**Match Thread*** Tue 26/7 20:15 WES1 -v- SMH

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We know exactly what's needed this time lads, and we know what it means. Let's give this a proper rattle.

Three points a must lads.

Clay - in
Conor - Hols
Keith - in
Gav - in
Jules - in
Ciaran - in
Martin - in
Gary - in
Eamon - in
Kenny - inj
Cathal - in
Eoin - inj
Collie - inj
Joe - in
Dave - in
Wes - in
Anto - in

Cill Dara Abu

How does one join the Boards.ie team?

Mall10357

I Am In

helimachoptor

Immense game tonight. To put it simply the league is in our own hands. Two wins and we retain the title, but we have 2 incredibly tough games tonight against smh we need to put in a serious shift. They have us a bad pasting earlier in the season so let's go out and put things right by getting the 3 points. As we've seen after last weeks game against the monks they are beatable so let's get out and give it 100% and get the result!

FrankGrimes

3-2 loss and our chances of winning this league are gone.

Like everyone involved, I'm seriously gutted. For my own part I hold my hand up and acknowledge I was off form in the first half with the ball not sticking, and apologise for the yellow card. I had messed up an opportunity and was throwing my eyes to heaven and kicking air in frustration but I clumsily caught the back of the defender pretty much full whack. The guy knew it was clumsiness not intentional but the ref was dead right to bin me. I'm conscious they scored the 2nd while I was off so we paid for my mistake and I apologise for that.

But that's only part of the story - we were just not our usual selves in many ways until the last 15 minutes when we controlled the game. They are a strong team that focus on getting the ball up front early, and why wouldn't you when you have easily the best player we've come across in any league able to cause such damage up front. They were no nonsense with clearing their lines - I can't remember one fluffed clearance from them, when under pressure they just pumped it back at us, whereas we were a lot less effective at clearing our lines we have a tendency to let the ball bounce when it should be foot through it first time if under pressure. Their defence actually said to each other that as we weren't clearing it first time sometimes, it was worth just lobbing it back and playing off the breaks.

The guys filling in each individually did a really good job, but no team can lose a centre-half and a centre-midfielder that have been cores of the team all season and not have it impact their system, and we did miss Kenny and Collie and also the runs in behind that Conor makes. So let's be constructively critical but not overly so.

It's fair to say the occassion got to us in some ways and the points that we lacked composure at times and also that we sometimes exchanged views while the ball was still in play when we should really get on with it until the ball is out of play. But I did hear plenty of talking and listening going on between players across the park.

We just didn't get our usual patterns of play going at all in the first 40. Once we did start getting good possession, it was a different game. Sure we need to focus on not waiting till were under the kosh to fire on all cylinders, but on the other hand there's plenty of positives to be taken from how well we turned the game around.

No denying we have plenty of regrets about tonight but it's really important to learn the lessons cos we'll need to remember them at the crunch end of next season, not just at the start. Tough to say that the league is gone, but 2nd place is still better than 3rd or 4th so we need to switch on from the start next week and finish the league strongly.

helimachoptor

Yep a big let down. After lasts weeks effort I thought we'd start with the same energy and we didn't and they put us under pressure straight away.

Though we did have some good chances in the 2nd half, once they got the third it was going to be incredibly tough as we needed to win. As was said last night there's something mentally wrong with us when we think we're up against good teams. We need to play our game and worry about our performance and not worry about the other team. SMH are a great team but I think we are better despite the 2 results.

We've had a good but in parts very inconsistent season, we are level on points with FC vaughans so we need a win next week against the Monks to secure 2nd place.

We're also still in the cup and are probably getting to the business end of that so still a lot to play for this season.

Spiritofthekop

Yeah well said overall.

Its the defeats in the biggest games that will make us come back stronger for next season.

We all should know now what it takes to win the big games the next time they come around, while keeping the normal high level consistency of good football in all the other games next season.

We are easily the best footballing team in this Divsion. Its just the very small errors & decision making at times we need to iron out fully. I think after last nights game we all know now what needs to be done.

The fantastic attitude & spirit in the team has always stood out for me since i joined Bordeaux.

Some games it does take us a while to get going into our top gears but we know now we cant wait around for it to happen anymore & we as a team need to play at the highest tempo & full control of the ball right from the kick off.

The good news is...

Don't forget lads we are in the last 32 of the Cup so we still have a chance to make sure all the hard work we did collectively all season can still be rewarded with some silverware. [/B]

King Latifah

Unlucky last night lads

Was a great match to play in and you could tell both teams were nervous from the start

It was probably the most physical match we've had this season with a few clumsy tackles from both teams, we were lucky not to have a player sin binned ourselves

If it wasn't for our striker it would've been a completely different game/season for us, he just manages to create something out of nothing and if we didn't have him I think we would've finished mid table to be honest

You really put the pressure on us for the last ten minutes and we were very lucky to escape with the points in the end

Best of luck in the cup, hopefully we don't draw each other too early in that, could be a cracking final if we both get there

helimachoptor

Cheers mate, that striker is something special alright!
Hope to see you next season and in the cup!

FrankGrimes

King Latifah wrote: »

Unlucky last night lads

Was a great match to play in and you could tell both teams were nervous from the start

It was probably the most physical match we've had this season with a few clumsy tackles from both teams, we were lucky not to have a player sin binned ourselves

If it wasn't for our striker it would've been a completely different game/season for us, he just manages to create something out of nothing and if we didn't have him I think we would've finished mid table to be honest

You really put the pressure on us for the last ten minutes and we were very lucky to escape with the points in the end

Best of luck in the cup, hopefully we don't draw each other too early in that, could be a cracking final if we both get there

Congrats and fair play fella, you are deserved league winners. No doubting you have an outstanding striker and play to that strength but you're a solid team all-round, look forward to playing against you again. Yeh there were a few clumsy tackles but I thought for such an important game it was noteable the good spirit it was played in, so fair play for that too.

We'll make amends next time though!

LeixlipRed

Disappointing end personally to another season considering I missed out on last season's victory. It was a hard fought game but if we're honest we didn't deserve to win the league considering SMH beat us in both our games. I've been ruled out for 5 months so I won't be around for next season more than likely but hopefully I'll get the long standing injury issues out of the way and be back at some stage in the future. I'll head along to the awards night, see ya then lads and good luck with next week and the cup.