St Patrick's Ath V Dundalk | Mon 3 Sept| 7:45pm | Richmond Park | LSC Semi-final

[Ezeikial]

This is a fixture that is coming at a very poor time in the middle of a congested calendar. It's the third week on the spin where there are midweek fixtures on top of the normal Friday night match. The obvious immediate priorities are recovery, avoiding injury and the fitness levels of players with an eye to the Cup match next weekend.

It obviously allows Stephen Kenny to give match time to those who he thinks will benefit from it, but he will certainly take no risks with the regular starters who played for most of the last two league games this week.

Ronan Murray, John Mountney and Patrick McEleney might benefit from some match time, although I can't see any of them playing 90 minutes

Gabriel Sava, Georgie Kelly, Stephen Folan, Karolid Chvedukas (if fit) and Georgie Poynton are all likely starters while Dane Massey or Sean Hoare might also get some game time. Other than that I expect the team to be filled out with younger prospects like Jack O'Keeffe, Gavin Smith, Adam Finnegan, Pablo Cavalcante, Karl Fitzsimons. Jordan Maguire and Cian Flynn along with some other u-19s could also come in.

[Ezeikial]

Any team predictions?

[oldfogey]

1-4-5-1 with 7 subs.

[oldfogey]

Given what we saw on Friday night - and no game next week - I expect reservish team tonight and full squad for the cup.

[dundalkfc1903]

Sava
Finnegan Smith Folan Jarvis
Murray Poynton Mountney O'Keefe Cavalcante
Kelly

[oldfogey]

Gabriel Sava
Mark Traynor
Karl Fitzsimmons
Dylan Hand
Stephen Folan
Jake O'Connor
Patrick McEleney
Georgie Poynton
John Mountney
Pablo Cavalcade
Georgie Kelly

Ross Treacy
Lido Lotefa
Nedas Maciulaitis
Jack O'Keeffe
Jordan McGuire
Aaron McNally
David White

[GC.]

Losing 1-0. Their no. 4 scored just on 105 minutes. Second half of ET starting soon and can be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-42wsB_G98&t=722

[Townfan7]

A decent display by a much changed Dundalk side who were up against a near full strength St. Pats side. Indeed it was only the last 10 mins of normal time that we ran out of steam & I concede the better team won.

Good for Mountney & MC Eleney to get the full run out, hopefully we will see the benefits of this in the league run in. Somewhat disappointed in Kelly up front, I thought this was a great opportunity for him to shine alas it wasn't to be, perhaps more match time needed... Anyway we move on & no doubt Stephen Kenny has bigger fish to fry.

Finally, a decent Dundalk support in Richmond Park considering a Monday night & the competition it was

C'MON THE TOWN:

[oldfogey]

It's an unwritten rule that you field some younger players in these competitions so I was surprised by Pats strength on Monday. It turns out the Enda McGuill Cup final (for u19s) was on last night between Pats and Shels, so Buckleys hand was forced. It explains why Stephen Folan plus three kids were getting roasted by Pats attack. They even had Campion and Madden on the bench.

The LFA and FAI should go sit on the naughty step until they learn to communicate.

[El Paso]

It's also Pats only chance of any silverware, so they might as well take it a bit seriously.

It's a little bit interesting that Pats won the League in 2013, the FAI Cup in 2014, the League Cup in 2015 and 2016 and maybe now the LSC in 2018 - a steady downhill slide of achievement!

[Ezeikial]

It's also Pats only chance of any silverware, so they might as well take it a bit seriously.

It's a little bit interesting that Pats won the League in 2013, the FAI Cup in 2014, the League Cup in 2015 and 2016 and maybe now the LSC in 2018 - a steady downhill slide of achievement!

2018 might be the start of an upward curve after relegation scrap and no trophy in 2017

[El Paso]

Or a dead cat bounce...

But maybe - I think they were on the verge of something good this year. The one team that will try and play a bit of ball. Dark horses next year perhaps with some shrewd signings.

[bigalan]

On the match, I thought our young lads done very well against an experienced Pats side. It was fairly obvious we would tire as the end of the 90 mins came. Good game time for JM and PMcE who both understandably also tired later on.

I like St. Pats. I like travelling to Richmond and was delighted themselves and Sligo stayed up last season and safe this year. In fairness to Donald J Buckley, his teams nearly always try to play ball (our title decider in 2013 been the exception). Shows how fortunes can change so rapidly in our league when the two Champions prior to us struggled very badly last season. League needs decent Pats and Sligo sides.