Weekend games 29th April to Monday 2nd May

**joey B** · 30/04/2022, 8:31 PM

Originally Posted by D24Saint

Just seen the harps goal on instagram, cracking finish to win a game.

Great for us to see McNamee off the mark,our most important player…

**da bishop** · 30/04/2022, 9:24 PM

Some finish at the Markets Field last night.Treaty ,at the risk of repetition,duly did what they do ,eleven behind the ball in their own half waiting for the odd break,setpieces ,did the business with two Treaty type goals the first a brilliant finish by Dean George,Galway dominated most of the game huffed and puffed up top until Caulfield[his usual animated self] made 4 changes all at once and it must be said probably deserved all three points with the three goals all coming in final fifteen minutes,the first another cracker by Manning.Looked like a decent crowd and as usual when Treaty lose Tommy Bs interview to local radio was car crash stuff.

**Nesta99** · 01/05/2022, 1:02 AM

Originally Posted by placid casual

Couldn't get up to sligo for the game so watched it on RTE. Hard to really tell from the TV but the pitch looked a bit of a leveller. Andy Lyons is really going from strength to strength in this Rovers team, and showing whats possible when you put him into a club demanding success.
Agree that Bradley should have made substitutions prior to sligo getting level - Rovers have never had that ruthless streak under Bradley, and to be fair to Derry they are showing why they are top of the league - A long, long way to go, of course, and the game in tallaght in a few weeks should be a belter.

Something we actually agree on PC. That said Rovers havent really needed that ruthless streak winning the league the last few years, but missed it in Europe. I think this is the first league challenge that not having a ruthless streak will be a problem. Really the league should be decided in the most by the head to head games v Derry. It's being efficient and effective against all the sides outside the top two that really there shouldnt be points dropped sloppily. Derry could have their rough patch yet but so far the just are playing with that freedom and swagger you associate with champions. Rovers have the players to do the same but seem almost dull in comparison to how Derry are performing.

**placid casual** · 01/05/2022, 6:54 AM

Yeah cos losing at home to shels is playing like champions.. 🙄
Im not even remotely worried about Rovers not being champions, just pointing out that Rovers have never really been flat track bullies under Bradley. We've managed to be successful nonetheless.

**Nesta99** · 01/05/2022, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by placid casual

Yeah cos losing at home to shels is playing like champions.. 🙄
Im not even remotely worried about Rovers not being champions, just pointing out that Rovers have never really been flat track bullies under Bradley. We've managed to be successful nonetheless.

You are not worried about Rovers not being champions - thats a pity as all you'd have left is hating Dundalk and Bohs a bit PC. I think you have to acknowledge that a ruthless streak or being flat track bullies would be welcome addition to Bradley's side. It may not have been needed previously domestically but that wont always be the case. I'm not sure whether your air of 'meh' dismissiveness of this is arrogance, complacency, or simply not seeing that this season is the first real test of this Rovers league winning side's mettle and where going through the motions wont be enough.

**Neish** · 01/05/2022, 1:27 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

a perfectly good goal ruled out because Brendan Clarke told the referee it was handball. .

Its strange when Ollie Horgan does similar he tends to get yellow or red cards

**Neish** · 01/05/2022, 1:29 PM

Originally Posted by D24Saint

Just seen the harps goal on instagram, cracking finish to win a game.

Great dummy by young Rudden just before it too, too a couple of the Shels back line out of the equation

**sbgawa** · 01/05/2022, 3:05 PM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Something we actually agree on PC. That said Rovers havent really needed that ruthless streak winning the league the last few years, but missed it in Europe. I think this is the first league challenge that not having a ruthless streak will be a problem. Really the league should be decided in the most by the head to head games v Derry. It's being efficient and effective against all the sides outside the top two that really there shouldnt be points dropped sloppily. Derry could have their rough patch yet but so far the just are playing with that freedom and swagger you associate with champions. Rovers have the players to do the same but seem almost dull in comparison to how Derry are performing.

Have to say I am worried about not winning the league, how could I not be we are a third of the way through 3 points behind and already beaten by derry once....

**Calcio Jack** · 01/05/2022, 3:49 PM

Originally Posted by sbgawa

Have to say I am worried about not winning the league, how could I not be we are a third of the way through 3 points behind and already beaten by derry once....

I fully expect us to win it but I’m always worried until the league is won -

**Asterix** · 01/05/2022, 5:11 PM

I think I was a bit more worried last year when we were third going into July. This year after 13 games being 3 points behind first and 6 ahead of third picking up 16/18 points in April is pretty good to me.

**TonyD** · 01/05/2022, 5:55 PM

Originally Posted by Calcio Jack

I fully expect us to win it but I’m always worried until the league is won -

I don’t think Rovers fans can afford to be so confident about winning the league this year. Not to say you won’t, but Derry are really going to put it up to you this year. They did a number on us on Friday, the like of which I haven’t seen in a long while. Now maybe we were just really bad on the night (which we were) but Derry were outstanding.

**The Bowler** · 01/05/2022, 6:38 PM

The new owner seems in thrall to Devo, but Devo ball isn't gonna bring them any progress, it's awful muck, and they need to get in someone progressive. They had Collie O'Neill in as a coach and he thru the towel in after less than a couple of months falling out with Devo. Bad and all as it was under ODriscoll, this doesn't represent progress on the pitch

**placid casual** · 01/05/2022, 6:51 PM

It really was a surprising result on Friday Tony. Most would have expected a tight game with a goal in it one way or the other, but 4 nil at home was a statement victory certainly - I'm just not really convinced, at this moment in time, that derry will be able to sustain it. If there's a definitive result for either team in tallaght in a few weeks, similar to Fridays 4 nil victory, that would probably shape people's thinking about who is likely champions. Rovers dropping points away to sligo, on a pitch that suited neither team, is not going to be season defining, in my view anyway.

**ontheotherhand** · 01/05/2022, 8:39 PM

Everytime I try to edit a post on my phone I delete it. It's like my phone is policing me.

I'm not that surprised by Derry leading the way even if I predicted they'd finish second. They had a decent team last year that went on a great run after Higgins arrived. They ran out of steam of course but then went and added some of the best talent in the league. Add in the local pride buzz and you've got a great mix there. I thought they'd take longer to gel but Higgins has done a great job so far. I also underestimated McGonigle. Looks like the best striker in the league by a distance now and that would sometimes be enough to challenge even if you didn't have Fats, Patching and the rest behind him. Add in Duffy and it's a stellar lineup. Overall they signed really well. The local angle was one thing but getting some of the best players in the league, some with a point to prove after the Dundalk ship sank was obvious but effective business.

If we win it will be down to either squad depth or Jack getting back to his 2019 levels. Squad depth might do it alone but Derry may just stay fit. Europe will be interesting. If Derry go out they will have an advantage in the league. If we stay in it will remove.our squad depth advantage to a degree. There's not much at all between the two best 11s. Few on either side would walk into the other team.

**DCWA** · 02/05/2022, 1:05 AM

Not exactly sure how many times you all have to be told there was no good football teams in Ireland until Derry this year and now there is one? Please listen and thanks in advance to those who do.

Of course this means since Stephen Kenny’s Dundalk. Obviously we remain well behind that level as the greatest Irish club side ever, but the statement is intended in the context of today.