Fixtures Friday 18th Saturday 19th February

[sbgawa]

Premier Division

Friday 18th
Shelbourne v St Pats 19:45
Dundalk v Derry 19:45
Shamrock Rovers v U.C.D 20:00
Finn Harps v Drogheda 20:00

Saturday 19th
Sligo v Bohemians 19:45

First Division

Friday 18th
Bray v Cork City 19:45
Wexford v Treaty United 19:45
Athlone v Waterford 19:45

Saturday 19th
Longford v Cobh Ramblers 19:30

[sbgawa]

A lot to be learned on a first night,
With the amount of changes with the exception of Rovers and UCD this will be an interesting night to see how teams are shaping up. Rovers will hopefully step it up compared to the performance against PAts, was good to see Bradser come out and say it was a poor performance instead of hiding behind the win on penos.
Pats won the pre season as usual, Bohs have looked good and bad, Dundalk have looked poor and dont seem settled, a new look drogs at Finn Park could be an early season statement of intent to finish clear of the drop and look for mid table security.
Sligo v Bohs will be very interesting on Saturday night might be worth €7 for LOI TV to see how the two rebuilds have gone.

First division with Galway not playing does beg the question about why no SRFC ii (i'm not bitter ) but Waterford away to Athlone looks an early season mismatch to me. The other games will give a first heads up as to how Treaty have improved weather Wexfords strong finish means they could be a dark horse this year and how the Bray/Cabo merger has or has not strengthened them.
Good Luck all (except bohs)

Its great to be back

[D24Saint]

Good thinking about sligo v Bohs I might have a look. I really find the lack of season pass a pain in the backside.

[total hoofball]

Could be a doubt over some games on Friday, two storms are coming this week, the 2nd storm Eunice which will be widespread nationally is due on Friday

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Bohs have sold out their allocation

[Macy]

Could be a doubt over some games on Friday, two storms are coming this week, the 2nd storm Eunice which will be widespread nationally is due on Friday

Potentially all games I'd say! Enough that I've postponed the trip to the Carlisle anyway (it's feckin grim enough in good weather!).

[placid casual]

Hopefully it's not too windy in tallaght eh! 😬
On the football front for Rovers I do hope Pico is playing as the presidents cup last week exposed Rovers lack of quality cover in central defence. Grace was doing it all on his own whilst Gannon & Hoare wandered about for a friday evening stroll.
If Pico goes abroad I'd seriously worry for Rovers chance of success this year.

[pineapple stu]

Collingwood Cup quarter-final this afternoon - UCD have Whelan, Kerrigan and Keaney on the bench. Obviously eyeing up Friday - though it's unusual for us to go easy in the Collingwood!

[DCSIL]

Hopefully it's not too windy in tallaght eh! 

Least you should be dry in Tallaght, i remember when Rovers were beaten by ROPS(had to look it up)and it was Rain, hail whatever else that night. Should be used to it.

[Finlay Harp]

I’d say we’ll do well to see football played anywhere tomorrow. Possibly Dundalk with the artificial surface.

[pineapple stu]

Should be a chance of some Dublin derbies tomorrow I'd say - the orange warning is only up to 11am, and it's to be quite sunny and windy after that which should help the pitches you'd have thought? They might be heavy and there might be a bit of a wind still, but that's not the end of the world.

Donegal orange warning is in place till 3pm and that may impact Harps v Drogheda alright - obviously travel time becomes an additional factor outside of Shels v Pat's and Rovers v UCD. And a red warning in Cork, so even though that's due to lift by 8am, you'd have question marks over Cork travelling up to Bray tomorrow.

What happens if you've bought tickets online - can you cancel even if the game is going ahead? Might be some away fans in particular thinking twice about travelling the length of the country even if the game is still on.

[joey B]

10.00am pitch inspections tomorrow at Finn Harps, Bray Wanderers and Sligo Rovers per Paul O’Hehir…

*Sligo inspection is Saturday actually…

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Our pitch is awful as it is

[DCWA]

Harps game looks very unlikely to go ahead you’d have to say with the photos circulating of FP. Great shame nothing worse than having first game of the season called off if you are the home team.

[joey B]

Harps game looks very unlikely to go ahead you’d have to say with the photos circulating of FP. Great shame nothing worse than having first game of the season called off if you are the home team.

That picture's about 4 years old!

[pineapple stu]

I can believe that alright. Doesn't take much to make Finn Park look like a status orange storm has hit it

[nigel-harps1954]

If the game was on today, Finn Park would be perfectly playable. A lot depends on the severity of the stormy weather overnight and into tomorrow afternoon. The pitch inspection is being held at 10am, when there's still a weather warning, schools closed, and people advised not to travel unless necessary. Could have held out until 1pm. Would presume there'll be a second inspection held in the afternoon anyway.

[2 Year Contract]

Our pitch is awful as it is

I recall heading up to Sligo for Pats' second game of the season in 2020 and after a week of pretty much non stop downpour and I think 3 maybe 4 pitch inspections through the day I was absolutely amazed to see it was still going to go ahead. When I got there the pitch was very heavy but certainly playable. If it can survive that rain I’d say it should be ok this time too. I remember driving through the midlands and most the fields either side of the motorway were a couple of feet under water at the time!

[DCWA]

That picture's about 4 years old!

Ah I apologise it appears I have been fooled happy days then

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

I recall heading up to Sligo for Pats' second game of the season in 2020 and after a week of pretty much non stop downpour and I think 3 maybe 4 pitch inspections through the day I was absolutely amazed to see it was still going to go ahead. When I got there the pitch was very heavy but certainly playable. If it can survive that rain I’d say it should be ok this time too. I remember driving through the midlands and most the fields either side of the motorway were a couple of feet under water at the time!

Nothing to do with the rain. Just not treated right during the close season.