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Friday 1st Oct
Premier Division
Drogs v St Pats 19:45
Finn Harps v Dundalk 20:00
Shamrock Rovers v Derry City 20:00
Saturday 2nd
Longford v Bohs 19:30
Sligo v Waterford 19:45
Friday October 1st
First Division
Bray v Cork 19:30
Wexford v UCD 19:45
Shels v Treaty 19:45
Athlone v Cabo 19:45
Cobh v Galway 19:45
Every match this weekend in the Premier Division is a big one for different reasons.
Drogs need a win to avoid drifting into relegation trouble with Harps , Waterford and Dundalk all showing form
Bohs also need a win in Longford to keep hopes of catching Sligo alive but also bizarrely to avoid coming into the relegation equation as well.
Sligo badly need a win to try to stay top 3 but Waterford need it every bit as much and are on better form
Harps v Dundalk in a relegation 6 pointer, can this Dundalk team do it on a rainy night in Ballybofey.
Rovers v Derry , Derry on a great run of form pushing for Europe, interesting side angle to this one with Derry positioning themselves for next year. Rovers need to follow up last weeks huge win against Pats by turning up against Derry and marching on.
Firt Divison:
Season over , match practise for playoffs
.
A Pats win coupled with a Rovers win would all but secure Europe for us and let us focus fully on the cup.
Dundalk seem to have got their act together and could end the weekend 5 points off 4th. I wouldn't put it past them to finish the season there.
By jove you have cracked it, the way to make the first division sexy and appealing! Rebrand as the Flirt Division!Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgawa
And on a day you're looking so well!
Question for the Longford fans on here: with the match on Saturday, did the local Superintendent put a cap on the number of away fans, or was it down to the club not wanting to loose home advantage?
As disappointing as it was to lose last week (especially so late on) realistically second was probably beyond what we could have expected at the start of the year, so if we could secure that it would be a good season.Quote:
Originally Posted by PartySaint
Dundalks upturn in form is a concern with the cup semi looming. I would love another cup final. Will be a tough semi though.
Be funny if Dundalk knock you guys out in the semi then finish 4th and miss out on Europe by losing the final to Bohs/Waterford.Quote:
Originally Posted by PartySaint
They might be better throwing the semi if they are looking like getting 4th :eek:
They are looking good again
To answer your Q Bohs11 I am part of the matchday security staff but not on the club board. I know in Dundalk game there was similar amount of away support too. I think it has to be a bit of both as I noticed on our website that if Bohs fans bought in the home end and they were caught and escorted out of the ground they wont get a refund.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bohs11
Thanks for clearing it up a bit. Genuinely not trying to kick the club here, but it looks like you're probably going down. At this stage of the season, would it not make sense to have let Dundalk and Bohs to bring as many as they wanted, and re-invest the couple of grand extra on players to get promoted next year?Quote:
Originally Posted by Martinho II
I think it's safe enough to say we're not just "probably" going down. Personally I'd have given them as many tickets as they want but there could be pressure from the guards alright. They never like large crowds coming down, more work for them in their eyes. They're usually more bothered about Shamrock Rovers than anyone else though.
Alternatively, McEleney, Duffy and Patching's (if the rumours are true) best chance of playing in Europe next season might be Pats to win the Cup if Derry finish 4th. Hopefully that is in the back on their minds in a few weeks time...Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgawa
I’ve no doubt you’re hoping that but realistically I’d imagine the players will be fairly motivated to get to a cup final and play in front of a big crowd in the Aviva and potentially win a trophy. The more interesting game will be the last league game when Derry come to oriel as at that stage both teams will know what’s required for their respective final league position.Quote:
Originally Posted by PartySaint
Fair enough, it just seemed more like a club decision on home advantage because of the Google Form to get tickets, and tweet about not issuing refunds to away fans travelling. Look, if the guards made the decision though, there's nothing much which could be done.Quote:
Originally Posted by Longfordian
Now that would be some spectator sport, watching a bunch of LoI nerds trying to flirt at a LoI game...hold yer thought there the ref is going to do something nuts....etc up there with the never go on a date to the cinema to a film you actually want to see!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr A
Already dreading tonights game in Donegal!!
It could be purely a club decision. I genuinely don't know. But I do know that in years gone by we always used to get instructions from the guards as to how they wanted the away crowd managed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bohs11
UCD are in the first divison and we all know those student types are mad for it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
More importantly can DFC do it on a cold and windy night in Ballybofey?
Local derby for McEleney, Duffy, Patching and Slogget ;) so loads of motivation
They should use the bohs game as practice for the Rovers game down there in a few weeks time, when the Rovers fans will be coming down, irrespective of how many tickets are available.Quote:
Originally Posted by Longfordian
Are we on that great a run though? Last five games; won two, lost one, drawn one; scored 10, conceded seven. We're doing alright, but are finding it difficult to keep a clean sheet.Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgawa
I'd expect a loss by a couple of goals tonight. Shams were outstanding in the second half up in the Brandywell in July, they took us apart with ease. It was blindingly obvious how great the gulf in quality was. If we get anything out of tonight, I'd be delighted.
Is it possible to flirt with nobody around?Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgawa
I am hoping that the players on the move will want to drive on for the remainder of the season rather than go through the motions 'cause they are on the move. Again there are local rumours of some deals not absolutely done, I doubt it myself if there are secure longer term contracts on offer at Derry where Dundalk is eh unstable at the moment. Pre contracts are pretty useless if there is a change of heart. Higgins has a rep for getting on very well with players but that dynamic will change when he is boss, I do think he will overcome the issue. VP was also very popular with players as an assistant but maybe didnt navigate the change so well. Cold and windy night in Ballybofey could undo Real Madrid fully on song but at least DFC players are showing soe fight so ye never know. The Harps ability to be more physical in poor conditions mean I think they are favourites though maybe we learned something from coughing up 3-1 lead in 10 minutes.
I think the notion of Harps playing uppen-attem hoofball on a crap pitch is a bit out of date - the last few times I've seen Harps play, both live and on telly, they are playing a good brand of football on a decent surface - if anything dundalks better players should relish playing on a pitch that at least tries to be reliable.