Greatest League in the World 2024 [new thread available]

PGE1970 · 15-04-2022 10:29pm

We, Drogheda, 3 points off a european place.

It's a strange season!

NIMAN · 15-04-2022 11:12pm

I came out of the Brandywell fuming tonight after watching that display.

What is it with modern managers? They all follow the same rules, they must get taught them when doing their licences!!

Take a goal lead, then sit back and rest on it. We did it against Harps in the previous game, and now tonight. We were cruising tonight, Shels were pinned back easily. We took the lead and within a minute or two, you could see Shels getting more possession. And before some say Shels upped it, I say balls. We took the foot off the gas, cos we were 1 up. Sit on the lead. And then only make subs on the 60th minute! I hate this nonsense. You never see managers bring on subs in the 55th or 58th min, has to be the 60th cos that's what the uefa coaching manual says.

We deserved to lose that game tonight, and I really hope Higgins and Reynolds can see what all the fans can see. Its not a 45 or 60min game.

Apologies for rant, but that really annoyed me tonight.

ben.schlomo · 15-04-2022 11:44pm

Good win for us down in Waterford tonight. A much improved performance by all accounts, in spite of riding our luck at the end.

Re: Niman, we do it every time we get a lead too. Same again tonight but we held on and played better than we have the last 2 months.

PGE1970 · 15-04-2022 11:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118933386#Comment_118933386

Rants are allowed, it's part of being a LoI supporter! Before you get too deflated, have a look at the league table.

That said, I hope your bad luck continues on Monday ;)

Our 3 points tonight allows us to relax a little. I'd take a point now!

kksaints · 16-04-2022 1:05am

We were very disappointing after Rovers scored as it had been an even game beforehand. We created nothing and the ball into the forwards was very poor. Clancy needs to do something of a rethink of his tactics as it's not working well atm.

NIMAN · 16-04-2022 2:18am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118933522#Comment_118933522

Appreciate the league table is still better looking than I could have imagined at this stage, but still hurts to think we were to blame for the defeat tonight by negative tactics.

Shels weren't in the game at all, and it would have been a comfortable 3pts had we kept pressuring them.

dfx- · 16-04-2022 9:31am

Very little goalmouth action in Tallaght, but a great winner. If you were to claim there's a hghly vaunted prolific League 1 striker in the Pats side who would run riot at LOI level...you'd have been hard pressed to pick him out. Great to have Kavanagh back and Greene pressed well when he came on.

I love the bitterness in the clip of the equaliser for Harps. Down to 10 men for 90 minutes and "contributed virtually nothing to the game".

ben.schlomo · 16-04-2022 11:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118933905#Comment_118933905

Ya we've Bray at home next week, will be a very different type of game to last night for us. Waterford will be trailing by a lot if ye turn them over, be difficult to turn that around.

Ohmeha · 16-04-2022 3:14pm

Some character from this Shels team after that horrible home defeat to Harps a few week back. I really was fearing the worst with the Sligo, Shamrock, Derry games but to comeback and pick up 2 away wins and very nearly a draw against the defending league champions is an impressive turnaround when things could have got ugly

Clarke coming back in goals was essential and seeing Moylan, Griffin and Lunney coming back from injury is huge for us it's like a new team again. Buzzing now for the Bohs game on Monday afternoon massive pressure on them

ben.schlomo · 16-04-2022 5:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118934498#Comment_118934498

Ya it was great to see us get a goal where we actually passed the ball on the ground multiple times. And I agree the Waterford defending was woeful for it. Lazy from their no 7.

Ya there'll be no replacing Alex when he goes. I've never seen (in person) a 17 year old so composed on a pitch. He just glides across the pitch at times.

ben.schlomo · 16-04-2022 6:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118936159#Comment_118936159

Ya he's excellent going forward, defensively good too for the most part. We were down to ten men that night which may have affected it.

Gavin "shels" · 16-04-2022 10:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118935216#Comment_118935216

Like yourself I was extremely worried - couldn't make it to Derry last night but watched the first half and was half able to keep an eye on the second half! Missed 3 games so far this season - Drogs away 2-0 win, UCD away 0-0 draw and Derry away 2-1 win.... think I might have to stay away a tad bit more :D we'll see how Monday goes!!

toffeeshel · 18-04-2022 5:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118937271#Comment_118937271

Dreadful performance from Shels today. Mistake after mistake after mistake. Passing it around in front of our box and invariably losing it. The definition of stupidity- repeating the same thing and hoping for a different outcome. It was like a repeat of the Pats game. We are easy to play against- just pressurize us when we have the ball deep in our half and we’ll eventually give it to you.

cdeb · 18-04-2022 5:56pm

UCD match programme this season is online for any Pat's fans at the game. Can download it at https://www.ucdfc.ie/programme (or scan the QR codes in the ground)

Includes a look back to when Steve Heighway nearly signed for UCD to extend his Ireland career, and our role in Canada's only other World Cup qualification (and also their subsequent fall from grace)

Ohmeha · 18-04-2022 6:44pm

Someone please delete that positive post from me on the last page praising Shels' character. Looked like they spent the weekend tiring themselves out by patting themselves on the back over that Derry win, it was a vintage display of dogshite bambi on ice defending up there with the worst of the 07' and 16' car crash First Division seasons and then too many players downing tools in the 2nd half. This was worse than the Harps match, this was our first home Premier Division match against Bohs at Tolka in 8 years with lots of optimism after the recent performances to capitulate like that today in a derby infront of a full house is shocking

Drumpot · 18-04-2022 7:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118943516#Comment_118943516

I was at the game, was a hard watch but I think they’ve played worse and not been punished as badly. I also thought they could of had another goal or two themselves, they certainly offered more of a goal threat then they did in earlier poor performances when they never looked like scoring. The first two goals were a deflected shot and a peno. Very disappointing though.

trashcan · 18-04-2022 7:58pm

Bizarre season continues. Derry lose to Shels at the Brandywell, who then get a spanking off Bohs at home. Keeps it interesting anyway. Pats blessed to come away from Belfield with three points. UCD commentator laughably insisting the penalty challenge was clearly outside the box. It wasn’t, but having said that it was a harsh award for the challenge that was made. The own goal then topped it off. Pats dominated possession but just looked so toothless.

PGE1970 · 18-04-2022 10:18pm

Just in from United Park. What a brilliant point for Drogheda. I haven't seen a Drogheda side for years play with this courage and fight.

Derry are a super side and we weathered a severe storm in the second half but what a brave performance.

And watch the highlights for a wonder save from Sam Long. Simply superb.

We haven't the best players and we know that. But four points out the last two games and unbeaten in six. More than we ever could have hoped for.

And another great crowd to help them along.

PGE1970 · 18-04-2022 10:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118944018#Comment_118944018

If Tim Clancy hadn't left us, Mark Doyle would have stayed and we might not have Dayle Rooney or Dean Williams.

Whilst Doyler was loved in United Park, we're very happy to have Dayle and Deano.

NIMAN · 18-04-2022 10:58pm

The Shels results either side of ours, proves to me that we blew it tactically at the Brandywell.

Should have been an easy 3pts.

kksaints · 18-04-2022 11:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118944596#Comment_118944596

Ye can have him back if you want. He was beyond useless today

We needed that win today but we were awful for most of the match. Really ponderous attacking play and while our defending is usually decent we're tending to give away one decent chance per game which the opposition inevitably scores.

dfx- · 19-04-2022 12:18am

Much better defensively since the break from Rovers at the core of the improvement. One goal conceded in four games and you would back those in form being picked and getting one or two.

Bohs up next and a history giving up soft goals to them on the break will be a big test.

The Golden Miller · 19-04-2022 2:19am

Another depressing venture to Tolka Park. Should of scored a few after we went a few down. Riverside stand bouncing as usual.

Sentiment seems to be the same across the board for Shels from what I can make out. Many left the club when times were bad, everyone back to never make that mistake again. We follow follow, win lose or draw. Red army, nothing more, nothing less. We are Shels!

artanevilla · 19-04-2022 9:34am

Disappointed not to have received a jersey in the away end.

Gavin "shels" · 19-04-2022 10:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118944875#Comment_118944875

Absolutely piss poor!

PGE1970 · 21-04-2022 12:24am

Morris gone from Waterford.

joeysoap · 21-04-2022 12:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118954433#Comment_118954433

The Man U job is gone.

On a a serious note. results haven’t been great lately. But forgetting the owners, were the fans behind him? Or were they lukewarm?

hardybuck · 21-04-2022 1:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118955899#Comment_118955899

I don't think the owners can be blamed for this one. They retained a lot of the lads from last year (most of the key players), and that must be one of the strongest squads to be relegated for a long time.

The budget must be very healthy by first division standards. I had my reservations about Morris after listening to the Shelboure lads, but you could see the logic in his appointment. He won the division last year and he's the opposite of the type of manager that previously seemed to be favoured (i.e. a Sheedy/Sheridan/Bircham type from the UK).

Recently crowds had dropped around 40-50% from those at the start of the season. In the last five games they've taken 4 points from a possible 15, and the style of football was very unattractive.

The first division is very competitive this season, but I think they should still be able to push for a playoff spot if they can settle down under a new manager.

joeysoap · 21-04-2022 11:42pm

With only 9 teams incl the basket case of Athlone, qualifying for the playoffs should be a minimum.

it is competitive though

hardybuck · 22-04-2022 10:03am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118958949#Comment_118958949

Yeah it's a strange format with the way the playoffs are structured, but most of the teams seem to be in a decent place, at the moment and benefiting from the general uptake in interest in LOI football.

I think it's a temporary anomaly that there isn't a team from Waterford, Limerick, Cork or Galway in the Premier. Cork are still one of the biggest clubs in the country (despite their best efforts to self destruct), and only Shamrock Rovers are pulling in bigger crowds than them this season. Galway have huge financial backing from the Comers. Teams like Longford and Bray have strong traditions, and Wexford are having a huge resurgence over the last year or two.

I'd be an advocate for a 12-14 team Premier Division - and I wouldn't have said that 5-10 years ago. I think 2-4 of the clubs listed above could genuinely sustain Premier football, bring in good attendances and be full time which would help clubs like Galway develop another Alex Murphy.

In a short few years teams like Cavan/Monaghan, Kildare, Kerry, Carlow/Kilkenny should be nudged into the First Division. It'd offer greater regional participation, and give their lads at underage level something to hang around for. At the moment there doesn't seem to be any plan for where those kids are supposed to go after they finish underage football, and presumably most of them will be fall by the wayside the way things are currently structured.

topmanamillion · 22-04-2022 2:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118959771#Comment_118959771

Waterford, Cork, Galway and Limerick are where they deserve to be. None of them are particularly well "supported". Supporting your club means sticking with it through thick and thin.

The LOI following in those cities is notoriously fickle and has been that way for donkeys years. Waterfords crowds are down 50% since the beginning of the year. Corks went off a cliff the year after they'd won a League and cup double. The majority of the co-op lads went running for the hills not wanting to be associated with a sinking ship when the sh1t hit the fan. Galway were sold to private owners because their fan model had no backing - around 100 members and dropping. I could keep going.

I personally like the 10 team premier. It rewards teams like Harps for going about things the right way. Harps spent a decade or more in the First Division getting their house in order and have been competitive in the Premier since. It would be the height of bullsh1t to expand the league now just to shoe horn in a few basket case clubs.

Id agree with the geographical spread comment, its no more a League of Ireland than the MSL is a Munster League (its a cork city league). Bringing more clubs up to senior level has to be done strategically. Throwing a Mayo/Kerry/Tipp team into the First Division because of the novelty factor would only end in disaster. Plus its been done before with Kilkenny, Kildare, Monaghan.... Without a different approach it would just have the same result.

Liberta Per Gli Ultra · 22-04-2022 3:50pm

The 10 team Premier is monotonous and exclusionary, and was so the other two times they tried it for a quick fix. It does a disservice to the overall league.

That being said, the hypocrisy of people is funny; "we need an elite top division (except when my club falls out of it)".

topmanamillion · 22-04-2022 4:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118961645#Comment_118961645

I think its been a success and the clubs seem to be in favour of it. With a 19/20 team league structure there really isn`t an alternative.

Also, if monotony is an issue there really isn`t much difference between a 10-12 team league. The top teams are going to be playing each other 4 or 5 times either way.

The 12 team league tended to give an unfair advantage to some teams particularly in the title race because they had more home games against rivals than away games because teams were playing each other 3 times in the league.

hardybuck · 22-04-2022 4:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118961369#Comment_118961369

I predicted that type of reaction, and I agree with you on many levels.

However, while we could debate what 'support' entails, Cork have the second highest attendances in the LOI at present. The LOI attendances in general are on the up in recent years, and there's a bit of a buzz in Cork, Galway and Limerick in particular.

While I admire teams like Finn Harps and how they're run, I don't think too many LOI clubs can or should be looking down their noses at the others and calling them basket cases. There is a potentially golden opportunity to grow the league at the moment while interest levels are high, and the rising tide could lift all boats.

There might also be an opportunity now to build some sort of proper football industry here in Ireland for the first time and offer more careers in the game.

The potential additions I mentioned for the First Division are teams which are currently in the underage leagues but have no adult team in the LOI yet. There doesn't seem to be any strategic plans for where their young players are supposed to go and play adult football. Either way some of them will have to play in a restructured first division or second division or else their underage participation will be a bit of a waste of time.

topmanamillion · 22-04-2022 5:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118961947#Comment_118961947

A lot of the teams you mentioned in the underage leagues don`t have a team competing in every one of the underage leagues never mind being ready to step up to First Division level.

It`ll be interesting to see where the 10th FD club comes from and what the make-up of the third tier is if it happens.

Expanding the league has always been chicken and the egg stuff. A strong LOI would naturally attract new clubs so we should look after the clubs we have first.

joeysoap · 22-04-2022 6:36pm

I apologise for calling Athlone Town a basket case. I was talking in points terms only. They are one of the oldest loi clubs, and were the first provincial club to join the LOI. (ahead of dundalk and Sligo)

Ferris_Bueller · 22-04-2022 8:10pm

Rovers starting very well here, 1-0 up courtesy of Lyons but could easily have another couple of goals but Talbot has pulled off 2 or 3 good saves. Lively start to this game, such a shame it isn't on RTÉ.

Hammer Archer · 22-04-2022 8:21pm

I think we may struggle this season. I have a hunch.

Drumpot · 22-04-2022 8:36pm

F*ck shels down a man. And Duffer sent off aswell. Was nothing between them.

Dillonb3 · 22-04-2022 8:40pm

Duff sent off after kicking a bottle in front of the ref

Drumpot · 22-04-2022 9:01pm

Shels started second half well

Drumpot · 22-04-2022 9:05pm

Teams are evened up. Bradley sent off Dundalk , shels Looking good now if they can build on this

Drumpot · 22-04-2022 9:30pm

Peno for shels. Denied one earlier in half, this one prob a bit soft . Farrell scores

Shels are gas. When they were down to 10 men, they were Better team, should of gone a goal up. Dundalk have man sent off and lthey take hold of the game. As game goes on Dundalk sit back and let shels back in.

I was at Bohs game at Tolka and shels weren’t as bad as the score line in my view but they do struggle at home. Away is where it’s at for Shels this season

ShamoBuc · 22-04-2022 9:37pm

City with a fine 3-2 win over their neighbours Ramblers down in Cobh, 4k at it!!

NIMAN · 22-04-2022 11:14pm

Very easy tonight for us at the Brandywell.

And I wouldn't say we played overly well.

Ucd could possibly be the worst top division team I remember watching live.

Oat23 · 23-04-2022 12:00am

Disappointing that yet another sold out derby game wasn't shown on TV.

Ucd could possibly be the worst top division team I remember watching live.

Worst PD team I can remember seeing was Galway in 2011. I think we beat them 8-0 at Terryland and 7-1 at the Showgrounds. They won 1 game all season and conceded 115 goals. I doubt I'll see a worse side in my lifetime.

DrumSteve · 23-04-2022 12:30am

Very bad first half from us.

Much better in the second half.

Thought Murphy played well til he got hooked, Devoy too.

Very soft to give that goal away so soon after we got one back.

Some disgraceful stuff going on at the game from the Rovers end, but I doubt anything will be done.

kksaints · 23-04-2022 12:41am

Good win for us tonight. Pleased for Doyle to get the two goals. He probably should have had a hattrick. Was surprised how easy we got through the Harps defence in the 1st half. Unusually for a Ollie Horgan side they were much better attacking rather than defensively. As much as a character as Ollie is, he really needs to calm down somewhat, it can't be good for his heart they way he goes absolutely ballistic over a minor decision in a game.

joeysoap · 23-04-2022 12:50am

Limerick a few years ago were dreadful.

ben.schlomo · 23-04-2022 7:32am

Comfortable win for us against Bray last night and a much improved performance to go with it. We actually got the ball down and passed it for spells. Stephen Walsh's resurrection as a striker continues with his 5th of the season and he could have had another but for an excellent save from Bray's keeper.

Can see why Bray have only scored 6 after 11 games too. Supply to Manley is woeful and bar Kurtis Byrne with a moment of magic they offer very little going forward.

Greatest League in the World 2024 [new thread available]

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