Race for the First Division

DSB

Thought this deserved a thread of its own as its definitely something thats getting juicier by the week. At a point, it looked like Dundalk were cruising with Waterford, Shels and Fingal being left to play catchup. Recent results have seen Dundalk suffer a mini-collapse and let the others back into it, so much so that Waterford had the chance to go top with a win against Athlone (they only drew and therefore went to a point behind).

Meanwhile after some terrible mid-season form Shels have started to gradually claw back the gap and are now only 3 points behind Dundalk, and 2 behind Waterford, coming into some great form, and 2 supposedly easier fixtures against Athlone and Wexford.

Fingal are 8 points behind the top with a game in hand, they've been muck recently though, and you'd have to imagine they're out of the race, and will probably chasing to get 2nd or 3rd spot behind one of the teams who might lose form in the run-in.

Either way. my prediction for the rest of the season is:
Shels
Dundalk
Waterford
Fingal

Nalz

I agree

Shels to tip Dundalk n Waterford

pablomakaveli

Id like to see Dundalk win it. i think they deserve it after being denied promotion by the FAI a couple of years ago.

i think sporting fingal deserve credit is well for doing so well in their first season.

what about relegation though? i remember hearing before that the bottom team gets demoted to the 'A' championship. but the 'A' championship only started a short while back so that shouldn't be possible.

can anyone shed some light on this?

estebancambias

i would like sporting fingal to go up but I think Dundalk will get their form back just in time.

Pure Cork

estebancambias wrote: »

i would like sporting fingal to go up

:eek:

I'd like Waherfud to win it.

estebancambias

yeah a strange one i know.

GLaDOS

Id like to see Dundalk go up purely cos my old maths teacher plays for them

SantryRed

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Id like to see Dundalk go up purely cos my old maths teacher plays for them

You used to go to Aidans?


Anyways, we're muck. But, I think the other teams around us arep laying even worse. We've got the best run in IMO.

We've four of the bottom five in our next four games. Waterford have to play Fingal and Dundalk in that time. Dundalk and Fingal play aswell during this time.

We could be top coming into the last four games which would be unbelievable.

_blank_

If Shels go up, I'll eat my feet.

DSB

You've barely predicted us to win a match this season though.

_blank_

DSB wrote: »

You've barely predicted us to win a match this season though.

I know :cool:

Gavin "shels"

estebancambias wrote: »

i would like sporting fingal to blow up

Fixed that for you esteban.;)

DSB wrote: »

You've barely predicted us to win a match this season though.

He's barely been at a match all season.:rolleyes:

_blank_

Gavin shels wrote: »

He's barely been at a match all season.:rolleyes:

I do apologise for

a) working my arse off for a company that it looked like I was being made redundant from

b) being made redundant and having no money, I even stopped going to the pub ffs

c) getting a new job with shift work.

While you continue to bum off your parents.

:rolleyes:

Gavin "shels"

Des wrote: »

I do apologise for

a) working my arse off for a company that it looked like I was being made redundant from

b) being made redundant and having no money, I even stopped going to the pub ffs

c) getting a new job with shift work.

While you continue to bum off your parents.

:rolleyes:

Cool the jets Des, just having a laugh at your expense. I'd say your the guts of 10 years older than me hence why you don't bum off your parents.

kerash

pablomakaveli wrote: »

Id like to see Dundalk win it. i think they deserve it after being denied promotion by the FAI a couple of years ago.

i think sporting fingal deserve credit is well for doing so well in their first season.

what about relegation though? i remember hearing before that the bottom team gets demoted to the 'A' championship. but the 'A' championship only started a short while back so that shouldn't be possible.

can anyone shed some light on this?

Yes, anyone with clarification on this - I heard t'was a play off situation?
Not that i'm worried like......;)

Gavin "shels"

Afaik last team in the 1st Division will get relegated, and then the "top" placed team in the "A" gets promoted, as long as it isn't a Premiers sides reserve team.

Gavin "shels"

Shels to win it, Dundalk on there 6th annual bottling of the 1st Division and Waterford dropping vital points.

SantryRed

Nope, if one of the non reserve teams finishes in the top 4 of the A-Championship they get a play off.

_blank_

A package arrived for Dundalk.



Some bottle.

thusspakeblixa

I reckon it'll be Waterford or Shels to go up.
Dundalk will bottle, and Fingal have lost form.
I hate to say it, but Waterford look more likely
Shels need Bisto back, and scoring.

Xavi6

Shels and Wahurford to go up hopefully, though if we go up we're gonna need to do some serious strengthening over the close season.

ibh

Xavi6 wrote: »

Shels and Wahurford to go up hopefully, though if we go up we're gonna need to do some serious strengthening over the close season.

Just one team going up this year.

It's going to be Dundalk.

OhNoYouDidn't

Dundalk will bottle it again, its the nature of the club to make a mess of it. Between Shels and Waterford realistically and I hope Waterford do it, would bring far more to the top flight than the other three contenders.

LMAO at Shels fans having a go at Fingal. This would be the same Shels who franchised into a Northside team and had a budget with no bearing whatsoever on their minuscule attendences? :rolleyes:

Pighead

Gavin shels wrote: »

Shels to win it, Dundalk on there 6th annual bottling of the 1st Division and Waterford dropping vital points.

Des wrote: »

A package arrived for Dundalk.



Some bottle.

This just in:
Dundalk are still top of the division and have beaten both challengers for the division in recent weeks. Both Shels and Waterford came to Oriel Park with the chance of fcuking up Dundalks title challenge and both left without a point. You could say they bottled it.

Gavin "shels"

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

LMAO at Shels fans having a go at Fingal.

Well they were basically the "replacement" team for Shels as the FAI didn't think we'd make the 2007 season, we're still here Delaney, we're still here. Have alot of debts unlike yourselves, but once the sale of Tolka is done we'll be debt free most likely with a couple of million to invest in a stadium.

Daysha

I'd love to see us get back in the big time, but I'd fear for our future financially if promotion doesn't bring in the crowds

Zebra3

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Dundalk will bottle it again, its the nature of the club to make a mess of it. Between Shels and Waterford realistically and I hope Waterford do it, would bring far more to the top flight than the other three contenders.

Such as?

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

LMAO at Shels fans having a go at Fingal. This would be the same Shels who franchised into a Northside team and had a budget with no bearing whatsoever on their minuscule attendences? :rolleyes:

Rovers franchising into a Tallaght club having years ago franchised into a Milltown club. :rolleyes: Great budgeting from Shamrock in 2006. :rolleyes:

We're a Dublin club. Winning senior trophies at national level and representing our great city with distinction long before you were even playing at senior level.

Gavin "shels"

http://www.rte.ie/aertel/414-02.html


Ah yes.

Where's the bottles Dundalk?:pac:

LeixlipRed

Top of the league and laughing at Dundalk

Pighead

2nd in the league and looking on in disbelief at Dundalk.:(

Remaining Fixtures:
Shels:
Wexford (H)
Longford (A)
Fingal (H)
Waterford (A)
Limerick (H)

Dundalk:
Fingal (H)
Waterford (A)
Limerick (H)
Athlone (A)
Kildare (A)

Waterford:
Limerick (A)
Dundalk (H)
Kildare (A)
Shelbourne (H)
Monaghan (A)

Shels with the toughest run in. Waterford with maybe marginally the easiest. Waterford V Dundalk game is gonna be massive.

Pighead prediction: Shels will not win this league.

Daysha

O_o if it's still all to play for, Waterford vs. Shelbourne is going to be HUGE

SantryRed

I honestly reckon going down there will be make or break.

We'll be ahead by a few points. If we win, we'll win the league down there, lose and yous will be ahead going into the last game.

Way I see it heading.

Gavin "shels"

deise59 wrote: »

O_o if it's still all to play for, Waterford vs. Shelbourne is going to be HUGE

Depending on results up to then it might be live on TV.

LeixlipRed

Gavin shels wrote: »

Depending on results up to then it might be live on TV.

Waterford fans will have a good excuse not to turn up then :rolleyes:

Daysha

LeixlipRed wrote: »

Waterford fans will have a good excuse not to turn up then :rolleyes:

Sad but true. I could easily see the Waterford board appealing the decision for that very reason if it does indeed get live coverage.

thusspakeblixa

deise59 wrote: »

Sad but true. I could easily see the Waterford board appealing the decision for that very reason if it does indeed get live coverage.

In fairness, it would mean I'd get to see the match, rather than just lurking around Shelsweb looking for updates
...but yeah, I can see why the match being televised would be bad. Stick to the WLRFM coverage!

Gavin "shels"

thusspakeblixa wrote: »

In fairness, it would mean I'd get to see the match, rather than just lurking around Shelsweb looking for updates
...but yeah, I can see why the match being televised would be bad. Stick to the WLRFM coverage!

You better be at the last 5 games, haven't seen you at a match in a few weeks.;)

20 Times 20 Times

I just couldn't bring myself to post here past couple of weeks , my stomach is sick at the thoughts of spending another year in the graveyard. Dundalk just dont see too want it. Saying that does anyone want it. Next season will be the toughest first division in a long time.

Gavin "shels"

Won't be a graveyard next season, you'll have Cork, Drogs, maybe Bohs, then Galway, Sligo, sure a few others financial problems will arise resulting in teams not getting Premier Division licenses.

20 Times 20 Times

elephant graveyard , ask your teacher about that tomorrow

Töpher

Sarge wrote: »

elephant graveyard , ask your teacher about that tomorrow

You'd be the experts on that!

thusspakeblixa

Gavin shels wrote: »

You better be at the last 5 games, haven't seen you at a match in a few weeks.;)

Yeah... I haven't been at one since Longford Town...
I may make the trip down to Waterford yet...

ibh

Please close this thread. My head hurts when i think about our last few weeks.
I'm blaming Monaghan for everything. Them and that shitehole of a ground. Century homes park. Stupid fcuking name. It's in the middle of nowhere, no houses in sight hardly.

Don't get me started on Wexford Youths. Loads of overage players clearly....

Any chance that enough teams in the Prem will be liquidated and we will get promoted even if we don't? If you know what i mean..

Töpher

ibh wrote: »

Any chance that enough teams in the Prem will be liquidated and we will get promoted even if we don't? If you know what i mean..

That would require the FAI understanding, following, and applying their own rules. So, no! :pac:

OhNoYouDidn't

Sarge wrote: »

I just couldn't bring myself to post here past couple of weeks , my stomach is sick at the thoughts of spending another year in the graveyard. Dundalk just dont see too want it. Saying that does anyone want it. Next season will be the toughest first division in a long time.

Is that a polite way of saying that Dundalk have bottled it again?

Paulw

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Is that a polite way of saying that Dundalk have bottled it again?

Dundalk have a big game Thurs night against Sporting Fingal. A win for Fingal could make the run in very interesting indeed.

Zebra3

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Is that a polite way of saying that Dundalk have bottled it again?

Still all to play for. Dundalk are only a goal behind us. Could be all change by 10pm Friday night.

Hopefully not though!

Pighead

Top of the table once more. 2-1 win included a peach of a goal from Mulvenna. That's Waterford, Shelbourne and Sporting Fingal all sent home from Oriel without a point over the past 6 weeks.

Pessure back on Shels and Waterford now. Hopefully Wexford play as well as they did last week.

ibh

Pighead wrote: »

Top of the table once more. 2-1 win included a peach of a goal from Mulvenna. That's Waterford, Shelbourne and Sporting Fingal all sent home from Oriel without a point over the past 6 weeks.

Pessure back on Shels and Waterford now. Hopefully Wexford play as well as they did last week.

Brilliant goal from Mulvenna, but should also memtion the terrible, cynical tackle that took him out of the game, and could rule him out for the rest of the season. Brian Kelly (i think it was him?) basically lifted him out of it because he had been running their defence ragged, and the ref only booked him. Probably one of the reasons that John Gill has been holding him back this season. Small, fast kid who takes on defenders is bound to get the shite kicked out of him.

Good result last night all the same. Should have scored a few more, which could be vital in the end, if goal difference plays a part in deciding this title. I would be worried however if our strikeforce for the Waterford game consisted of Vaughan and Robbie Farrell. Just no pace to ever get in behind a defence.

Pighead

ibh wrote: »

I would be worried however if our strikeforce for the Waterford game consisted of Vaughan and Robbie Farrell. Just no pace to ever get in behind a defence.

Farrell won't be playing. He's banned for next weeks game. Will probably be Dessie Baker if he gets over his bug. Next week would be a god time for Baker to show us he's not over the hill.

Sickener losing Mulvenna at such a vital stage of the season.

_blank_

Pighead wrote: »

Sickener losing Mulvenna at such a vital stage of the season.

Just like when we lost Bisto in the Summer.

Difference is though, our players have bottle.