ANOTHER WIN AND Darren Meenan’s return aside, another virtually unchanged lineup for Dundalk. Stephen Kenny doesn’t like to rotate. Bar Stephen O’Donnell’s unfortunate run with injuries in recent times, none of his team pick up knocks or anything serious.
It’s a real credit to the fitness and medical staff at Oriel Park. If everyone remains fit, they have the strongest and arguably best squad in the league. A defence of their title could soon look more probable than ever before thought — especially when you consider they have yet to concede a goal.
- Barry Landy
Dublin derby produces stalemate
Bohs manager Keith Long would have been looking for a response from his players having lost to Dundalk in midweek, and he will surely be unhappy with how little they threatened the Shamrock Rovers goal on Friday.
Dean Kelly remained isolated as the lone striker, and without the suspended Anto Murphy, they lacked any real spark.
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Interestingly, when Pat Fenlon introduced a second striker (Danny North) with five minutes to go, Bohemians played much better with more space in midfield allowing them to get on the ball and open up the pitch. Don’t be surprised if you see many teams line up in a similar way when they take on the Gypsies this season.
- Simon Walsh
Hoops fans raise a banner at Tallaght Stadium before kick-off. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
Unbeaten Rebels leave it late
Instead of settling on his best 11, Cork City manager John Caulfield has stated that he plans to pick his teams based on the different challenges each game brings. However, Caulfield has fielded some interesting selections already, none more so than on Saturday at the Carlisle Grounds.
Bray Wanderers, for whom it’s difficult to see light at the end of the tunnel, have lost five out of five and have yet to score this season, but the visitors started with six recognised defenders and needed a late Kieran Djilali goal to secure the win against the 10-man Seasiders.
On paper, Cork City fans can’t argue with their start to the season, but for a team that possesses the best defensive players in the league, is such a cautious approach necessary?
- Paul Dollery
Saints pick up first away win
After defeats in Tallaght and Oriel Park, Liam Buckley’s men finally got their first away points of the season after beating both Limerick and the Jackman Park surface on Saturday night.
Despite the poor conditions, Pat’s didn’t opt to go long that often and produced some really good phases of possession. It was a battle, and one that Buckley will be relieved they came out of with three important points. Considering the pitch is a shadow of its Inchicore counterpart, this may well have been a banana skin for Pat’s, but they settled well early on and managed to hold on despite the late Limerick charge.
- Andrew Cunneen
First sending off proves fatal for Tribesmen
The main talking point was certainly Stephen Walsh’s sending off in the 25th minute. Although two more straight reds arrived in the dying embers of the clash as Sam Oji and Pat Flynn received their marching orders for some apparent off-the-ball stuff, it was the dismissal of Walsh that really altered the dynamics of the game and allowed the visitors to begin dictating possession.
In truth, it was a harsh decision from referee Adriano Reale as it was more of a tangle of bodies than a rash tackle on Gary Shaw as the attacker bore down on goal.
Are unbeaten Cork too cautious? Talking points from this weekend's SSE Airtricity League
Consistent Lilywhites march on
ANOTHER WIN AND Darren Meenan’s return aside, another virtually unchanged lineup for Dundalk. Stephen Kenny doesn’t like to rotate. Bar Stephen O’Donnell’s unfortunate run with injuries in recent times, none of his team pick up knocks or anything serious.
It’s a real credit to the fitness and medical staff at Oriel Park. If everyone remains fit, they have the strongest and arguably best squad in the league. A defence of their title could soon look more probable than ever before thought — especially when you consider they have yet to concede a goal.
- Barry Landy
Dublin derby produces stalemate
Bohs manager Keith Long would have been looking for a response from his players having lost to Dundalk in midweek, and he will surely be unhappy with how little they threatened the Shamrock Rovers goal on Friday.
Dean Kelly remained isolated as the lone striker, and without the suspended Anto Murphy, they lacked any real spark.
Interestingly, when Pat Fenlon introduced a second striker (Danny North) with five minutes to go, Bohemians played much better with more space in midfield allowing them to get on the ball and open up the pitch. Don’t be surprised if you see many teams line up in a similar way when they take on the Gypsies this season.
- Simon Walsh
Unbeaten Rebels leave it late
Instead of settling on his best 11, Cork City manager John Caulfield has stated that he plans to pick his teams based on the different challenges each game brings. However, Caulfield has fielded some interesting selections already, none more so than on Saturday at the Carlisle Grounds.
Bray Wanderers, for whom it’s difficult to see light at the end of the tunnel, have lost five out of five and have yet to score this season, but the visitors started with six recognised defenders and needed a late Kieran Djilali goal to secure the win against the 10-man Seasiders.
On paper, Cork City fans can’t argue with their start to the season, but for a team that possesses the best defensive players in the league, is such a cautious approach necessary?
- Paul Dollery
Saints pick up first away win
After defeats in Tallaght and Oriel Park, Liam Buckley’s men finally got their first away points of the season after beating both Limerick and the Jackman Park surface on Saturday night.
Despite the poor conditions, Pat’s didn’t opt to go long that often and produced some really good phases of possession. It was a battle, and one that Buckley will be relieved they came out of with three important points. Considering the pitch is a shadow of its Inchicore counterpart, this may well have been a banana skin for Pat’s, but they settled well early on and managed to hold on despite the late Limerick charge.
- Andrew Cunneen
First sending off proves fatal for Tribesmen
The main talking point was certainly Stephen Walsh’s sending off in the 25th minute. Although two more straight reds arrived in the dying embers of the clash as Sam Oji and Pat Flynn received their marching orders for some apparent off-the-ball stuff, it was the dismissal of Walsh that really altered the dynamics of the game and allowed the visitors to begin dictating possession.
In truth, it was a harsh decision from referee Adriano Reale as it was more of a tangle of bodies than a rash tackle on Gary Shaw as the attacker bore down on goal.
- Trevor Murray
Rovers left to rue missed chances in Tallaght stalemate
Can anyone stop Dundalk? Lilywhites swat Sligo aside on landmark evening
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