Looking good

TheRealRovers · 08/11/2003, 6:30 PM

NOVEMBER 7
EIRCOM LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION

P W D L F A Pts
1 Bray Wndrs 30 17 9 4 53 30 60
2 Finn Harps 30 16 10 4 51 23 58
3 Dublin City 29 16 9 4 39 24 57
4 Limerick 30 14 8 8 48 37 50

Looks like Harps will be staying down for another season

**Breifne** · 09/11/2003, 6:00 PM

NOVEMBER 7
EIRCOM LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION

P W D L F A Pts
1 Bray Wndrs 30 17 9 4 53 30 60
2 Dublin City 30 17 9 4 40 24 60
3 Finn Harps 30 16 10 4 51 23 58
4 Limerick 30 14 8 8 48 37 50

with some crunch games coming up over the next three weeks, it looks like the final day of the season could be decisive for all three clubs in the shake up.

Hope you continue make the title chase interesting. We hope to take three points from Finn Harps next week, and end their interest in the automatic promotion place.

**Roo69** · 10/11/2003, 12:03 PM

Were playing some really good stuff at the moment, we absolutey played kilkenny off the pitch on friday night (not that hard mind you), still to early to call yet though. all we need to do is win 3 games and were champions !

Was talking to a few of the players and they feel very confident that they can do it, i reckon if we beat sligo next week we'll win it.

Best of luck to everyone involved

**Breifne** · 10/11/2003, 12:14 PM

Was talking to a few of the players and they feel very confident that they can do it, i reckon if we beat sligo next week we'll win it.

Thats a bit unrealistic, while I accept that yes, three victories and your the champions, that same could be said for us. I think its important that both sides win their next two games. a victory over Finn Harps on Thursday coupled with a victory over Sligo for yourselves, would end Brays interest in the competition. And mean that barring a complete disaster in our penultimate games, we will have a nice pressurised encounter on the final day of the season, exactly what we would like to see happen.

I for one would like to see it come down to a crunch decider in Whitehall on the last day of the season, just for tension, and the hype and buildup. It would be a great occasion for both sides to be part of that.

I feel that both sides will be promoted this year, Limerick or Kildare do not hold any surprises, UCD, Derry or Drogheda don't scare the Vikings, and I think that two teams from Bray, Finn Harps and ourselves will be gracing the Premier Division next term. I think all three clubs have had exceptional seasons, and in any other year, would have won the First Division by this stage, with a huge margin.

The next fortnight or so will reveal a lot about the character of all three sides. Finn Harps went from the driving seat to the boot when they slipped up against Limerick, Bray are now in pole position, as we have the harder run-in, but all three sides have faltered when faced with the opportunity to put a little daylight into the situation, and it will be interesting to say the least.

Best of Luck to all three sides, and hopefully either Bray or Harps will be joining us in the Premier next Season (At least I can dream).

**Schumi** · 10/11/2003, 12:37 PM

Originally posted by Breifne
I feel that both sides will be promoted this year, Limerick or Kildare do not hold any surprises, UCD, Derry or Drogheda don't scare the Vikings, and I think that two teams from Bray, Finn Harps and ourselves will be gracing the Premier Division next term. I think all three clubs have had exceptional seasons, and in any other year, would have won the First Division by this stage, with a huge margin.

I don't agree. Granted I've only seen Bray once and the rest not at all (altough I might go to the Harps game in Whitehall) but Bray weren't good against us in the league cup and what was supposedly a full strength Bray team was hammered by us 4-0 in a friendly. The only first division team I'm worried about is Harps.

**Breifne** · 10/11/2003, 12:48 PM

I don't agree. Granted I've only seen Bray once and the rest not at all (altough I might go to the Harps game in Whitehall) but Bray weren't good against us in the league cup and what was supposedly a full strength Bray team was hammered by us 4-0 in a friendly. The only first division team I'm worried about is Harps.

Credit where credit is due, UCD have managed to crawl back into contention for survival since the arrival of Pete Mahon, although it would be a brave man that bets against them going down. As a DCU student, it will not disappoint me to see them go down, although I like what the club do for University Football in general, and they should be commended for that.

It is more than likely that Harps will miss out on Automatic promotion, as they are the only side in the top three without control over their own destiny.

Bray and Dublin City should be in the hunt up until the final day of the season, with Bray having the superior goal difference, and the advantage of playing two lower placed sides, they would be favourites, but only just.

**Roo69** · 10/11/2003, 12:50 PM

Bray weren't good against us in the league cup and what was supposedly a full strength Bray team was hammered by us 4-0 in a friendly. The only first division team I'm worried about is Harps. [/B]

We beat ya's in the league cup and as for the friendly ! what a joke, we had about 3 different teams on the pitch, chopping and changing all the time, it was during the summer break and it was just to keep us fit and match sharp - sure even paul doolin gave himself a run out !

Ive seen ucd about 8 times this season and they play some very nice football, they only thing they lack is experience. Personally on what ive seen this season, Bray are at the moment a better side than ucd, derry, drogs, harps and dublin.

**pineapple stu** · 10/11/2003, 12:55 PM

Originally posted by Roo69
We beat ya's in the league cup and as for the friendly ! what a joke, we had about 3 different teams on the pitch, chopping and changing all the time, it was during the summer break and it was just to keep us fit and match sharp - sure even paul doolin gave himself a run out !

Yeah, but we had Barry Andrews in nets for the League Cup game!

We had Paul Doolin and even Tommy Dunne playing in that friendly, youz had a decent team and the Bray website said that there was an evident gulf between the two sides. Youz also went down last year, lost your keeper and your top forward, and are now top of the First. There's a big gap between the First and the Premier. Don't forget as well that only one team from the first has ever won the play-off! And that was Kilkenny!

Drogs also fairly comfortably won in Donegal in the Cup, having not won a Cup game in around seven years. Dublin City went out very tamely to Pat's, as did Kildare.

Not saying it won't happen, now, just that winning First Division games counts for nothing when it comes to winning games against Premier sides. One of youz may go up, but realistically it would be a big shock were it to happen.

**Schumi** · 10/11/2003, 1:03 PM

Originally posted by Roo69
as for the friendly ! what a joke, we had about 3 different teams on the pitch, chopping and changing all the time, it was during the summer break and it was just to keep us fit and match sharp - sure even paul doolin gave himself a run out !

So 33 Bray players couldn't beat UCD including Paul Doolin? You are $hit so.

**Roo69** · 10/11/2003, 1:09 PM

our keeper - Matt Gregg, our best midfielder - Pip Keogh, and our best striker - Jayo Byrne, Matt Britton, Mick Doohan as well, last season after we went down, but on a whole as a team we are better this year - were actually playing football again ! thank god.

I have no doubt after seeing so many premier league matches this season and having watched bray virtually week in week out that we could more than cope in the premier, and again, if we do come up i take it that Devo would like to strengthen the squad so that woulkd make us only stronger.

Also last season we were ravaged with injuries through the whole season, sure jayo was missing for 3 months solid and he still finished 2nd top scorer.

Sure we'll see what happens !

**Roo69** · 10/11/2003, 1:11 PM

Originally posted by Schumi
So 33 Bray players couldn't beat UCD including Paul Doolin? You are $hit so.

Smart arse ! lol
Doolo was actually still handy enough though, doesnt mind a tackle or 2 ! that was actually the worse match ive ever seen, the lads were standing around talking to eachother n stuff. Sure at one stage Cawley came over to us and started takling to Robbie Doyle and Pip Keogh while he was supposed to be playing ! telling us stories about big fat pat dolan !

**Schumi** · 10/11/2003, 1:14 PM

Originally posted by Roo69
at one stage Cawley came over to us and started takling to Robbie Doyle and Pip Keogh while he was supposed to be playing ! telling us stories about big fat pat dolan !

LOL Maybe I should place less importance on that result so!

**pineapple stu** · 11/11/2003, 4:58 PM

Originally posted by Roo69
Sure we'll see what happens !

When all comes to all, 'tis true!

**UCD_4_Life** · 11/11/2003, 5:25 PM

Originally posted by pineapple stu
Yeah, but we had Barry Andrews in nets for the League Cup game!

We had Paul Doolin and even Tommy Dunne playing in that friendly, youz had a decent team and the Bray website said that there was an evident gulf between the two sides. Youz also went down last year, lost your keeper and your top forward, and are now top of the First. There's a big gap between the First and the Premier. Don't forget as well that only one team from the first has ever won the play-off! And that was Kilkenny! Drogs also fairly comfortably won in Donegal in the Cup, having not won a Cup game in around seven years. Dublin City went out very tamely to Pat's, as did Kildare.

Not saying it won't happen, now, just that winning First Division games counts for nothing when it comes to winning games against Premier sides. One of youz may go up, but realistically it would be a big shock were it to happen.

And the award for most use of the "word" "youz" in a post goes to...

**Estar** · 11/11/2003, 6:03 PM

Originally posted by pineapple stu
Dublin City went out very tamely to Pat's, as did Kildare.

Yes a very tame 1-2, 10 v 11, any how I 'd like to welcome UCD to 10 years of First Division football.

**pineapple stu** · 11/11/2003, 6:57 PM

Originally posted by Estar
Yes a very tame 1-2, 10 v 11, any how I 'd like to welcome UCD to 10 years of First Division football.

Yez only scored in the last minute though, didn't yez?

And don't worry about us - we'll either show youz how to seal a play-off place without collapsing, or how to maintain a title challenge for a whole season!

**pineapple stu** · 11/11/2003, 6:58 PM

Originally posted by UCD_4_Life
And the award for most use of the "word" "youz" in a post goes to...

Isitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeis itmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisit meisitmeisitmeisitmeisitme????????

**UCD_4_Life** · 11/11/2003, 6:59 PM

Originally posted by pineapple stu
Isitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeis itmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisitmeisit meisitmeisitmeisitmeisitme????????

Yes, yes it is.

On a completely unrelated note: My cat's name is Mittenz.

**Roo69** · 12/11/2003, 1:44 PM

U.C.D stay up ! it's our Derby, plus i think they play good ball, good result for ya's last night. ya never know lads !!!!!!!
Hopefully we'll meet in the premier next season !