Games Thursday 4th of July

[ger121]

And very thankful ye did too! Two more penalties conceded to add to our ridiculous recent record over the past couple of seasons. We only started playing after going 2-0 down and with a bit more composure in front of goal could have had a draw.

Our first defeat in nine - but equally we've only two wins in ten now, both narrow wins against Kerry.

But we're still third. Bit like Shels earlier in the season in that regard - hanging on despite poor form, largely because the rest of the division is so inconsistent

I’m not joking when I say I think you have conceded a penalty in every game I’ve seen you play this season.

Only came into it really when 2 down and could have nicked a point with a bit more composure.

[Shearer]

Treaty robbed at the death by Cobh. Played all the football and had loads of chances but took none of them.

[Zico]

As comfortable a 1 nil win as you are likely to see from Harps over Kerry.
Absolute madness asking Kerry to travel 800km round trip on a Thursday night though. The idea of playing Thursday night so as not clash with the Euros is really good, but why they could not just schedule fixtures with more reasonable travel is beyond belief. Surely they can program this into the computer when setting the fixtures!!!

[LTFC]

Drogs probably left 2 points behind tonight considering the sending offs. Those 6 points for Sligo and only 6 points off third, but good lead over the louth clubs. Agree, hard to see how Dundalk or Drogs bridge the gap. Whoever finishes 9th though should be too strong for whoever comes through play offs.

[D24Saint]

We played well in the first half but we should have went in at least one nil up. We were awful in the second half and it’s another terrible result in a season that just keeps on giving. We need a striker badly.

[WoodquayBoy]

Galway thought they scored on 89th min, ball didn't cross the line but looks like the Galway player handled it

The ball did cross the line, the keeper flapped at it and dropped it over the line, the lino flagged for a goal but the ref gave a free out for a push by Hickey despite there being no contact on either the goalkeeper or the defender. The second time this season that O’Shea has disallowed a winning goal for us, and both were p!sspoor decisions by a referee who is not up to Premier Division standard (and barely First Division standard, if we’re honest).
On balance a draw was a fair result, but can’t help feeling like we’ve been robbed by that ref once again

[nigel-harps1954]

As comfortable a 1 nil win as you are likely to see from Harps over Kerry.
Absolute madness asking Kerry to travel 800km round trip on a Thursday night though. The idea of playing Thursday night so as not clash with the Euros is really good, but why they could not just schedule fixtures with more reasonable travel is beyond belief. Surely they can program this into the computer when setting the fixtures!!!

Kerry aren't doing an 800km round trip tonight though. They're staying over in Donegal Town, same as they done last time they travelled.

That's the joys of being in the LOI. Harps next three games are Cork away, Cork away and Limerick away. Those are all round trips too as we don't do overnights.

[2 Year Contract]

Almost more annoyingly than if we'd been terrible, Pats were actually very good for the first half an hour or so but once we failed to capitalise it just felt like we'd regret it. Combination of a lot of poor decision making after getting into dangerous areas and some excellent defending from Waterford kept Pats out and looking less likely to score as the game went on.

Agree with this, first half was some of the best football we’ve played all season but couldn’t take one of the chances despite the dominance. Once Waterford got the goal early in the second half they managed the game brilliantly through a combination of well applied dark arts and solid defending. Still no win away from home since the opening day of the season, having travelled to all of those games I can say the frustrating journeys home are something I’m hoping won’t be a recurrence next year

[outspoken]

Bray are beyond terrible

[joey B]

2 wins in 14 for Wexford,against Kerry and Longford is beyond bad,I’ve heard they have a very healthy budget aswell…..

[Onapointoforder]

Bray are beyond terrible

Ian Ryan replaced 90% of last year’s squad. Hasn’t make any difference. No wonder he’s gone. Fitzgerald doing no better.

[Nesta99]

Ian Ryan replaced 90% of last year’s squad. Hasn’t make any difference. No wonder he’s gone. Fitzgerald doing no better.

Fitzgerald's hands would be tied though. The more I hear about large number of signings by a manager (or a head of football recruitment) they more i am coming round to the more modern (and even maybe old fashioned) ideas of recruitment/selection committees. You see american sports where a bunch of coaches sit around a table debating recruit targets. DoF with a head coach, coaching staff and scouts is looking more and more like the only way to go about business. It could offset agent influences where an old owner could be duped or a manager on the books of an agent could be asked to give contracts as a favour, or even an agent refusing to deal with a manager for not playing ball. We saw how terms for Sheppard were being bullied by his agent, would the club deal with that agent now or visa versa if a suitable player was wanted? Seems like a change could be needed on how transfer dealigs are handled. Technical directors I always thought were more to do with being over coachig and medical staff but maybe should have a say too. 2 many cooks though? Or jobs or the boys? Not sure either way but should an Ian Ryan have sole judgement on '90%' of signings, fail and leave a disaster behind that cant be sorted where a board trusted sole judgement. Thoughts on a prefered process or ideas? when at smaller clubs with limited staff or extensive scouting. Dundalk sound like it was a few calls to old contacts in Scotland and Kelty FC cropping up a couple of times - hardly knwoing what was the quality of a signing. Moneyball stat apps with character assessment could well be more effective than the buddy or worn old agant networks. Best solution of all, develo your own players. Still not sure why our 2023 U20 top goal scorer was not retained when we are in need of strikers after letting a record goal scorer go to a club that mentally cant cope with a title chase.

[desaintsno.12]

I fear its going to be a long two and a half years with Anang in goals for us. I wasnt a fan of him before and certainly not a fan of him after last nights Waterford goal. His movement freaks me out.

[trevy]

It was a hard fought 1 0 last night for Waterford v St Pats. Pats were better early on and Forrester came close to scoring twice. Waterford much better in 2nd half and defended well after McCormack's goal. Our back 4 are really solid at moment. Good 3 points that keeps us in 3rd and in the hunt for European football.

[Dermobohs]

We were blessed to get out with a point in the end, players once again proving to be a 35 minute team, we just collapse in midfield after 35 minutes, every single game. Awful.

[Another Bohemia]

Happy with a point in the end. Not sure why Galway's 2nd goal was ruled out but you take that bit if luck when it comes your way. Played some great football in the 1st half and with better finishing could have been up by 2 or 3. As others have mentioned after 35 odd minutes the midfield fell apart and that was our undoing. I think we need to replace Flores with someone who's a bit more physical and can put in a crunching tackle. He seems to float through the game a lot while McDonnell and Clarke are up and down the pitch all game. I don't expect Flores to go this window but wouldn't be surprised if he's not a Bohs player in Jan.

[2 Year Contract]

Very little talk on the Derry result here. Can imagine how frustrating they are for their fans. The last few years every time Rovers in previous years or Shels this year drop points it’s almost a given that Derry will fail to capitalise on that and also drop points themselves. With the squad they’ve got at their disposal, you’d wonder if it comes down to mentality with the players? I know Higgins isn’t popular also so maybe it’s a tactical thing

[sbgawa]

Waterford winning was a terrible result for us, if they were to win their two games while we are playig in Europe we could be going to Waterford 9 points off Europe , lose there and its 12 points off.
Appreciate Waterford have to go and win the matches but it shows how bad things have gotten. Id take third place all day if it was offered now.
Watching us labor to beat a poor Dundalk team last night is scary for Tuesday.

[oriel]

As much as Dundalk were not great though sbgawa, we had two great chances to equalise in the last 15, and probably the better side in that period, but same old, jus can't score.

Rovers looked a shadow of previous years, but still got the win.

[oriel]

Drogs probably left 2 points behind tonight considering the sending offs. Those 6 points for Sligo and only 6 points off third, but good lead over the louth clubs. Agree, hard to see how Dundalk or Drogs bridge the gap. Whoever finishes 9th though should be too strong for whoever comes through play offs.

They won't, and nothing has changed from last week, its a straight dog fight for the play off spot. Next Friday it could be Dundalk 5 clear, 2 clear, or 1 point behind and back to bottom place, that said I think we will beat Drogs at home and move 5 clear.

Regardless of that result, it will still be between the two as neither are showing any real signs of consistent results.