Bohs v Galway
AS MUCH AS Galway were unlucky on the opening night of the new season, Tommy Dunne’s side looked horribly out of their depth at Dalymount Park.
Bohs didn’t need to get out of second gear and even still were able to operate in cruise control on what was a comfortable evening for the Gypsies. Right from the off the visitors were off the pace and, on this evidence, look shorn of quality at one end and devoid of leadership at the other.
To be fair, it’s still early days and United are finding their feet back in the top flight but as Athlone found out last season, trying to play catch-up after a slow and unproductive start will leave you with an uphill struggle.
Galway will be desperate to get on the board sooner rather than later, but it could be a long season for them.
- Ryan Bailey
Cork v Limerick
Five goals, a clean sheet and a dominant performance, but Cork City manager John Caulfield will have learned very little about his team from their demolition of Limerick. In our estimation, Shane Duggan’s first-half red card was harsh on the visitors, but the home side were already 2-0 up and cruising by then.
Although there’s plenty of time for Martin Russell’s young side to find their feet, what they’ve shown so far won’t be good enough to keep them in the division. City never had to go close to fifth gear and could have won by any number of goals. Friday’s visit to Tallaght will offer a clearer indication of where they stand.
- Paul Dollery
Pat’s v Bray
Had to be the penalty in the fourth minute, and not because it was a contentious decision, but because it won over the home crowd immediately after last week’s loss to Shamrock Rovers. Bolger took a chance when the space opened up for him and his driving run gave Gallagher no choice but to tackle from an awkward position.
Second to that was the chance Lyons had 60 seconds after the home side made it 2-0. Had that shot went the other side of the post, perhaps Bray could have had more say in the final result.
- Simon Walsh
Drogs v Sligo
For all of the changes Owen Heary has made at Sligo Rovers, three of the back four deployed at United Park have been mainstays over the past few seasons — Alan Keane and Gavin Peers especially. But Drogheda scored two headed goals on Friday night with the first coming from the diminutive Daryl Kavanagh, who bullied the far more imposing figures of Peers and Stephen Folan all night.
That’s two games now where Sligo have let leads slip. It’s not a habit they’ll want to continue. Otherwise, all the pressure will be on an altogether new attack to score the goals.
- Barry Landy
Derry v Dundalk
Despite being rated doubtful for the match due to a troublesome hip injury, Derry City goalkeeper, Ger Doherty passed a pre-match fitness test and came to his side’s rescue on several occasions against the champions.
Doherty might not have known too much about his first save from a McMillan shot at point blank range. However, he kept his side in the game with a brave block from outside his area with his shins when McMillan was clean through and again in the second half when he tipped Ronan Finn’s goalbound strike over the crossbar. He might not have been fully fit, but he proved his worth to Peter Hutton once again.
- Simon Collins
– First published 21.21, 15 March
Carty was brilliant, perfect off the tee, and the difference for me tonight. It was summed up in one passage for me. He hit a quality 50:22, and from the resulting line out hit a penalty which made it a two point that Treviso never got back from. Murray’s run, and Boyle and Prendergast at the fringes: quality too.
*Two score game. Pardon me.
@David Hickey: when he’s ON,,he is box office, average exiting player
@rugbyanbeer: typo a very exciting player
@David Hickey: a lot of Irish rugby fans see Carty play 6 times a year. Interpros. And are oblivious to a lot of his clutch stuff beyond that. Which is a shame. (Same for a few other Connacht and Ulster players). He was quality earlier, a clinic at 10.
@Cathal Carr: Curate’s egg. Have to take the penalty he kicked dead into account when assessing him.
@TL55: two bad touch finders in two weeks unfortunately
@mike ryan: if carty was a better points kicker he would be on the Irish team.
It’s the one weak point of his game but unfortunately is a big part of what is needed to be an international 10
@Reg Gordon:
Can none of the back three kick like in other National teams?
@David Hickey: what annoys me is Carty is always judged by his odd bad moment. Where as certain other 10′s are judged by their odd good moments and praised as the next best thing for years on end…as a Connacht fan I’m not saying he should be in the Irish squad…just saying that there are others ahead of him who have been bang average for years but can seem to do no wrong and given multiple opportunities to play themselves into form.
@Breandán Ó Cadhain: that’s very true. Plus with him rarely being injured he’s in the shop window much more than others. He looks a little low on confidence tho at the minute
@Breandán Ó Cadhain:As a Munster fan I agree with your take on Carthy Joey had a horror show for the first twenty last night ended up close to MOTM. A good sixty minutes doesn’t make up for a bad twenty
@Breandán Ó Cadhain:
There is also context as well… Connacht were having a bad time converting penalty line outs. Jack was trying to get the on the 5 meter line as he knew 8-9m would probably be too much for them. It is about risk, he knew what he was doing and why he was doing it… Other Irish sides have a much higher score rate and can convert from 8-9m…
Saying that, Carty’s pass for the first try is as fine a pass you will see this year. That what makes him different…
Good win but still lots of mistakes. But well done some great training pitch plans. Boyle was amazing and Hansen is so good. Onwards and upwards!
@Prof. William Joyce: yeah it was a good win but a better team would have crucified us in the first half. We were but the bounce of a ball from disarray a few times
5-0 on the table the most important thing but plenty didn’t go right either, would of been nice to increase the points difference a bit, don’t know how Boyle held that up over the line, deserved his motm