Transfers 2019 season

**Ezeikial** · 10/01/2019, 2:52 PM

Originally Posted by sbgawa

Of all the teams in the Prem Pats have taken the biggest leap forward in terms of the overall talent and ability in the squad.
Going full time next season as well and with Harry Kenny pulling the strings i expect Pats to be up there.

St Pats certainly look like they have the potential for improving their league performance

To put some context on it, St Pats were 9 points short of a Europa League place while the Europa League qualified teams who finished 3rd and 4th in the table were 25 and 29 points respectively short of the top place.

Similarly Derry and Sligo will want to make big strides up the table

A lot depends on expectations and ambition, but it seems to me that teams other than St Pats might have bigger gaps to close if they are to go to the next level

**Jack B** · 10/01/2019, 3:02 PM

We really weren't too far off last year, and at the start of the season actually looked strong and seemed to have built well on a good finish to the previous year, but then things with Garvan didn't work out and Killian Brennan was riddled by injuries so the rhythm was disrupted in that sense. On top of that Barry Murphy was poor in goal until we got Clarkey back and we failed to find a consistent focal point up top, yet despite all of that it was really only that absolutely ridiculous run where we lost 8 out of the 9 games in the third round of fixtures that stopped us from properly contesting for Europe come October time.

Sad to say it but things had just gradually become a bit stale under Bucko over the past few years, and even when results picked up the same problems tended to be prevalent. Think the change was best for both parties, would fancy him to do very well at Sligo and I think we may be better off simply due to freshening things up.

**sidewayspasser** · 10/01/2019, 3:21 PM

Originally Posted by bluewhitearmy

Darragh Rainsford ex Limerick signing for Cork from junior ball here.

Any opinions on him? He didn't exactly set the world alight when playing for Limerick, did he?

**El-Pietro** · 10/01/2019, 3:58 PM

Originally Posted by Jack B

We really weren't too far off last year

Weren't too far off what? You finished 37 points behind Dundalk. I assume you just mean Europe?

**sbgawa** · 10/01/2019, 4:01 PM

I think he means the west Dublin League title

**Jack B** · 10/01/2019, 4:06 PM

Originally Posted by El-Pietro

Weren't too far off what? You finished 37 points behind Dundalk. I assume you just mean Europe?

I mean as if it even needed clarifying I did make it pretty clear I was talking about Europe at the end of that paragraph...

But yes, had Killian Brennan stayed fit we probably would have won the league and at the very least finished above Rovers if that 2-0 was anything to go by.

**oriel** · 10/01/2019, 4:06 PM

With the imminent official announcement on Stephen O’Donnell retiring, this opens up a space now for another central MF. I`d imagine DFC will go for a strong enough replacement.

He might not have started too many last season, only one after his leg break in May, but I would have given him another 12 months if he had proved his fitness. What a contribution he made with 4 league titles, 2 cups and 2 lge cups alone with Dundalk.

Def still need cover in the MF central area, as its really only Chevedukas now that can go in there as another natural central MF, and he missed even more than O’Donnell last year.

McEleney / Mountney / Jarvis have all played central before, I still think they’ll get a new man in now.

**El-Pietro** · 10/01/2019, 4:41 PM

Originally Posted by Jack B

I mean as if it even needed clarifying I did make it pretty clear I was talking about Europe at the end of that paragraph...

But yes, had Killian Brennan stayed fit we probably would have won the league and at the very least finished above Rovers if that 2-0 was anything to go by.

You ca't blame for for asking for clarity. I'm used to some pretty deluded comments coming from south Dublin football fans.

**Shearer** · 10/01/2019, 5:03 PM

Pat's went on one good run where they won 3 games on the bounce and everyone in the club started talking about Europe. They proceeded to lose 8 games on the bounce, 0/24 points.
Awful notions about last year, weren't good enough.

**Jack B** · 10/01/2019, 5:21 PM

Originally Posted by El-Pietro

You ca't blame for for asking for clarity. I'm used to some pretty deluded comments coming from south Dublin football fans.

Between demanding penalty decisions be overturned and thinking finishing mid-table makes you the greatest success story of the century, certain northside brands aren't far off.

**joey B** · 10/01/2019, 6:16 PM

Originally Posted by Jack B

Between demanding penalty decisions be overturned and thinking finishing mid-table makes you the greatest success story of the century, certain northside brands aren't far off.

Nuh be chatting like dat bout di Boez! Jah!

**Charlie Darwin** · 11/01/2019, 12:49 AM

Originally Posted by Jack B

Between demanding penalty decisions be overturned and thinking finishing mid-table makes you the greatest success story of the century, certain northside brands aren't far off.

Hooray, nobody's talking about our embarrassments!

**CraftyToePoke** · 11/01/2019, 2:56 AM

Originally Posted by sidewayspasser

Any opinions on him? He didn't exactly set the world alight when playing for Limerick, did he?

Raised eyebrow or two at this Limerick way, definitely. We weren't what you'd call excited by his possible return to us, out of financial necessity, as was rumoured. But good luck to him.

**marinobohs** · 11/01/2019, 9:54 AM

Originally Posted by Jack B

I mean as if it even needed clarifying I did make it pretty clear I was talking about Europe at the end of that paragraph...

But yes, had Killian Brennan stayed fit we probably would have won the league and at the very least finished above Rovers if that 2-0 was anything to go by.

Yep, if only the whole season was dictated by ONE match against Shams

talk about clutching at straws ! By the way, do you reckon our U19 side should have qualified for Europe ? 'if that game in Richmond was anything to go by'

**Jack B** · 11/01/2019, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by marinobohs

Yep, if only the whole season was dictated by ONE match against Shams

talk about clutching at straws ! By the way, do you reckon our U19 side should have qualified for Europe ? 'if that game in Richmond was anything to go by'

Maybe 5th. I think yous would need a purpose-built stadium if yous qualified for Europe.