Tallaght Stadium Regular
please share your post match thoughts with us.Originally Posted by CSAD
just back from the match. much better performance than last friday. some super build up play and 3rd goal was class
We grew into the game well but I do feel my point is somewhat vindicated because when the likes of Kilkenny, Ferguson etc came on we looked a lot more fluid. I was particularly impressed with the 2nd half performance but I did find the first half far too scrappy.
Italy beat Luxembourg 3-0 this evening - https://www.uefa.com/under21/match/2...ourg-vs-italy/ - and are now top of the table - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_U...up_F#Standings
A Swedish win on Thursday really is the worst result for us.
25/05
25/05
25/05
26/05
01/06
I think we can safely say that they’re not out of contention for 2nd place
I avoided the internet all day to watch this game after work tonight and was delighted that I did. So enjoyable.
I feared the worst when I see the changes but apart from 1st 10 mins of both halfs we were great.
Smallbone the obvious one to pick out. Love the look of him but I'd like him to put a bit of muscle on that frame before he starts playing senior internationals in midfield. Noss similarly.
Our 2 full backs were excellent. O'Connor has a feel of a guy who will climb through the divisions to become a Premiership player some day. Adaramola looks very raw but looks like a gem of a player. He will be a senior international in the next year I'm willing to bet.
I liked Cashin. I heard a term used by a pundit over here in the States recently that came to mind with him. "He just seemed to pop out on the screen all the time". There's something about him that almost looks very old fashioned, kinda like Kevin Moran I think. Looking forward to seeing more of him.
I still don't understand the Kayode pick, he worked hard but I don't think he'll ever be a senior international. Ferguson looked sensational when he came and I don't know how he didn't score. He's so much quicker than I thought and we really could have a star on our hands with him.
Really looking forward to the Italian game now, let's hope we are still in with a shout to top the table
What struck me about this one, aside from some outstanding individual performances - Smallbone and Noss looked particularly good - was how well-coached we look at that level.
Our play was slick and imaginative with moves and set-pieces that had obviously been worked at on the training ground in a way that can't have been said of the senior team under any recent manager.
I'd agree on the set pieces in particular. There was some really good variety and delivery, we were the smaller team so there seemed to be an acknowledgement that just straight crosses every time would be more in hope than expectation. On the overall coaching, not entirely convinced yet. This was probably their best overall performance, but against pretty weak opposition, I've seen them a lot in this campaign and they've been a bit predictable for a lot of the games and haven't always looked like a well blended team. There were spells early in both halves where we got some breaks defensively or got in some good blocks (credit mainly to Lee O'Connor to be fair), had they gone against them it would have put a very different sheen on the game (they started terribly in the reverse fixture and got punished for it).
Tallaght Stadium Regular
was very disappointed with the attendance yesterday. would've thought a 5pm ko on a bank holiday monday was an ideal time to go to a match.
read that some fans were complaining that they couldn't get tickets online but where there's a will there's a way... especially when tickets were on sale at the stadium.
i've only started going regularly in the last few years and haven't been disappointed with what i've seen at all.
would encourage anyone to attend. well worth going
They don't help themselves with the promotion and the manner of the sales. There was a social media post that called out "no match day parking at the ground", without mentioning the massive carpark across the road at the Square (there were comments about not everyone being able to get public transport etc). I don't think there was any promotion of the fact that the red line Luas and any bus that goes to the Square will drop you less than 5 min walk from the ground. It's not a big deal, but I did come to realise there's no bicycle parking at the ground when I cycled up the other day (there's lockers at the Square but there was none available to book either match day) a friendly steward left me lock the bike beside him for the Friday game and I walked yesterday. With all the focus on reducing carbon footprints I'd imagine supervised cycle parking might be a useful addition on match nights (for Rovers and other events at the stadium). I've also now invested in a better lock so I might trust the public space at the Square!
The issue with how the tickets appear on Ticketmaster has been mentioned a few times. It's grand for someone like me, local and going on my own either way, but it would definitely be off putting it you were travelling with a family or a group and the advice was to buy online rather than at the ground. I'd agree the games are well worth attending, it's a lovely ground and when the 4th stand is completed it will be the prefect home for these games into the future. I can see the appeal to moving games around, but I think it does help the team to have an established home, I know the women's team were not keen on the idea of moving to the Aviva because they're comfortable there too.
Tallaght Stadium Regular
i am sure all of what you say is true to an extent. however, 7,000 + were at the Italy game a few years ago in the same venue.
a bit of basic research would solve most / all of the issues you have listed.
bit of a cliche at this stage but if mo salah was playing the issues you mention would be well overcome by many who stayed at home yesterday
It’s probably a good thing that this tight group will be wrapped up after a week, Ireland are in good form and waiting until next September to finish the group would do them no good. It would be a nice set up if Sweden managed to draw with Italy.
Maher is a really good keeper, I know the height will probably stop him being signed by a UK side, but he just regularly makes quality saves at important moments.
Full backs were excellent - Lee O'Connor is looking as good as he ever has, two excellent games in a row. Huge improvement on how he was playing early in the campaign. Thought Tayo was excellent. Really quick and good defensively. Really difficult to choose between him and Bagan. Thought, after an early mistake, that Cashin had a great game. Wins everything he can in the air, despite not being the tallest. Doesn't mind a tackle and this distribution is good. Thought McGuinness maybe shouldn't have dived in for their goal, once he didn't make it to the ball first, he was done. Overall he's very strong. You wouldn't be surprised to see Cashin and McGuinness make the step up to the seniors over the next few years.
Was impressed with how Smallbone handled playing deeper, thought he was the best player on the pitch, although he tired in the last 20 and probably should have been hooked. If I were SK, I'd probably move him up to the seniors now. He'd give you something that Molumby and Hourihane don't. Coventry is very assured. I think he's above the level - like if it were club 18s, you'd move him to 23s, if it were international u17s, you'd move him to 19s. He cruises through games. Don't think him or Kilkenny are ready for the seniors just yet but maybe in a few months, that'll change. He's the consummate pro at this level. I love watching Noss play. It's aesthetically lovely the way he carries the ball. There were times he should have driven on a bit, other times where he should have shot and the odd pass was behind a man - pretty sure there's an excellent player in their if it comes together. Lovely option to have, shame him, Tierney and Smallbone all thrive in the same position. Both Wright and Kerrigan were good. No complaints. Would have brought O'Neill on with 20 mins left, thought Kerrigan tired. Kerrigan has played well in his two starts. Kinda weird that he wasn't used at all during the 5 games between them.
Up top, I'd probably have Mipo ahead of Ferguson, followed by Kayode, but they all give a little something different. Kayode works harder than anyone, he wins flick ons he has no business winning. The chest for the Smallbone goal was really good. Unlikely to break through to the seniors unless he becomes more prolific but he's a good squad option.
Amazing how good the squad is, considering we've got 9 players who have basically graduated from the 21s...
If you were actually picking a best team, what would it look like?
Bazunu
O'Connor
Omobamidele
Collins
Bagan
Knight
Smallbone
Ebosele
Parrott
Connolly
Obafemi/Idah
That's a side I'd back to beat Italy
That brings up another conversation that Ive had with others.... if we were to qualify for the Euros and there were no senior internationals clashing, do you pick all those lads you just mentioned?
For me I absolutely would. Its professional football and Id have no room for sentiment, Id pick the strongest possible squad.
Bazunu
O'Connor Collins Omobamidele Adaramola
Smallbone Coventry Knight
Parrott
Idah Obafemi
No. Once you've left under 21s you've left under 21s. You shouldn't be going back unless your career is going backwards. Someone like Festy could maybe come back if he's not established with the seniors, but the likes of Bazunu, Collins, Knight and the forwards will be nowhere near this.
In any case the games will be during the June window next summer so we'll presumably have senior qualifiers at that point. If we do qualify I'd say we'll have lost a couple more to the seniors by then, if anything.
Two qualifiers next June alright
If theres a clash with the seniors its a no brainer, but otherwise Id have no issue bringing them back down
I fully agree, too often we prioritize sentiment and “loyalty” to the detriment of tournament performances across many sports. We pick our best eligible team if we qualify, that is if the senior player is open to dropping down a level and doesn’t impact any senior outings or trainings
Whag people must not forget is these u21 games are qualifiers for the Olympics in 2024, if we picked our best squad available I think there would be a chance at the very least we could get there, we’ve had Romania,Denmark,Sweden even Belarus qualify for the Olympics in recent years so I don’t think it would be an outrageous dream to have.
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks