1st division

**jinxy lilywhite** · 22/09/2008, 10:28 AM

I think the way tonights game will go is that both teams will play not to lose. Shels season hangs on a thread tonight where a win will put them 6 behind (alot to do but can claw their way back if we allow them). Waterford can play for a draw and try their chances against us in the RSC. But whoever loses tonight (especially Shels) will have too much to do.

The league title destination is far from being a fore gone conclusion and we won't really know until the after the Dundalk Waterford game who will probably win the league.

We are the best placed but we have to hold it. A trip to Hell this weekend and if we come out of that with 3 points then we will be one step closer.
76pts will win the league for whoever gets there first.

**Seagull-4-life** · 22/09/2008, 1:09 PM

In terms of drama, it's far more exciting than the Premier Division

**jinxy lilywhite** · 22/09/2008, 1:19 PM

Can any Shels or Waterford heads give us their thoughts on the outcome of the game. Pretty big game tonight for both clubs and the 1st in general

Originally Posted by Seagull-4-life

In terms of drama, it's far more exciting than the Premier Division

Most things are settled in the Premier though. Bohs are certs to win. Any other postitions is purely european.
At the bottom though it looks like 3 from Harps, UCD, Cobh and Galway. 30 points will probably spell safety for 4th from bottom.
I certainly believe Dundalk, Shels, Waterford and Fingal could hold their own in the premier. In the premier you just need to make sure your not one of the three worse teams there to survive. whereas in the first you need to win the effin thing while selling your soul in the meantime.

**Seagull-4-life** · 22/09/2008, 1:25 PM

Originally Posted by jinxy lilywhite

Can any Shels or Waterford heads give us their thoughts on the outcome of the game. Pretty big game tonight for both clubs and the 1st in general
Most things are settled in the Premier though. Bohs are certs to win. Any other postitions is purely european.
At the bottom though it looks like 3 from Harps, UCD, Cobh and Galway. 30 points will probably spell safety for 4th from bottom.
I certainly believe Dundalk, Shels, Waterford and Fingal could hold their own in the premier. In the premier you just need to make sure your not one of the three worse teams there to survive. whereas in the first you need to win the effin thing while selling your soul in the meantime.

Ye that's wghat I meant like relegation aside (although it is very exciting) everything's virtually decided while Div 1 loads can still happen

**higgins** · 22/09/2008, 2:03 PM

The only thing making the First Division exciting is that the four teams are mostly rubbish.
We've a back four that can't stop making mistakes and yet I could count on one hand the number of chances you created last week in Oriel.
You're not good enough, Shels are not good enough , Waterford and Fingal certainly are not good enough..

Whoever wins and goes up will come straight back down to be honest. Unless you throw out half the team.

You lost to Bray recently in the cup, that's the level you are at.
You'll be up against Bray and Harps next year for the drop.

**jinxy lilywhite** · 22/09/2008, 2:22 PM

Originally Posted by higgins

The only thing making the First Division exciting is that the four teams are mostly rubbish.
We've a back four that can't stop making mistakes and yet I could count on one hand the number of chances you created last week in Oriel.
You're not good enough, Shels are not good enough , Waterford and Fingal certainly are not good enough..

Whoever wins and goes up will come straight back down to be honest. Unless you throw out half the team.

You lost to Bray recently in the cup, that's the level you are at.
You'll be up against Bray and Harps next year for the drop.

We lost to Bray after a replay. Went out to a magnificent goal that was worthy of winning any game.
Last week you say you could count how many chances we created on one hand. Fair enough but we took those chances and won the game.

We are good enough because the gap between the top 4 of the first and the bottom 6 in premier is minimal.

Stop being bitter because your team couldn't last the pace.

**Louth4sam** · 22/09/2008, 4:48 PM

Originally Posted by higgins

The only thing making the First Division exciting is that the four teams are mostly rubbish.
We've a back four that can't stop making mistakes and yet I could count on one hand the number of chances you created last week in Oriel.
You're not good enough, Shels are not good enough , Waterford and Fingal certainly are not good enough..

Yeah i think that is a fair enough statement. We have a few good players but also too many ordinary players. We are a 1st division team remember

Originally Posted by higgins

Whoever wins and goes up will come straight back down to be honest. Unless you throw out half the team.

You lost to Bray recently in the cup, that's the level you are at.
You'll be up against Bray and Harps next year for the drop.

I wouldn't agree with this at all. If you believe the newspaper report from a few weeks back our wages where one of the most competitive in the league outside of the big four. Yes of course we would need to "throw out half the team" most promoted teams that want to stay up need to do that. I also think our proximity to Dublin makes us a lot more attractive to Dublin based players rather than Harps, Sligo, Galway etc. You only have to look at how rovers performed when they got promoted.
Would we stay up if promoted? I don't think we would with Gill in charge. I like the guy but i think he makes too many mistakes but if he gets us up he definitely should get a shot at keeping us there.

**jeff24** · 22/09/2008, 7:17 PM

''Can any Shels or Waterford heads give us their thoughts on the outcome of the game. Pretty big game tonight for both clubs and the 1st in general''

id b happy with a draw our away form tis season has'nt been great, and hopefully our home games against dundalk and shels willkeep us in it

**Martinho II** · 22/09/2008, 8:50 PM

if dundalk go up no offence but robbie farrell is not a premier division footballer.. did nothin for us did nothin for dublin city.. .

**Magicme** · 22/09/2008, 8:58 PM

but was great for us......5th top goal scorer in the league on 12 goals. God I dream of having someone score 12 goals for us this season!

**stann** · 22/09/2008, 9:01 PM

Originally Posted by jeff24

'id b happy with a draw our away form tis season has'nt been great, and hopefully our home games against dundalk and shels willkeep us in it

A draw it is, 0-0.
Sounds like Shels won the 1st half and we won the 2nd.
Major controversy though with a penalty given to Flood when it was a free out, which he missed, and Keely should have been sent off for a cynical foul on Grincell as he was through on goal. Ducks and runs...

**The Lilywhites** · 22/09/2008, 9:13 PM

Originally Posted by stann

Major controversy though with a penalty given to Flood when it was a free out, which he missed

What minute was that?

**stann** · 22/09/2008, 9:23 PM

About the 78th. Grincell foul was a minute or two later at the other end.

**blue til i die** · 22/09/2008, 10:09 PM

over the 90 minutes, we were the better team, shels shaded the first half and we outclassed them in the second, waters and clarke especialy gud down the left.fitzpatrick was class when he came on at half time. delaney made a few gud second half saves, a draw probably a fair result. thought the penalty was pretty harsh, good penalty though

don't think keely should have been sent off, seemed to be covering defenders behind him. shels could have nicked it in the last few mins, missed a few gud chances. great entertainment though, and graham kelly was terrible,AGAIN, got decisions wrong for both sides.

**Raheny Red** · 22/09/2008, 10:18 PM

Waterford keeper timing wasting and playing for a draw with 30 minutes to go

**gael353** · 22/09/2008, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by blue til i die

over the 90 minutes, we were the better team, shels shaded the first half and we outclassed them in the second, waters and clarke especialy gud down the left.fitzpatrick was class when he came on at half time. delaney made a few gud second half saves, a draw probably a fair result. thought the penalty was pretty harsh, good penalty though

don't think keely should have been sent off, seemed to be covering defenders behind him. shels could have nicked it in the last few mins, missed a few gud chances. great entertainment though, and graham kelly was terrible,AGAIN, got decisions wrong for both sides.

Did i just read that GRAHAM KELLY got another game? Has anyone heard of a ref being in charge of about 7 Limerick games this season and awarding 10 penos if not more in those games. His two pens in the Limerick Monaghan game on Friday were soft and even the limerick goal which was scored from open play (at half time the limerick scorer questioned his pen award to Mons and his reply was, "shur if you hadnt scored i would have awarded you a pen!") the limerick player asked for what? he ran off to his dressing room. And to hear he messed up yet again is no surprise.

I know in the prem clubs think his brother is bad or average but lads you've seen nothing like this guy as he walks in and together with two less then adaquate officials takes �750 per game from cash strapped clubs.

**The Lilywhites** · 22/09/2008, 10:31 PM

The Dundalk v Waterford game shows that Graham Kelly doesn't know what a penalty is.

**CSFShels** · 22/09/2008, 10:38 PM

Pathetic stuff. When you've to say Keddy was one of our best players its really dodgy.

**stann** · 23/09/2008, 1:47 AM

Originally Posted by gael353

I know in the prem clubs think his brother is bad or average but lads you've seen nothing like this guy as he walks in and together with two less then adaquate officials takes €750 per game from cash strapped clubs.

Not to add anything to the debate, just to inform ye that his father Pat, the referee's co-ordinator, was at the game.

**shep** · 23/09/2008, 8:43 AM

Went up last night,have to say,i think that to say waterford outclassed Shels in 2nd half is rubbish!! Yes they were better than they were in the 1st half,but only because in the 1st half you didnt even have what resembled an attack.Forsyth should have put Shels in front when dispossesing your keeper in the 1st half.And in the 2nd although Delaney made a few decent saves,the 2nd half was the "Anto Flood Miss Of The Season" Competition. In reality Shels were the better team and could easily have won 3 or 4 nil on another day.

That said a draw is not a bad result for Dundalk.I dont fear Waterford,we have outplayed you in all 3 meetings this year,and altough we have only 6 points to show for it,i am sure a number of our players are looking forward to settling a score in thr R.S.C