17-20C
League of Ireland watch
-
Afternoon everybody and welcome to our weekly League of Ireland blog. Apologies for being a day late this week, I decided to burn my hand while making a cup of tea so couldn't type yesterday, but it's just as well because today we have much more to reflect on after Sligo and St Pat's played in the Europa League last night.
I'm joined this week by journalists from ExtraTime.ie, Sam Griffin and Jessica Farry, who were at Richmond Park and the Showgrounds last night.
We'll be here for the next 45 minutes or so and if you'd like to get involved, make sure to leave a comment. -
So first of all Sam and Jessica - mixed results for the teams in Europe this week, with Shamrock Rovers and Sligo bowing out, only for St Pat's to save the league's day and progress into the third round and a meeting with German giants Hannover next week.
We'll talk about Sligo and Pat's in more detail in a minute but briefly first of all - how disappointing was it to see Shamrock Rovers go out to Ekranas? -
And thanks for having me! Very disappointing, I was personally sure they would go through after seeing them in the first-leg. I think they had one shot on target on Tuesday night and that was the penalty. They've played teams at a much higher standard than Ekranas but they just couldn't win. After how well they did last year, it's hugely disappointing to see them go out. But, they haven't exactly been great this season either so maybe my expectations of their chance in Europe were a little too high. -
-
Very disappointing considering how well the did last year, Alan. But it's hardly surprising when you think about how inconsistent and unpredictable they have been all season. It's good gauge of how far they have fallen I suppose. Despite that, they had enough chances in the home game to win the tie - but like their domestic form, haven't been clinical enough in front of goal when it has really mattered. -
He'd be gone if he hadn't been signed up for a three contract, wouldn't he? I think money is the only concern. He hasn't done well. He's probably most guilty of not kicking off from the fantastic position Michael O'Neill left them in. Not sure what stand out candidates there are to replace him though...
-
Very few fans are behind him at this stage and the players don't seem to respond to him either. It's sad to see, he's a great manager. Anyone coming in to manage a team like Shamrock Rovers is always going to be under pressure as they are a very successful club. It's been a bad season for Shamrock Rovers but I don't think Kenny should go. Give him time and see. As Sam says, I don't know who would replace him either.
-
Indeed. That's the point I've made in the past - who will be able to come in and turn things around at this point? Would they be able to catch Sligo with any potential replacement? I really don't think so.
Anyway, Sligo...You were there last night Jess to see the Bit O'Red go out. If North, who we talked about at length last week, scored that penalty how different would it have been? -
It would've been a whole lot different. You just got the feeling that after he missed the penalty it was all going to change. Danny Ventre missed a one on one just after the penalty too, so they really should have been 2-0 up at half-time. Sligo Rovers were completely on top in the first leg and you could see the confidence and the desire was there. But they didn't take their chances. The atmosphere at The Showgrounds was absolutely brilliant but it nearly died in the second half, along with the game.
-
-
-
-
-
-
No I don't think so. They don't have a game this weekend after St. Pats progressed to the next round so they have a rest before their next game. The main focus is obviously on the league so a rest will do them the world of good. Indeed, they weren't at their best against Cork and that was a bit of a reality check. Quigley really should have started last night but he was poor when he came on. Really needed him to start, or else Lee Lynch in midfield would have been a good player to having on the starting 11 also. His pace could've been handy at time. Danny North got injured as well so here's hoping he's ok, he would be a huge loss.
-
-
-
-
-
Unfortunately it wasn't Pascal's best game. He's been waiting for European football for so long at this stage and the game just didn't suit him. He worked hard, as he always does, but it just didn't work out. They were a physical side and Sligo Rovers have few players who could match their height.
-
-
-
Good to see Pats on the home page of UEFA.com at the minute by the way. Hannover is the perfect draw for them from a commercial point of view but surely they have no chance of reaching the group stage.
Very disappointed by Sligo - they are a better team than they showed in this tie. -
What a fantastic night Alan! Great atmosphere in Richmond Park of course. It was a strange game in that it really should have been put to bed in the first leg but Pat's wasted chances. It was the same in the first half last night. They should have been 3-0 up at half-time last night with Fagan and Kenny Browne spurning good chances. As eriously nervy ending after Fagan’s goal but worth the win over the 210 minutes.
-
"It was unbelievable, just ecstatic," said Christy Fagan afterwards. He's been a player who has impressed me greatly the past while and it was great to see him get the goal. But, for me anyway, it was all about Ger O'Brien's tackle. How good was it in real-time Sam?
-
-
-
-
For anybody that hasn't seen it - have a look from about 22 seconds on here - www.youtube.com
-
-
-
-
-
Before we take a look at this weekend's league action, something that's been on my mind this week that I wanted to know your opinions on - friendlies against big clubs from England and further afield, are they good for Irish clubs or a hindrance to teams who are at a crucial stage in the league?
-
I think they can provide so much desperately needed revenue they must be considered a good thing. I remember I was talking to the Bray Wanderers chairman last summer when the Liverpool reserves were playing. He said it was huge for the club and one of the very few times he could ever remember a sell out at the Carlisle Grounds.
-
I reckon they're brilliant.
Cork City have had a very, very long week from playing Sligo away on Sunday night, two friendlies against Watford (small crowd but a good chance to play some fringe players who needed a run-out) followed by a game against Man United's reserves (a packed ground for the first time in years, huge earner for the club and 27 players in the squad had a run-out), but from the game on Wednesday night alone they'd have made a hell of a lot of money. -
-
Another one of these friendly I was lucky to attend was Everton v Bohs last august. Everton's first league game was postponed due to the London riots so they had the full complement at Dalymount Park. Aside from the money, these kind of fixtures generate a great buzz for the LOI.
-
-
Interestingly Sam, I had a discussion with a colleague of mine in Cork on Wednesday night about Bray v Liverpool - the following week there were only a few hundred at their next league game. Of the 3000 extra added to the Cork gate on Wednesday, how many will return tonight for their much more important league game with Shelbourne? Very few, I'd imagine.
-
The biggest one of the summer is yet to come, by the way: Limerick v Man City at Thomond Park on Sunday week. What an earner that'll be for Limerick city. Tickets have been selling well, even if City's team is unlikely to be the very strongest seeing as they play in Germany the night before.
-
-
-
-