I tend to liken Dundalk to Ryanair........Ryanair do 95% of everything very well but in the same way that Ryanair let themselves down on customer service, the 5% of time that DFC involve themselves in the "professionalism" side of things takes a bit of the good out of the rest.
That being said it doesn't bother their own fans who want to win and the love of rivals is not really something most teams care about.
Bit like Corks fans didn't care about the style of football while they were winning.
And now that I've offended everyone my work here is done
Apologies for not recognizing Dundalk players on sight (all cheats look the same ). Handball was clear (and mentioned in media reports) and was the reason the (so called) ref was booed throughout the game.
Obviously not so clear from the high moral ground occupied by Dundalk fans .
We need to know the culprit.
Surely you recognised the distinctive boots? Maybe the number on the shirt and shorts would help - did you spot it?
Did the media reports identify him by name or just say there was a clear handball by an unidentified Dundalk player?
Was it this chap?
Sigh, Evening Herald named the player as Jarvis.He was facing 9back to shopping centre end) play so don't know his number. I was simply pointing out the 'penalty' was NOT the only wrong call and was not the reason the ref was booed throughout.
Guess I need to make it idiot proof for some people. Yes, everyone else is wrong, Dundalk are football paragons of virtue and Connolly is the bestest ref ever.
Can we get a separate forum called 'Dundalk fight with........' and just alternate it with whoever they're playing!!!
It's not a particularly nice part of the game but if a team can get an edge even via 'the dark arts' then it is unlikely that any team wouldnt try and exploit it. Its not unique to Dundalk. It's up to the referees and their assistants to minimise any gamesmanship. That the standard of refereeing in LoI is sketchy and used is hardly surprising. I do believe that any of that cynical side to the Dundalk players was picked up playing in Europe. We were naive especially the first year we played BATE and even a headbutt on Massey that was admitted to wasnt penalised. A more positive learning curve is the way in which the Dundalk lads dont switch off at thow ins etc as we were punished for it and brought it in to our domestic game. Is it unfair to have a multiball system when FT, large squad, and strength and conditioing is going to be an edge when up against PT teams, small squads and a crazy fixture list? Its not that sporting but so be it.
Any team can do the same as much as it irks the purists. We have had plenty of discussion in the past about how Sean Maguire 'manufactured' penalties and how that was ok with Cork fans regardless of their outrage at being generally tackled in games. The claims that Dundalk players surround the ref or O'Donnell being in the refs ear and that other sides didnt do the same was daft and what spurned the running joke especially with Cork fans.
On this occasion Bohs fans have been quite upset by refereeing, gamesmanship in the recent games they have lost but had a good giggle when they benefited from ref decisions in the last Dublin Derby so a wee bit of a double standard and hence this session of wind up. I did say before the end of the game even that there would be a good auld moan by Bohs fans!
I doubt Kelly or any other player went out to nastily injure anyone in a 93rd minute when the result was done. There would be something on tv footage, in the refs report and Keith Long said little about it that I saw. Dundalk having a bona fide hometown ref would be a first as even an actual hometown ref, Denis McArdle for example, went over the top to show lack of bias!! The old adage will inevitably fit that these things will balance out over a season (or 3) like Corks run of Maguire penos and Hobans batch this season. Has there ever been definite proof in any league that the champions get the benefit of the doubt over other sides? Its often claimed but generall debunked.
Last edited by Nesta99; 14/05/2019 at 10:04 PM.
Dundalk are miles ahead of any other team when it comes to the dark arts but the way the modern game has gone I don't know if that is a criticism or an acolade
Its not a facet of the game I like but as the game has eveolved thIS way then its prudent to be able to play on the margins. At least until the lawmakers make a concerted effort to allow referees deal with any messing. Retrospective cards/bans for diving et al, carding anyone bar the captains for badgering or surrounding the refs could be done here in the absence of infrastructure for VAR.
Im not so sure that we are 'miles ahead', maybe less apologetic for taking whatever opportunity arises to gain an edge. The recent fair play tables would suggest that the 'dark arts' do not necessarily equate to fou/dangerousl play. Teams will play to a strength if for example physicality is their way to negate a side playing football. If there was greater confidence in the standard of refereeing then the preception would be different I think.
Last edited by Nesta99; 15/05/2019 at 6:09 AM.
Here we go again - do Dundalk play 'on the margins' or 'at the margins' or even 'in the margins'?
Joking apart, if Dundalk do gain an advantage from pressurising refs and general game management (I'm not convinced), as long as it is not cheating, is it wrong?
Dundalk definitely get an advantage from scoring loads and conceding fewer goals than most teams; top notch training facilities; large player budget; fewer suspensions from a good disciplinary record, and more - should these be restricted in some way?
Player fitness through strength and conditioning investment is an obvious good example. Dundalk raised the bar in this area and it was up to other clubs to raise their own standards, as many have done.
Given that Dundalk are only a Sergio Ramos short of Real Madrid, a hurl short of Brian Cody's Kilkenny and a eye gouge short of the All Blacks when it comes to the dark arts Dundalk position in the fair play table the last few years is pretty impressive....
2018 2nd to Cork
2017 1st
2016 1st
2015 1st
2014 1st
Truly Kenny/Perth's Dundalk are taking the mystical dark arts to a new level
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