the same type of free is given ten times a game without a card or even anyone calling for a yellow.

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Originally Posted by DCWA

It is a deflection no doubt.

I do have an issue with the teams competing in Europe playing each other on Monday’s though (especially after playing the Friday) you are taking away from the leagues best and biggest games. Atmosphere and game flat as hell last night.

Big games should be for Friday nights unless completely impossible.

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But it was getting ridiculous before when all the Euro teams would have their games postponed, and then you had 3 or maybe 4 league matches postponed each week, so there were more Monday games impacting more clubs.

We were even saying on here for years that the Euro clubs should have their games set for the Euro weeks to minimise the impact, which is effectively what's happened.

The only alternative I can see is to suck it up and play the weekend after Euro games like most other leagues around.

i agree with extending the season by a couple of weeks (to eliminate the normal Monday matches) but id still play a couple of matches between the euro clubs on a monday anyway.
Higgins is 100% living in cloud cuckoo land if he thinks extending the season by 2 or 3 weeks solves the problem as if you go deep in Europe you end up like Rovers last year playing 14 midweek matches. unless you are planning on failure in which a few extra weeks solves everything.
Clubs in other leagues just get on with playing Thursday / Sunday and thats what we need to do without whinging.
The only reason for any leeway would be the squad depth issue for most clubs due to the lack of moneyin our league.
Either way if Derry had won last night he wouldnt be talking about this today.

Id be critical of Higgins and how Derry are playhing but he has been horribly unlucky with injuries

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

But it was getting ridiculous before when all the Euro teams would have their games postponed, and then you had 3 or maybe 4 league matches postponed each week, so there were more Monday games impacting more clubs.

We were even saying on here for years that the Euro clubs should have their games set for the Euro weeks to minimise the impact, which is effectively what's happened.

The only alternative I can see is to suck it up and play the weekend after Euro games like most other leagues around.

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Yeah spot on - I think maybe this is just getting more attention is because these games have happened before Europe has started - so it just seems strange the these teams have now played 2 games more than over half the league but when Europe rolls around hopefully they'll appreciate it.

I guarantee that clubs who make it to the 2nd or 3rd rounds will be complaining of having to play on the Sunday between European games! Maybe Higgins is planning on exiting in the first round!

Vlogs on the Louth derby:
Football Weekender
https://youtu.be/UVKbvHOr42E
Peakys
https://youtu.be/Ztqd67H90EM

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Originally Posted by Johnnie C

Vlogs on the Louth derby:
Football Weekender
https://youtu.be/UVKbvHOr42E
Peakys
https://youtu.be/Ztqd67H90EM

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I’ve said it before but I think these YouTubers covering the LOI have had a massive impact on the upsurge of youth attending LOI games.
Kids are glued to their phones these days and when a match day experience is covered this well, and they see guys coming over from England, Germany etc, it really makes the kids aware of the product on their doorstep.

The media landscape has totally changed for the better. The vlogs might not be for me, but I very much appreciate goals and other highlights being uploaded quickly onto twitter from other games. I know in my group chats these are shared pretty quickly.


That and the prevelence of some very good podcasts helps me stay engaged during the week.

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Originally Posted by Kiki Balboa

The media landscape has totally changed for the better. The vlogs might not be for me, but I very much appreciate goals and other highlights being uploaded quickly onto twitter from other games. I know in my group chats these are shared pretty quickly.


That and the prevelence of some very good podcasts helps me stay engaged during the week.

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We have to give credit where its due to our clubs and fans. The LOI really has embraced social media mostly for the betterment of the league apart from trash talk between fans at times. Across all platforms there is lots of content and engagement. I have been digging into our European opponents Dudelange. Their website was basic and hadn't updated their twitter in months. Apparently all they have is a Facebook page with is their main platform for club news and discussion.

Thank you all for your reasoned responses to that nasty little diatribe. While it did serve as a great example of how to deal with idiots and trolls, it was very off topic so I've moved the posts to the tip.

For the record I don't think anyone has a problem with politics and social stuff being discussed in a football thread as long as it stays related to the game and the business of football.

You know, as long as it doesn't expose you as a fundamentalist nutter...

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

Thank you all for your reasoned responses to that nasty little diatribe. While it did serve as a great example of how to deal with idiots and trolls, it was very off topic so I've moved the posts to the tip.

For the record I don't think anyone has a problem with politics and social stuff being discussed in a football thread as long as it stays related to the game and the business of football.

You know, as long as it doesn't expose you as a fundamentalist nutter...

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Good work my man

Thank you, Adam, and apologies for being intemperate in wondering why it wasn't dealt with immediately - fair process takes time and it allowed many reasoned and thoughtful responses in contrast to my own.

On with the football!