Premier Division
Friday 19th August
UCD v St Pats 19:45
Shelbourne v Bohemians 19:45
Drogheda v Derry 19:45
Finn Harps v Sligo 20:00
Sunday 21st
Shamrock Rovers v Dundalk 19:00
First Division
Friday 19th
Athlone v Treaty 19:45
Cobh v Cork 19:45
Galway v Bray 19:45
Saturday 20th
Longford v Wexford 19:30
A win for Rovers on Sunday and we go 7 clear with a game in hand on Dundalk and a minimum of 8 clear of Derry if they go and win in Dundalk.
That should be the cushion we need with two games a week to contend with.
A win for Dundalk and its down to one point gap with a game in hand.........id take a draw now tbh.
Big match for Shels and Bohs. Shels with a win go 2 points clear of bohs with a game in hand and probably finish off Bohs challenge for Europe bar the cup.
Bohs need a win to stay in the hunt and generally while they have been inconsistent this year they have consistently won when they needed to off the back of a loss.
Cork picking up 1 point from 6 over the weekend was a major disappointment for them as they had a chance to stamp their authority on the league.
Anything less than a win in cobh and we are in official wobble territory with Galway and Waterford (just about) ready to pounce
Last time we played in Tolka, we had similar results in the lead up to that game. Hoping for a similar result in this game. Not a 4-1obviously but 3 points. We are fast running out of chances to stay in the race for 4th. No idea which Bohs turns up. Never do…
Some good games this weekend. I fancy one of UCD or Drogs to take something from those 2 games. Sligo should have enough against a Harps side who look dead and buried. As for Sunday, like I said about the Derry game, Rovers have more than enough in them to get a point after a tough game away in Europe. Think they are just to savvy now to open the door for either of Dundalk or Derry.
Would be great to see Derry and Dundalk drop points. Ideally two defeats. And of course a Pats win, which we can never take for granted v UCD.
Out for a spell, got neglected, lay on the bench unselected.
There are no shortage of levellers for Sundays game. Rovers with the schedule and injuries that could be picked up or not recovered from, Finn well rested though. Dundalk with Garts and Mountney still out, Kelly and Doyle both hamstrings (though Doyle's injury looked like a dead leg all day), Hoban a serious doubt coming off in Dalymount, and Boyle suspended. Others not 100% and carrying niggles which isnt unusual with a small squad depleted by long term injuries. We were nursing Benson back but he will have to start now really. Lewis still bedding in and getting match fit but also a starter. O'Kane has been great, tenacious but still light and I doubt he will have had 3 senior appearances on the bounce before. All considered, it's a chance for players like McMillan to step up and show that he is still an effective striker. With Connolly gone it forces a new pairing at centre half. I'm not seeing too many reasons to be positive on getting 3 points, could be lucky to get 1, but if this patched up side goes to Tallaght and gets 3 points it would b a serious marker laid down!
Originally Posted by Nesta99
In reality, Dundalk couldn't ask for a better set of circumstances to beat Rovers in Tallaght, with the injuries & fatigue in the squad Rovers look tired already. The second half in Derry last Friday was a clear indicator of a team that is feeling the pace and impact of injuries. I suspect so many away games in hot/humid environments on top of the messed up travelling arrangements is taking a toll on the squad. Pico, Burke & McCann all out for Sunday, Byrne is being pushed back in at a greater pace than the team would like and is unlikely to feature for long in 2 games this close together so soon after returning from injury, and young Power who was brought in to bolster the loss of Danny is injured also. FWIW I still think Bradley is concentrating on europe a bit more than the league games atm as he probably feels with so many games left in the league a loss of points could be made up later so Sunday may prove to be a huge opportunity for a Dundalk side with zero pressure on them.
Burke, Aidamo, mcCann, Power, Finn and Pico all out of tonights match and Jack on one leg.
I agree with you about Bradser prioritising Europe and its cracked imo. We have the group stage money and we arent going to win it so concentrate on the league..
If he has Gaffney flogging himself tonight and Jack starting Dundalk will be looking forward to Sunday.
Dundalk have injuries themselves but the only one that matters to me is Hooooooban
Agree Big loss of players for this evening - re Sunday Finn and Aidamo will be available , we’ve singed Cleary who is a decent replacement for Pico and Jack will have most likely another 40 mins to help get him nearer to being match fit - so Burke is main loss with McCann- Duns have their own injury problems - so overall think we’re in a decent place and so no excuse not to perform and hopefully win on Sunday
You have met some Dundalk fans over the years Im sure and while it might be cracked there is always expectation from some. This isnt a zero pressure game, if I had said that myself nobody would have believed me. Dundalk want to win this game, can get a whiff of blood atm barely, but after a win could become pretty ruthless from then on with the boost it would give. Without the susupension of Boyle (it will probably mean Bone and McCourt pairing up in central defence, that can be got at and not just cause its a first game beside each other) and Hoban especially then we are hoping for something very special from others to plug the gaps. It will take 8 or 9 out of 10 performances from kids, injured, unfit, limited knowledge playing in the team, with others holding the fort to get a win. It could be a day for the legend that is McMillan, Benson to show Towell how it is done, Bradley to show some more of his blistering early season performances, Hauge to announce his arrival and Lewis to show why St Pats fans still covet him no matter what they say. Can it happen, of course, is it likely, nope! But no matter what is going on around both team selections this is 1st v 2nd and both know what a win could do so there is no shortage of pressure - if the players werent feeling it i'd question their ambitition and whether they even care about the club thats paying them.
Last edited by Nesta99; 18/08/2022 at 2:55 PM.
Certainly a possibility that we'll drop points. Not sure if it's the tight pitch or what, but we have a shocking record away to Drogs. Until we won a game there last year, our previous league win was back in 2013, I think.
Don't think I can justify going to the match myself, considering the view from the away section has been made even worse. Genuinely not sure if I'll ever be back there until they sort things out.
Expect Rovers to see out a draw on Sunday. They don't need to win (and don't really need to draw either, truth be told), and will likely go through the motions to get a result.
First Division-wise, assuming Treaty beat Athlone, Wexford will need to get something of the Longford game. Longford should win, but they're just so inconsistent.
I missed the last game up there what have they done to make it worse?
There's a higher structure around the electricity box in the away section.
Not sure when it was put in, but it was there last year too.
FFS that was bad enough as it was.
There's a lot more that can be done to make the away section worse. Shows the lack of ambition from the owners
Aye that cage around the electricity box is absolutely woeful
I think if this was a normal Friday night and Dundalk w/o Boyle (auto suspension) and almost certainly Hoban (injured), you'd be looking at a 1-0, prob 2-0 home win. Also throw in partnership of Sam Bone and Robbie McCourt (Gartland still injured), more concerns, but both did very well on Friday under real pressure from Bohs.
On the positives great first start by Alfie Lewis last friday, and Benson prob fit to start on Sunday, also a brilliant full 90 from young local lad O'Kane, and Martin had a great game, still not sure all of that and a tired and downcast Rovers will be enough to get a win, but a 7pm Sunday KO offers hope, sometimes those games can be a bit unpredictable.
One thing for sure, if Rovers win, that should be that for the league.
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), only Irish club to win a game / points in Europa League Group Stage (2016).
At the moment, Pats are 4 points away from Derry, the same distance from Derry to Dundalk. Pats look like the in form team, might just be able to get to 3rd place yet.
Ollie Horgan sent off, but Sligo fans must be pulling their hair out with how inconsistent they are.
Also... What are the expectations for Duff at Shels... Might fall below Drogheda tonight (ableit plenty of games in hand).
Derry one up at half time, the Ak attack.
By not the most popular person in Donegal Rob Hennessy
Normal service resumed. Harps 2-9 up, students behind. Look at the state of the UCD Bench
All a bit easy osey for my liking for Pats since the goal. Lots of possession but not much in the way of chances. Lonergan from UCD has done well and gone close with a couple of efforts. It’s a bit too much like Finn Harps away (except we were playing better in that game.) Need a bit more in the second half.
Out for a spell, got neglected, lay on the bench unselected.
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