Weekend Fixtures Friday 23rd of May

[placid casual]

A draw would've been a fair result, but that's football. Rovers definitely played themselves into the game, controlled possession in the 2nd half Derry lack the ability to get the ball down and rely on the counter. The early Winchester booking didn't help us, but we need a fit Dummigan or Diallo in there to sit behind CW and O'Reilly to dictate the pace of the game. If Rovers do win the league, it will be some achievement with hardly having any break or preseason. Realistically they need to bank the points now like Shels did last year, it will be hard slog down the line unless they exit Europe early

We'll agree to disagree on the fairness or otherwise of the result,but the other points made are valid- ref killed the game a bit with early bookings (O'Sullivan taken off after 30 mins for that reason). On your point about Derrys ability to get the ball down, surely some of that is based on the playing surface no?
Duffy was unusually quiet last night, but Matthews for Rovers had his best game so far ,so maybe that's why Duffy was quiet.
Boyce looks frankly out of place in this lean, mean, young LOI strikers era and Maher looks unconvincing in goal.
Derry should get Europe easily enough this season,but is that enough for the chairman's financial outlay ?
In regards to Rovers in Europe,I've always got the impression that the going-away-together-in-europe effect was galvanising for the Rovers squad and that there was a certain rhythm they became used to in regards Thursday-Sunday-Thursday etc.
Pats don't have the cajones for a league tilt,and shel's are a bit beholden to their narcissistic manager and his schemes,so if Derry can keep calm and composed they can have a good season.

[Keen2win]

Yep that pats fan is correct 👌

[TonyD]

Pats don't have the cajones for a league tilt,.

I’d love to argue with you on this one, but at the moment it looks very much like you are right. Very soft centre to the team. We have some lovely footballers, but need a lot more grit in the team. Never a fan of Sean Hoare, and I think he has no business being first choice in a team with title aspirations. Always has an error or two in him. Tom Grivosti back in please. (And yeah, I know he had a howler himself up in Derry, but I’d still prefer him.) Not helped by missing Lennon last night, and you’d wonder how fit Chris Forrestor was. Romal Palmer back could make a difference too.

My only hope is that we were equally as bad up to the summer last year, and had a great finish to the season, so maybe we can turn things around.

[Onapointoforder]

I just think the social media team should stick to the cameras and microphones! Leave the football to people who are involved in the game! Hopefully Elding gets his opportunity to turn the club around 🙏

The social media team isn’t the problem at Longford Town, that’s for sure…

[Martinho II]

The social media team isn’t the problem at Longford Town, that’s for sure…

The powers that b running the club is the problem at Longford Town imo. I would give anything to have the days when the board respected the fans and vice versa but now its all about toxicity and a battle of egos. Thats a result of Trumpism. If that continues our crowds will further decrease. Club board have noone to blame but themselves!

[Buckett]

Blaming Trump for being bottom of the first division is not something I thought I would read this season

[oriel]

Really thought last night going in and out of the ground, the FD relegation really hit, its simply non attractive, so hard to get the floating fan involved / buzzed up. Lowest league crowd - 1,586 (covid seasons obv exempted) for probably 12 years (2013 was pre SK joining) last night and it showed, place was dead.

Modest away (50 or so away) and fair play to each and everyone of them btw), but its on the decline, 2,750 opening night v Athlone, quick check and can see it was 2.3k v Treaty, 1.9k v Bray, its a really hard sell the FD, posted last night and probably not great but there was just nothing to drag us back to the game after HT, so myself and mates stayed chatting to almost 9.10pm in the upstairs bar and casually watching on LOITV.

I don't recall the likes of this lack of interest last stint in the FD, maybe it was on the back of quite modest previous success v SK era, but christ this is a hard slog, then again it was on the back of a deserved relegation, so no one to blame but ourselves.

[CorribsideSteve]

I don't think that matters - if the defender has his arms in an unnatural position (eg wide out) then it's handball all the same. You can't place your arms in a position likely to block the ball and then claim accidental handball when you do block it.

Not fully convinced it was a penalty for all that, but the rule is more than just "ball to hand rather than hand to ball"

Don't think it was a penalty for us last night either but tbh it was certainly a free (and a red card) and given we'd already scored a free and missed a rake of penalties lately, maybe Harps should have been happier taking their chances with a peno

Having looked back at the highlights, it's an even worse call. Esua's hand is sinched tightly behind his body. It hits him on the ribs, with his arm behind his back. He literally couldn't have done more to show that he was trying not to handle the ball. The gross negligent incompetence of our referees continues to hit new lows season after season.

[Keen2win]

It catches up on a club when nobody involved has achieved anything in the game Marty. But yet everyone is an expert. Back in the day it was fine, but today to compete you need football people throughout a club! League table speaks for itself. Hopefully Elding gets his chance to turn it around. A man can dream but I'm afraid LTFC is doomed to keep dropping down and down until there is a major reset and some football people start getting involved !

[TownManForever]

Elding doesn’t even have a pro licence does he? And if he doesn’t, is he on the course? He can’t even be considered if he isn’t - it’s against the licensing regs as far as I’m aware..

[joey B]

The refereeing isn’t getting much better anyway….

[CorribsideSteve]

The refereeing isn’t getting much better anyway….

The behind the goals view is damning.

[Nesta99]

Blaming Trump for being bottom of the first division is not something I thought I would read this season

Funny enough I wasnt, I just thought Godwins Law 2025 version. Not that i'd suggest that Trump and Nazis could be at all hand and glove or anything like that, ye know in case I ever need to travel to the US some day and foot.ie is on the profiling checklist!

[De Town]

Blaming Trump for being bottom of the first division is not something I thought I would read this season

Have some respect, please. We're second bottom.

[ForzaForth]

Amazingly, Wexford are believed to have picked up two red cards after the final whistle against Bray last Friday even though they won the game. Subject to correction, they are believed to have been shown to Paul Martin and Conor Levingston.

[Martinho II]

Amazingly, Wexford are believed to have picked up two red cards after the final whistle against Bray last Friday even though they won the game. Subject to correction, they are believed to have been shown to Paul Martin and Conor Levingston.

Yeah heard that on one of the loi podcasts. Mad that.

[nr637]

Really thought last night going in and out of the ground, the FD relegation really hit, its simply non attractive, so hard to get the floating fan involved / buzzed up. Lowest league crowd - 1,586 (covid seasons obv exempted) for probably 12 years (2013 was pre SK joining) last night and it showed, place was dead.

Modest away (50 or so away) and fair play to each and everyone of them btw), but its on the decline, 2,750 opening night v Athlone, quick check and can see it was 2.3k v Treaty, 1.9k v Bray, its a really hard sell the FD, posted last night and probably not great but there was just nothing to drag us back to the game after HT, so myself and mates stayed chatting to almost 9.10pm in the upstairs bar and casually watching on LOITV.

I don't recall the likes of this lack of interest last stint in the FD, maybe it was on the back of quite modest previous success v SK era, but christ this is a hard slog, then again it was on the back of a deserved relegation, so no one to blame but ourselves.

I suppose like any team that gets relegated from the elite will always suffer smaller attendances, mainly based around lack of interest. Cork City, Waterford and Shelbourne over the years are an example.
Dundalk will have to admit that a percentage of their support over the glory years were unfortunately only there while you were winning.
Maybe a lot of what was going on behind the scene with the running of the club, the various investment groups, players with high wage demands did not go down well with the local support.
Clubs overtime probably need a reset!

[2 Year Contract]

Amazingly, Wexford are believed to have picked up two red cards after the final whistle against Bray last Friday even though they won the game. Subject to correction, they are believed to have been shown to Paul Martin and Conor Levingston.

Yeah those are the two listed as sent off on FAI Connect, along with Bray coach Gavin Teehan

[Onapointoforder]

Elding doesn’t even have a pro licence does he? And if he doesn’t, is he on the course? He can’t even be considered if he isn’t - it’s against the licensing regs as far as I’m aware..

don’t think u need pro license to manage in first division

[Battery Rover]

don’t think u need pro license to manage in first division

UEFA A License is all thats needed in 1st division