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What a Kerry On! League of Ireland 2023

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      Matchday 17

      As the top two are on their travels, while third to sixth places face off for the second week in succession.

      Bohemians v Shelbourne

      It's another Dublin derby in Dalymount Park, live on RTE.

      Bohs come into this in third, having been long time leaders before falling to successive defeats to Shamrock Rovers and Derry City. However, they know a win tonight could push them back in the mix, with the top two facing potentially tricky away games.

      Shels will be no pushover though, having lost their own nine game unbeaten run last week against St Patrick's Athletic, they come into this game having won the last two fixtures between the pair. I think this one will be tight, so I'll say a Draw

      Cork City v Shamrock Rovers


      Not for the first time this season, Rovers have hit the buffers just when it looked like they were going to be unstoppable. Last weeks defeat to Drogheda was a wake up call, and tonight they have to visit another traditional bogey side.

      Cork City haven't yet had the new manager bounce following the departure of Colin Healy, partially because they still don't have a new manager. Tonight they have a chance to raise their game against Rovers, with the memory of the 4.4 draw earlier this season in Tallaght to spur them on. If Rovers are as poor again I'd give them the chance of a point, though in truth it has to be an Away Win

      Drogheda United v UCD


      Two of the bottom three clash as the home side hope to extend the gap away from the Students, following last week's amazing win away to Shamrock Rovers. They'll have to do so without skipper Gary Deegan, who is suspended, as well as missing five first team players with injury, although top scorer Michael Leddy returns. UCD's brief revival seems to have run out of steam, with four defeats in a row. I'll give Drogheda the Elguapo4 kiss of death by going for a Home Win

      St Patrick's Athletic v Dundalk


      I was speaking of new manager bounces earlier, and St Pats have certainly been one to benefit from Jon Daly's appointment, which was made permanent this week. The ex Dundee United and Rangers man has galvanised a talented but unperforming side, including the " next Evan Ferguson " , 15 year old Dylan Melia.

      Dundalk have been bubbling under the top three all season, but they come into the one struggling with several injuries, which I think could be the difference Home Win

      Sligo Rovers v Derry City ( Saturday)


      On paper, this should prove to be a nailed on away win. Derry City have the leagues best away record, with six wins and two draws in eight games, and are going for a fifth straight win, while Sligo have lost three in a row without scoring. One chink of light for the home side is the return of top scorer, New Zealander Max Mata from injury, but I'll go with the bookies for an Away Win

      Comment


        Originally posted by elguapo4 View Post
        There's a new league leader, the third in seven days. Derry City go top thanks to a 4.1 victory over UCD, while Drogheda United produced a smash and grab, admittedly with two excellent goals, in a 2.1 win against Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght. Bohs came back from 2.0 down late on against Dundalk to draw 2.2, while St Pats won derby bragging rights following a 1.0 win away to Shelbourne. Finally, Cork City put distance between themselves and UCD in the relegation position after a 1.0 home win against luckless Sligo Rovers who now must be worried about dropping into the playoff position themselves.

        Don't forget that you can watch highlights of all games on YouTube the following day.
        Quality goal from Freddie Draper against Shamrock. Delighted for him. Might try and get over to Dublin in August for Bohs v Drogheda.

        Comment


          Originally posted by RobW View Post

          Quality goal from Freddie Draper against Shamrock. Delighted for him. Might try and get over to Dublin in August for Bohs v Drogheda.

          Comment


            Originally posted by elguapo4 View Post
            Tickets tend to sell out quickly, but Drogheda should be ok. If there's going to be a few of you coming over,it might be a good idea to email the club, they usually look after tickets for visitors, so long as they're given enough time.

            Comment


              Shamrock Rovers poor form continues as they lose 1.0 to Cork City, with three Rovers players sent off. The referee has taken charge of two Rovers games this season, and sent off five players!

              Cork's joy was marred by the an incident after the game. Every crowd has their own c*nts,but there's a extra strong level of c*ntitude running through some of Cork's support. While Rovers manager Stephen Bradley was giving his post match interview, a group of Cork fans started singing a song mocking his 9 year old son, who is having treatment for leukemia. A police investigation has started over the incident.

              Elsewhere, St Pats strong recent form continues with a 2.1 win over Dundalk , Bohs long run without a 0.0 ends at 104 games following a snorefest against Shelbourne, and Drogheda go ahead of Sligo Rovers into 7th place after beating UCD 3.1.

              Comment


                Nobody seems to want to win the Premier division in the League of Ireland. Following Rovers defeat and Bohs draw on Friday, Derry City travelled on Saturday to out of form Sligo Rovers with a great chance of putting Daylight between them and the rest, and were beaten 1.0. Current standings are;

                Derry City, played 18 points 34

                Shamrock Rovers, played 18 points 33

                Bohemians ,played 17 points 30

                St Patrick's Athletic, played 18 points 29

                Comment


                  I haven't really being posting much about the First Division because it's becoming a parade to the title for Galway United. On Friday they beat Athlone Town 3.1, their 15th win from 16 games. They currently have a 12 point lead from second place Waterford, with Bray Wanderers a further 9 points adrift in 3rd. After their first victory in league football, this weeks 0.6 defeat to Wexford FC has been a disappointing result for Kerry FC.

                  Comment


                    About the best that can be said about the last game is that Kerry have at least replaced the drone cameras supplied by the FAI for the transmission of matches with their own in-house stream, which proved far more satisfactory in quality.

                    Comment


                      Matchday 18


                      As most clubs reach the halfway point, a rare week with only one Dublin derby

                      Bohemians v Sligo Rovers

                      Up to last week, if you used the words " crisis club " with regards to the Premier division, it would most likely be Sligo Rovers you were talking about, with no win in seven, and a mounting injury list. That was before last Saturdays unlikely victory over Derry City, which means they will come to Dalymount Park tonight with a spring in their step.

                      Former leaders Bohemians will be wary of inheriting the crisis club mantle, going into tonight with no wins in four, and a few injuries themselves, especially in the forward line. Last week was Bohs first 0.0 since October 2020,the next one could come very quickly Draw

                      Derry City v Shelbourne


                      Meanwhile, the league leaders must get over last week's defeat before they host Shels tonight.

                      Shelbourne would not be where you go for excitement, but Damien Duff and their supporters won't give a damn about that. They have become the experts at scrounging out a draw, and would be delighted with that result tonight.

                      Derry are on top of the league on merit, but some of their performances have been very brittle, and the hard tackling Shels will make life tough for them. Still, Derry have enough class to earn another win Home Win

                      Drogheda United v Cork City


                      Two weeks ago, I used the word tailspin to describe Drogheda's form and with five defeats in a row,they were looking vulnerable. The last two fixtures have turned things around ,an amazing win against Rovers in Tallaght, followed by a handy win at home to UCD ,putting them in a much more comfortable position. Tonight they meet a Cork side that themselves have won two in a row. Something has to give, with the return of Drogheda captain Gary Deegan edging it for me Home Win

                      Shamrock Rovers v Dundalk

                      What's happening at Shamrock Rovers? Following a poor start to the season, a typical Rovers run of victories propelled them to the top, and everything was looking rosy in the Hoops garden. They definitely didn't see defeats to Drogheda and Cork in their immediate future, and another three red cards last week leaves them short of experienced bodies again.

                      Dundalk have held their place in the top half despite some indifferent form, and won't want to slip further off the pace. They'll give it their best shot, but I'll go with Rovers to bounce back Home Win

                      UCD v St Patrick's Athletic

                      The bottom side versus the in form team, is there any hope for the Students? Well, there is some, which centres around St Pats injury worries at centre back. Having already lost captain Lee Desmond to a long term hamstring injury, they are now without his partner Tom Grivovski who ruptured his ACR last week. Even with these setbacks the Saints should have more than enough in the tank to keep up the pressure on the top three. ​​​​​​​Away Win

                      Comment


                        All change again in the Premier Division, with Derry relinquishing their lead after being held to a goalless draw by Shelbourne, while Shamrock Rovers withstand a third dismissal in two games to defeat Dundalk and go a point clear. Bohs and Pats keep up the chase, with comfortable wins over Sligo and UCD respectively, while Cork surprisingly win at United Park to only trail their Louth hosts by two points in the bid to avoid the relegation playoff.

                        Waterford made light of ownership concerns with a 7-0 hammering of Treaty United, while Galway were held to a draw by Bray. Wexford continued their recent renaissance with a surprise 2-1 win away to Cobh, the Midlands derby saw Athlone prevail against Longford, and despite being down to 15 players due to the Leaving Cert, and a 500-mile plus round journey, Kerry secured their first clean sheet at the 17th attempt in a scoreless draw away to Finn Harps.

                        Comment


                          Hadn't realised it was Kerry's first clean sheet, well done. Being pedantic, it's actually Rovers FOURTH red card two games.

                          Sligo Rovers are the worst team I've seen this year, unless they make signings or get injured players back, they could be in big trouble

                          Comment


                            Matchday 19

                            Calling the League of Ireland a summer league is a bit of a misnomer, considering it starts around St Valentines day and ends at Halloween, and as we go into June, today we pass the halfway stage. With another game on Friday, this could be a pivotal week

                            Cork City v Bohemians

                            Things have changed a bit in the month since these sides last clashed, a 5.0 victory for Bohs seeing the end of Cork manager Colin Healy's reign. Since then Cork have won the last three games in a row, a feat that should be tempered by the fact that the wins were against struggling Sligo Rovers, a Shamrock Rovers side that were down to 8 men for the last 25 minutes, and a narrow win against Drogheda.

                            Bohs got back to winning ways with a first win in four games on Friday, and at virtual full strength will provide a sterner test, with a probable Away Win

                            Derry City v St Patrick's Athletic


                            Derry go into tonight's game on a mini slump having taken the lead, a 1.0 defeat to Sligo followed by a scoreless draw against Shelbourne. They don't need a fixture against the leagues form team. One bonus for Derry is that Pats come into tonight's game with several players missing through injury and suspension, which could be enough to earn them a Draw

                            Dundalk v UCD


                            The home side are currently six points off the European places, and can't afford to drop too many more points. The Students got a draw here on the opening day of the season, but a lot has changed since then Home Win

                            Shelbourne v Drogheda United


                            With two 0.0 draws away to Bohs and Derry, Damien Duff's side will now wish to push on , but Drogheda themselves will be no pushover, and at the moment possess more firepower. I can see them triumphing here Away Win

                            Sligo Rovers v Shamrock Rovers


                            Sligo need a boost after Friday's disappointing performance in Dalymount, I can't see the Hoops being any more generous than Bohs were. Away Win




                            Comment


                              Monday's results;

                              Shamrock Rovers go four points clear following a 3.0 win over Sligo Rovers, while St Patrick's Athletic are the new second place after hammering Derry City 4.1, Derry stay 3rd. Bohemians drop to fourth following a late 2.1 defeat to Cork City ​​​​​​, while 5th place Dundalk inch closer after a 4.1 victory over UCD. Shelbourne keep up, edging Drogheda United 3.2.

                              Comment


                                Apparently, a League of Ireland player is to participate in Love Island, which I gather is a popular reality TV show among teens and early-20s. No names confirmed, but it's widely believed to be Shelbourne's Welsh sub-goalie, Scott Van der Sluis.

                                Comment


                                  Originally posted by elguapo4 View Post

                                  Tickets tend to sell out quickly, but Drogheda should be ok. If there's going to be a few of you coming over,it might be a good idea to email the club, they usually look after tickets for visitors, so long as they're given enough time.
                                  Will just be me and my mate who i'm visiting. Just hope Lincoln don't recall all their players...

                                  Comment


                                    Originally posted by RobW View Post

                                    Will just be me and my mate who i'm visiting. Just hope Lincoln don't recall all their players...
                                    Freddie Draper has been the eye catching one so far. He's scored 8 goals in 19 games so far for Drogheda, including braces away to Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne. Elish Ahui has got plenty of game timae as well.

                                    For us, Jay Benn has been in and out of the side. There's been games, like away again Derry City, when he's looked like a class act, and other games, particularly at home to Pats, when he looked out of his depth. I'd still like us to keep him for the season.

                                    Comment


                                      Hull's owner, Acun Ilicali, has completed a majority takeover of Shelbourne.

                                      Comment


                                        These things haven't ended well in the past, Cork City and Waterford can vouch for that.

                                        Comment


                                          Matchday 20

                                          As Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick's Athletic hope to open a gap, and Bohs and Derry City start having anxious glances behind them.

                                          I'm a bit busy, so I don't have time for my usual previews.

                                          Cork City v Dundalk - Home Win

                                          Derry City v Bohemians- Draw

                                          Shelbourne v Sligo Rovers- Home Win

                                          Drogheda United v St Patrick's Athletic- Away Win

                                          Shamrock Rovers v UCD- Home Win




                                          Comment


                                            Originally posted by elguapo4 View Post

                                            Freddie Draper has been the eye catching one so far. He's scored 8 goals in 19 games so far for Drogheda, including braces away to Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne. Elish Ahui has got plenty of game timae as well.

                                            For us, Jay Benn has been in and out of the side. There's been games, like away again Derry City, when he's looked like a class act, and other games, particularly at home to Pats, when he looked out of his depth. I'd still like us to keep him for the season.
                                            Jay Benn appears to have been recalled by Lincoln.

                                            https://staceywest.net/2023/06/09/im...ingly-decided/

                                            Comment


                                              He's definitely been recalled, it leaves us a bit short at right back

                                              Comment


                                                If Shamrock Rovers wanted to set the results in their favour last night, they couldn't do it any better. As they were having their expected victory over UCD, Derry City and Bohemians were boring the shit out of everyone in a 0.0 draw, while St Patrick's Athletic ended their long winning run with a 1.2 defeat to Drogheda United, Darragh Markey with a 95th minute winner. Dundalk were the only ones to profit after ending Cork's winning run 2.1, while Shelbourne would hardly have impressed their new owner with a 1.1 draw at home to Sligo Rovers.

                                                Shamrock Rovers go six points clear.

                                                Comment


                                                  Matchday 21

                                                  As the big four in Dublin face off, while there's a Louth derby as a bonus

                                                  Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers

                                                  Back in April , everything was rosy in the Bohemians garden, at one stage 7 points clear at the top, as Rovers struggled. Since then form has switched and Rovers now have a 7 point lead over Bohs, who admittedly have a game in hand.

                                                  Both sides come into tonight with virtually full squads, and with the game live on RTE, it's bound to stink out the place. Right now I'd take a draw, but my head says Away Win

                                                  Derry City v Cork City

                                                  But if Bohs form is bad, it's nothing to the slump Derry find themselves in. No win in five, including a 4.1 humiliation at Pats, and an injury list that's not getting better. Cork probably wished the break came a week earlier, their five game winning run ended by Dundalk last time out. Cork will arrive full of confidence, which could be enough for a Draw

                                                  Drogheda United v Dundalk

                                                  Up to Louth now, where Drogheda hope to get their first win against their local rivals this season. This could be the last game for Drogheda for Lincoln City loanees Draper and Ehui. If the former goes, he'll be packing the May player of the month award. He'd like to leave with a match ball as well, but three points will do instead. I think his side might get them . Home Win

                                                  St Patrick's Athletic v Shelbourne


                                                  The other Dublin derby sees two sides looking upwards, with Pats in particular wanting to erase the memories of defeat to Drogheda last time out. They are two sides whose form is impossible to analyse from one week to the next. I'll go with home from, but I wouldn't put a cent on this game. Home Win

                                                  UCD v Sligo Rovers


                                                  Sligo will be happy with getting a point up in Shelbourne last time out, as they return to Dublin to take on the Students . UCD have only picked up six points, but two of them were against Bohemians and Dundalk, so there's still some ability there. I can't see anything other than a comfortable Sligo win though Away Win

                                                  Comment


                                                    1st division

                                                    Athlone Town v Treaty United Home Win

                                                    Bray Wanderers v Kerry fc Home Win

                                                    Cobh Ramblers v Waterford Draw

                                                    Galway United v Longford Town Home Win

                                                    Finn Harps v Wexford Draw

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