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Might as well have one thread for tonight and tomorrow.
Monday:
7:45
Cork 2-0 Cliftonville (O'Flynn 71', Mooney 75')
8:05
Dungannon Swifts 0-3 Drogheda (Grant 4', Gartland 34', McMinn og. 66', O'Brian 86')
Tuesday:
St. Pats v Linfield
Glentoran v Derry
Really small crowd at Dungannon.
Strong City side with just one change (Mulcahy for Murray). Cliftonville keeper Connolly MOTM so far.
That Drogheda fan on the megaphone is hilarious.
The highlight of the match without a shadow of a doubt.
Dungannon are even worse than I thought, can't believe I backed them to win a match on Saturday! :eek:
Who is that guy, I had to turn teh sound off cos it was annoying the crap out of everyone in the room. he is very out of tune.
He clearly knows he can be heard too, like the way he asked if everything was OK at home! Getting a bit irritating now though, and I've only had it on since half time.Quote:
Originally Posted by JC_GUFC
Hilarious not quiet the word I would use.Quote:
Originally Posted by JC_GUFC
City 2 Cliftonville 0
O'Flynn rebound after Horgan shot
Mooney header after O'Callaghan corner
I think Setanta may have got to him!!! :)
That Drogs fella is hilarious
City 2 Cliftonville 0 fulltime
final score drogs win 4-0 fabio returns and scores the fourth
The upside of Drogs fan screaming was that it drowned out Bryan Hamilton.
Felix & Pats chats are bizarre. When discussing O'Briens goal celebration (he took off his shirt & got booked) I thought for brief moment Felix was asking Pat if he would get booked if he took off his shirt (apologies for the mental image I posted) :o
Thankfully no Dungannon next season as they are out of their depth. Not as bad as Portadown as at least Dungannon try.
It's good to see O'Brien back. He is Drogs through and through and he shouldn't have to suffer on the sidelines as his team enjoy their moment in the sun!
Will we have a Setanta Cup next season though? Seems like interest in the competition has pretty much died this year - teams aren't putting out their strongest sides. There isn't much of an interest from the public (low crowds) and there exists a big question mark about how competitive the cup is in the group stage. Last night's match between Dungannon and Drogheda was described on the Setanta website as "a glorified training session for the visitors" - hardly bodes well for Setanta's continued sponsorship of the cup.Quote:
Originally Posted by pete
Same questions come up every year. AFAIK they;ve committed themselves until 2010
The IL does not have the strength in depth so 4 teams is too many. Drogs & ourselves knew we already in the semi finals as soon as the draw made so hard for fans to take too seriously. I think 1600 crowd as much as I would have expected (Dungannon come to town will be half that).
Interest will increase when get to the semi finals.
The only solution I can think of is change to a knock out competition. If made it two legs when would still have these mismatches.
i think it would be a lot better if it was knock out only where the games had to be settled on the night. .Quote:
Originally Posted by pete
Even Setanta themselves aren't pushing it too hard on the advertising front. In the programme at last night's City v. Cliftonville game, there was a full page ad for Setanta promoting EPL, SPL, rugby, golf, pretty much everything except the Setanta Cup (and LOI for that matter)! Struck me as strange but it's obviously an indication that it's not pulling in the required viewers and is consequently very low on their list of priorities.Quote:
Originally Posted by ifk101
I think the Setanta cup suffers a lot because of the fact your league plays in the summer and our league plays in the winter.
For instance Cliftonville ARE a very good side, but they have a small squad. They have lost something like their last 5 games domestically, which tells you they are going through a very rough patch at the moment. If this match was in September the results could be very different.
That is not to take away from the LOI, which I would admit is a stronger league overall, although I would still argue that Linfield are a match for any team in the LOI as has been proved over and over again in the Setanta Cup.
I just think the Setanta cup scheduling isn’t really favourable to IL sides. Title run in etc. Although the 2nd set of games will be played at the tail end of the LOI season, you will be more or less qualified now anyway.
Dungannon Swifts on the other hand, they are just not good enough. They are well down our league and Drogheda exposed why.
Next season it will be Coleraine, Linfield, Cliftonville and Glentoran. Glentoran are slowly but surely building a new team and are beginning to look half decent. Coleraine will be our whooping boys next season, although they can be difficult at the showground’s (although Linfield hammered them a couple of weeks ago their).
Cliftonville I would imagine would try to build on what they have, although they could possibly be a flash in the pan as they do lack any real individual quality. An excellent football team, but few players who would make the grade at Windsor for example. Cliftonville need 4 or 5 players to strengthen the first team and to improve the depth of their squad, which has cost them dearly this season.
Linfield next year might not be a force if rumours are true. Thompson, Stewart, Gault & Mannus are all supposed to be linked to moves across the water to England. If this is the case we lose 3 NI internationals and an under 21 international. Then Bailie, Ferguson, McShane & Winky Murphy will be a year older, possibly retire (although unlikely I think for Ferguson, Murphy & Bailie). So we could be about to go into a transitional period at Windsor.
Anyway just a few thoughts on the Setanta cup. I do however think the bubble has been firmly busted.
I'm not meaning to have a go here but the scheduling, no matter when it's scheduled, would appear never to favour the IL sides as long as they appear to be non competitive. Granted Linfield are the exception to the rule here, but I'm not convinced that by moving half the qualifiers to September/October (whenever), is going to prove to make the IL sides more competitive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruce
As things have been, a reason trotted out as to the reason behind the IL lack of competitiveness is that they are coming to the end of their season. I'm pretty sure that when the competition resumes after the summer when the IL are still getting turned over that the reason for that will be because the eL sides are now competing with IL sides not long after their pre-season and are fitter.
The problem with the Setanta Cup IMO is that the eL teams are better than the IL teams. I honestly don't think that there's any other reason.
Only time will tell here.Quote:
Originally Posted by CharlesThompson
Cliftonville were terrible last night, the worst team to play at the Cross since Kilkenny City last year.
It was terribly frustrating we didn't convert more chances, could have been 7 or 8 at the end.
There's an interview on the bbc website with Cliftonville's goalie John Connolly. He says Cork are the best team he's ever played against. He also says Cork are head and shoulders above Gent whom Cliftonville played in the intertoto last year. Gent beat Cliftonville 6-0 over two legs.
Looks like his water was spiked with some L*nger fairy dust :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by ifk101
I do accept that LOI sides are better (bar linfield), that isn’t debatable, it is fact. But I do feel that scheduling does hamper IL sides due to it being a run in to the season and being a vastly part time league the fitness does tell.
I do think in October that IL sides would compete a lot better, I’m not saying IL sides will dominate, or win more matches than the LOI but I do think the games will be closer and their would be more results favouring the IL.
The gap however will be getting bigger though and eventually even Linfield wont be able to compete as your getting far better investment. More crowds going through the gates and better facilities. Which is fantastic and although I don’t want an AIL or Linfield to join the LOI, I am jealous of the improvements and the vision being show in the LOI.
Irish League football has been getting further and further behind similar sized European countries. Standards are slipping, crowds are getting worse, facilities getting old.
I think once this Setanta contract runs out, an AIL competition should be scrapped and revisited in 10+ years or whenever it takes for the Irish League to get their arses into gear.
I think he is on drugs. Not to take away from Corks ability, but if Cork where that great they would have won the league easily last season. Cork are good but not that good.Quote:
Originally Posted by ifk101
Or instead of watching the league get further and further behind everyone else over the next decade they could maybe start considering the prospect of an AIL? But then of course, Linfield might not be top dog. Far better to be the best violinist playing on the ship as it goes down...Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruce
Team news:
Glentoran v Derry
Glentoran put their title challenge on hold as they welcome Stephen Kenny's side to Belfast. Glens boss Alan McDonald is again likely to field a changed side from the eleven that drew with Linfield at the weekend.
Darren Boyce may have to settle for a place on the bench although McDonald made ten changes to the team for last week's Cup game so Glens' squad players should get another run out.
Derry are still missing Sammy Morrow, Darren Quigley, Kevin Deery and Mark McChrystal. Pat McCourt, Mark Farren and Clive Delaney are also ruled out of the City team. And City boss Kenny will rotate his side from their league clash with Sligo with Aaron Callaghan, David McDaid and Niall McGinn all set to feature.
St. Pats v Linfield
The clash sees the current league leaders north and south meet in the final Setanta Cup group game ahead of the competition break.
For St Pat's, influential defender Jamie Harris is an injury concern having missed Friday's league game in Donegal. Saints will again be missing Joseph Ndo, while boss Johnny McDonnell will rotate the side that easily defeated Finn Harps at the weekend.
Linfield boss David Jeffrey has no such luxury as he has the bare bones of a squad as his long season draws to an end. Jim Ervin is ruled out after suffering cruciate ligament damage in the weekend's league clash with Glentoran and long-term injury absentees Tim Mouncey and Tim McCann are still out. Kris Lindsay is suspended for the trip to Dublin.
Elsewhere, Athlone host Kildare. http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2008/...n_kildare.html
Why would we want to play in a league from a completely different country?Quote:
Originally Posted by thischarmingman
ALL IRELAND league.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruce
ALL IRELAND....
What different country???
Jealousy jealousy :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Drogman.
Uh oh........Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruce
Quote:
Originally Posted by ifk101
:D jees , talk about stating the absolute obvious .Cork are without doubt the best team in Ireland and have conquered all in front of them recently .There european record is outstanding :D :D
Why thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by ndrog
Never heard someone from Drogheda to talk so much sense.
Fair play to ya
We are only playing ok this season & not the best team in the league this year. Further proof of the gulf in standards between the leagues. IL sides always complain about scheduling but it is their own fault so with County Antrim Shield & other pointless competitions.Quote:
Originally Posted by ifk101
IMO the IL sides do not take seriously as no extra prize money between competition qualification & final qualification. I think they see no chance of progressing so just take their Setanta cash & make no effort. Setanta need to stop the policy of showing every team & just pick the best matches.
Sounds like a good atmosphere at the Pats game tonight.
Pats one up.
Text updates here:
http://www.setanta.com/en/Sport/News...cets/football/
The Pats game is on both Setanta Ireland and Setanta Sports 2.
Do they normally broadcast the games on Setanta 1 or 2?
Wonder how many people across the water have chosen to watch this game over blue square footy on setanta 1.
Edit: i see the drogs match was on setanta 2 last night also. good to see that there is some form of irish football being broadcast outside off the island
Quigley 7 min :DQuote:
Originally Posted by thischarmingman
1-0 Pats HT
Pats could easily be about 4-0 up. They've been all over Linfield.
Glens 0 v 0 Derry City HT
Derry 1 up on Glens....Sammon peno.