Weekend 4/8 and 7/8 fixtures

**thebronze14** · 07/08/2023, 11:35 PM

We were badly beaten tonight. Very reminiscent of the early season performances before we brought in reenforcements. Athlone are perhaps the best team we've played this season. Very impressed the 3 times I've seen them

**Comic Book Guy** · 07/08/2023, 11:51 PM

Kerry were unlucky not to get a late winner, we were awful for 65 minutes, Seanie McGrath was excellent and Kelliher too.
The only positive is we recovered a two goal deficit two games in a row.
Credit to the Kerry crowd who were behind their team from the off.

**De Town** · 08/08/2023, 8:24 AM

Originally Posted by outspoken

Tbf, there were much much bigger issues within that dressing room than Dervin (if he was one at all). Mood around the place has improved ten fold after some departures in July and some really decent lads brought in. Credit to Hendo for been brave enough to wield the axe.

I haven't a clue about anything that went on in the dressing room to be honest, was just judging us based on what I saw on the pitch. In the first half of the season, all I saw from Aodh was him trying to play passes that he's not capable of playing and proceeding to abuse teammates around him for not getting said pass under control and constantly making other mistakes that he was responsible for but trying to pass them off on others. His attitude on the pitch stank, as if he felt he was above playing for us again after his year at Shels.

He could have been a great lad in the dressing room, as I said, I haven't a clue about that. But on the field him leaving has definitely improved us, and our results/performances (Cobh aside) prove that.

**outspoken** · 08/08/2023, 9:33 AM

Originally Posted by De Town

I haven't a clue about anything that went on in the dressing room to be honest, was just judging us based on what I saw on the pitch. In the first half of the season, all I saw from Aodh was him trying to play passes that he's not capable of playing and proceeding to abuse teammates around him for not getting said pass under control and constantly making other mistakes that he was responsible for but trying to pass them off on others. His attitude on the pitch stank, as if he felt he was above playing for us again after his year at Shels.

He could have been a great lad in the dressing room, as I said, I haven't a clue about that. But on the field him leaving has definitely improved us, and our results/performances (Cobh aside) prove that.

Same as that, I'd know nothing of what goes on inside the 4 walls but I think Aodh's shouting and roaring on the pitch maybe led people to think he was probably an issue in the DR whereas there were 2 or 3 other players who had major attitude problems.

**legendz** · 08/08/2023, 9:52 AM

Last night was Kerry's first league point since earning a first clean sheet away to Harps on the Friday of the June Bank Holiday weekend. Apart from the two games against Waterford, Kerry lost all other league games by one goal, including away to Galway. The inexperienced Kerry squad have a lot to learn about grinding out results. Support has stayed with them and are understanding.

**JC_GUFC** · 08/08/2023, 4:23 PM

I managed to take in 3 games this weekend...

Bohs v Drogs on Friday... I think it was the first time I saw Drogheda this season and I was very impressed. I wrongly had them pinned as a negative team just hitting on the counter. There's certainly an element of playing on the counter but they're better than that and defensively not too solid - obviously Adegboyega wasn't involved. Darragh Markey was involved in pretty much everything good and caused big problems playing in the hole.

If there is a title race I don't see Bohs winning it but with Afolabi now in the goals they might just score more than the opposition! Obviously a big threat in the cup with their nice draw.

Rovers v Cork on Sunday. I know Rovers got the W and that was the ultimate necessity but I was again fairly unimpressed with them. I know Graham Burke on the ball is really good and he scored a great goal but I genuinely don't think there's a worse player in the league when his team isn't in possession - I know it's not his game to win the ball back but even his positional awareness seems to be totally off. Defensively they're still quite shaky and questions have to be asked over Mannus again. He was doing really well earlier in the season and it may just be rustiness but that was a poor goal to concede from the free kick.
For Cork they'd a lot of new bodies in - defensively though they look poor still. They have an absolutely huge run of games now, UCD, Waterford (Cup), Drogheda and Sligo in their next 4.

Finally I was down at United v Treaty yesterday. Despite all their changes Treaty were actually ok and certainly should have scored at least once. As strange as it may sound I felt this was a bigger game than Friday's in Waterford. On the back of conceding the last minute equaliser against Harps, had we dropped more points Waterford may have felt they could have had one last effort to catch us. Getting back on track yesterday means even if Waterford beat us on Friday and win their game in hand against Treaty they're still 10 points behind with 9 games to go.

Just an aside on the Kerry game yesterday - I watched the end of the match - poor goalkeeping to allow the Cobh equaliser but for the 5 minutes before that Cobh had them under siege so it looked a matter of time - but Kerry had an unbelievable chance to win it with literally the last kick of the game. I don't know did the young lad see his name in lights or was there an awful bobble of the pitch but after a counter-attack and great interplay by Leo Gaxha it was laid on the plate to smash it home and the poor lad missed the ball altogether. They're definitely improving though and with home games to come against Longford, Bray and Wexford they'll surely manage to win one of them.

**Onapointoforder** · 08/08/2023, 4:32 PM

Originally Posted by JC_GUFC

I managed to take in 3 games this weekend...

Bohs v Drogs on Friday... I think it was the first time I saw Drogheda this season and I was very impressed. I wrongly had them pinned as a negative team just hitting on the counter. There's certainly an element of playing on the counter but they're better than that and defensively not too solid - obviously Adegboyega wasn't involved. Darragh Markey was involved in pretty much everything good and caused big problems playing in the hole.

If there is a title race I don't see Bohs winning it but with Afolabi now in the goals they might just score more than the opposition! Obviously a big threat in the cup with their nice draw.

Rovers v Cork on Sunday. I know Rovers got the W and that was the ultimate necessity but I was again fairly unimpressed with them. I know Graham Burke on the ball is really good and he scored a great goal but I genuinely don't think there's a worse player in the league when his team isn't in possession - I know it's not his game to win the ball back but even his positional awareness seems to be totally off. Defensively they're still quite shaky and questions have to be asked over Mannus again. He was doing really well earlier in the season and it may just be rustiness but that was a poor goal to concede from the free kick.
For Cork they'd a lot of new bodies in - defensively though they look poor still. They have an absolutely huge run of games now, UCD, Waterford (Cup), Drogheda and Sligo in their next 4.

Finally I was down at United v Treaty yesterday. Despite all their changes Treaty were actually ok and certainly should have scored at least once. As strange as it may sound I felt this was a bigger game than Friday's in Waterford. On the back of conceding the last minute equaliser against Harps, had we dropped more points Waterford may have felt they could have had one last effort to catch us. Getting back on track yesterday means even if Waterford beat us on Friday and win their game in hand against Treaty they're still 10 points behind with 9 games to go.

Just an aside on the Kerry game yesterday - I watched the end of the match - poor goalkeeping to allow the Cobh equaliser but for the 5 minutes before that Cobh had them under siege so it looked a matter of time - but Kerry had an unbelievable chance to win it with literally the last kick of the game. I don't know did the young lad see his name in lights or was there an awful bobble of the pitch but after a counter-attack and great interplay by Leo Gaxha it was laid on the plate to smash it home and the poor lad missed the ball altogether. They're definitely improving though and with home games to come against Longford, Bray and Wexford they'll surely manage to win one of them.

How you think ye’ll do next season?

**JC_GUFC** · 08/08/2023, 4:54 PM

Originally Posted by Onapointoforder

How you think ye’ll do next season?

I would expect us to make at least 4 or 5 signings (assuming we end up as Champions). Rory Gaffney looks like a distinct possibility and would suit our style perfectly.

Defensively we're ok but this team would struggle to score goals in the Premier Division so we need more creativity.

I would like us to do like Shelbourne and aim for 7th or 8th in the first season and build from there. Maybe not getting promoted last season will work out well for the group, sticking together for another year. We really just need to find 2 teams to finish above - Cork, Sligo and Drogheda the obvious candidates.

I do think the investors will spend money though so within a few years I'd hope we could be challengers for Europe, in such a small league going from 8th to 4th isn't a huge gap!

**Onapointoforder** · 08/08/2023, 5:02 PM

A realistic take on it in fairness. Gaffney a ‘distinct possibility’. Wow! Really?

**Nah Nah Nah Nah** · 08/08/2023, 8:41 PM

Originally Posted by De Town

I haven't a clue about anything that went on in the dressing room to be honest, was just judging us based on what I saw on the pitch. In the first half of the season, all I saw from Aodh was him trying to play passes that he's not capable of playing and proceeding to abuse teammates around him for not getting said pass under control and constantly making other mistakes that he was responsible for but trying to pass them off on others. His attitude on the pitch stank, as if he felt he was above playing for us again after his year at Shels.

He could have been a great lad in the dressing room, as I said, I haven't a clue about that. But on the field him leaving has definitely improved us, and our results/performances (Cobh aside) prove that.

Think he felt he should have been going to England when he went to Shels as it was. Very inflated and inaccurate opinion of himself.

**sbgawa** · 08/08/2023, 9:02 PM

Originally Posted by JC_GUFC

I would expect us to make at least 4 or 5 signings (assuming we end up as Champions). Rory Gaffney looks like a distinct possibility and would suit our style perfectly.

Defensively we're ok but this team would struggle to score goals in the Premier Division so we need more creativity.

I would like us to do like Shelbourne and aim for 7th or 8th in the first season and build from there. Maybe not getting promoted last season will work out well for the group, sticking together for another year. We really just need to find 2 teams to finish above - Cork, Sligo and Drogheda the obvious candidates.

I do think the investors will spend money though so within a few years I'd hope we could be challengers for Europe, in such a small league going from 8th to 4th isn't a huge gap!

If Rory gaffney is allowed leave rovers. The mangt team should leave with him

**wonder88** · 08/08/2023, 9:50 PM

I noticed the security guy in Bray as well telling a fan not to wave a flag. In ways it is understandable that many people consider the league of Ireland as a joke.

**outspoken** · 08/08/2023, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by wonder88

I noticed the security guy in Bray as well telling a fan not to wave a flag. In ways it is understandable that many people consider the league of Ireland as a joke.

Causing issue when there hadn't been a scent of trouble or even any bit of exchange between the fans all day. Atmosphere is totally gone from the ground

**JC_GUFC** · 09/08/2023, 9:31 AM

Originally Posted by Onapointoforder

A realistic take on it in fairness. Gaffney a ‘distinct possibility’. Wow! Really?

Well I don't know but it feels like there's going to be a bit clear out at Rovers in the off-season.

They might get through this run of next 3 games and go on to claim the 4-in-a-row but the likes of Finn, Greene, Jack Byrne and Mannus definitely won't be there next season. Questions over plenty of others and for all the talk of the project they don't seem to be bringing through many young players.

Gaffney has said before he'd like to play for us, he probably only has a couple of years left due to injury problems and he would really suit our style. We have Stephen Walsh who leads the line on his own but doesn't stick to being in the box - essentially exactly the same as Gaffney does but Gaffney is on a different level. He's been spotted at a few of our games recently too.

I would imagine he will be the #1 target for us in the off-season and there are a lot of reasons to think it will happen.

**Philosophizer** · 09/08/2023, 10:16 AM

Gaffney isn’t suited to a John Caulfield team at all. Yes he’s big and strong, but his best assets is actually his movement and technical ability. I feel that’s why his time in England wasn’t more successful. They saw him as a big hold-up man and didn’t play to his strengths.

**Shearer** · 09/08/2023, 10:49 AM

Not trying to deflect from last Friday's result, but Longford Town player Aaron Walsh spat on a steward when walking off the pitch when being sent off.

He hasn't received any further suspension in the just published suspension list but that doesn't mean it didn't happen, toe rag.

**Calcio Jack** · 09/08/2023, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by sbgawa

If Rory gaffney is allowed leave rovers. The mangt team should leave with him

Depends on whom we’re bringing in from Bohs etc.

**JC_GUFC** · 09/08/2023, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Philosophizer

Gaffney isn’t suited to a John Caulfield team at all. Yes he’s big and strong, but his best assets is actually his movement and technical ability. I feel that’s why his time in England wasn’t more successful. They saw him as a big hold-up man and didn’t play to his strengths.

Stephen Walsh does essentially the same for us as Gaffney does for Rovers. Obviously the methods of getting the ball to their area of the pitch are slightly different though!

**Onapointoforder** · 09/08/2023, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by JC_GUFC

Stephen Walsh does essentially the same for us as Gaffney does for Rovers. Obviously the methods of getting the ball to their area of the pitch are slightly different though!

‘Slightly different’ is an understatement !!! JC was quite dismissive of First Division in an interview he gave back in the day. Obviously now believes “hoof-balling” is the way to get promoted. Might go a bit different when he’s up there.

**outspoken** · 09/08/2023, 1:20 PM

Originally Posted by Onapointoforder

‘Slightly different’ is an understatement !!! JC was quite dismissive of First Division in an interview he gave back in the day. Obviously now believes “hoof-balling” is the way to get promoted. Might go a bit different when he’s up there.

Aye because he has a proven track record of playing attractive football, as does his assistant....