Greatest League in the World 2024 [new thread available]

artanevilla

Isn't Derry's an artificial pitch?

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120340294#Comment_120340294

Imagine it’s more to do with the surrounding areas, but I’m sure it’ll be on

GLaDOS

Pats v Bohs going ahead

DvB

Rovers v Shels going ahead.

Zico

It's great to see domestic soccer on a high.

To keep it that way the FAI need to make best use of obviously limited resources.

I don't think this window of opportunity will last so make the best of it.

Dublin GAA resurgence, Premier League travel and less WFH are going to kick in soon.

Hammer Archer

UCD Drogs going ahead.

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120341633#Comment_120341633

It's on a high in spite of the FAI not because of it. The recent surge happened in 2019 so it's not a Covid/WFH thing.

Did you smash it

Tony Sheridan is fairly critical of shelbourne’s style, I’m enjoying it but can’t imagine shels’ hierarchy would

ben.schlomo

Men against boys at EDP tonight. Kerry have offered nothing and been very poor defensively. Could be be double figures if they don't get going.

skaface

Blues 1-0 up at Half Time up in Athlone

Oat23

Aren't Pats paying that Mulraney lad a huge wage? Seen him 3 times now and haven't been impressed.

Poor stuff from Pats again tonight. Don't know what Clancy was doing all 1H playing Lonergan up front on his own with the midfield sitting so deep. Never looked like threatening.

ben.schlomo

As comfortable as you get in EDP tonight, a 9-1 final score. Could have been 10 or 12. Hopefully Kerry can learn from it and don't just end up with a year full of these scorelines.

skaface

1-0 win for Waterford up in Athlone tonight.. Not playing well at all, but we'll take the 3 points

kksaints

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120342708#Comment_120342708

Doesn't help that he's playing out of position playing off the striker when he's really a winger but he hasn't been great when he does get the ball. Seems to dribble into trouble far too often and his crossing when he does get wide has been poor.

We were fairly awful yet again and Clancy has to be on thin ice again. Think Bohs 2nd goal tops Sligos second for unbelievably s*it play. Lennon's tackle which got him a2nd yellow when already on a yellow card was really stupid.

PGE1970

Terrific three points for us in The Bowl tonight.

The pitch is a disgrace though.

PGE1970

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120323322#Comment_120323322

Re: Odumusu

@KK, sorry to say I told you so mate. Just saw the Bohs second goal.

We saw that a few times with Drogheda. But Tim obviously rates him.

CSF

You won’t see a more ugly game than us v Rovers. Felt like neither team recorded a chance in the whole game. Given the important players that we were missing, you’ll take that point all day long tbh.

kksaints

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343023#Comment_120343023

He was called up to the Ireland u21 at one stage so someone other than Clancy saw something in him but he's been shocking. Doesn't command the box at all, his kicking is rubbish and he takes ages with every single kickout regardless of score,only McGinty with Sligo was slower. Rogers who was average enough was desperately unlucky to hurt his wrist before the Shels match otherwise he'd be starting.

Drumpot

Just back from shels game, actually enjoyed that, full house, good atmosphere but was Baltic at the end of game. Rovers played most of the football but asides from one or two chances there wasn’t much in the way of goal opportunities.

joeysoap

Good point in Derry, who will win most of their home matches.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343174#Comment_120343174

Thought you lacked ambition. You looked to be playing for a nil nil from very early on. Lot of time wasting too.

We bossed the 2nd half but didn't create a clear enough chance to warrant the 3pts.

Connollys hamstring injury looked a bad one, I'd say he'll be out for a long time with that. Will be a big loss.

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343027#Comment_120343027

Shels keeper produced 2 excellent saves from Burke and Towell. Moylan produced shels best chance through individual skill but put in a low cross when he had time instead for hanging it to the back stick where there was a shels man in a good position. That was about it.

it was a better game than the corresponding fixture at the end of last season

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343158#Comment_120343158

I think when we say ‘played most of the football’, we’re really just referring to possession. They were as blunt going forward as us, which wasn’t my expectation after their goalfest against Cork.

PGE1970

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343064#Comment_120343064

That's David in a nutshell.

But he will have a game where he will make three or four ridiculous saves and you'll think he is Manuel Neuer.

Drumpot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343224#Comment_120343224

True, problem is we play with a back five and you can’t really expect there to be an open game when one team is so far back.

Several times every outfield player was camped in shels final third. If we had a speedster for the counter Rovers could of been picked off!

But like you said, they didn’t create a lot. Shels could of nicked it at end , think if was leavy running at their defence and he had two clear chances to shoot and he opted to pass.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343259#Comment_120343259

Honestly. I think we’ll be an entirely different team with an actual striker. So it’s heartening that we’re still solid enough to be competitive in every game, regardless of opposition, in the meantime.

Drumpot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343310#Comment_120343310

Was only saying that to my mate , a good striker and we can do some damage.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343361#Comment_120343361

It’s not even just for the goals. Playing against a team with the quality that Rovers have, there are going to be times where you get pushed back and have to hit it long to take the pressure off.

Doing that to Boyd, he’s going to win far more than he has any right to up there. Doing it to Farrell, Smith and Moylan, and it’s a centre backs dream and a quick turnover of possession.

artanevilla

Good result for us tonight and for our title rivals to drop points is also a bonus.

Hammer Archer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120342983#Comment_120342983

Given the recent weather and the fact that it's also the college rugby team's pitch, what do you expect? It's always an issue early in the season and, given that we generally try to play on the ground, it usually greatly affects us until around May when the rugby season finishes and the pitch starts to heal.

PGE1970

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343951#Comment_120343951

I expect that in the PD that teams shouldn't have to play on a surface like that.

The pitch is a disgrace.

I don't know how many pitches are available to the college but they decide to put rugby games on the pitch.

You acknowledge that it is the rugby matches that is causing it . The simple solution is to stop holding rugby matches on the pitch.

It simply isn't acceptable to justify having a pitch in that condition in the highest level of football in the country.

Particularly when it is self-inflicted.

Oat23

The rugby side will have their own pitch soon so it in shouldn't be an issue after this season I'd say.

Hammer Archer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343983#Comment_120343983

The football club have no control over where the rugby team plays so it's hardly "self inflicted". The college give rugby scholarships in a similar way to football ones so they're hardly going to tell the rugby club that they're not allowed play on the main pitch while the football season is on.

PGE1970

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120344055#Comment_120344055

I appreciate your post and accept that it is an internal college issue but the fact remains that the college enter a team in the LoI and choose to put them on the pitch.

If the rugby team plays elsewhere, as is suggested, then that should solve the problem.

But the pitch last night was an embarrassment and didn't do either team any good.

On the pitch, delighted with three points. It's very early in the season but UCD look poor.

chopperbyrne

Watching Rovers Women vs Treaty, and I've no idea why they don't have the fans in attendance in the East Stand. Camera looking at nothing but empty stands.

The_Kew_Tour

Sligo got a joke of Peno in end there. Ref bought that one.

City still cant defend set pieces to save their lives.

Hope never see that Ref again.

Oat23

We are s***e. Cork fans have every right to be furious with the ref and Healy after that. The game completely changed after he subbed off Keating for Tunde.

Penalty was dodgy. There was contact but it looked to me like Barlow left his foot in purposely to force it. Surprised the ref gave it.

What's the story with the Nordie ref (Hunter), did he move to the LOI or is he reffing in both leagues now?

The stats for the game are mad. Up until Clancy tapped in from the corner in the 80th minute I don't think we had a shot on target (barely a shot) despite dominating possession . Cork defended very well most of the game.

The Golden Miller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120334728#Comment_120334728

Not at all. Shels a work in progress. Becoming a well drilled hard to beat side, looking very dangerous with youth and speed on the break. When it comes together, will be a match for anyone. Game management and experienxe will evolve for a young team, but on a continued upward trajectory.

Watched us the past year, and often outplayed opposition when we had them stumped, only we failed to capatilise and inexperience killed us and handed away the inititive . But you can see that improving, week to week.

I think its just a waiting game, for it to fully come together for Shels. We'll get to the point where we'll be extremely hard to break down, and lethall on the break. Wait and see.

Patrick2010

To those Rovers fans moaning after only 5 games remember it’s a marathon not a sprint, easy to support when you’re top of the table, test is supporting when you’re chasing the lead

joeysoap

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347339#Comment_120347339

We had him input first home game. No better or worse than other LOI referees. The standard is abysmal overall

Oat23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348619#Comment_120348619

I'm really enjoying seeing some of your fans turn on the team after 5 games. The amount of **** some of them were talking on Twitter ahead of our game at the showgrounds about how crap our fans are because the match didn't sell out until a day or two before the game..

And 3 weeks later Graham Burke is being abused by fans of "Ireland's number one" after a draw.

CSF

Are fans actually turning in big numbers? You’ll always have a few that are super volatile and reactionary but you wouldn’t expect that to be too many, considering the success they’ve had in recent years.

Id imagine it’s just a case of the dissenting voices always being heard the loudest.

artanevilla

Avoid twitter and social media comment sections would be my advise, nothing good to be read or seen there.

Oat23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352332#Comment_120352332

It's the worst, expecially when you compare it to the likes of here, foot and the subreddit. Even LOI groups on facebook are civilised.

Twitter attracts a lot of the younger ones, and in the case of Shams the young ones are incredibly arrogant Tallaght-gen fans who are yet to be humbled like most LOI fans have been at some point.

chopperbyrne

My son is very disillusioned with the team at the moment, but he's only 10 and has only been going with me to matches the last four years, so he's only known the good times.

2019 - FAI Cup

2020 - League

2021 - League

2022 - League and European Group Stages

Any fan with any bit of common sense knows we'll turn this around, and are still likely to win the league, especially if we don't get group stages this year.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354272#Comment_120354272

I genuinely don’t think you are likely to win the league at this point. 7 points behind Derry with 2 trips due to the Brandywell is not a handicap I’d be backing you guys under.

Would it stun me if you did it? No, but I think you’re a firm 2nd favourite now.

PGE1970

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354272#Comment_120354272

Your son has seen Rovers win more in four years than I have seen Drogheda win in 45 years!

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354400#Comment_120354400

So I take it you are making us firm favourite?

Personally I wouldn't put money on that. We already have seen the usual problem of us not being able to breakdown teams at the Brandywell. This is our main problem every year. Higgins doesn't seem to have a Plan B when teams sit deep. Remember too we had a good lead at the start of last season and finished way off the pace.

If you gave me €1000 now to put on a team , I'd put it on Rovers.

shanec1928

To early to write anyone off yet bar ucd..I remember how we looked like we were going to cruise home a back to back league title 2013 after a serious start and look how that turned out.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354753#Comment_120354753

Just to clarify, I’m not saying a way ahead of the pack. Just definitely ahead of the pack right now.