Closer look at the league

[sligoman]

----------------P W D L F A Pts
Sligo Rovers---24 12 8 4 32 21 44
Dublin City----24 11 8 5 37 21 41
Limerick-------24 10 6 8 32 28 36
Cobh Rmbls----23 9 6 8 33 30 33
Dundalk FC----24 10 3 11 30 31 33
Kildare Co-----24 9 6 9 24 26 33
Galway Utd----23 8 6 9 28 33 30
Kilkenny C-----23 8 4 11 23 23 28
Monaghan U---22 6 7 9 22 34 25
Athlone T-----23 4 6 13 17 31 18

Ok, lets get things into perspective. We are now 3 points ahead of Dublin, 8 ahead of Limerick and 11 ahead of Cobh, Dundalk and Kildare. It's coming up to the final series of matches(3 games remain in this round). It's finally looking clear that we are the main contenders for the title. I think that anyone below Limerick is now out of the race(watch how many Galway fans come on here and say that they still have a good chance ). I am now confident that we can and will win the league and I hope that Limerick can get up through the playoff. What do the rest of ye think-are ye confident or is it still too early?

[gael353]

Id like to say we're in with a chance but i cant see us doing it, in saying that though everyone is in with a chance as this is the worst 1st division EVER! The team that will be in the playoff will lose handsomely as the teams comming down will hammer them no matter how bad they are (harps, waterford) the team that goes up straight will come hurtling back down as the quality just isnt there in the first.

[sligoman]

The team that will be in the playoff will lose handsomely as the teams comming down will hammer them no matter how bad they are (harps, waterford) the team that goes up straight will come hurtling back down as the quality just isnt there in the first.

Dont agree with that. I think that the likes of Sligo, Limerick & Cobh have a great chance of beating Harps or Waterford, they aren't the best at the moment and could be easily beaten in my view. However I do partially agree with what you say about whoever gets promoted will be relegated. It will be difficult, but if the promoted club buys good new signings then they will have a good chance of escaping the drop-look at Bray and UCD this season, they're staying up so there's a chance for everyone

[Conor H]

I think Sligo are now all but promoted(pains me to say it) and it's now a race for the playoff position.Dublin are nothing special and seem to be on a bit of a slide of late.Limerick and Cobh are the teams who can really push them but with everyone capable of beating anyone teams like ourselves Dundalk and Kildare have an outside chane.Unlikely though One thing is for sure if whoever goes up doesn't strenghten there squads dramatically they'll go straight back down because no side in the division is nearly good enough to compete in the premier(includes sligo!)

[pineapple stu]

It will be difficult, but if the promoted club buys good new signings then they will have a good chance of escaping the drop-look at Bray and UCD this season, they're staying up so there's a chance for everyone

Thing with us is that we broke the record for most number of points in a First Division season last year (only to finish behind Harps, who beat the record by one more... ). You've dropped more points already than we did last year overall and are averaging fewer points per game than Kildare did last year in finishing fourth. Each of the three promoted teams averaged nearly two goals per game too - Sligo are on 1.333. Two of those promoted teams are now averaging about 0.666 goals per game in the Premier. Obviously, youz look like getting the play-of at least, and the best of luck if yez do come up (had great craic in Sligo the last time!), but I think gael353 is afirly much spot on.

[1 9 2 8]

Thing with us is that we broke the record for most number of points in a First Division season last year (only to finish behind Harps, who beat the record by one more... )

Aye and look at Harps this year with their record points I think someones U21 team knocked them out of the league cup too this year can't remember who

[feo123]

Im sure if we do go up, Sean will strenghten the squad well with some very good players! He has already showed us that he can sign top quality players..
i.e: Faz, Burns, O'Grady, O'Hara, Low, Flannery, and 1 or 2 more too. hopefully Browne can go on and score a few more aswell!

[redman]

I have had this vision for sometime and I'm wondering if anyone else has had the same.

i.e. play off Sligo Rovers v Finn Harps to determine who plays top flight next season.

Now that's what I call a show down in the showgrounds!!!!!!!!!

[blobbyblob]

Ignore Kilkenny City at your pearl.

2.6 points per game over the last 8
The other league hopefuls are picking up on average 1.5

12 games left. Saying that - Sligo look safe and good look to them

[gustavo]

sure if that happens we can just send out our u21s

[pineapple stu]

Ignore Kilkenny City at your pearl.

Just when I think I've seen all the silly typos people can come up with!!

[sligoman]

Ignore Kilkenny City at your pearl.

I'm well aware that ye have really improved and have a good chance of moving up the table but ye have left it a little late in my opinion . Maybe next season?

[LondonRover]

Sure things look good at the moment but with 12 games left I'd hardly say that Rovers are "all but promoted" - the end of September will be the time to come out with stuff like that. Or is that just my natural Sligo pessimism showing through?!

The thought of a play off with Harps - jeez...

[Red4Eva]

i wouldn't dare say we're all but promoted but i do think it's quite possible we'll win it by 12pts. the division is absolute muck. fu*kin awful to think that teams like limerick, who were ok early on in the season but are painful to watch now, have genuine aspirations of getting promoted. i would give kilkenny as good a chance as any1 of catching dublin city but i think a cupla players like david freeman will keep dublin where they are

[Breifne]

i do think it's quite possible we'll win it by 12pts.

I beg to differ on this, i think no side (including Sligo and Dublin City) in this division are anything fantastic, just look at our recent form, we have lost twice in the last two games, ye have also had a bit of a capitulation over the last few weeks.

and we have allowed the other sides to close the game between the top two and the rest to just five points. (thats mostly our fault, victory against Limerick last week would have moved both of us 11 points clear of third place.

neither of us have winning margins of over 50% (SR are 12 / 24 - DC are 11 / 24).

Thats poor for two sides looking to challenge for the title. I think unless both of us cop on and start collecting points ASAP, the likes of Limerick, Cobh, Dundalk and yes even Kilkenny City could make a burst.

Best of luck, and i would like to see Sligo Rovers and Dublin City in the premier division next term, hopefully after Rovers beat the Hoops in a play off

[Shiba]

Thats poor for two sides looking to challenge for the title. I think unless both of us cop on and start collecting points ASAP, the likes of Limerick, Cobh, Dundalk and yes even Kilkenny City could make a burst.

Best of luck, and i would like to see Sligo Rovers and Dublin City in the premier division next term, hopefully after Rovers beat the Hoops in a play off

Have to agree on both of Us having to cop on to many erratic performance's of late.

As for playoffs I'm sorry to say it will be a Dublin Derby! Which means there will be still one to many Dublin sides in the Premier Division

[roversforever]

As for playoffs I'm sorry to say it will be a Dublin Derby!

it won't be.it will be dublin against waterford.shams will continue to move up the table and won't be in any danger of relegation by the end of the season.

[The Stars]

it won't be.it will be dublin against waterford.shams will continue to move up the table and won't be in any danger of relegation by the end of the season.

Agreed.Shams will pick up more points than Waterford and Harps.It is between those two to fight it out for the playoff place and i wouldnt bet against harps making the play off.Waterford are in a sad state and havent won for 14 games or something like that.