Neutral opinion of cup semi replay

**Dodge** · 09/10/2003, 9:07 AM

I think you can all guess mine

**S�C** · 09/10/2003, 9:21 AM

I was there last night, though it was an excellent game.

The goals scored tell you how both teams play and explains why Bohs and Shels are so far ahead of City and Pats.

Ref gave Pats everything, some fairly dirty tugging at corners and set plays by Pats went un-noticed, Crowe particularly had a bad time of it. The linesman on the Camac side was crap, for both teams, he couldnt keep up with the play at all and was afraid to make decisions.

Fahy is a good player, if he filled out a bit more he'd be a great player.

Doyle needs 5 great chances before he scores but runs his socks off.

The Crime Scene Investigators seemed muted for long periods.

The Pats PA guy really needs to be fired.

**John83** · 09/10/2003, 9:31 AM

Originally posted by S�Ccfc
The Pats PA guy really needs to be fired.

Assuming it's the same guy who did the PA for the last PAts v UCD fixture, I agree wholeheartedly.

**Dodge** · 09/10/2003, 9:35 AM

Originally posted by S�Ccfc
Ref gave Pats everything

Apart from the handball by Doyle for his goal and the Bird "offside" equalizer

He was **** but certainly not biased. And my question was more aimed at whether it looked good on TV

Oh and I agree about the PA

**Robinski** · 09/10/2003, 9:39 AM

Agreed S�Ccfc.

Classic match last night, heart-stopping stuff.

Congratulations to Pats.

**S�C** · 09/10/2003, 9:40 AM

Originally posted by Dodge
Apart from the handball by Doyle for his goal and the Bird "offside" equalizer He was **** but certainly not biased. And my question was more aimed at whether it looked good on TV

Oh and I agree about the PA

He was ****e alright to both teams, but Im talking about just the general 50/50 things went Pats way. Loads of times ball went in the air and two players went up for it the usual outcome was a free to Pats. Pure home town stuff last night.

I though Bird was offside? Havnt seen it on TV or anything but none of the Pats fans around me complained about it.

**Ringo** · 09/10/2003, 9:53 AM

It would have made a great final, a great advert for the Eircom league.

**joeSoap** · 09/10/2003, 9:57 AM

Absolutely enthralling stuff, and a glorious reason for RTE to put more money into the development of Irish soccer. How many crappy SPL games involving Celtic must we watch at licence payers expense? This is what Irish soccer is all about: Passion, Controversy, Excitement with no little amount of skill involved. A marvellous ad for the game in general.
BTW...come on Longford for the cup...I couldn't bear to watch or listen to that little John Gilligan lookalike (Eamonn Collins) bouncing around or sounding off!!

**NorthoftheLee** · 09/10/2003, 10:08 AM

thought it was a very good game.....st pats name is on the cup this year....3 ogs by bohs....if it was shels they were playing, people would be looking at ollie byrne..

pats rowed their luck a bit.....but they stuck with it and it proved to be an excellent winner.....

Bohs I thought were the better team and deserved to win, but thats footie.......

Come on Longford in the final...get your revenge........

**Colm** · 09/10/2003, 11:25 AM

It looked great on TV and was one of the most entertaining games of football I've seen on TV for a long long time.
Great match, loads of noise from the fans and the insightful commentary of Pat Dolan.
Hopefully it will give RTE an incentive to show more games (I doubt it though!).
It really was a great advertisement for the league.

**pete** · 09/10/2003, 11:36 AM

Only saw the last 10 mins of extra time so can't comment on the match really.

Pats are a good team at home but poor away. Bohs always attack & can't defend which is why most teams will have their most entertaining agme against them. This would indicate a good entertaining game before the match anyways...

The eL doesn't produce these games week in week out but cos only the odd live game shown takes years to reproduce one. If only a few EPL or SPL games shown live a season would also take years to have a really great game.

I've seen the odd SPL non old firm game & they have been soooooooo boring i wonder why RTE ever bothers to show them anymore.

4-3 Cup semi is great advert for the league & Pats will bring more support to the final than Bohs.

**kevin.m** · 09/10/2003, 11:40 AM

Last nights game was one of the most exciting and incident packed game I have seen anywhere in a very long time.Delight it was on TV as maybe now more people might become aware of how good the Eircom League can be. Doubt though we will suddenly see louds more game on TV as two in one week for RTE should cover them for a while.

**Xlex** · 09/10/2003, 12:44 PM

From a neutrals point of view I really enjoyed it... and as I said before, if Longford weren't to win the cup then I'd prefer Pat's. I still do...

The Final is going to be a great occasion...

The one group of supporters I would hate to have been last night (or any night for that matter) would have been the Cork fan's, Dolan showed where his heart still lies....

**Gary** · 09/10/2003, 12:48 PM

If this game happened in the Premiership or the CL, the commentators would be hailing it as one of the all time great matches, hearing why "this is why everyone wants to play in the CL/Prem" and all that boooollllllllooooox.

Fair play to both teams for making it a cup tie to be proud of.

Doubt it made the barstoolers sit up and take any notice though.

**Dodge** · 09/10/2003, 1:07 PM

Originally posted by Gary
Doubt it made the barstoolers sit up and take any notice though.

It definitely did. I got loads of texts from non believers saying it was the best game they'd seen in ages. In work today everybody is coming up and saying great things.

**ger121** · 09/10/2003, 1:10 PM

A Cup classic. Couldn't make it to the game last night but watched it on t.v. One of the best games I've seen in years. A credit to the league. congrats to Pat's they took their chances, we didn't. Will still go to the final though. Come on Longford

I'd say there will be a half decent crowd at the final, as both teams will bring a lot of supporters.

Sheridan · 09/10/2003, 1:24 PM

It was a classic alright, can't remember seeing so many scoring chances in a game since Brazil-Costa Rica at the World Cup. I actually thought Crowe did quite well on occasion, his two perfectly-judged passes to Morrison (who somehow screwed up both) were touches of genius. Doyle reminds me of Robbie Keane a few years ago (both a good and a bad thing.) Bags of skill and enthusiasm, without the killer instinct to match. This (admittedly Bohs-leaning) neutral thought McKeon did marginally favour Pat's, though.

Kenny mentioned his annoyance at the concession of two own goals in the post-match interview, and said the same thing to TV3's reporter later on. Shame no-one had the guts to point out there were actually three own goals...

**DruggyDrog** · 09/10/2003, 2:50 PM

Absolutely classic cup football, a game that was worthy of the TV coverage for a change. Any one who watched it, an EL fan or not, must have been enthralled from start to finish. Superb end to end stuff, for 120 full minutes. Looked great on TV, but don't let anyone even consider analysing the defending by both sides!!!!!

**UCD_4_Life** · 09/10/2003, 3:11 PM

Excellent shtuff.

One of the most entertaining games I've seen in a long time, from any country.

**NorthoftheLee** · 09/10/2003, 3:12 PM

The one group of supporters I would hate to have been last night (or any night for that matter) would have been the Cork fan's, Dolan showed where his heart still lies....

Dolan obviously has feelings for St Pats after spending all those years there...It shows he is not a bitter man...He'll cheer them on in the final too and that wont be a suprise. completely understandable..

His heart lies with City now and he hasnt done anything to convince me otherwise.....