Greatest League in the World 2024 [new thread available]

NIMAN

Ticket sales for the final going well in Derry. Think all the lower level allocated sections have now sold out, and they are now selling upper level tickets for Derry end. 6000+ already sold I'm hearing.

Any word on Shels sales? Seems to be tickets available in nearly all their lower sections?

Oat23

Why is Stephen O'Donnell always acting like a weirdo on the sideline? Grown man running at the away bench to celebrate goals 😂

trashcan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119777495#Comment_119777495

The only consolation for Pats tonight is that Dundalk didn’t win. Keeps us just about in the race for third.

overshoot

Bohs showing their realistic colours tonight, top brass organise a wreath for cresslough, their fans sing a number of variations of you're going down with your houses. (Mica). True class.

On the match, both crap teams who did their best to hand each other the win.

NIMAN

Derry season ends with a whimper. Shame. After such a great run to put pressure on Rovers, we end up playing a game like that.

Hopefully not a sign of things to come in the cup final. We have struggled to break Shels down everytime we met this season, and the games haven't been easy on the eye. Duffs spoiling tactics seem to work.

damemcd

in fairness to Derry and I was up there on day 1, they've consistently put it up to Rovers in league and cup all year.If the cash flows in next year it could end up with a two horse race.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119777927#Comment_119777927

I’d be the first to love sticking the boot in on Bohs, but realistically any reasonably sized fanbase is going to end up with idiots in it.

It’ll be interesting to see if their ever opinionated Lambert guy is as opinionated today to be fair, but in reality, it’s hard to act like that chanting is actually representative of Bohs.

overshoot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119778493#Comment_119778493

This wasn't a few idiots like shams fans destroying the toilets in finn Park, it was the entire singing section/a block or 2 of the ground. What's that, 10,15% of the crowd? 300+?

When it's chanted repeatedly over the match and there is no announcements, at what point is it not representative of the club?

hold my beer

Football fans in inappropriate chants shocker.....ha

PGE1970

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119777927#Comment_119777927

Honestly, if a chant about mica offends you, you're better staying away from football.

Patrick2010

Lots of talk about Burt and Talbot signing for Rovers, Burt is welcome but why would Talbot want to join a club given his previous comments about us.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119778354#Comment_119778354

Yep another player who has been handled terribly by JC. We were shocking first half last night, improved markedly second half and especially dues to the u-19s making their debuts . He'll more than likely bench Manley Wednesday again now as he doesn't know his best formation or 11.

Drumpot

Looking forward to the final now, decided to go for corporate piggy tickets in the premium section. Will get there early , have a snack and take in atmosphere.

dfx-

How did Eoin Doyle score so many goals in English football...must be a poor standard.

Towell and Burke were excellent in the first half turning the game. As someone going to the Djurgardens game it would be nice to have done before UCD.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119778741#Comment_119778741

It’s a pretty bad one to be fair. It’s not right up there with singing about the dead, but it’s definitely the football equivalent of kicking a puppy. Harps one of the most harmless fanbases out there aswell.

overshoot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119778741#Comment_119778741

Yea personally I wouldn't be singing about people's crumbling houses. Depends on your morals I guess

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119778828#Comment_119778828

You might want to get a few scoops into you too. I'm getting the feeling Duff will try to make it a bore fest and hit us on the break.

Patrick2010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119779004#Comment_119779004

Burke is a fabulous player but last night there were several times he held onto the ball too long and it was lost. Same with Jack, maybe not fully fit but it was noticeable our pace picked up when Watts came on.

trashcan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119779004#Comment_119779004

I’ll have to be honest and say that Eoin Doyle has been a disappointment. Maybe expectations were too high, but given the rep he came in with I really expected more. On last night, I thought we started brightly, but from about 20 minutes in we were very much second best. Couple of dodgy decisions I’d argue, particularly the push on Forrestor for Rovers second, but overall it’s hard to argue that we deserved anything out of the game. Disappointing night all round.

Ferris_Bueller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119779004#Comment_119779004

I actually didn't think Towell played well and Burke was only OK in general play, however he produced a few moments of quality which helped make the difference. Byrne had a very poor game as well. I thought we were fortunate to be leading at half time, Pats looked the much better team early on and both the penalty and Clearys goal were fairly fortunate. But we were all over them in the second half and improved a lot when Watts came on. Cleary is turning out to be a brilliant signing. Rory Gaffney is player of the year by a country mile also.

PGE1970

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119779015#Comment_119779015

Morals?

You're in the wrong forum. I'm sure there's one somewhere for the perpetually offended.

ollaetta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119779439#Comment_119779439

Jack Byrne didn't look right all game and I felt when the sub was made that the Rovers performance would step up with Watts, a player I've a lot of time for. Agree re Cleary, a fantastic signing at just the right time. Graham Burke is a super player but does take too much out of it at times which is frustating. Rory Gaffney player of the season by a country mile.

NIMAN

Gaffney has been mostly class any time I have watched him play this season.

overshoot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119779837#Comment_119779837

And I thought it was meant to be bohs who were the league's social justice warriors lol

The Golden Miller

Shelbourne are going to win the cup, never have been surer of anything in my life. Told people to lump it on them to beat Bohs, few listened. Shels are on a continued upward trajectory, and it will continue.

What's interesting is the Rovers manager was the first to acknowledge all season the improvement of Shels, when as a newly promoted team, they've done what no other newly promoted team has ever really done, took it to everyone.

Shels league position is quite misleading, dropped a huge amount of points with last minute goals and errors, and seen several match deciding decisions go against them. Inexperience and bad luck, hand in hand.

All Shels need now is experience and consistency and we've the measure of every team bar Rovers tbh. Should of beaten Bohs several times then finally battered them, could of been 5-1 up v Pat's only for inexperience on how to manage a game, should of done Derry again in the Brandywell. But constantly improving and getting stronger and stronger.

As for Rovers should of beaten them in Tolka and fortune repeatedly shined on them with several early and last minute winners. Outplayed us badly the first time in Tallaght, but we learned, and bad luck undone us in the last game in Tallaght.

The point is people think the future belongs to Rovers and Derry, but are slowly having to see the threat Shels possess. Shels are going to improve further, and in the next couple of years will win the league, as consistency and experience grows. Shels have been seen as a joke and afterthought for a long time in Irish football, but we ARE back, as a serious force this time.

Believe me or not, but the league will see. The cup is just the start. I think deep down everyone has been watching it and seen the rise and improvement and intent, but no one really wants to acknowledge it, as they're getting surpassed.

I think it suited many teams who had a greater standing at the expense of a misplaced struggling Shelbourne for more than a decade, and it's inconvenient if they take their rightful place back at the top of Irish football. But Irelands traditional heavyweights are re-emerging. I think everyone sees it

topmanamillion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119779004#Comment_119779004

The opposite really. League 1 is a much higher standard than LOI. He was playing with better players and had better supply. You won't find a UCD type set up anywhere near the top 5 tiers in England. But mainly he was younger than now. Once players hit their 30s they can go downhill fast unless they're superhuman like Ronaldo or Ibrahimovic. I remember Damien Delaney being a complete liability at the back for Cork after being a Premier League regular for Crystal Palace 4 out 5 seasons there and they flogged him off to Waterford. Similar story with Daryl Murphy at Waterford who had nothing left in the tank after 10 years of being a consistent Championship player with a 30 goal season thrown in there.

trashcan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119781920#Comment_119781920

I would agree with some of that re Eoin Doyle, but it also must be pointed out that he’s been extremely wasteful in front of goal. It’s not like no chances have been created for him, but he’s almost been missing at least one decent chance per game. With his goal record in England I expected him to be more clinical. I know he’s our leading scorer, but half of those are from penalties.

joeysoap

Agree sith you regarding Dempsey, best signing dundalk ever (never) made. I also agree that winning the cup seems can kick-start a league winning run (City, Rovers etc)

ben.schlomo

Seems Conor Kearns will be leaving us to be Bohs number 2 keeper next season.

artanevilla

Not the most popular man in Dalymount.

Patrick2010

6500 tickets for rovers v Derry sold already,will be sold out shortly

chopperbyrne

Hopefully Sligo will do the business for us tonight, and Derry will have to form a guard of honour to start the match.

srfc d16

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119779439#Comment_119779439

I thought Towell was MOTM. Covered a huge amount of ground especially when Byrne was on as he was covering for him and Burke. Friends of mine that were at the match also thought he was the best player and we weren't sitting with each other so it wasn't a case of group think

I told ya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119786332#Comment_119786332

The guard of honour is optional. Shams should know as their players refused to give Sligo Rovers one in 2012. Drogheda gave them one the Friday before.

deisedude

What an anticlimactic end to the title race

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119789108#Comment_119789108

i never thought we would have caught Rovers, but we got closer than I thought we would.

But the shocking performance in those last 2 games by us was really painful to watch. Handed it to Rovers.

Rte will be disappointed that the Rovers Derry game will mean nothing now. But at least they'll see the trophy lifted.

DvB

Genuinely believe the european run impacted our performance levels over the last few weeks, but the win in Sligo, the late, late comeback v Shels & the demolition of Pats showed that when we needed it most we pulled it out of the bag and are still the best team in the country.

Still think the squad needs freshening up a little to have a real go at equaling the 4IAR as Derry are sure to reinforce & go balls out to win it next year having put up a genuine challenge this year. The close season will be very interesting, I see a symmetry with the last 4IAR team as I wouldnt be at all surprised if theres a new manager in the hot seat akin to how McLaughlin left after the last 3IAR at Rovers & Dermot Keely stepped in to win the 4th title.

PGE1970

Well done Rovers, the table doesn't lie and they are the best team in the league.

As a Drogheda supporter, it's pleasing that we beat them once and drew with them twice in the league and were only beaten in ET in the cup. I'm not sure if that points to a narrowing in the gap between clubs but it's not something that I expected at the start of the season.

But I would say that they play the best football. Far better than Derry or Dundalk who haven't impressed me when we've played them (with the possible exception of our worst performance of the season in Oriel when beaten 4-1 in April).

NIMAN

Rovers definitely play the best football in the league. And they deserve the title. They'll be hot favourites again next season.

chopperbyrne

Alan Mannus - 40

Ronan Finn - 34 (35 before next season starts)

Aaron Greene - 32 (33 before next season starts)

Richie Towell - 31

Rory Gaffney - 33

Sean Gannon - 31

All of the above are regular starters, and Lyons will be gone.

It's all about who comes in to replace these, because they can't all keep performing to this standard for much longer.

Four in a row with the current squad and one or two additions (a good, left footed wing back would be nice) is definitely still possible, and Rovers will be favourites again next season.

chopperbyrne

The team plays better when Towell is on the pitch. He doesn't score many goals any more, but the balance he gives the team is essential.

PGE1970

Apparently, Rovers are in for the Dundalk keeper.

NIMAN

As long as they don't come for Maher.

I'd say he could be tempted to return to Dublin if the right offer came in.

Although they'd have to pay a transfer fee for the next couple of seasons.

Ferris_Bueller

I think Rovers will need to replace a few players over the next year or two and freshen up the squad a reasonable amount. For all the central Midfielders we have I think we miss a true box to box one similar to McEneff. Towell was meant to be that player but I haven't been overly impressed tbh. Lyons will need to be replaced which won't be easy. Mannus will surely retire soon and has been fantastic this season. Gaffney best player in the league this season but if we want to do any better in Europe I think a better goalscorer will be required.

Who would be an upgrade from within the league though? I liked the look of O'Reilly from Pats anytime I've seen him. Burt has been linked. Maher would be the obvious keeper but can see him staying at Derry. No idea about left wing back although neither Scales nor Lyons were considered left wing backs when they signed.

PGE1970

If Rovers need a keeper, they should try for Sam Long that was with us (Drogheda) at the start of the season. Superb keeper.

trashcan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119792631#Comment_119792631

Ya can keep yer filthy paws off Adam O’Reilly 🤪.

Seriously though, he’s on loan from Preston, so who knows what will happen. Would love to keep him obviously. Hard to see anything other than Rovers/Derry again next season. As for Pats, I think Tim Clancy has done well in his first season, the hope is just that we improve again next year.

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119778741#Comment_119778741

I think that sort of attitude is one of the reasons why people do actually stay away from football, especially if they're looking for a sporting event to attend with their kids.

Always have to laugh at the wannabe 'ultras' who try and emulate the football hooligans in England. A bit like the MLS fans in America who do the same.

Attending a football match does not give you a free pass to act like an absolute dope for the evening, but unfortunately some people see it that way.

joeysoap

Well done Rovers. Best team in the league. IMO the standard has dropped (unfortunately) a bit in the past few years. But the table doesn’t lie. Rovers are they best team in the league, not their fault everyone else is also poorer.

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119799971#Comment_119799971

I think the standard did definitely drop off for a few years, but I thought the last two seasons were quite good.

The profile of player in the league has definitely changed. We've got much more quality young players developing in the league before going further afield following the Brexit changes, or similar type guys coming over on loan to develop, and I expect that to accelerate. Phoenix Patterson playing in the First Division is a case in point. The move to summer football can offer a real dividend if teams can continue to play a more technical style of football, and it'll be better to watch too you'd imagine.

Shamrock Rovers getting into the Group Stages of the Conference League is evidence of progress, and I think everyone expects Derry to give them a good rattle next year.

In 2022, no disrespect to the likes of UCD and Finn Harps, they play a really important and valued role in the LOI, but everyone was pretty confident that they'd be finishing in the bottom two places before the season started.

Next year you'll have Cork going back up, and they'll probably have the highest attendances in the league, and some old rivalries with the likes of Dundalk back on the cards. If teams like Galway or Waterford end up getting up via a playoff, you'll also have well-supported one city teams coming back into the mix, and you'd imagine that it'll bring an extra bit of spice to things next year also.

Overall, I think there's lots to be positive about. I can't remember the present and the future of the LOI looking so healthy.

joeysoap

There’s no way that the present Dundalk side would have been 3rd/4th a few years ago. In 2016 Dundalk never lost a europa league group match by more than 1 goal. Rovers ( to now), have yet to score, and they are playing at a lower level (Conference league), and they are the best we have

. I am aware that players move around (usually to the highest payer) but it no coincidence that

• ,gannon hoare towell,Finn (I know he’s ex Rovers) and cleary
• and for Derry- Duffy ,mcEleaney, dummigagan, patching and Higgins all played for Dundalk (and Connolly)