LoI in Europe 2018

[Philosophizer]

0-0 result. Fair result in my opinion. Very evenly matched teams. High quality game too. Both teams went for it.
Dundalk have every chance in Cyprus. Well capable of going there and winning it, but Larnaca have quality too.

[ger121]

Injury time winner for Hibs after being 2 nil down. They do leak a lot of goals.

[Asterix]

Think Dundalk needed to win tonight, the heat will play a big part next week

[Philosophizer]

Dundalk probably had slightly better chances. Duffy really should have scored 1 of his 3 chances. The Larnaca lad probably should have scored the right footed volley too but he struck it wide.

[Philosophizer]

Think Dundalk needed to win tonight, the heat will play a big part next week

Heat could be the difference all right. The Dundalk lads will be fecked in that heat. Larnaca will also be a week further along in their pre season fitness and may have a few internationals back from injury.
Still tho, Kenny and the Dundalk players will believe they can do it.

[ger121]

Sure, heat could be a factor but they are a fit side, it’s been a warm summer and they did a training week in Spain during the mid season break. That hopefully will stand to them. Over the last 5 years, they nearly always score away. It would be a good trend to continue next week.

[osarusan]

Both defences were fairly comfortable I thought. But Dundalk will always fancy their chances of getting a goal.

[White Horse]

Even enough game, I thought we just shaded the number of chances but a draw is a fair result.

The balance of our midfield just wasn't right, Benson was pushing too far forward and leaving oceans of space for them to exploit. Chris Shields had to play like two players to hold the midfield. A stunning performance from him.

McEleney coming off the bench was almost a game changer, they couldn't handle his movement and inventiveness. Its a pity he is not fit enough to play more than 30 minutes.

Overall I'm pretty happy to go to Cyprus knowing a score draw will put us through.

The ref though. An absolute shocking performance.

[ToberonaTornado]

The Duffy miss was one of those were you say - "that could've been the one" with gilt chances were at a premium.
AEK had one also and it thankfully screwed wide.
Otherwise there were other little skirmishes and saves by the respective gk's.
Great tie to be at in a hopping ground and everything still up for grabs

Ref Buttimer-esque in how he handled the game!

Still in with a great chance of progressing.

[CorribsideSteve]

AEK had one also and it thankfully screwed wide.

Time stood still for me for a split second as I was sure it had gone in. That was a big let off. As good as Dundalk played, and play, an away goal tonight would have been a sickener and create a steep mountain to climb, and in that regard they did just enough. Rogers made some comfortable saves. Agree about the referee, the red card situation was definitely a page out of Buttimer's Book.

[TheBoss]

LOI sides have progressed to the next round 22 times playing the away leg second but have failed 116 times. But 15 of them have been since 2004/05 season with 33 failures in that time.

Last success was when Dundalk eliminated FH in 2016/17 season.

[swinfordfc]

I think Dundalk have missed their chance ... The heat factor will be huge out there and I think they need a win here last night to get through ... But I hope I'm wrong!

[White Horse]

I think Dundalk have missed their chance ... The heat factor will be huge out there and I think they need a win here last night to get through ... But I hope I'm wrong!

I don't think the heat factor will be huge. Dundalk have been training during the day on the Oriel Park surface all summer, and temperatures at pitch level usually exceed 30 degrees as the surface radiates heat upwards.

All training sessions are being monitored with Statsports equipment with particular emphasis upon the impact of heat on the players. Dundalk knew that a Europa League run would entail playing in heat.

Dundalk looked the fitter side last night, not that Larnaca were slouches. They were in great condition given it was their first competitive game.

I think we chased the game too much and lacked composure at key points. I hope we will be a bit more compact in midfield and wait for opportunities rather than trying to force them from unlikely situations.

[marinobohs]

Even enough game, I thought we just shaded the number of chances but a draw is a fair result.

The balance of our midfield just wasn't right, Benson was pushing too far forward and leaving oceans of space for them to exploit. Chris Shields had to play like two players to hold the midfield. A stunning performance from him.

McEleney coming off the bench was almost a game changer, they couldn't handle his movement and inventiveness. Its a pity he is not fit enough to play more than 30 minutes.

Overall I'm pretty happy to go to Cyprus knowing a score draw will put us through.

The ref though. An absolute shocking performance.

Very fair reflection, having something to build on would have been nice but a nil all at home never a disaster in Europe given the 'away goal' rule.Heat will be a factor over there but Dundalk are the best conditioned team in the League so they may not suffer as much as others might.
Still all to play for and I expect t will boil down to who takes whatever chances are going in the second leg. one goal might well be enough

[Demesne Lad]

As a Dundalk fan for over 50 years, I would love to see them go through next week. But the temperature will be 29 - 30 C, Laranaca may have 3 or 4 first choice players back, and in their last 9 European games at home they have scored 14 goals and conceded 3: one each to Bordeaux, Spartak Moscow and Slovan Liberac.

[paul_oshea]

Contrast Dundalk players and management speaking after the game to Cork(mainly) or any other side, disappointment was the main theme, you can imagine caufield beaming from ear to ear, but still somehow being negative with a similar result. Talk positive, act positive, positive results will follow.

Shields was very good, thought O'Donnell would be a big miss for Dundalk in Europe this year but Shields was playing his role as well as his own. Connolly and Mcgrath were not up to the required standard but everyone else played pretty well. Larnaca seemed to up in the 2nd half looking for an away goal, but then they tired in the last 10 to 15 minutes and Dundalk looked relatively ok. But that humidity and heat in Cyprus where during the day it could be up in the late 30s will definitely affect Dundalk, 4 or 5 degrees is massive in that heat. Larnaca will also be a week further into their pre-season and that game last night will have done them the world of good.

Dundalk had some great chances, no clear cut, wtf was he at misses, but the right option at the right time and could have been a goal. The chance Shields created in the first half and followed the run into the box, the pull ball across was poor given the positioning of Dundalks players around the 6 yard box, should have been played back to Shields feet rather than blasting across the box. I thought a few selfish individual strikes also cost them a goal in the 2nd half, there were better options available but Hoban and Duffy chose the selfish option. I'm wondering watching duffy if he is trying to push his chances of a big move over the benefit of the team.

Someone mentioned above also, but dundalk left loads of space in the middle, fortunately Shields was all over the place, and Larnaca werent capable of taking advantage of the space. Dundalks high press meant that once larnaca got the ball in behind them or dispossessed dundalk up top then they left space to be exploited behind. Something they will have to balance better next week.

Although Connolly and mgrath had to come off I wasn't overly impressed with who came on.

A 0-0 was a fair result. I hope Larnacas fitness isn't that much better next week cos that middle quarter in the 2nd half they looked much more dangerous until they tired. But it really is so refreshing to watch Dundalk and listen to the team and management in Europe. I hope Kenny one day gets the top job in Ireland and the chance to make his mark.

[paul_oshea]

As a Dundalk fan for over 50 years, I would love to see them go through next week. But the temperature will be 29 - 30 C, Laranaca may have 3 or 4 first choice players back, and in their last 9 European games at home they have scored 14 goals and conceded 3: one each to Bordeaux, Spartak Moscow and Slovan Liberac.

It will be higher, it will be mid 30s, possibly mid to late 30s.

Is that draw a 0.5 in co-effs. What would Dundalk need to get this year to be Seeded 1st in the 2nd round next year, or in CL Champions path round 1/2 next year?

[El-Pietro]

It will be higher, it will be mid 30s, possibly mid to late 30s.

Is that draw a 0.5 in co-effs. What would Dundalk need to get this year to be Seeded 1st in the 2nd round next year, or in CL Champions path round 1/2 next year?

It only adds to the league coefficient. Not to Dundalks coefficient. I assume you will disappear from this forum again after next week for another year?

[paul_oshea]

See thats the negativity I am talking about. Cork will be here for at least another round, so give it another few weeks. Why can't cork go another couple of rounds. Positive thinking El-Pietro mi amigo negativo.

[Kingdom]

It only adds to the league coefficient. Not to Dundalks coefficient. I assume you will disappear from this forum again after next week for another year?

Hands up, you got him good there. It's deserved.