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Just happy to still be around; League of Ireland 2020

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    Just happy to still be around; League of Ireland 2020

    After a close season when another team from Limerick went bust, and a Minister for Sport was blase about the national soccer league being abolished, we're finally back in business.

    In general it was a fairly quiet winter, with few big signings, most clubs seem happy with what they've got. With the first games this weekend, here's my predictions.

    1) Dundalk; The Lilywhites are still the team to beat and they've fine tuned their squad, adding full back Darragh Leahy from Bohs ,Greg Sloggett from Derry and Cammy Smith from Aberdeen via Dundee. Main worry would be the aging spine, especially how long can 39 year old goalkeeper Gary Rogers keep up his form.

    2) Shamrock Rovers; if the Hoops hadn't lost three games against rivals Bohs they could have won the league, but they did, and there lies the problem. Rovers can be invincible in top form, but they've dropped too many points in games they should have won easily. They still haven't found a top class striker and rely too much on Jack Byrne and converted winger Aaron Greene to get the goals.

    3) Derry city; to be honest, I haven't really kept up with the comings and goings at the Brandywell this year, but Derry were a good team that ran Bohs close for third place. Unfortunately both strikers have moved on, leaving a 22 goal gap behind them. If they've found at least one replacement, then I'm voting them 3rd.

    4) Bohemian FC; After all the off field headlines about sell out crowds and charity away shirts, what's going to happen on the pitch. We've made some decent signings, bringing back ex players Dan Casey and J.J Lunney and Canadian winger Kris Twardek. Losing both full backs is a blow but striker and Countdown star Dinny Corcoran is fit again.

    5) St Patrick's Athletic ; More big spending in Inchicore as millionaire Garret Kellegher continues to indulge his passion. Biggest deal of the season is their signing of Robbie Benson, not many players leave Dundalk voluntarily, and if Benson stays fit then Pat's could go a step or two higher.
    Although Pat's had the biggest signing last year as well, spending big to bring Chris Forrester back from Aberdeen. Forrester was disappointing to say the least, but Pat's fans will be hopeful that the management will get the best out of him.
    And that's the fly in the ointment, the manager. Last year Saint Patrick's appointed ex Dundalk captain Stephen O'Donnell as manager. But O'Donnell doesn't have the required qualifications, so journeyman manager Alan Matthews has been shoe horned into the dugout beside him. Will they be able to cooperate is the big question.

    6) Waterford; last year was a bit of a disaster for the blues, having qualified for Europe, they spent big, only to lose out through UEFA regulations. Owner Lee Power has kept putting the money in, but to a lesser degree. That said, they've brought in a few decent young players and should survive easily.

    7) Sligo Rovers; Sligo are the perennial mid tablers, and their large and long suffering fan base dream of glory days. It won't be this year however, having lost striker Dante Leverock to Poland and Kris Twardek to Bohs, they also lost midfielder Regan Donelan to pre season Cruciate ligament injury. Hard times ahead for the Bit of Red.

    8) Cork city; how the mighty have fallen, up to 2018,the league was between Dundalk and Cork, now Cork need to sell their sell on clauses that they had with Preston for Sean Maguire and Alan Browne, just so they could pay their bills and get a premier league licence. They've managed to put together a squad, but they'll be lucky to stay out of the play off places.

    9) Shelbourne; last year's 1st division champs arrive with big plans, but don't have the squad to back it up. Striker Karl Sheppard will be expected to get the goals and ex Cambridge man Gary Deegan will add steel to the midfield, but the rest of the squad looks pretty threadbare.

    10) Finn Harps; everyone's favourite second club, Harps are the plucky outsiders from a small town in Donegal who upset the odds, but the odds are just too long this year. Bottom barring a miracle.

    #2
    I'm a Cork man. I hope they do ok.

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      #3
      I wondered where Kris Twardek had ended up - we (Carlisle) had him on loan from Millwall a few seasons back, he had a terrific debut and looked like a real player, then steadily got worse and worse and soon disappeared from view altogether.

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        #4
        I relinquished my role as the away team previewer for the The Saint, the St. Pats programme. Sadly, due to other commitments I feel unable to dedicate the time to it this year. I have been doing it since 2014 and it has given me a great excuse to follow the League of Ireland closely from afar.

        I think there are some great strips in the League this year. Shels is my favourite but Bohs have made a good effort too. I think Shamrock Rovers will win the league. They continue to progress under their manager and this will be the icing on the cake of their heavy investment on and off the pitch.

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          #5
          What happened to Home Farm and Cobh Ramblers, the clubs that gave the world Ronnie Whelan and Roy Keane?

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            #6
            Originally posted by ingoldale View Post
            I relinquished my role as the away team previewer for the The Saint, the St. Pats programme. Sadly, due to other commitments I feel unable to dedicate the time to it this year. I have been doing it since 2014 and it has given me a great excuse to follow the League of Ireland closely from afar.

            I think there are some great strips in the League this year. Shels is my favourite but Bohs have made a good effort too. I think Shamrock Rovers will win the league. They continue to progress under their manager and this will be the icing on the cake of their heavy investment on and off the pitch.
            How do you get into that gig? I presume you're England based.

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              #7
              Originally posted by Jumbo McGinnis View Post

              How do you get into that gig? I presume you're England based.
              I lived in Dublin when I started which was how I came to following St. Pats. If you're interested I can put you in touch with the editor.

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                #8
                Originally posted by Rogin the Armchair fan View Post
                What happened to Home Farm and Cobh Ramblers, the clubs that gave the world Ronnie Whelan and Roy Keane?
                Home Farm gave up League of Ireland in the 90s, they're still one of the top underage clubs. Cobb Ramblers are still going in the second tier.

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                  #9
                  That was after the unfortunate Home Farm Everton period and the spilt that created Home Farm Fingal (soon rebranded as Dublin City), wasn't it?

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                    #10
                    Yep, none of that ended well.

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                      #11
                      I keep meaning to go to a game. Still haven't.

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                        #12
                        Kevin O' Connor of Waterford has the honour of the first goal of the season away to St Pat's. All four games finished 1.0 with two home wins and two away. Dundalk beat Derry and Finn Harps beat Sligo at home, while Waterford win away to Pats and Shelbourne have a good away win against Cork.

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                          #13
                          Last of the first round of games, Bohs 0 Shamrock Rovers 1,93rd minute winner after Bohs keeper spilled a shot, and he broke a bone in his foot and is out for an undisclosed time, football is shit sometimes.

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                            #14
                            Also, an unusual situation yesterday, where the Bohs v Rovers match went ahead, but it wasn't televised live due to health and safety concerns over the camera operators.

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                              #15
                              Second round of games tonight, and more goals than the first week. After two games, the only teams with 6 points are, unsurprisingly, Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers, Rovers are top after whacking Cork city 6.0, ex Preston player Graham Burke getting 5. Almost joining them were Finn Harps, rapidly making me look like a mug, Derry needing a 96th minute equaliser to get their first point of the season. Bohs and St Pat's get their first wins away to Waterford and Sligo respectively.

                              Derry City 1.1 Finn Harps
                              Shelbourne 1.2 Dundalk
                              Sligo Rovers 0.2 St Patrick's Athletic
                              Waterford 0.2 Bohemians
                              Shamrock Rovers 6.0 Cork City

                              Shamrock Rovers 6 pts +7 goals
                              Dundalk 6 pts +2
                              Finn Harps 4 pts +1
                              Bohemians 3 pts +1
                              St Pat's 3 pts +1
                              Waterford 3 pts -1
                              Shelbourne 3 pts -1
                              Derry City 1 pt -1
                              Sligo Rovers 0pts -3
                              Cork City 0 pts -7

                              Comment


                                #16
                                6-0 is a bit of a dicking.

                                Comment


                                  #17
                                  Matchday 4 tonight, there was due to be a full programme of games last Monday but two were rained off. Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers continued their 100% record with wins over Cork and Waterford, Bohs moved into third with a win over Sligo.

                                  Sligo v Waterford has been called off so four games tonight.

                                  Shamrock Rovers v Dundalk is the big one, over 7,000 expected, live on the TV so a damp squib can be guaranteed, Draw.

                                  Derry city v Bohemians, Bohs have had a recent good record against Derry, but we've traditionally struggled in the Brandywell, I'd be happy with a draw and think we'll get one.Draw

                                  Cork city v Finn Harps, Harps have started well and Cork have been awful so far which means only one thing. Cork win.

                                  Shelbourne v St Patrick's Athletic, Dublin derby, full house Patrick's win.

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                                    #18
                                    Shamrock rovers send out an early message by beating Dundalk in a cracking game which featured a goal of the season candidate by Dundalks Jordan Flores. In the other games, Cork beat Harps, Derry beat Bohs and Shelbourne beat St Pat's.

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                                      #19
                                      https://twitter.com/RTEsoccer/status/1233487784859578368

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                                        #20
                                        I love the Shamrock Rovers live tweet "Jordan Flores with a great strike that Mannus nearly keeps out " that's like saying " my umbrella nearly keeps out storm Jorge "

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                                          #21
                                          Alan Mannus. Yet again the nearly man

                                          (he may have retired prematurely from internationals- none of NI's three squad keepers can get a game at the moment)

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                                            #22
                                            The Flores goal was so good it was shown on MotD2 last night, in the 2 Good, 2 Bad slot.

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                                              #23
                                              Craig Giles, grandson of Johnny, made his debut for Wexford last night in 1st division. He's the fourth generation to play in the league of Ireland following Christy ( debut for Bohs 1928), Johnny ( debut Shamrock Rovers 1977) and Chris (debut for Bohs 1992). I doubt if any family has a similar record.

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                                                #24
                                                Matchday 5.

                                                Shamrock Rovers kept their 100% record with a narrow 3.2 victory over Sligo Rovers, who are the only team with a 0% record after 5 games.
                                                Dundalk stay second after a 4.0 away win over Finn Harps, who are beginning to struggle after a good start, Bohs stay third after a 2.0 win over Shelbourne as described elsewhere, St Patrick's Athletic won 1.0 over Cork City and Waterford beat Derry City 2.1 with two great strikes, the last minute winner even getting retweeted by Martina Navratilova!

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                                                  #25
                                                  Following the meeting between the FAI and the clubs, it has been decided that if possible , the league will restart on Friday 19th June, the league will be 27 instead of 36 games and end on 11th December and the League cup will be dropped for 2020.

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