RACING COACHES LAURENT Labit and Laurent Travers have selected ex-Munster and Ireland star Simon Zebo to start at fullback for their To14 opener away to Toulon tomorrow (kick-off 19.45).
Zebo will line up as part of an exciting back-line as Joe Rokocoko and Juan Imhoff start on the wings and Scotland international Finn Russell also making his Top14 debut at 10, with Fiji star Ben Volavola backing him up among the replacements.
Tipperary man Donnacha Ryan will pack down in the engine room alongside Boris Palu.
Hosts Toulon meanwhile, have given Wales scrum-half Rhys Webb his competition debut.
Earlier tomorrow, Paul O’Connell will hope his Stade Francais forwards can power the Paris club to victory over Perpignan, who will be steered by Paddy Jackson.
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Good game in tough conditions: lovely goals by ourselves. Fair play to Dundalk for travelling down.
What’s the story with the gate in the President’s Cup? Decent crowd, do City keep the gate? I know Dundalk gave up home advantage this year because of pitch not being ready and presumably the FAI will take a slice as they ‘organise’ this ‘cup’.
Three fine goals!!
Predicted League table 2017
1 – Cork
2 – Dundalk
3 – Sligo
4 – Derry
5 – Bray
6 – Shams
7 – Limerick
8 – St. Pats
9 – Galway
10 – Bohs.
11 – Finn Harps
12 – Drogs
Spot the Sligo fan…….1. Cork 2. Dundalk 3.Rovers 4. Bray 5. Derry
You’re being very harsh on Shamrock Rovers!! I love That you have City on top, but I think it’s a 3 horse race between Cork , Dundalk and Rovers
Agree but hard to tell how Rovers will shape up this season, may take a while to get it right, Dundalk by far the weakened side this season compared to last, the rest have gotten a lot stronger. Forgetting Waterford could cause an upset or two as well.
1.Dundalk
2.Cork
3.Derry
4.Limerick
Hope Kenny Browne doesn’t leave, top centre half. I know it’s his home town and they’re on the up but wait until next season and half a crack at the league with City. Delaney looked an assured ball playing centre half. McCormack played great, tigerish in the tackle and played the easy ball.
City by far the better team against Dundalk tonight; not that Dundalk were that bad just City were better. Gartland and Mountney their weak links with Maguire and Dooley running them ragged, thought Mcormack had great game out of position and Buckley bossed midfield. Long season ahead but City seem to have the edge.Dundalk are a good side but when they come up against teams better or equal to them they struggle a bit. Rovers might make it a 3 horse race this time just to make it a bit more interesting, but City have the quality to go all the way this time.
Kenny Browne would be a massive loss. Presume City can command a fee for him since he’s under contract for the season. Would be very interesting to see what this would be, he’s a big player in a position where cover is tight. His loss really could be the difference between finishing 1st or 2nd which is a difference of min €300k (thanks to UEFA). Surely City should be demanding €100k from Waterford for Browne.
By the way Waterford have also signed Davy McDaid from Cliftonville. Serious squad being assembled there.
Interesting 1st division next season with Wexford feeling hard done by in playoffs with manager issues and a sustainable core local players with premier div experience behind them now, Cobh looking to build on last years progress. Shels will always challenge for a period at least, UCD will be strong as always, Cabinteely have a wily old manager and record seeking striker and Longford will be looking to bounce back. Could be another long season for Athlone!
“When dundalk come up against teams better than them they struggle”!! Name one team in the last 3 seasons who were better than us? The league table never lies. We have signed up on 8 new players and they will need time to gel. The league isn’t won or lost in a meaningless pre season friendly. Just like it wasn’t last season.
Why did Kenny put out nearly his strongest 11 for a meaningless pre season friendly? Oh yeah how have Dundalks last 6 games against City gone?
Rooney do you mean rovers? In 6th? Dream on.Sligo in 3rd and people actually green thumbed him unbelievable.
@Paddy, you’re correct Paddy, on reflection I should have put Shams in 8th.
Ah the bit’er red. Let it go, your one sided rivalry lasted a couple seasons, now you’re back where you belong just above relegation.
I wasn’t aware that finishing 5th meant being “Just above relegation” but thanks anyways, I almost forgot that the League of Ireland has 6 teams in it
Will they do the same in the league though?
It wil finish dundslk cork shamrock rivers but in any order let’s hope dundalk make it four in a row
Cork wil be hard to beat do wil shamrock rovers but I think the town can do it again for four in s row