LOI: League of Ireland Fixtures (Week 1), Feb 24-25

dfx-

Premier Division

Friday, February 24th, 2017

Dundalk v Shamrock Rovers - Oriel Park - Live on Eir Sport 1, 8pm KO

Limerick v Sligo Rovers - Markets Field

Bohemians v Derry City - Dalymount Park

Galway United v Drogheda United - Eamonn Deacy Park

Finn Harps v Cork City - Finn Park

St. Patrick's Ath. v Bray Wanderers - Richmond Park

First Division

Friday, February 24th, 2017

Cabinteely v UCD - Stradbrook

Shelbourne v Longford Town - Tolka Park

Athlone Town v Waterford FC - Lissywoollen

Saturday, February 25th, 2017

Cobh Ramblers v Wexford FC - St. Colman's Park

General info

http://www.rte.ie/sport/irish-soccer/

http://www.sseairtricityleague.ie

http://www.extratime.ie

Soccer Republic - Highlights show on RTÉ Two on Monday nights.

Try out a game near you. Click a fixture link for stadium details.

See club sites for ticket info:

Shamrock Rovers FC
Dundalk FC
Cork City
St Patrick's Athletic
Sligo Rovers
Bray Wanderers
Derry City
Galway United
Finn Harps
Limerick FC
Drogheda United
Bohemians

Wexford FC
Longford Town
UCD AFC
Athlone Town
Shelbourne FC
Waterford FC
Cobh Ramblers
Cabinteely FC

NIMAN

Looking forward to the new season, pity 1st game is away.
Fancy us to get a result at Bohs, although not sure who they have brought in over the summer.

Any Bohs fans like to update us on your pre-season matches?

wijam

NIMAN wrote: »

Looking forward to the new season, pity 1st game is away.
Fancy us to get a result at Bohs, although not sure who they have brought in over the summer.

Any Bohs fans like to update us on your pre-season matches?

A home match for the Dublin SC , looking forward to heading along to Dalymount on Friday night

rightyabe

Wonder will McCourt strat for Harps? Great signing

Pighead

We'll have a much different team out than the last time we hosted our dear friends Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park. Rogers, Boyle, Finn, Horgan and McMillan won't be playing. Kilduff a doubt which means new signing Thomas Stewart will start up front if he doesn't make it. We have a nasty enough first five or six games so the new guys are going to have to get settled in pretty quickly. Can't wait for the season to get going again.

NIMAN

I definitely think Dundalk have a tough task trying to get anywhere near last years level, which was probably the best ever LoI side I have watched. Perhaps the only way is down?

Signing the likes of Stewart, I was never his biggest fan and a bit past his best surely at 30? Time will tell I suppose.

But I'm sure they will still be hot favourites at the start.

Not sure why Dundalk are such hot favorites going into this season.

The_Kew_Tour

Deleted User wrote: »

Not sure why Dundalk are such hot favorites going into this season.

Ya, its a huge mystery alright:pac:

house45

I really feel this year that for dundalk to win the league the first 5 or 6 games will be vital. If we can stay in touch at the top ,I think that this dundalk team will need a few games to gel and click. But I have no doubt the king Kenny will have the squad ready to roll .if we are up there around the top 3 we will kick on and get stronger as the season progresses.really looking forward to the new season .if honestly think that there is 3/4 teams capable off winning it . I think the thing that will decide it for me is if cork keep maguire fit and injury free . That will be the deciding factor if he picks up a injury and I'd out for any length of time then I think they will struggle for goals .

kksaints

Interesting match in Inchicore on Friday. Curious to see how our new signings fit in. Cregg will hopefully give us some stability in midfield and O'Hanlon could be anything.We thrashed Bray in the LSC at the start of the month but that result is meaningless as Bray only started one of their new signings. Looking forward to being back in Richmond.

White Horse

Deleted User wrote: »

Not sure why Dundalk are such hot favorites going into this season.

It's mostly down to good recruitment and maturing talent.

Hoare, Duffy, and Clifford are good signings. In addition, McEleney and Benson have the benefit of a year at Dundalk behind them and should step up this season.

In addition, Cork have not really strengthened. Rovers look unbalanced, lots of midfielders but little up from or at the back.

I see Cork being fairly consistent with last year. The question is whether Dundalk can hit the same level. If they do, they will be champions, if not it will be Cork.

To be fair to Bradley, he should be judged on 2018. 2017 should be a year of improvement.

Fair enough. Just they didn't exactly run away with it last year and there's a decent bit of squad turnover.

Captain Havoc

White Horse wrote: »

It's mostly down to good recruitment and maturing talent.

Hoare, Duffy, and Clifford are good signings. In addition, McEleney and Benson have the benefit of a year at Dundalk behind them and should step up this season.

In addition, Cork have not really strengthened. Rovers look unbalanced, lots of midfielders but little up from or at the back.

I see Cork being fairly consistent with last year. The question is whether Dundalk can hit the same level. If they do, they will be champions, if not it will be Cork.

To be fair to Bradley, he should be judged on 2018. 2017 should be a year of improvement.

I agree with all that, I really want to see how Clifford fairs out.

That_Guy

Gonna miss the home opener on Friday due to work. Our record v Derry has been on a bit of an upward curve lately but I just hope the new signings blend in.

Derry usually start quite well in the league so I just hope we don't go too gung ho early on.

We've some decent ball playing players now and if we just lump long balls up to Akinade all night, I'll probably rather be in work. :pac:

PhilipsR

White Horse wrote: »

It's mostly down to good recruitment and maturing talent.

Hoare, Duffy, and Clifford are good signings. In addition, McEleney and Benson have the benefit of a year at Dundalk behind them and should step up this season.

In addition, Cork have not really strengthened. Rovers look unbalanced, lots of midfielders but little up from or at the back.

I see Cork being fairly consistent with last year. The question is whether Dundalk can hit the same level. If they do, they will be champions, if not it will be Cork.

To be fair to Bradley, he should be judged on 2018. 2017 should be a year of improvement.

Ah it's the League of Ireland. With the money Rovers are throwing around they should be up there for the league. Anything else is a failure.

chopperbyrne

Three days until the start of the season and the website is still coming soon.

http://www.sseairtricityleague.ie

The FAI are a disgrace.

tayto lover

Should be a great crowd and atmosphere in Oriel.
Looking forward to it ..... and the few pints afterwards.

Mushy

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Three days until the start of the season and the website is still coming soon.

http://www.sseairtricityleague.ie

The FAI are a disgrace.

Surely it'll be up before Friday? Not that that's good enough, but it'd be very embarrassing if not!

dfx-

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Three days until the start of the season and the website is still coming soon.

http://www.sseairtricityleague.ie

The FAI are a disgrace.

As soon as it comes back, I can re-add it into the bunch of links in the OP. If...

Also could not find a new website link for Waterford FC - if anyone has it?

gimmick

dfx- wrote: »

As soon as it comes back, I can re-add it into the bunch of links in the OP. If...

Also could not find a new website link for Waterford FC - if anyone has it?

As they are a new club they probably haven't set up their new website yet.

Oat23

Bumping this back to the front.

We're 3-0 down in Limerick before halftime. Jesus..
https://twitter.com/sligorovers/status/835224147064197120

GLaDOS

Comedy show in the Bohs box for the 2 Derry goals

OldMrBrennan83

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Mars Bar

Galway had enough chances to win that game. Very frustrating. A bit slow to react in places and to release the ball. I'm guessing cumminghan isn't a natural winger. Missed Shanahan's pace and width.

Mushy

Delighted to get a win, seems to have been a melee at the end with 2 reds and 2 yellows!

D14Rugby

PhilipsR wrote: »

Ah it's the League of Ireland. With the money Rovers are throwing around they should be up there for the league. Anything else is a failure.

What money are rovers throwing around exactly? Half the squad are u21 that doesn't exactly scream splashing the cash

doncarlos

D14Rugby wrote: »

What money are rovers throwing around exactly? Half the squad are u21 that doesn't exactly scream splashing the cash

You can't have a squad of 30 and start throwing around a myth that you have a squad of kids. Rovers spending massive money stop kidding yourself

NIMAN

What a start from us tonight, really fancied us away to bohs.

I hope it's a sign of the goals and football we can expect from a young Derry team this season.

D14Rugby

doncarlos wrote: »

You can't have a squad of 30 and start throwing around a myth that you have a squad of kids. Rovers spending massive money stop kidding yourself

average age of tonight's squad was 21. Squad of 26, with off the top of my head 12 of them born in 96 or after. yeah clearly massive money being thrown around.

overshoot

Fairly atrocious conditions in Finn Park... Draw probably would have been fair, few clear cut chances either way.
Dee will be absolutely kicking himself for how lax he was for the goal. Far too casual, Maguire up behind him, shouldered him off and passed it into the net. Schoolboy f* up. Pretty even outside of that.
Oh and it appears we have signed Eddie desane from Longford. Not a word on that until he appeared on the bench.

GLaDOS

Bohs are going down if we defend like that throughout the year

SteelyDanJalapeno

overshoot wrote: »

Fairly atrocious conditions in Finn Park... Draw probably would have been fair, few clear cut chances either way.
Dee will be absolutely kicking himself for how lax he was for the goal. Far too casual, Maguire up behind him, shouldered him off and passed it into the net. Schoolboy f* up. Pretty even outside of that.
Oh and it appears we have signed Eddie desane from Longford. Not a word on that until he appeared on the bench.

Didn't City also hit the post twice or three times and the crossbar?

White Horse

D14Rugby wrote: »

average age of tonight's squad was 21. Squad of 26, with off the top of my head 12 of them born in 96 or after. yeah clearly massive money being thrown around.

Big money going on staff and Ronan Finn, of course.

Ground staff are busy wiping up all the brown streaks he left on the pitch. He didn't have the bottle to start that game tonight.

Part timer.

fullstop

TiltedBrain wrote: »

Didn't City also hit the post twice or three times and the crossbar?

They hit the post twice in the last minute, Maguire shot half saved onto the post and then the clearance was blasted against him and it ricocheted back off the post.
Dreadful game and very little in the way of chances at either end but Cork probably just did enough to win it.

White Horse

fullstop wrote: »

They hit the post twice in the last minute, Maguire shot half saved onto the post and then the clearance was blasted against him and it ricocheted back off the post.
Dreadful game and very little in the way of chances at either end but Cork probably just did enough to win it.

I was surprised ro read that Cork struggled for long periods of the game. Harps seemed to be the pundits choice for for bottom spot. Perhaps they are too quick to write them off.

CHealy

White Horse wrote: »

I was surprised ro read that Cork struggled for long periods of the game. Harps seemed to be the pundits choice for for bottom spot. Perhaps they are too quick to write them off.

Every report Iv read says that City controlled the game until the sending off where it was a hang on job for the last 10 minutes so not sure where you were reading that. Talking to a few fellas this morning who were up at it they said the conditions were awful, game really shouldnt have been on. Either way I dont care, three points in the bag and onto Galway next week with a great crowd out the Cross, great to have the football back. Harps will supruse a few this season I think.

White Horse

CHealy wrote: »

Every report Iv read says that City controlled the game until the sending off where it was a hang on job for the last 10 minutes so not sure where you were reading that. Talking to a few fellas this morning who were up at it they said the conditions were awful, game really shouldnt have been on. Either way I dont care, three points in the bag and onto Galway next week with a great crowd out the Cross, great to have the football back. Harps will supruse a few this season I think.

I read comments like these "chances were few and far between" and "Cork found Harps a tough nut to crack" in the Indo.

Or is that "fake news"?

Langers are getting touchy.

overshoot

In fairness harps probably had the best of the first 10-15mins, and i thought we were on top for the 5mins before the sending off, just much more after. Cork in between... On top is more a case of possession than creating clear cut chances for both tho.
And everyone wrote us off last year too! Not saying we won't go down but if we click could go well

fullstop

CHealy wrote: »

Talking to a few fellas this morning who were up at it they said the conditions were awful, game really shouldnt have been on.

I'm sure if it was called off when the pitch was inspected at 4pm they wouldn't have minded. Fact is the Cork team travelled on Thursday so it had to go ahead if at all possible.

CHealy

White Horse wrote: »

I read comments like these "chances were few and far between" and "Cork found Harps a tough nut to crack" in the Indo.

Or is that "fake news"?

Langers are getting touchy.

So you equated that to "Cork struggled for large parts of the game"? And then when I question you about it you call me a langer? Now im convinced more than ever you're not who you say you are, are you looking forward to making your confirmation in a few weeks young man???

Dundalk beat Shamrock Rovers in the game of the opening weekend infront of a huge crowd yet White Horse still has to have a go at Cork City, ill take it as a compliment buddy.

major bill

Derry won't have an easier win all season, all 4 goals gifted to them!! Rovers in Tallaght next week where Bohs could be in for the Dundalk loss backlash!!

Our season won't start for another few weeks,

Gonna be grim.

blueser

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

http://blog.paddypower.com/football/latest-football-news/2017/02/25/reckless-tackle-sparks-wild-scenes-as-league-of-ireland-kicks-off/?AFF_ID=16562&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

What the fcuk was the Shamrock Rovers player thinking of? And then he had the brass neck to look stunned when he got the red card? Priceless.

White Horse

blueser wrote: »

http://blog.paddypower.com/football/latest-football-news/2017/02/25/reckless-tackle-sparks-wild-scenes-as-league-of-ireland-kicks-off/?AFF_ID=16562&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

What the fcuk was the Shamrock Rovers player thinking of? And then he had the brass neck to look stunned when he got the red card? Priceless.

Poor Jamie McGrath, kicked on the ground by Richie Towell a couple of years ago.

On his debut in Oriel for Dundalk, it happens again.

OldMrBrennan83

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blueser

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Didn't see the game as I don't have Eir Sport. I only saw the hallenge I commented on via PP on twitter.

White Horse

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

He is lucky that the league doesn't do retrospective punishment.

dfx-

First time seeing it from that angle and it's not as bad as it looked at the time.

It's a shadow of the Pat Flynn red card against Bohs in 2010 for kicking Gareth McGlynn, still one of my favourite ever tackles for its sheer idiocy...

Pighead

Not a whole lot of skill or fancy stuff on display in Oriel Park last night but damn it was entertaining. Real blood and thunder game with lots of needle all over the pitch. O'Donnell showing again that he's probably the best defensive midfielder in the country. He was in the middle of everything and making sure we weren't going to get bullied in the middle of the park.

I think Kenny took him off before he was sent off as him and McAllister were really going at each other. Thought Rovers looked ok. Bigger and stronger than the last few teams they've brought up but in saying that they didn't create a whole lot. Ironically they played their best stuff after they went down to ten and really came at us the last ten minutes. Delighted with the opening day victory. Kenny's gonna have some job keeping everybody happy this season. Our bench last night was strong and that's even with three or four players out injured. Duffy looked decent on his debut.