Relegation run-in

[blutil]

soccerbot prediciton
1 Cork City 33 75
2 Derry City 33 75
3 Shelbourne 33 63
4 Longford Town 33 49
5 Drogheda United 33 47
6 Bohemians 33 46
7 UCD 33 37
8 Shamrock Rovers 33 34
9 Bray Wanderers 33 32
10 St Patricks Athletic 33 27
11 Waterford United 33 24
12 Finn Harps 33 20

I'll take that. do cork win the title on alphabetical order seeing as there's no goal differences ?

[bigmac]

I'll take that. do cork win the title on alphabetical order seeing as there's no goal differences ?

Where's your sense of ambition I'm looking for a glorious tenth place at least!

[Dr.Nightdub]

Ps Pats fans How is John Frost playing for ye?

Storming. Has already become a firm favourite and some people are talking about him as captain material for next season.

[chippie0001]

Storming. Has already become a firm favourite and some people are talking about him as captain material for next season.

After tonights result, he might make a good captain in Division one next year. Some six pointer in the next game now. With 3 points between 3 teams the play off spot in now up for grabs.

[Dodge]

shudder

[Patrick Dunne]

... still holds advantage in playoffs. They tend to come out on top.

I believe that they are more battle-hardened having had to fight and scrap for points against top sides.

[Roo69]

I can see us picking up more than 2 more points from now until the end of the season

[bigmac]

Storming. Has already become a firm favourite and some people are talking about him as captain material for next season.

Yeah, I think he'll be welcomed back with open arms

[bluemovie]

I wouldn't take anything for granted, but last night has me believing the Blues are staying up. Massive celebrations at the end. A lot will depend on Friday v Pats. Defeat at home combined with Harps beating Cork or Longford would put us right back in trouble. I certainly feel a lot more confident than a month ago when the 5-0 thumping in Tolka and Harps beating Rovers put us bottom for the first time. At that stage, it looked like any First Division team would beat us even if we sneaked a play-off. The team are showing much more confidence and hunger now. I was talking to Frosty last night and confidence isn't a word that springs to mind about Pats right now. Friday will be crucial.

As for the play-off, in the last ten years the First Divison team has only won once.....not even going to mention who was involved . Sligo, Cobh and DC fans seem confident about their prospects. Be warned, history is against ye. Look at how promoted teams usually struggle....there is still a gap between the Premier and the First and most First Division players are in that division for a reason.

[Dodge]

How it stands now

8. Pats p30 pts30 gd-8
9. UCD p29 pts30 gd-14
10. Waterford p30 pts27 gd-21
11. Rovers p29 pts26 gd-14
12. Harps p30 pts21 gd-16

Games left;
Pats
h v Rovers
a V Derry
h v Longford

UCD
h v Derry
a v Harps
a v Longford
h v Rovers

Waterford
h v Cork
a v Rovers
h v Drogheda

Rovers
a v Pats
h v Cork
h v Waterford
a v UCD

Harps
h v UCD
a v Drogheda
h v Bray

Gonna be tight. Rovers to play 3 of the other teams involved. Have a feeling those will be the deciding games

[sligoman]

Definitely think we're safe

As long as we don't lose to Waterford and Pats we'll be alright.

What about losing to Bray then?

[Dodge]

BTW soccerbot now see it as

8 St Patricks Athletic 33 33
9 UCD 33 33
10 Shamrock Rovers 33 30
11 Waterford United 33 28
12 Finn Harps 33 23


Can't see waterford only picking up one point

[Dr.Nightdub]

If we beat Rovers next week and Harps beat UCD (both by no means as unthinkable as last night's results), then Rovers might not be only worrying about the playoff spot.

[pineapple stu]

If we beat Rovers next week and Harps beat UCD (both by no means as unthinkable as last night's results), then Rovers might not be only worrying about the playoff spot.

If you're implying that we may get dragged into things, we're way ahead of you... The two Cup defeats seem to have knocked the stuffing right out of us - our defence in particular has been very poor lately. I'd hope we can beat either Harps or Longford, but I really don't want to be facing Rovers on the last day needing a result to avoid the play-off...

That said, I do think the Premier Division side will win the play-offs. No team has been outstanding in the First and even the top few have fairly poor records.

[Dr.Nightdub]

Stu, what I meant was that Rovers might be worrying about more than just the playoff spot - i.e. the automatic drop could come into the frame for them as well.

As regards your interpretation...welcome to the madhouse!

[pineapple stu]

Hadn't thought about that...much as I like the trip to Ballybofey, I'm quite happy to write Harps off as it means the play-off at worst for us, which I'd be confident about winning having seen the teams last year!

[bluemovie]

I really didn't think Rovers or (especially) UCD would be dragged into this, but 10 points from 15 for the Blues brings them into the equation. In an ideal world now, Rovers go down and UCD lose a play-off ( i kinda like Harps and Pats). Relegation-fighting years are great. You can go 18 games without a win and still pull through.

[bigmac]

Can't see waterford only picking up one point

Hope you're right. Ten points from five games is as good a run as anyone is on at the moment. Could go either way though. 6 points clear of Harps with 3 to play looks a lot healthier than it did a few weeks ago.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Lads
UCD got dragged into this by winning ONE game in their last TWELVE and losing six of the remaining ones.

[bigmac]

Lads
UCD got dragged into this by winning ONE game in their last TWELVE and losing six of the remaining ones.

Still though, with Longford (2 points from last 7 games) Harps and Rovers still to play, UCD should be alright. Could only be relegated on goal difference, and that's assuming Harps win their last 3 games. The danger for the premier team in the playoff will be if they go into it in freefall, then it might be hard to turn it around. It's too close to call though, and next weekend should clear things up a bit.
UCD and Pats could pretty much assure their survival with wins against Rovers or Harps, but a win for Rovers would keep it really tight. Harps could be relegated if Rovers and UCD win, and Waterford will be looking at their last two games as definitely winnable. Hard to know with the Cork game, but i'd happily take a point out of it at this stage. The big advantage other teams down there have is Waterford's awful goal difference - with little hope of catching the other teams, it's a one-point handicap.

My prediction at the moment is Harps to go down, with Rovers getting the play-off spot.