Encouraging performance by Wexford in Carlow today and it was only after a raft of subs came on that Pats made their superiority tell. Wexford had 18 players at the game and those that I recognised included Corey Chambers, Colm Feeney, Danny Doyle, Sean Kelly, Daire O'Connor, Ryan Nolan, Owen McCormack, Sean Roche, Ethan O'Neill, Caelan Travers-Devlin, Ivan Meegan and about seven trialists. First half was relatively and surprisingly even with Pats having two chances, one hit the post and the other the side netting and Wexford having the ball in the net twice but both were ruled out for offside. Changes started from half-time and it allowed Pats to gain a grip on the game. First goal came on the hour mark when Gary Shaw headed home after good work down the right from Simon Madden. The other two goals came in the final ten minutes with a nice curling effort by Pats and a header with a couple of minutes to go. Wexford looked best at centre half where Owen and Daire did well, with Sean Kelly excellent in front of them and Sean Roche lively up front. 3-0 to Pats at full-time.
Five nil win for City against Limerick today. Not too much to learn from that game except that Limerick are awful. Think we played with 10 men for about half an hour as the subs had all been made (and left for showers) and Ronan Coughlan took a knock. Young Ronan Hurley impressed again, he could stake a claim for a first team spot this year at left back.
Harry Kenny is getting to know the Rovers experience "off-site" as you will, before he takes over next year.
Pats are a club that are not in my sphere one way or the other, but I'm interested to see how Madden Miele and Shaw link up. Madden & Shaw were always good lads for Rovers.
Seems hard to find any word on who these trialists are for Pats. The lad that scored (quality finish too - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLxUdYw4rNs) apparently plays for Liffey Wanderers in the LSL but that's about the extent of the information. Be interesting to see if they'll be used to finish off the squad as there's only a couple more additions needed at most with not many known LOI players available to fill them.
I feel like yous have made some signings that would have had you in a great position had you managed to hold onto even a couple of the lads that have left, but as it stands it seems a bit underwhelming from the outside looking in, which is disappointing as I've always liked Longford (cup final aside, anyway). The playoffs should still be achievable though given the struggles of certain teams you'd otherwise be expecting to challenge.
Also
Friday 25th Jan Bray Wanderers v St Patrick’s Athletic, KO 7.30pm Abbotstown
Friday 8th Feb Bray Wanderers v Bohemians FC, KO 7.45pm Carlisle Grounds.
All you zombies tweet tweet tweet.
Dundalk V Drogheda 25th Jan 7.45PM in Oriel Jim Malone Cup
2 Games in Spain the following week at a training camp
Dundalk V Longford 5th Feb 7.45Pm in Oriel
Cork V Dundalk 9th Feb 5.30pm in Cork
Thats our pre-season schedule complete. Play Athlone in Leinster Senior the Monday after the first league game
Waterford opened pre season matches with an 8-0 win over local Premier opposition Hibernian FC tonight.
Good blow out with 22 players used including 8 trialists some of whom were very impressive.
Goals from Zak Elbouzedi (2), Shane Duggan (2), JJ Lunney, Izzy Akinade, Cory Galvin and Trialist
Harps beat Galway 2-0 in Sligo tonight.
Galway were very, very poor. Harps without the likes of Cretaro, Todd, Gallagher, Timlin, Harkin, McAleer, Verdon, Place and still were comfortable.
Lot of trialists in both teams, couple of very decent players on the Harps side.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Bookmarks