Town 2026

Yeah I won't read too much into the performance because we won't be playing in those conditions most weeks. But was still disappointed with how we played the conditions. Cobh just handled it so much better. There were times we needed to just launch it up and try force an error but we didn't, especially in injury time. And another opening home loss, that's 4 years in a row. Disappointing crowd too, weather or not. 553 apparently2 possible banana skins next, haven't won in Tralee since 2023 and UCD at home who we haven't beaten since the Dean Byrne show

Frustrating night. Gave away two poor goals, the 2nd one in particular, and Cobh just played the percentages from there on out and killed the game well when needed. We just couldn't get any momentum up after getting one back, they just took the sting out of it at every opportunity. Was thinking at the game that we seem to lose our first home game every year and MM above has basically confirmed that.

On the team, I feel O'Brien is wasted at right full and Irhue doesn't look as comfortable on the left. Dean George isn't good enough (and never has been imo). I think I'd try to get O'Brien into midfield somehow, Irhue to RB and maybe give Hough or L. O'Brien a go at LB. Maybe an old fashioned 4-4-f'n-2 Mike Bassett style might be required. Just think the balance of the side is a little off.

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Originally Posted by De Town

Frustrating night. Gave away two poor goals, the 2nd one in particular, and Cobh just played the percentages from there on out and killed the game well when needed. We just couldn't get any momentum up after getting one back, they just took the sting out of it at every opportunity. Was thinking at the game that we seem to lose our first home game every year and MM above has basically confirmed that.

On the team, I feel O'Brien is wasted at right full and Irhue doesn't look as comfortable on the left. Dean George isn't good enough (and never has been imo). I think I'd try to get O'Brien into midfield somehow, Irhue to RB and maybe give Hough or L. O'Brien a go at LB. Maybe an old fashioned 4-4-f'n-2 Mike Bassett style might be required. Just think the balance of the side is a little off.

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O'Brien really is sensational isn't he. We never got our two wide players into the game at all in George and Paraschiv, Paraschiv has only played in CM for Dundalk, he is not a wide player, doesn't have the legs to beat a man on the outside, he's full of technical quality on the ball, we need to get him more Central. I thought our midfield would be our strongest asset this season but we nearly have too many options now trying to accommodate Doran, Moore, Paraschiv and O'Brien

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Originally Posted by outspoken

O'Brien really is sensational isn't he. We never got our two wide players into the game at all in George and Paraschiv, Paraschiv has only played in CM for Dundalk, he is not a wide player, doesn't have the legs to beat a man on the outside, he's full of technical quality on the ball, we need to get him more Central. I thought our midfield would be our strongest asset this season but we nearly have too many options now trying to accommodate Doran, Moore, Paraschiv and O'Brien

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Yep, and Pharrell Manuel, who's arguably been our best player over the opening 2 weeks. Playing A.O'Brien as a RB and Paraschiv as a LW is obviously Groves' way to try shoe-horn them all into the one team - which I can understand him doing as they're all good players in their own right. Just doesn't look balanced to my eye though.

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Originally Posted by De Town

Yep, and Pharrell Manuel, who's arguably been our best player over the opening 2 weeks. Playing A.O'Brien as a RB and Paraschiv as a LW is obviously Groves' way to try shoe-horn them all into the one team - which I can understand him doing as they're all good players in their own right. Just doesn't look balanced to my eye though.

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Agree. The fact he moved Errity to LB in closing stages suggests he still doesn't know his best team or maybe their best positions.

Doran and George out tonight. Not a great start...

Having said that, Kerry are starting Harry. Potential for a hilarious outcome?

Solid point. We'll take that.

It's going to be a tough aul year. No easy matches. We're probably more solid than this time last year though

There's going to be very little between any of the teams aside from Cork. Picking up points away from home will be important.

Fair result. Neither side did enough to win.Paraschiv definitely more comfortable in the centre and seems like he mjght be capable of pulling off ambitious passes.UCD home next, not looking forward to it tbh, we never beat them

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Originally Posted by Longfordian

There's going to be very little between any of the teams aside from Cork. Picking up points away from home will be important.

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Made a similar point in the car down this evening. Cork will walk it and it wouldn't shock me to see any of the other 9 make the playoffs. 3 draws in the division tonight, will be plenty of them throughout the season I'd imagine.

Just in the door. Decent point if not a great performance but probably a fair result. Doran was a loss in the middle, hopefully not out for too long. Two very tough games coming next, any kind of positive results would be very welcome.

I see Kyle Robinson playing for the U20s today which I can assume means he won't be on the bench tonight either. He really hasn't hit his potential since he joined us

I stand corrected! He's on the bench tonight too!!!!!!

Frustrating night tonight. Came out roaring the first 10 mins with 3 chances. Then the last 10 mins where we piled the pressure on. UCD had our number for most of the in-between time. There was a 10 min spell in the 2nd half where our shape completely went and we gave them so much time and space, it was horrendous. Suppose I'll take a point and clean sheet since we never beat them. Realistically we're probably not beating Cork next week. So it's the 4 games after where you have to start thinking about where we can pick up our first win

I was convinced we would nick a goal at the end!

I think we've improved a huge amount defensively over last year. A lot of options if players are out. If you remember this time last year the amount of crosses that would bounce a couple of times in our box before being clipped in. A corner was basically a pen for the other team!!!

I'm not really sure what our best lineup is from an attacking point of view. It would be interesting to see Williams paired with Murtagh for a half. A bit disappointed with Stefan - he has looked a bit off the pace this year.

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Originally Posted by drelihan

I was convinced we would nick a goal at the end!

I think we've improved a huge amount defensively over last year. A lot of options if players are out. If you remember this time last year the amount of crosses that would bounce a couple of times in our box before being clipped in. A corner was basically a corner for the other team!!!

I'm not really sure what our best lineup is from an attacking point of view. It would be interesting to see Williams paired with Murtagh for a half. A bit disappointed with Stefan - he has looked a bit off the pace this year.

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Stefan was excellent first two weeks, tried to do a bit too much at times tonight. I don't when it will happen if at all but lord Jesus if we could get Dean Williams fit we've got a serious player there imo, you can see it every time he comes on, be wasn't at Rovers and Shels for nothing, just needs a run of games.

All in all, for a 0-0 it wasn't a bad game, albeit there was some outrageously scrappy periods chucked in among it too. Both keepers made some good saves. We should have had at least one penalty, looked like Irhue was fouled from behind in the area and it was a clear handball at the end too.

Errity has really caught my eye so far, lord God he absolutely loves a tackle which is great to see. Alex O'Brien was more effective back in the midfield too. Paraschiv is the one I've been most disappointed with so far tbh, while the likes of Robinson and Campbell are not doing enough to affect games when they come off the bench.

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Originally Posted by outspoken

We should have had at least one penalty, looked like Irhue was fouled from behind in the area and it was a clear handball at the end too.

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Was the Irhue one not given because the lino had already flagged for a corner before your man ploughed through Irhue? That was my reading of it but could be wrong, because it was a stonewall foul if the ball was still in play.

Overall, I thought a draw was fair. We missed some great chances, particularly from set pieces, but to be fair UCD missed a few from open play too. As I said on here last week, I feel like there'll be plenty of draws in this division this season, and 4 out of 5 games this week were. From what I've seen, there'll be feck all between 9 of the 10 teams.

Doran is a big loss in the middle. Moore, O'Brien and Manuel are 3 good players in there, but not much creativity between them. Leads to a little bit of a disconnect between our midfield and front 2.who then become a little isolated. Doran a great link man to have in there.

Frustrating not to have got a win yet but we've played 3 of last year's top 4 as well as a big spending, full time Kerry. Obviously unlikely to get anything next week but after that we've a run against the teams that were around us last year. As ever, we'll know more where we stand after a full round of games.

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Originally Posted by De Town

Was the Irhue one not given because the lino had already flagged for a corner before your man ploughed through Irhue? That was my reading of it but could be wrong, because it was a stonewall foul if the ball was still in play.

Overall, I thought a draw was fair. We missed some great chances, particularly from set pieces, but to be fair UCD missed a few from open play too. As I said on here last week, I feel like there'll be plenty of draws in this division this season, and 4 out of 5 games this week were. From what I've seen, there'll be feck all between 9 of the 10 teams.

Doran is a big loss in the middle. Moore, O'Brien and Manuel are 3 good players in there, but not much creativity between them. Leads to a little bit of a disconnect between our midfield and front 2.who then become a little isolated. Doran a great link man to have in there.

Frustrating not to have got a win yet but we've played 3 of last year's top 4 as well as a big spending, full time Kerry. Obviously unlikely to get anything next week but after that we've a run against the teams that were around us last year. As ever, we'll know more where we stand after a full round of games.

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I did also wonder if Irhue was off the pitch when he was fouled

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Originally Posted by outspoken

Stefan was excellent first two weeks, tried to do a bit too much at times tonight. I don't when it will happen if at all but lord Jesus if we could get Dean Williams fit we've got a serious player there imo, you can see it every time he comes on, be wasn't at Rovers and Shels for nothing, just needs a run of games.
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There was a ball lobbed over the top and Williams did this thing where he just stopped so the defender ran into him then he had loads of time on the ball. It was subtle but very clever. Even my 9 year old thought it was class.

Considerin the strong start of UCDs cant argue with a draw. We are a very quiet team though no leaders on the pitch whatsever thats my major worry atm.