QuoteAny chance you'd post the Drogheda Independent article and save us all having to register on the site to read it.
Our 'bleak surroundings' were the reason they couldn't beat us in the first cup tie...
article here
dunno what reason they gave for being beaten up there though!
Any chance you'd post the Drogheda Independent article and save us all having to register on the site to read it.
Here you go - I've already registered.
Fans are the only losers in Limerick
Wednesday May 31st 2006
THE city of Limerick was a sea of red a few days earlier following the Munster rugby team’s Euro-pean triumph, but Hogan Park was as grey as the leaden skies above as Drogheda began the defence of the FAI Cup last Friday.
And Paul Doolin’s men seemed to be affected by the bleak surroundings as they produced a mediocre performance which would surely have proved fatal against stronger opposition.
This cup tie pitted the Division 1 leaders against the top team in the Prem-ier, but the atmosphere was more akin to a meaningless end-of-season encounter.
With no seated enclosure, 90 per cent of the spectators crammed in under the only covered area to shield themselves from the heavy drizzle, although a few kids climbed a giant mound of concrete rubble behind one terrace to watch the proceedings.
Journalists covering the game had the luxury of covered accommodation – the trailer of a truck!
The pitch, which had passed a 3pm inspection, was in poor condition and a banner proclaiming ‘Super Blues – champions of Ireland 1960 and 1980’ said a lot about Limerick’s current standing in League of Ireland soccer. No wonder most of the advertising space on the greying perimeter walls remained unsold.
The action in the first half was largely forgettable. Tommy Barrett headed Limerick’s first chance well wide, Shane Guerin volleyed high into the sky and, in injury time, a Paul Rose shot was blocked by Paul Keegan.
Drogheda were even more ineffective, two Keith Fahy free kicks representing the only real threat to Limerick – and both of them cleared the crossbar. However, Declan O’Brien almost got his head to Simon Webb’s driven cross after a superb one-two between the left-back and Fahy.
Thankfully, there was more entertain-ment on offer in the second half, beginning when Fahy made light of the poor surface and dribbled forward menacingly before testing Limerick keeper Noel Mooney from 25 yards. Then Stephen Bradley’s perfectly weighted pass picked out Shane Barrett and he surged into the Limerick box but then sliced his shot as he was closed down by two defenders.
Jason Gavin’s search for his first Drogheda goal goes on after he drove narrowly wide, having been set up by Graham Gartland’s downward header.
Limerick enjoyed their best spell of the match after a mistake by Dan Connor almost gifted them the lead. The Drogheda keeper mis-controlled a back pass, with two attacking players in close proximity, but Connor reacted instantly and redeemed himself by making a sliding challenge on the rather hesitant Rose.
Nevertheless, the home fans gathered behind the goal barracked the keeper relentlessly after that incident and it took a while for Connor to regain his composure.
Pat Purcell headed wide from eight yards as Limerick attempted to turn the screw, but arguably their best chance came when Gartland fouled Rose right on the edge of the box and got booked for his trouble. However, Brian Buckley failed to hit the target from the free kick.
At the other end, Mooney needed two attempts to grab Fahy’s 25-yard effort and Keegan was foiled by a last-ditch tackle as he ran onto substitute Glen Fitzpatrick’s pass.
Shane Robinson was put through by another slide-rule Bradley pass, but his shot was pushed away by the advancing Mooney. The keeper was working overtime at this stage, and he reacted smartly to a fierce 25-yard shot from Gavin Whelan which had an element of surprise in it.
O’Brien thought he had won it for Drogheda in the 88th minute when he rammed the ball to the net after Fitzpatrick flicked Bradley’s cross into his path. However, the flag had already been raised for a questionable offside decision and the celebrations were cut short.
However, on the long journey home it was Limerick FC’s primitive ground facilities that left the most lasting impression, rather than what happened on the field. Even if they end the year as First Division champions, it’s hard to imagine that the Munster team will be allowed take its place in the top flight next season.
© Drogheda Independent
"It's impossible to make a man understand something when his livelihood depends on him not understanding" Upton Sinclair
Is this a newspaper or a fanzine?
Why can't we get biased reporters for our local newspapers? Questionable offside and a sliding challenge on a hesistant Rose? Try two footed lunge over the ball on a lucky to be still walking Rose.
Still, it makes the victory even sweeter.
"It's impossible to make a man understand something when his livelihood depends on him not understanding" Upton Sinclair
I'd say it proved pretty fatal anyway.....And Paul Doolin’s men seemed to be affected by the bleak surroundings as they produced a mediocre performance which would surely have proved fatal against stronger opposition.
Haha Drogheda complaining about dire surroundings.
How much truth is there in the last bit,lads?Would we be denied promotion to the Premier Div on the basis that Hogan Park isn't up to the required standard?
Thanks for psoting it.
What was the excuse for the replay?
I think it was something like not having the opportunity to recover from their trip to the third world.Originally Posted by gspain
"It's impossible to make a man understand something when his livelihood depends on him not understanding" Upton Sinclair
In a word yes. But it is more complicated than that of course. The decision on the teams participating in the premier next season is based on a score weighted by league position over recent seasons, facilities, 'potential' etc. For more information read this http://www.fai.ie/merger/pdf/eircomLeague-proposals.pdf
"It's impossible to make a man understand something when his livelihood depends on him not understanding" Upton Sinclair
Afraid to say yes :
Check out Page:15 of the Doc. (Everyone should read this Doc)It would seem that only :
20% of the points in the Assessment actually will cover this years' on the pitch perfromance.
30% for the last 3yrs on the pitch play
10% for Infrastructure
15% for Class A UEFA Licence
15% for Sustainability ?
10% for Marketability, Geographical location etc...
So even if we win the League, Cup etc the most we will get is the 20% allocation for that performance. The rest is up to the Lease being sorted out, Class A Licence being acheived and a Good Business Plan showing marketability and sustainability for future.
It's a pity but realistically we prob wont make it this year and considering the way we are playing it would be a disappointment. The Lease is paramount to our future if we are staying in Hogan Pk
"How Can you lie there and think of England when you don't even know who's in the team"-- B.Bragg
just added a bit in bold to highlight that it the drogheda independent's excuses for the first game that your refering to, and here is their excuses for the replay
LAST December’s Lansdowne Road heroics seemed like a distant memory as Drogheda United surrendered their FAI Cup crown with a shocking performance in Monday night’s second-round replay.
Eight of the players who took part in the 2005 final featured against First Division Limerick, but this was a pale shadow of the team that wrecked the Double aspirations of league champions Cork City less than six months ago.
It’s hard to comprehend how any side can make such a poor stab at defending a trophy that brought so much joy to the town, the club and to themselves.
Long before the final whistle, the body language of some Drogheda players seemed to suggest that their hearts weren’t in it – even when Limerick began to panic and look vulnerable. Paul Doolin has spoken widely of the ‘hunger’ his team apparently possess, but there was precious little evidence of that on this occasion.
No player was blameless in the defeat, and it would be unfair to single out Stephen Bradley just because his mistake led to the Limerick goal. Other members of the squad were equally responsible for this defeat.
Keeper Dan Connor made a couple of good saves but didn’t inspire confidence in the way he dealt with balls played back to him, while the usually unflappable Jason Gavin was guilty of at least two suicide passes which on another day would have led to a goal.
The entire back four frustrated the fans with a series of unnecessary side-ways or backwards passing sequences, although they weren’t helped by the unwillingness of those in front of them to run into spaces.
In midfield, Bradley and Paul Keegan struggled to find a killer pass and all too often the promising runs of Keith Fahy came to nothing because of a poor pass or a poor delivery from a set piece. He might have to make way for James Keddy against Bohemians.
The Limerick defence comfortably dealt with Drogheda strikers Declan O’Brien and Shane Barrett all evening, although substitute Glen Fitzpatrick did make something of an impression and he may also be handed a starting chance on Friday.
The Drogs struggled to make any headway against the wind in the first half, an O’Brien turn and shot and a deflected Brian Shelley effort posing the only danger to the Limerick goal.
In contrast, Connor had to make a very sharp save from Brian Buckley, before tipping over a John Lester free kick taken from the edge of the centre circle.
Limerick had already threatened twice in the second half before taking the lead in the 49th minute. Bradley’s wayward back pass, which was typical of Drogheda’s negative approach on the night, was seized on by Paul Rose and he dribbled unchallenged to the edge of the box before releasing Shane Guerin, who stroked the ball past Connor with ease.
A Fitzpatrick flick put O’Brien in the clear, but he was stopped in his tracks by a fine Conor Molan challenge, and Gavin had a shot deflected wide.
Drogheda continue to pose little danger from corner kicks, however, and the half-dozen opportunities they had in the second half were all wasted.
O’Brien, who had got away with a blatant handball in the first half, repeated the offence in diverting Fahy’s cross to the net in the 67th minute and was booked.
Gavin was then caught in possession on the half-way line, presenting Limerick with an opportunity to kill off the tie, but the former Premiership player’s blushes were saved when Connor raced from his line to clear.
O’Brien had a late chance for Drogheda when Fahy’s cross dropped to him six yards out, but the captain only succeeded in heading the ball sideways and the opportunity to force extra time was lost.
The final whistle couldn’t come soon enough for the supporters at that stage, and the Drogheda squad now face a test of character as they attempt to rediscover the form that has carried them to the summit of the Premier Division.
http://www.unison.ie/drogheda_indepe...issue_id=14169
Was that deliberate?It’s hard to comprehend how any side can make such a poor stab at defending a trophy
We're not arrogant, we're just better.
drogeda's dire grey ground
west cork district league
west cork commandos
it is funny but that rag had a lot less to say about our victory in united park.
A bit unfair that no credit was given to Limerick for winning in the article.
Article was on the drawn game not the replay which Limerick won.
Check out my new sports blog http://www.action81.com
See post 12!
just saw this. Cant believe Drogs are slating another teams facilities!!!!!! Thats Rich!
Pablo- have you actually been to Hogan Park? United Park is the San Siro by comparison!
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