eL : Half Term Report

gimmick

Well, its the half way stage of this seasons eL. Well, most teams have play 17 games, which is juts over the half way, considering its a 33 game league :rolleyes: . How does everyone see things shaping up in the second half?

Personally, I find it very difficult to see City losing their way. 7 points clear of Derry, 9 of Shels, and playing the best football they have played in years. That said, City must travel to Derry, Shels and Bohs again, while all three must visit the Cross again. Interestingly its Derry at the Cross on the last day of the season. Could be a title decider!!!

That said, write off Shels at your peril. They have the experience of winning, and while playing catch up may be a new experience for them, i feel that they will be pushing all the way. Shel;s Vs City 3rd last game of the season in Tolka could be tasty.

My biggest surprise this season is how poorly SPA are doing. I honestly felt that Johnny McDonnell made some decent signings, and was making good progress toward the end of last season.

Derry are finally back where they belong, challenging at the higher end of the table. How Bohs must rue the harsh, and ill concieved unthought out sacking of Stephen Kenny.

As for the relegation issue, for me its between 3 teams - Shams, Finn Harps and Waterford, with the latter most likely to go down. They have won in 10, they are haemorraging players, they have no money, and a very apathetic public. However, if Waterford are the bottom club i see them taking an injunction against Shams, saying that they should have been relegated due to their insecurities etc. Likewise if Harps are the team to drop.

From a Cork City supporters point of view, Im absolutely over the moon with the season so far, especially considering the turmoil just before the season started when the manager was sacked, and promptly tried to disparage the club at every juncture. Well heres news for you Pat Dolan. You are a bluffer , and CCFC are better without you and your spin. City now have a really professional manager who has done more to take City forward in the last 4 months that you did in your 2 bullshít filled years.

Underachieving this year, are Drogs. Considering the money they spend in pre-season, they should be better than 4th. If they dont get Europe at least this season, expect them to hit the wall again within 2 years.

Arguably so are Bohs (underachieving), but considering they lost the spine of their team to Shels in the pre0-season, their position is admirable. Farrelly and Hunt are a formidable partnership in midfield, and as a team are playing excellent football. They will be there or there abouts for a UEFA spot, but next season I see them being a force again, once the young players have a tad more experience.

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1st Division is looking very interesting. By the looks of it, Sligo should get the automatic spot. Hopefully CHF will fall away, and let Cobh or Limerick get the play-off spot, and subsequently beat the premier team.

Villain

gimmick wrote:

eidted

Thats a good post except for the piece above you might want to edit that man, as it's libelous.

Better to be safe than sorry

Big Ears

Derry have a game in hand by the way so that 7 points could be 4 .
I expect Shels to really come to form from now on and Bohs to keep on improving throughout the season . The question can Cork hold one to 1st place is simply answered with : depending on how well they do with the 4 teams below them on head to heads . I think we will see a very dramatic ending .

But for the good of the league I hope Cork , Shels and Derry get the 3 main European spots and Drogs or Bohs get the inter-toto . The last thing we need is for someone like Rockmount to win the cup (seems very unlikely but look how fecking close they were last season) .

Edit: very exciting so far and I think things are only going to get better .

_blank_

gimmick wrote:

Well heres news for you Pat Dolan. You are a bluffer , and CCFC are better without you and your spin. City now have a really professional manager who has done more to take City forward in the last 4 months that you did in your 2 bullshít filled years.

I could have told you that two years ago :rolleyes:

Anyway, yeah, a good season so far, especially after a lot of people thought Shels would dominate entirely. Cork City are looking very good for the title at this moment in time, and fair play to them as I think given an extra game or two at the end of last season they would have won the league.

I think Shels will go from strength to strength from now on in, we really look like some kind of a team now, and if we can keep clear of injuries then we will run Cork City close for the league.

Derry City are great side, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they got second spot ahead of Shels, I think the top three will comprise these three teams, Cork City, Derry City and Shels.

I really hope Rovers go down, they have lied and cheated their way through this season, and deserve nothing less.

Slash/ED

Shels form this season has rubbished the fear mongering that success in europe = domestic domination.

I keep saying it, but I wouldn't quite write off Drogheda yet. I would not be suprised if they finish ahead of Derry, they will spend money during this window and are giving a trial to a Finnish international with 15 international goals, or so they claim. If they get a goal scorer they could be decent. Secondly I can see Derrys second half form not living up to their first half form, for me they did not impress at all v Rovers and were lucky they were playing a cack team. Okay you can only beat what's in front of you, but they lack cover and I think that will hurt them. One or two wise signings over the winter and they'll be real contenders next year however, a place in Europe is still a superb season for them this year.

It is Corks league to lose, but Shels are capable of putting a run together. It would have to be one hell of a run, but we're capable. The big hitters in the team are slowly hitting form, such as the front two and, more importantly, Stuey Byrne was outstanding v Glentoran. With him at his best we're a different side. The defence is getting over the injury problems and with quality like Hoolahan and Ndo in the mid field, with a strong defence, we're finally getting into decent shape. Obviously Cork are far and away favourites, but we could put a charge on, and we all know what Rico is like on last day title deciders

As for relegation, one way or another this will be dragged into the courts, mark my words. If Rovers go down they will say that there is no rule at all saying they should have been docked 8 points. It was typical amateurism from the FAI simply making up punishment on the spot and Rovers happened to have 8 points at the time, they made up that punishment and frankly Rovers would have a case. If anyone else goes down, they would also have a case, as with no license and after the pathetic actions of their previous board, espically the dual accounts thing, they can say that Rovers shouldn't even be in the league. Again, they would both have a case, this relegation will be like marneygate all over again thanks to sheer FAI stupidity. As ever. The only way it can be avoided is if Rovers go down with more than 8 points to spare, which given how pathetic they were v Derry isn't that out of the question if Harps can put any kind of form together at all.

KdjaCL

I can honestly see Cork bugger it up big time, have done before and Richardson no stranger to last day nightmares. I shocked they havent spent any money in the window as there squad is quite small compared to Shels.

Obviously glad Shels are ****, lose on wednesday would be super, Derry and Bohs as darkhorses for the league Bohs especially altho Cork are great an all an anyways Farrelly and Hunt are possibly the best 2 central mids in the League.

We **** too many lightweight players, Caffrey is on a holiday with us, Rowe as well. We have a decent back 4 if protected but our midfield is useless and lack of an out an out striker is killing us. Give tha ball away up front comes straight tru the mid and the back four exposed every bloody week....

Rovers going down is making everything a bit better and shels being **** isnt bad either. Now to Sligo...................


kdjac