We reach the end of the 2022 season today – a superb first-season in the Premier Division, blowing all our highest hopes of (maybe , just maybe) avoiding relegation via a play-off completely out of the water 🙂
Dundalk will be tough as usual, and I’m not expecting any games to be a walkover but we have a decent opportunity to get to 50 points – currently we sit on 40, 5 points back from Cork & Derry, who we both play – an outside shot at a place in the Europa Conference League is still there!
We have Dundalk first up – I mentioned in the last post their crazy schedule for September because of cups and Europe – 9 games, 8 of them from the 13th onwards… However we play them on the 6th so expect to go up against a full strength side, without Lawal who is owned by them.
‘B’ from the board. Dynamics still good as well.
6th September 2022 – Dundalk (H) – Irish Premier Division
Dundalk arrive at St. Colman’s Park with 2 games in hand at the top of the league, 3 points separating them from St. Pat’s in 2nd. Shamrock are 13 points behind them on the same games, so it’s a 2-horse race for the title. Can we throw a spanner in the works? Anything from this game would be a massive bonus. The ‘news’ says ‘survival at state for Cobh – seriously, we need a point from our last 6 games!!!
Graydon starts on the left as an IW(A), Costelloe rested for the Cork game in a few days. Hurley in for Lawal as a BWM(D), a spoiler of midfield play. Phillips starts at left back, Fleming at right. Mylod gets his first start since injury for Higgins. Dundalk go 4-4-2, OP this FM IMO.
FT Cobh Ramblers 1 (Graydon 21) Dundalk 5 (Rea 7, Duffy 9, 30, pen 76, Forde 55) Att 393 (124 Away)
A slowish start, but Dundalk take the lead in the 7th minute. Free Kick, poor headed clearance, Rea on hand to score from 10 yards. 1-0 Dundalk. We go straight back up the other end and hit the post; an O’Neill header from a Phillips Free Kick. And in the 9th minute it’s 2-0, Duffy from the edge of the area… Going to be a long day. And another goal in the 21st minute – but this time to Cobh! A lovely move, resulting in a Fleming cross being headed in by Graydon coming in off the wing. 2-1 Dundalk. Dundalk have the ball in the net for the 3rd time in the 25th minute, but Kelly was offside by 5 yards. 30 minute, 3-1, Duffy again from outside the area. Mylod should be doing better. We do look dangerous going forward though – 3-1 at Half Time.
Taylor on for Phillips, Get Stuck In on. 4-1 in the 55th, a wonder goal, half-volley from 30 yards from Forde, 1st of the season (Of course it fucking is). McManus on for Hurley. Penalty in the 75th, Collins with a push apparently. Duffy scores for his hat-trick. O’Riordan for Hughes. 5 goals from 7 shots on target. 5-1 it finished.
Not quite safe yet as Sligo beat Shamrock at theirs, Derry in 4th as they beat Cork. Cork next.
9th September 2022 – Cork City (A) – Irish Premier Division
We make the short journey this evening to a Cork side just 6 points above us after 31 games, something I could never have dreamed at the start of the season. There have been some Media rumblings about Neale Fenn and his position as manager there – He shows at the top end of stable in the Job Status in the Staff screen but Cork’s finances are Insecure – Would I take Cork City if it came up, do a cull and get them back up challenging again???
They weren’t on a bad run until losing to Derry last time out 1-0, lets see if we can cause an upset.
Doherty gets some time up top, a changed middle-3 of Lawal, Hurley & Allardice, Porter misses out. Kehoe at left back. Hoping for a much better show than last time out. Cork go with a 4-3-3 narrow – Extremely Wide boys!!!
FT Cork City 1 (Morrow 8) Cobh Ramblers 2 (Hurley 10, Evans 11) Att 4,347 (287 Away)
In our light blue shirts this evening. Looks like a good crowd in, evening though its raining. A combative start from the boys, Evans should have scored in the 4th minute following a Doherty cross, the Cork Keeper Ryan saving brilliantly – immediately on a 7.0! And then we are cut apart by a Cork move – 1-0, Morrow at the back post following an amazing piece of control from Sheppard. Didn’t last long though!! A Doherty Corner headed clear – a bit of play on the edge of the box, the ball squared to Hurley who thunders one home from 25+ yards, dead centre. 1-1. Kick-Off highlight…. And it’s 2-1, to Cobh!!! Another screamer – Kehoe gets the ball wide, runs with it unchallenged towards the centre, hits a cross and Evans thunderbastards a half-volley just inside the near post from 12 yards. Crazy goal! 5-5 incoming? It does calm down a bit though, Cork hitting the bar in the 18th minute and a few chances for both sides coming up to the half hour. Towards the end of the half Higgins has made a good few saves. Cobh had a couple of really good chances in the last couple of minutes of the half but we go in 2-1 up.
Good chances again early doors for Cobh. 60 Gone, Porter on for Allardice (On a Yellow) – Lawal to DLP, Porter to CM(A). 70 gone, Melody on for Costelloe as an IF(A) on the left. Just lacking the finish at the moment, should be 3 or 4 up. Last 10, McManus for Hurley. 5 minutes stoppage time… And Bosun Lawal gets injured with 3 minutes left… Cork pushed right up now. Into the 8th minute of stoppage time… and the ref blows the whistle. 2-1 win, a superb result!!! And that sees us safe from relegation with 4 games left.
14 Points clear of Waterford, 8 if they win both games in hand. And only 3 points back from Cork!!! Galway’s time is running out, and Sligo need Shelbourne to slip up a bit.
Never in doubt… We’ve paid out about £.5k for avoiding relegation.
BOSUN LAWAL – Twisted Ankle – 3/6 Weeks – A real shame, Bosun has had a really good season (6.97 Av in the League). It would be really nice if we can get him again next season.
Our U19’s are also doing well – securing a playoff spot in the U19 National League after beating Shamrock U19’s 3-0, goals from Fowler and a brace from Hobbs.
Some very good performances this season.
As Shelbourne have qualified for the Irish Senior Challenge Cup Semis our league game with them is now on 26th September, meaning our last game is Galway on the 30th.
Dundalk now 8 clear at the top – We play Waterford next in 3 days. Shelbourne with a good win over Shamrock, whose season is petering out a bit.
Friday 16th September – Waterford (H) – Irish Premier Division
We welcome a Waterford side currently in 8th, just 3 points ahead of Sligo but with a game in hand. They have had some tough league results recently – Losing 6-1 to Shamrock being one of them, though they have beaten Derry 1-0 last week. However they’ve played 3 games in 5 days (9th, 11th, 13th) and now face us on the 16th – 4 games in a week! They are another team with financial woes – lets see if we can keep pace with Cork and push them and Derry to the death in pursuit of that last European spot.
A few changes due to Injury & suspension. Devine (Lawal), Meade (Collins suspended for yellows) and Lewis (Fleming suspended for yellows). Eoin Porter is a real worry – up until 2 weeks ago he showed as a full green at CM(A) – now he’s not got more than a partial green (On step up from half-yellow) in any role at either MC or AMC… And he’s only 2.5* CA… Development doesn’t show any great changes. he’s only 23 as well, might be him done as his contract is up at the end of the season. Waterford are playing a 4-4-1-1.
FT Cobh Ramblers 0 Waterford 0 Att 398 (148 Away)
4 players on the Waterford side start with under 85% condition, 2 under 80%. A quiet start though, Cobh with the chances, Connor pulling off some good saves. 0-0 at the break. Tight.
Waterford defending well at the start of the second half, blocking with all their might. Up to 65 minutes, Melody on for Evans, Porter for Devine, O’Neill for Doherty. Triple subbage. Positive. O’Neill fluffs a one on one on a break soon after… Feeling like a 0-0, Hurley (Apparently with a fractured finger!!) misses a sitter as well in the 88th minute. A bit of Waterford pressure at the end, but it finished 0-0.
6th looking pretty certain (Shelbourne can get to 45 points with 5 wins) as Shelbourne lose to Cork. Derry next up – can we do Cork a big favour?
Our U19’s beat Westport Utd 4-0, goals from Collins, Phillips, Curran & Graydon.
Dundalk win the League Cup, beating UCD 1-0. We were the biggest underachievers apparently…
2 games left in the First Division – a Shoot-Out between Bohemians and Longford, who play each other next. Relegated Drogheda could sneak into the playoffs. – Looks like the winners will play Sligo.
We’re assured 6th as Shelbourne lose to St. Pats – They have just 12 points to play for now, as do Waterford.
Anthony Meade makes the Irish Premier Division Team of the Week.
Dundalk beating Derry, meaning Cork still in with a shout of 4th. They also beat Legia Warsaw 2-1 Away in their first Europa League Group game!! £490k for a win!!!! They must have made over a Million so far in Europe this season, or near to it. No way we can compete (Or any team in Ireland) until they are doing the same.
So, 3 games in a week to finish our Irish Premier Division campaign. We must be due a Youth Intake soon as well!!! The Preview says we have a good midfielder coming through…
23rd September 2022 – Derry City (A) – Irish Premier Division
Our last away-day of the season takes us to Norn Iron, where we face a Derry side Needing a win to keep Cork at bay, 4th being (Currently, dependent on the Irish Senior Challenge Cup) the last European spot. They’ve been a bit hot and cold this month, with 3 losses in the last 4 competitive fixtures.
Kehoe & Hurley suspended – Taylor & McManus in for them. Graydon for Evans on the right wing, Fleming back at right back. O’Neill back in up top for Doherty. Derry go with a filthy 4-4-2.
FT Derry City 2 (Hamilton 4, McNamee 11) Cobh Ramblers 1 (Costelloe 37) Att 1,140 (17 Away)
In the Light blue again this evening. 1-0 Derry in the 4th minute – fucking set pieces!!! Hamilton with a header from a corner. 14 Jumping reach, 6ft 2in. 2-0 in the 11th, McNamee from the edge of the area… Get Stuck In, Have some fucking Passion. Wingers drawn back, O’Neill back to DLF(S), Cautious. And we get some chances, but the finishing is awful. But a little bit of a lifeline in the 37th minute – Costelloe finishing a Graydon low cross via a deflection. 2-1. Much better. We finish the half much the stronger, but we go in 2-1 down after starting really poorly.
60 minutes comes in a flash. Evans on against a tired left back. Phillips on for McManus in the 70th. No highlights. Doherty on for O’Neill for the last 10. First highlight is what looks like the end of game highlight – And it is – A 2-1 loss, considering it was down to a poor first 10 that’s quite disappointing.
Shelbourne almost safe after a good win away at Waterford. Galway almost mathematically at least in the relegation playoffs now despite a really good draw versus St. Pat’s. Shelbourne next up in 3 days.
Our U19’s beat Cabinteely U19’s 2-0, gaols from Hobbs & O’Brien. We are now 3rd in the table with all games played. Waterford can go back above us if they win their last match.
Dundalk win the League after a ding-dong battle versus Sligo, having been 2-1 down with 24 minutes left. 3 points for Waterford in their last 3 matches see Sligo at highest 9th now.
26th September 2022 – Shelbourne (H) – Irish Premier Division
Nothing to play for this evening – Shelbourne now being safe from the relegation spots. They’ve been pretty inconsistent – that said apart from Dundalk everybody is beating everybody else at the moment.
Doherty back in for more game time. Evans back on the right, Hourihane gets game time in centre mid, Hurley back from suspension. Kehoe also back, Lewis in for Fleming, O’Riordan in for a knackered Hughes. Shelbourne with a 4-2-1-3 2DM Wide formation…
FT Cobh Ramblers 2 (Doherty 2, 33) Shelbourne 3 (O’Hanlon 38, Lynch 55, 75) Att 323 (58 Away)
A great start for the boys this evening, Doherty opening the scoring after 100 seconds, Allardice chipping over to Evans, who cross found Doherty, who headed in beautifully from 9 yards. 1-0 Cobh. And we score again in the 4th minute, but Evans was offside. Good play from Hourihane. We’re very much on top in the first 10. Going past the half hour and they have some tired boys!! And we do get our second goal, almost exactly the same as the first; an Allardice pass, except Lewis crosses this time to find Doherty. 2-0, very much deserved. But we let Shelbourne back in, 2-1 in the 38th, O’Hanlon pretty much on his own at the back post. And then Lewis gets himself sent off, very similar to early on in the season, a fucking stupid lunge. Fleming on for Evans. 2-1 at Half Time.
OK, what to do because of that fucking idiot Lewis? A little bit more defensive, slow it down a bit. Also looking at the attendance I can’t see how this club can progress with only 250/300 fans coming to home games… 2-2 in the 55th, Lynch laid in by Ferdinand. Poor defending. Costelloe off, Devine on as we go to a narrow diamond. 3-2 Shelbourne in the 75th, Lynch again getting away from the defenders…….. Going positive for the last 15, O’Neill on for Hourihane, 2 up top. We had a couple of chances but Shelbourne see the game out.
It looks like nearly everything is settled. Cork need to win and Derry lose twice to get 4th, Waterford are now safe meaning Sligo and Galway will stay in the relegation spots, with most probably galway going down automatically. We play them next in the last game of our season.
Maybe a right winger and a centre mid… Don’t think we will keep many.
Sligo almost safe from automatic relegation – Galway need 2 wins and a 7 goal swing to not finish bottom. Derry have leap-frogged Shamrock Rovers into 3rd!!
The Youth candidate team won 1-0, Hartslief with the goal. Signed 5 – The MR O’Donnell, MC Dunne, DRL McCarthy, DC Bolger and GK Kelly, who looks a lot better than a 2* PA.
30th September 2022 – Galway Utd (H) – Irish Premier Division
The last day of term, and the last game for a fair few players here. Galway need a win.
Mihoubi in for a start for Costelloe, Hourihane keeps his spot in midfield. Fleming in for that twat Lewis, Hughes back in after a rest. Galway start with a 4-3-3 Narrow 🙂 – Extremely Wide it is!
FT Cobh Ramblers 2 (Evans 4, O’Neill pen 75) Galway Utd 2 (Wright 6, Walker 81) Att 392 (99 Away)
We storm out of the blocks again, this time scoring in the 4th minute – Evans on the end of a Kehoe cross, a nice side-foot half-volley finish. 1-1 2 minutes later, a corner bounces in the area, Wright hammers home… I’ve definitely got the set-pieces set up!! Not much else for the rest of the half, 1-1 at the break.
Devine on for Hourihane for the 2nd half. Wow, we get to 70 with no highlights. O’Neill for Doherty, Graydon for Mihoubi. Peno in the 75th to Cobh – O’Neill to take (Higgins pulling back Allardice). Nice Finish, placed bottom left. 2-1 Cobh. But we let another goal in from a fucking corner… 2-2, 81st minute, Walker with his 1st of the season… And that’s how it finished. Season done.
Galway relegated. They will be replaced by…
Longford!!! A fair old surprise that – they finished 9th last season!!! The winners of 2nd, 3rd and 4th will play Sligo. We wont have the lowest wage bill in the Premier Division next year!!!
And with that we reach 1st October. I’m going to end the post there; we will have a load to do next time, over 4 months until the 2023 season starts. I leave you with the Key Highlights from the month. See you soon.