Games Weekend of Friday 22nd of Sep to Mon 25th

[pineapple stu]

Jesus these ucd commentators saying its not a disaster for Rovers not to win if derry don't........funking shambles. We need to win at some stage the rest of the division will step up

They weren't wrong in fairness

But Rovers were dire tonight. Granted we also chose the game to not commit any defensive howlers and Moore was solid in nets. But Rovers were just pedestrian.

Ye'll win the league this year. But that rebuild is becoming more urgent. Wouldn't be confident of next year

Funny that Rovers fans were raging at the score that took them a point further ahead at the top while UCD fans were actually quite happy with the result that got us formally relegated

[kksaints]

Delighted with that win. Much improved in the second half after an awful first half performance. Lonergan did excellent for his two goals, hopefully he's hitting top form now. Melia scoring on his 16th birthday is the icing on the cake.

Some results in the other matches. Still struggling to see us in a title race but if we beat Drogs on Monday which won't be easy we're bang in there.

[SwanVsDalton]

Sligo deserved that. We were extremely poor and basically went into full on panic mode in the second half. Kick and rush, losing out in most 50-50s, no control, no real belief we would get what we needed. Probably not surprising after Tobol, Pats and Rovers last week - playing well and getting nothing - that we'd revert to simply playing badly and getting nothing.

Rob Harvey was a complete moonboot but couldn't tell via LOITV whether any of the decisions were critical. It did look like we could have had a pen on Brush's brush with Kavanagh but the replay angles were rubbish. Thought Boyce deserved the red, and three more for being braindead. No idea if the goal was a handball. We got what we deserved.

Very much looking forward to this season being over.

[brendy_éire]

Jesus these ucd commentators saying its not a disaster for Rovers not to win if derry don't........funking shambles. We need to win at some stage the rest of the division will step up

Agree with Stu. It's fine.
In a way, Derry losing, rather than drawing, doesn't matter too much. We still need you too lose twice, just one game fewer in which to do it. Not that that matters anyway. Pat's may well be second come Monday night.

Usual City performance tonight. Plenty of possession, feck all shots on target. Conceded a poorly defended goal, even if it was probably a handball. Boyce was stupid for his second yellow. Idiot.

I've probably a bit less patience than most on the matter, but we finished last year with 66 points. Improvement was needed this season. We have 54 ATM. Don't know what Higgin's target was this season, but you'd imagine it would have been 70+.
I was at the point where I wouldn't have cared if Higgins was sacked. Moving beyond that point a bit now.

[ontheotherhand]

Jesus that was awful to watch.

Thanks Sligo.

Shels league to lose now.

[CorribsideSteve]

Galway back in the top flight again. Great for the club. I haven't followed them properly for years, for a few reasons. Got disillusioned after the Leeson days and the worst season in LOI history bar maybe Kilkenny City back in the 90s, and not getting a license resulting in being out of the League for 3 years, and then watching them get relegated in '17. But next season, Ireland's largest outdoor industrial freezer, aka Terryland, aka Deacy Park, will have my support again

[Nesta99]

Jesus that was awful to watch.

Thanks Sligo.

Shels league to lose now.

Its been hard to watch a lot of the football this season in general so I agree with the sentiment of wanting the season just to end. It'd be pretty typical that during a surge in interest in the league that the quality has gone over a cliff. Regardless of the end result v Tobol, Derry looked to have tured a corner in that game, adding goals and looking as composed passing the ball about as they should be with the quality of player and clearing up long term injuries, but have just reverted to type. Rovers needed an overhaul before this season but they have been as good as they needed to be. It will be an odd one if Pats put in a title challange when you think back to how ropey they were defensively, could even do a double. Dundalk, its hard to put a finger on exactly what has caused inconsistency to turn to consistently poor. Another manager and the natives would be getting restless in Oriel. Shels have probably been the team of the year regardless of no silverware, did lol at oth and their league to lose as it does feel like they have kicked on most. Cork need a few results now, not so much trying to chase 7th but not to fall in to a losing streak that can be hard to break and going in to a relegation play-off.

[ger121]

Oh and congrats to Galway. Great addition to the PD and always a good away trip. Hoping I might even get over there this season if I’m lucky with a ticket for the semi.

[D24Saint]

Delighted with that win. Much improved in the second half after an awful first half performance. Lonergan did excellent for his two goals, hopefully he's hitting top form now. Melia scoring on his 16th birthday is the icing on the cake.

Some results in the other matches. Still struggling to see us in a title race but if we beat Drogs on Monday which won't be easy we're bang in there.

Some turnaround indeed. It was hard to believe. The best we have played in weeks. I thought Dundalk were much the better team in the first half but made some errors for us to get ahead.

[joey B]

I think Stevie might be losing it,I kinda of half watched the game and as a neutral its barmy to say Pats were lucky to get out with a draw....

[Jack B]

Very much enjoyed Ireland's premiere courtroom defendant seeming to think that playing Robbie Benson ostensibly as an inverted left back made him the second coming of Pep only for it to blow up in his face.

Dundalk the better side in the first half to be fair, still don't trust us at all but every result is a big one at this stage to get Europe through the league so very much happy out tonight.

[cláirseach]

Enjoyed my night in Tolka - a reasonably low standard of match in parts, and some visibly unfit officials, but the better team won. Shels have finally really built up a support base and you can see (and hear!) the results of the club link-ups already. We're almost at the stage where Shels have outgrown the current capacity of Tolka, which was an unthinkable scenario for so longer - be it in the glory years drowning in the country's biggest ground, or the triple figure doldrum years of the first division. I think something is happening there that bears relation to what has already happened at the other Dublin clubs. It's a lovely old ground that needs a bit of help, but the Riverside puts on a show.

Elsewhere, I had low expectations for Rogers at Harps but he has failed to meet them. With a playoff place available for half the division, they are still fifteen points off of that fifth (!) spot. A hybrid full-time set up, yet a team that has looked undercooked and unprepared despite the huge player turnover. There are people online who believe it is their role to respond and transparently attempt to deflect any criticism of Harps but there is only so long that you can watch a defence like that without wondering yourself.

And finally a big congratulations to Galway. There's a lot of potential in the club and the next few years could be very exciting and will certainly be very interesting. I hope all involved and associated enjoy their weekend.

[Nesta99]

With Galway up, and possibly one of Waterford and Cork, and I can see Waterford stringing those wins to gether and get promoted well it will leave a number of clubs sweatting on relegation battle next season and not having soft 1st Division sdes promoted and a safety buffer for the rest of us. A lot of clubs are going to have to get creative on player recruitment, or raid the piggy banks and Id include Dundalk in this. Drogs hold things together with additions and they will move out of the bottom 3 or 4. Can tey consider a ft setup for 2024. If sligo stay clear of cork theres a lot of decisions to be made there also. Shels its a bit more of the same. Devine always fades badly i his 2nd season so we'll see on Bohs. Derry might have to consider makig some hard changes in th off season esecially if there are more sligo like results to come.

[thebronze14]

Enjoyed my night in Tolka - a reasonably low standard of match in parts, and some visibly unfit officials, but the better team won. Shels have finally really built up a support base and you can see (and hear!) the results of the club link-ups already. We're almost at the stage where Shels have outgrown the current capacity of Tolka, which was an unthinkable scenario for so longer - be it in the glory years drowning in the country's biggest ground, or the triple figure doldrum years of the first division. I think something is happening there that bears relation to what has already happened at the other Dublin clubs. It's a lovely old ground that needs a bit of help, but the Riverside puts on a show.

Elsewhere, I had low expectations for Rogers at Harps but he has failed to meet them. With a playoff place available for half the division, they are still fifteen points off of that fifth (!) spot. A hybrid full-time set up, yet a team that has looked undercooked and unprepared despite the huge player turnover. There are people online who believe it is their role to respond and transparently attempt to deflect any criticism of Harps but there is only so long that you can watch a defence like that without wondering yourself.

And finally a big congratulations to Galway. There's a lot of potential in the club and the next few years could be very exciting and will certainly be very interesting. I hope all involved and associated enjoy their weekend.

That is the nicest way of putting it... I am already having nightmares of seeing that clown leading us into next season

[2 Year Contract]

I think Stevie might be losing it,I kinda of half watched the game and as a neutral its barmy to say Pats were lucky to get out with a draw....

Another great win for Stephen. Dundalk will be right up there competing for the title once they add on Stephen's 'but we played well' bonus points.

Fair play to him sticking 2 centre mids in defence tonight though, Benson constantly out of position and sent off, Sloggett defensively poor and at fault for the second goal before giving a penalty away for the third, tactical genius

Another poor performance from pats in the first half but they were much the better side after half time until Dundalk got their goal which came a bit out of the blue. Delighted with the other results elsewhere tonight

[joey B]

That is the nicest way of putting it... I am already having nightmares of seeing that clown leading us into next season

Nightmare is the right word,we can’t afford to pay 2 managers if we end up sacking him and paying 3 years of a contract off,I had kinda resigned myself to this being a tough season but this worse than I ever imagined …..

[ontheotherhand]

Its been hard to watch a lot of the football this season in general so I agree with the sentiment of wanting the season just to end. It'd be pretty typical that during a surge in interest in the league that the quality has gone over a cliff. Regardless of the end result v Tobol, Derry looked to have tured a corner in that game, adding goals and looking as composed passing the ball about as they should be with the quality of player and clearing up long term injuries, but have just reverted to type. Rovers needed an overhaul before this season but they have been as good as they needed to be. It will be an odd one if Pats put in a title challange when you think back to how ropey they were defensively, could even do a double. Dundalk, its hard to put a finger on exactly what has caused inconsistency to turn to consistently poor. Another manager and the natives would be getting restless in Oriel. Shels have probably been the team of the year regardless of no silverware, did lol at oth and their league to lose as it does feel like they have kicked on most. Cork need a few results now, not so much trying to chase 7th but not to fall in to a losing streak that can be hard to break and going in to a relegation play-off.

I'd agree with that. Pound for pound Shels have probably been the most consistent team and have also improved as the season progressed. Everyone else had good and bad (very bad) patches. They've made themselves hard to beat and added quality up front recently. Not pretty at times but they are so well organized. No shock with Joey involved. We haven't been as good at the back ourselves since he retired.

If they don't win the league this season they might be right in the race next season...with a few others....it's getting tight at the top and to be honest, regardless of the level of football on show, that's probably more helpful for the crowds than one team running away with it. Every team bar UCD will be fighting for every point now. It'll be entertaining and probably heartbreaking.

[legendz]

With Galway up, and possibly one of Waterford and Cork, and I can see Waterford stringing those wins to gether and get promoted well it will leave a number of clubs sweatting on relegation battle next season and not having soft 1st Division sdes promoted and a safety buffer for the rest of us. A lot of clubs are going to have to get creative on player recruitment, or raid the piggy banks and Id include Dundalk in this. Drogs hold things together with additions and they will move out of the bottom 3 or 4. Can tey consider a ft setup for 2024. If sligo stay clear of cork theres a lot of decisions to be made there also. Shels its a bit more of the same. Devine always fades badly i his 2nd season so we'll see on Bohs. Derry might have to consider makig some hard changes in th off season esecially if there are more sligo like results to come.

There should be a more competitive relegation battle in the Premier Division next year alright. Waterford are comfortably finishing second in the First Division this year. The loser of the projected Munster clash of Cork v Waterford should comfortably win the First Division next year. Will that Cork v Waterford clash, all going to form, be in Limerick or Dublin? Would two legs home and away be better for both clubs and supporters? A packed Turner's Cross and a packed RSC.

[JC_GUFC]

It’s funny to look at the League and the reaction to managers

Rovers fans all realise they’ve been way off previous standards this season and the whole thing needs to be refreshed so I don’t think too many would be sad to see Bradley leave.

Derry fans also seem to think they could be doing better with a different manager.

Pat’s fans don’t seem too keen on Jon Daly, he had a good run at the start and somehow are potentially in contention for the double despite having played badly for the last 6 weeks or so.

Bohs fans, if they lose the cup semi, will be wondering where it all went wrong from the start of the season and some will answer that it’s the manager.

Dundalk. If O’Donnell wasn’t a club legend he’d 100% be gone.

Sligo - they clearly want Russell gone, though last night’s win should be enough to calm things down and see him to next season.

Cork - well they probably wish they actually had a manager to call for to be sacked.

UCD - yes I’ve even seen UCD fans complain about the 4-minute-Myler!


So that leaves Duffer and Kevin Doherty as the only two managers in the Prem who the fans are happy with!


Thanks for all the well wishes to us too. I think someone did make the point that it’s ended up being such a procession there wasn’t really a “moment” last night. I guess the late equaliser in Waterford about a month ago we knew it was done then but having the cup for the moments had made this extra special.

I definitely think we can be competitive next season and hopefully we can aim to finish 6th to establish ourselves before progressing even further.

In all my 30+ years following the club it feels like the most potential ever.

But as with everything in LoI things can fall apart in the blink of an eye.

[legendz]

Cork won the First Division last year and are 9th this year. Shelbourne are establishing themselves in the top 8. It'll be a tough task for Galway or anyone to dislodge any of the current top 8. There's the top 8, then 4 clubs in the main promotion-relegation mix, 7 First Division clubs targetting playoffs and then 1 newcomer learning on the job!