New thread for the League of Ireland.
Previous one is currently behind itself but may return another day. Old thread:
Interesting to see Michael Noonan pictured in a Man City shirt in today’s Sunday times in 2024, he was with Pats then but looked he was heading to city
Think it was the same flare they were exchanging. It's good to share.
Whatever about the odd flare throwing in LOI, the rangers mob in ibrox now on the pitch after losing the game exchanging a few flares from the pitch in to the Celtic end
It may be irrational at this stage, but I still don't trust Hoare. He was dreadful last season, and I'd still have Grivosti instead of him. Like I say, I might be biased, but he still seems like an accident waiting to happen to me.
Ya you'd think there'll be bigger fish sniffing around there shortly. He was strong, quick, good touch, excellent link play. Best striker we've faced so far.
You must be disappointed on a weekly basis so. Drogs were time wasting in the first half at 0-0 in the season opener with us.
Drogheda fans complaining about Sligo wasting time is Like any Portuguese player complaining about opponents diving , tis quite amusing.
How is that relevant to tonight's game? Did you watch it?
Arubi is going to be some player. Only 21 .
Great win for us last night even if we almost threw it away after going two up. First half was fairly even, both teams had chances although nothing clear cut. We dominated the first 20 minutes of the second half and deserved our lead. Was great to see Edmundson score as he'd worked hard so far this season but he'd missed several good chances in his previous games. Then once we scored our second goal, Shels took control of the play and got two very quick goals. Both were sloppy defending on our part, Wood should never be allowed sialom his way across the pitch like that and Caffey was allowed too much space to get his shot off for the equaliser. We got back into it somewhat after the equaliser but Shels probably looked the most likely to score until we got a corner following a dangerous free kick and Mata finishes superbly to give us the win.
For the first 70 minutes Hoare was really good for us, he then faded but for what looked like a bad signing last year he's done really well the last three matches. Baggley has also been excellent for us so far this year. Nugent had a tough job replacing Lennon and he didn't let himself down, he definitely faded in the 2nd half but before that he controlled our play and held the midfield well.
Drogheda keeper was horrendous for time wasting up until we went ahead in United Park.
Ok then.
Your keeper almost got booked for timewasting at 0-0. The ref was pointing at his pocket telling him to kick the ball.
I think the ref booked two of your players for time wasting, let you take a free kick after additional time in the firet half (from which you scored) and blew up ft when we won a corner.
I'm not complaining about the result, we were awful. But suggesting that Drogheda were time wasting is a bit silly.
no more than ye stealing 5 or 6 yards every time or your keeper taking an age for every kick out. If the referees actually enforced that rule rovers would have had 4 or 5 corners.
Dreadful from us in Sligo tonight. Having no striker at the club bar a teenager is awful. Doyle is a LW and Oluwa is awful.
Sligo weren't great but scored two (Dennison giving away a goal for the second week in a row) and that was the difference.
A bit disappointing to see time wasting from Sligo from 60 mins onwards but they got three points so will be, rightly, delighted.
I was at the game too and couldn't agree more about McClean...he just doesn't look comfortable in the middle at all. I was very impressed with Brennan again, but I thought Adam O'Reilly was incredible too in the middle for Derry. His pace and ability to get back and make a tackle was excellent.
Yeh, in between brief couple of minutes where team can seem comfortable and confident being more progressive, we look quite aimless and very similar to when we’d just play it around find third, back to defender probing for a chance but we create little and only seem to be able to create good chances after conceding and if game opens up a bit.
On paper we look stronger with good squad options but I don’t see things coming together. It’s either harry wood comes up with something special (we’d be fecked without him) or somebody else, reality has a “moments fc” feel about our goals.
Also, the intensity was seriously lacking at some points , with Pats out fighting for the ball and getting second balls more.
I’ve been at all our games this season so far and there’s no clear improvements. Outside of Drogheda away 2nd half (after our worst performance in first half), there’s not a lot to be optimistic about.
Like others , I’m not writing off season but it’s at best a concerning start. Pats deserved to win, we nearly nicked something from game but for the majority we were very poor. I know Jarvis will take time to get up to speed but his form so far hasn’t been good enough. Play to full fitness seems to be the goal , took woods ahold to get upto speed when he returned so I guess its the same gamble.
Bone has been really good. I noticed he looked much trimmer when I saw him after pre season and we’ve been lucky he’s been able to step up. Not sure how much injury’s are effecting us , defo missed the attacking intent from Mbeng and I’d like to see more of Henry Francis alongside McInroy.
Shels have had 4 captains this season, 3 in yesterday’s match, with Boyd and ledwidge taking over from McInroy. Maybe it is unfair to totally write off injuries impact and if I was to be optimistic, maybe if the team can build some momentum we will see a different performance. But I’m pessimistic by nature so I’m already thinking maybe we can win the cup…. (Not that we can’t qualify in league, too early for that , but we need to start picking up points soon and rovers , Derry and bohs in next 3 games could leave us in bad state if we don’t get motoring).
I would say I was disappointed with our performance in Tallaght, but to be honest I am not surprised.
We have a good squad of players, but the manager isnt getting anywhere the best out of them. We created nothing and a lot of aimless hoofball stuff.
I think it was obvious he was playing for a draw early on, and then it was too late when we gave away the penalty.
As for McClean, well im fed up looking at him now. We didnt need him, yet he is upsetting the entire squad due to him having to be played. I thought the only way we could accommodate him was either LB or LW, and with Fleming missing last night, it would have been a great opportunity to play him LB and see if he and Duffy could link up. But watching the state of him trying to get around the park, that young lad on the right wing would have left him for dead, as Ben Doherty is no slouch and struggled with him. So basically I only see the bench as an option for him now. But the manager will continue to try to shoe horn him into the team. I fear it'll ruin our season.
Many derry fans hate our plastic pitch and assume once we get a grass pitch we'll be like Barcelona. Last night proved we can be sh1t on grass too. So little composure all over the pitch.
Rovers fully deserving of the points, they were the only team trying to play football and win the game. Jack Byrne wont have an easier midfield match up this season.
It was there and it was bad. There were a few flares, but some goon literally lit a flare and instantly fecked it onto the pitch.
Shels are tidy enough and very creative but it is all for nothing. Anywhere within the 20 yard line and the ball becomes a hot potato with no one wanting to do anything with it. Harry Wood needs to drop the hip and let rip a few more times a game.
Gonna be grim if all season it's dominate possession and controlling games yet shipping soft goals at set piece and counter attacks.
Rovers' best 90 minutes in ages with forward intent, shots on goal and periods of pressure. Derry were ineffective to say the least.
The lowpoint for Rovers and partnerships remains the horse fiasco and it's not going to be ever threatened for first place..
Adam Brennan has some pace. From his time with Rovers we know Barry Cotter is no slouch but at one stage in the first half Brennan just dinked the ball past him and easily beat him in a sprint to the end line. He chose the wrong option once or twice but he'll learn and overall he's been a fantastic addition to the squad.
On McClean, I can also see what Derry fans are saying and the dilemma they have. He was mostly anonymous yet stayed on the pitch for the full 90 mins when the likes of James Clarke were substituted.
Watching in Tallaght last night I can see why the Derry fans think McClean is doing nothing for them. Watching a game live you can see what a player does off the ball and James looked lost playing in a different position, not his fault.
Great to see Jack Byrne back to his best and Adam Brennan is a joy to watch.
Duffer was transitioning to a completely new style in fairness to him, that was always going to be necessary to be a fixture at the top rather than a once off.
We had fully fit Barrett, Casey, Mbeng, JHF, Kerry, Mipo versus Waterford and we saw many of the same problems in that game against a poorer quality team compared to Pats
I'm not going to go into a panic mode just yet at this early stage of the season but there have been emerging cracks for 18 months that may have cemented into a fluffy directionless Shels team compared to the effective streetwise hard to beat DNA of 2023/2024.
Completely dominated the first half and game should have been put to bed then. We looked like the home side. 2nd half it was a bit sloppy which suited Waterford more, but manged the game ok. Need to finish the chances we created though, on another night it's only a point.
Also freezing cold.
On to the next one.
Great result for Pats. We looked dominant after going two up, then pretty shaky once Shels scored. As the commentators were saying it did look at that stage that if there was going to be a winner it would be them. In all honesty I'd have taken a point at that stage, but to come back and win it at the death was sweet. Couldn't believe Joey O'Brien thought Shels were the better team in the second half. For fifteen minutes maybe.
I don't disagree with you at all. But I'm correct
Lad has played less than 150 minutes in a brand new country and league. This is madness talk.
Also that Portuguese midget isn't it. He can go on the Ellis Chapman pile
