Big weekend

**micls** · 22/04/2008, 7:12 PM

Im sure Sky would think of a better name for it but anyway this weekend is huge imo.

So lets get a bit of Buzz going.

How do you think the games will go and will it have much impact on the league?

At the top end:

City vs Drogs
I think it'l be the usual 0-0 with Doolin having them sitting back. Given te result against Bohs Drogs cant afford to lose. City are playing recently but havnt really had any big challenge(Galway Harps etc). This will be a big test of whether our new formation will actually work against the bigger teams and if we'l be able to break them down

Pats vs Rovers
Rovers are in very poor form but I think they will be well up for this one. They need a result to get back on track and I'd say Scully will expect much better. Another loss could see them slipping towards the bottom half battle.
Pats have been getting very good results but showed that they are vulnerable against Derry. They also have injury problems which can only help Rovers.

I think it'l be a draw.

Bohs vs Derry
Bohs played well against Drogs and Derry have played poorly the last 2 games. However Bohs home form hasn't been great. Very hard one to call, depends which Bohs and Derry teams turn up.

Huge games in the bottom half too, in fact I think those games are actually more important in the context of the overall league.

Cobhs good home form should give them confidence. They'l expect a result but UCD have yet to be beaten easily by any team this season

Id fancy an on form Sligo against a very leaky Harps defense. But Harps have everything to play for. They know they need to start turning it around.

New manager syndrome might give Galway a boost against Bray but given Brays form they have to be very confident of winning.

**GavinZac** · 22/04/2008, 7:22 PM

i wonder what odds you'd get on a 1-0 victory for every home team? that'd be my prediction anyway

p.s. feel free to drag this post up repeatedly if it happens and I havent put anything down.

**atfconline** · 22/04/2008, 7:35 PM

A tenner stake returns over �2,500!

**Billy-Green** · 22/04/2008, 11:21 PM

Rovers are at home, Tolka @ 7 bells

Originally Posted by GavinZac

i wonder what odds you'd get on a 1-0 victory for every home team? that'd be my prediction anyway.

Is that what your prediction is on?

**inchicore_saint** · 23/04/2008, 10:12 AM

Pats will still be top after the weekend

**superfrank** · 23/04/2008, 10:53 AM

Shels vs. Waterford will also be big too. Waterford win they're five points ahead of Shels and the top two could begin to pull away. Shels win and they're sandwiched between Dundalk and Waterford.

Galway vs. Bray is a big one as well. New manager, poor team, need to get some points but Bray are favourites and are more than capable of bottling it when favourites. Bray win, we're pulling away from the bottom few and with Cobh at home next week we could go on a bit of a run. Galway win, it's going to be a bigger relegation struggle.

**holidaysong** · 23/04/2008, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by superfrank

Galway vs. Bray is a big one as well. New manager, poor team, need to get some points but Bray are favourites and are more than capable of bottling it when favourites. Bray win, we're pulling away from the bottom few and with Cobh at home next week we could go on a bit of a run. Galway win, it's going to be a bigger relegation struggle.

Not with the bookies, they're not. Galway 13/10, Bray a tasty 9/5.

**GavinZac** · 23/04/2008, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by Billy-Green

Rovers are at home, Tolka @ 7 bells

Is that what your prediction is on?

no, from the way she wrote it out i thought pats were at home.

**R�iteoir** · 23/04/2008, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by micls

Im sure Sky would think of a better name for it but anyway this weekend is huge imo.

Fantabulous Friday?

**micls** · 23/04/2008, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by R�iteoir

Fantabulous Friday?

Possibly but the Pats Rovers game is on Sunday......

**Block G Raptor** · 23/04/2008, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by micls

Possibly but the Pats Rovers game is on Sunday......

Fantabulous Friday 2.1

**CharlesThompson** · 23/04/2008, 11:45 AM

Cork vs Drogs
I really thought that Drogheda were poor against us last week and that we should have been easily 2 goals up before they equalised. On the basis of that and the fact that their form in general has been patchy, I would think that City should be good enough at home to win this.

City seem to have turned a corner and there quality is there for all to see. With Mooney scoring goals, O'Flynn & O'Callaghan off the mark they will certainly be confident.

On the other hand, Doolin being under serious pressure (did you hear his interview on MNS? - "Well with us being champions it was always expected that we'd have a slow start" WTF!!!?) I can see him sending his side out to upset Cork with variety of violent tactics. Will Cork be up for it when the going inevitably gets tough?

Pats vs Filth
Taking away my obvious dislike for Rovers for a second - I honestly believe that Pat Scullys constant schoolmaster tactics in the Rovers dressing room (

) is winding the more senior players up the wrong way and that he is in serious trouble if he loses their faith. They didn't play well against Bohs, were beaten by Cobh and were lucky to get a point to UCD last Friday considering the chances that UCD had to win the game, notwithstanding Rovers missed peno.

Pats on the other hand are top of the league but it seems can blow hot and cold (see Derry City and UCD in the league Cup). Have to say I'd like to see this match end in an entertaining draw, however my head says that Pats will have too much at home for the hoops.

Bohs vs Derry
Bohs will certainly be bouyed by the win away to Drogs last weekend, but twice this season we have followed up good away wins with poor home displays against Pats and Bray. Derry have also had some issues in front of goal recently so I think that this could possibly be a very tight affair.

Under Kenny though Derry seem to have regained a bit of belief and Kenny does like his sides to play an expansive game of football. With the Bohs faithful looking for more on a ball playing front, especially at home, Fenlon will be under pressure to win this one, but more so by letting our players play a bit.

It's going to be tight and so I would expect that this one will end up being a low scoring draw.
__________________________________________________ _____________

No matter what happens, this is going to be a good weekend to throw a few markers down between these sides. I think that more than recently, this is going to be a season where a lot of sides are going to still be in the reckoning for league honours right up till October. With this in mind then it will be the results against the top sides that will be huge in deciding the title this year.

Pats have beaten Bohs. Bohs have beaten Drogs. Derry have beaten Pats.

Also some of the teams fighting against a three team relegation spot have done reasonably well against the top/middle ranked sides.

UCD drawing with Rovers. Cobh beating Rovers. Bray drawing with Bohs. Sligo drawing with Derry. Rovers beating Drogheda.

It's going to be very interesting.

**Sheridan** · 23/04/2008, 11:59 AM

I wouldn't be surprised if the three big games produce fewer than three goals between them. I reckon Cork will put at least one chance away against Drogheda (the later they score the better, as Drogs aren't good at chasing deficits or altering their tactics.) 1-0 to Cork I reckon.

Pat's vs. Shamrock Rovers; don't see any prospect of an away win here, but I fancy Rovers to nick a scabby draw as the period when they seem to wake up coincides with the period when Pat's inevitably fall asleep (last ten minutes.) 1-1.

Bohs vs. Derry - have a strange feeling Bohs will bottle this one with Derry scoring on the break. 0-1.

**superfrank** · 23/04/2008, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

Not with the bookies, they're not. Galway 13/10, Bray a tasty 9/5.

Bray are unbeaten in three games. Galway only have one point. We won the last time in Terryland. Think that'd make us favourites.

**MariborKev** · 23/04/2008, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by Sheridan

Bohs vs. Derry - have a strange feeling Bohs will bottle this one with Derry scoring on the break. 0-1.

Big game for the City support. Chance to show our appreciation to Fenlon

**pete** · 23/04/2008, 12:42 PM

Wonderful Weekend *tm

Some great games this weekend & some more over the next few weeks. between the top 6.

The good thing is that this set of fixtures is also scheduled for 4th last weekend of the season which should go long way towards deciding the teams involved in the title race.