Matchday 14

Extratime and our bench agreeing about Boyle's two yellows! Second one was for the penalty, and we had Dundalk slightly rattled for a few minutes after pulling back to 4-2. If they'd been down to ten men, maybe we could have found a gap and pulled it back to 4-3 and see how Dundalk would respond. But then we've gone 1-0 up against them both times only to go 4-1 down; agitating them hasn't been the smartest of plans this season!

That might have just been the easiest Pats win I've ever seen. Drogheda are awful.

Our next league game is up in Oriel, should be a cracker. We will need to improve defensively if we want to get a result. Bolger has to start for us for that to happen.

The two Boyle yellow cards

https://vine.co/v/MpHzBWebl5b

Dundalk should be relegated to the Kerry League for this.

Boyle was clearly booked twice (confirmed now on tv). If I was a UCD/ Cork/Rovers /Pats fan I'd be livid... 4-2 against 10 would have given them some chance. Awful refereeing from four refs and a refs assessor all of whom are paid to be there. I assume Dundalk are in the clear as it wasn't our mistake but I assume Boyle will (rightly) be suspended when it's reviewed. I tip this ref for greatness.

Originally Posted by seand

Boyle was clearly booked twice (confirmed now on tv). If I was a UCD/ Cork/Rovers /Pats fan I'd be livid... 4-2 against 10 would have given them some chance. Awful refereeing from four refs and a refs assessor all of whom are paid to be there. I assume Dundalk are in the clear as it wasn't our mistake but I assume Boyle will (rightly) be suspended when it's reviewed. I tip this ref for greatness.

He may achieve greatness but he'll never be as great as this fella.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-NRQz0P6vg

Originally Posted by seand

Awful refereeing from four refs and a refs assessor all of whom are paid to be there.

Out of interest what did you expect the refs assessor to do? Run onto pitch and haul player off? Last I checked their job was to observe game and report back. I assess in the North and we aren't even allowed to speak to referees at half time as can't be influencing game due to comments we may make.

Originally Posted by oriel

We actually made it a little difficult for ourselves for 10 or 15 mins in the second half, was impressed how UCD upped their game and played with a lot of energy. Decent win in the end, but it was a very quiet Oriel Park I thought, hardly a lot of excitement for a team going 5 points clear.

Our games have been similar of late actually. It has been very quiet with little in the way of atmosphere despite relatively large crowds.

Originally Posted by refjohn

Out of interest what did you expect the refs assessor to do? Run onto pitch and haul player off? Last I checked their job was to observe game and report back. I assess in the North and we aren't even allowed to speak to referees at half time as can't be influencing game due to comments we may make.

Cheers John, fair point, I assume our assessors are not allowed to contact refs either in that case. I just wondered if he couldn't contact the fourth official on the sideline. Remarkable that none of the four on-field officials spotted it.

I guess there's an extent to which the linesmen certainly just aren't looking out for that kind of thing. How often does it happen?

The fourth official, though, I think keeps a counter-check of bookings and events (refjohn may be able to correct), in which case he should have spotted it.

And one or two on our bench spotted it at the time - are they allowed to make the point to the fourth official?

Two yellow cards and not being sent off is just not good enough.

The performance of the officals last night was terrible. I didn't think the two penalties were penalties. Boyle got the ball, while Mountney overran the ball and lost balance. Also, UCD players constantly threw themselves to the ground (with an accompanying roar) and were awarded with free kicks every time. As for the linesmen, there were numerous wrong offside calls.

All in all, the poorest set of officials in Oriel Park so far this season. Particularly, when you consider that Dundalk Vs UCD is one of the easiest games to officiate.

I thought both penalties were penalties tbh.

Don't know where you're getting the constant diving from.

One thing that is interesting is on our first goal; the ref didn't count out the ten yards for the wall, but then blew his whistle for the free to be taken. This, I think, confused Cherrie, who was still sorting out the wall. When he saw Mulhall running up to take the free, Cherrie - who was on the post - ran towards the middle of the goal, but the ball went back the way he'd come, so he had little enough chance.

I thought the rule with a quick free though was that you either take the kick immediately or wait for the whistle? I'll post the video later, but the ref talks to Mulhall, then walks away for a few seconds and blows his whistle. This, by my understanding, isn't a quick free kick and so the ref should have marked out ten yards for the wall, which would have meant Cherrie would have been in position for the free.

Here's a quick free kick with no whistle.

Did the ref mess up again here?

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Are there any plans to upgrade Oriel at all? I'd forgotten what a dump it is. The main stand is grand, but a small stand somewhere else is badly needed. (The Old terrace bit doesn't count really as it's a bit of a tip)

Totally agree its in need of a makeshift, and a new stand (behind the town goal would be good), crying out for it actually. As one of the lads pointed out, there is a mention on the stadium thread to plans, article in a recent match programme gave some details, away section to be upgraded, disabled cover and final one I'd love to see, but not sure if just plans, to extend the main stand along one side, even that would be enough, as away fans could stay where they are, but obviously in a proper seated stand area with much better toilet and food/drink facilities.

Watched soccer rep, simply unbelievable how ref didn't spot the 2nd card for Boyle, I def thought it was a penalty, and he was lucky not to get a straight red for it, totally wreck less by the guy and could have cost us dearly. Moment of madness and he did realise it straight away, needs to learn from that especially as stand in captain.

Definitely admired UCD performance in the 2nd, I'd say for over 15 mins they had us under a bit of pressure, few teams have done that this season at home, but suppose we had a fair lead built up at the time.

Originally Posted by KeepersBall

He may achieve greatness but he'll never be as great as this fella.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-NRQz0P6vg

Indeed. I thought of that straight away, although I was blaming Howard Webb instead of Graham Poll.

Easy, easy win for Pats last night, Dundalk away in 2 weeks is shaping up to be a cracker. Honestly think it's between the two of us for the Title (sorry Cork and Rovers ).

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I guess there's an extent to which the linesmen certainly just aren't looking out for that kind of thing.

I've noticed before when the ref books someone the linesman notes it down in a book of their own. I always assumed they both do it in case they need to step in and ref the match at any point. I honestly don't know how they all missed it last night considering it wasn't a dirty game and there was only two(?) bookings at that point.
Can anyone confirm the process for suspension in this case? If Boyle had got the red he would miss the next game automatically but as he wasn't actually given the red what happens now?

Isn't an immediate one-match ban only for a straight red?

(Which, as noted above, he could well have gotten alright)

But in any event, I think your suspension is served, where possible, in the competition it was earned in, in which case he should be available for the Cup game regardless.

I remember a similar thing happening against Cobh a few years back (2008); I think the linesman stepped in to tell the ref to send the guy off alright, so you could have a point there.

Is there no precedent for playing the match again? I'd have thought that would be an option considering it probably did have a material effect on the outcome.

TBH, I'll take a 5-2 defeat over playing that match again!

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Is there no precedent for playing the match again? I'd have thought that would be an option considering it probably did have a material effect on the outcome.

Stop it now!!

The result stood after the Poll 3 red cards in a world cup finals - that should be precedence enough for the FAI

Technically, that's not really a precedence - yer man did get sent off in the end. Here, Boyle got to stay on for the full 90.

Edit - just checking wikipedia there; had forgotten that the third yellow was actually after the final whistle. Yer man (Simunic) had been booked the second time in injury time, and then confronted and pushed Poll after the end of the game. What a twit.