Dundalk v UCD | League Round 01 | Friday 17 February 2023 ko 19.45

[Towelie]

A rare positive was Archie Davies, thought he showed glimpses of real quality and was even giving out to more established members of the team which is a good sign

[Louth4sam]

That was one of the worst games of football I've ever been at. If that was my first time in oriel, I wouldn't be back.

We seemed to be doing ok for the first few minutes and then peno miss knocked the wind out of our sails and we were poor all over the pitch from that moment on. Our goal was against the run of play but should have spurred is on. It didn't and we struggled to get any rhythm going. Decision making on and off the pitch was very also very poor. First sub with ten minutes to go when we were barely stringing two passes together was baffling.

Our senior players especially Hoban were very disappointing. We all love Hoban and he's the best in the league when in form but he was well off the pace and should have been whipped off after sixty to give Elliot a run out.

[Carlingford Lad]

Actually think Hoban hit the penalty well - keeper guessed right and it was a brilliant save.

[seand]

Thought we started pretty well on the front foot but it was poor stuff overall. Priobably should have won it on balance, but that's not saying much against that UCD side. The one positive was an enormous crowd for a UCD game.... 3150 with no away fans for the least attractive opponent in the league was a phenomenal turnout. And then we treated them to that!

[oldfogey]

Gavin interviews the manager post match. One point at home against a team who will finish in the bottom two come November. Could be just me but has the bar now been set for the season?

https://twitter.com/DundalkFC/status/16 ... mO_Aw&s=19

I came away from Oriel last night wondering if we underestimated Dave Mackey's influence last season.

[niall_hearty2000]

To be fair is last night's performance really a surprise though? We have been very average in pre season? Is three games ever really enough? We really should be playing 5-6 games in pre season get up to match fitness so we hit the ground running. We have a difficult run of games coming...

It's really two dropped points to a side who will be in the bottom two at the end of the season. Bohs one of our main challengers won last night, and if they beat us next Friday we are five points behind them after two games. Lot of football to be played yes. But last night was a bad two points to drop.

[punkha]

Gavin interviews the manager post match. One point at home against a team who will finish in the bottom two come November. Could be just me but has the bar now been set for the season?

https://twitter.com/DundalkFC/status/16 ... mO_Aw&s=19

I came away from Oriel last night wondering if we underestimated Dave Mackey's influence last season.

I was wondering why he wasn't in the squad photo,is he gone from the club i must have missed this in the off season?

[superman]

Whatever happened (or the lack of things happening) in the offseason, this should be a wake-up call. We will be closer to relegation than Europe this year if things don't change.

[oldfogey]

Gavin interviews the manager post match. One point at home against a team who will finish in the bottom two come November. Could be just me but has the bar now been set for the season?

https://twitter.com/DundalkFC/status/16 ... mO_Aw&s=19

I came away from Oriel last night wondering if we underestimated Dave Mackey's influence last season.

I was wondering why he wasn't in the squad photo,is he gone from the club i must have missed this in the off season?

There was talk that he would be heading up the academy but it was never formally announced.

[mike]

Dreadful display really, m/f never got going, a draw was as much as we deserved. Missing a pen v possibly the worst team in the league at home is near criminal, missing a pen full stop is bad.

Never thought of Mackey not in squad photo, but we'll need him for euro games, as he will be the manager, SOD won't even be allowed in dressing room I think, unless he started the UEFA course.

If Mackey is gone, why was there no announcement, or a thank you ?

Only positive last night was the crowd of over 3,100 more impressive when probably less than 50 away fans.

[condor]

We were second to every ball last night. We were out worked and out played by a team of part-timers, that is unacceptable.
It's very obvious that we aren't anywhere near fit enough and that's down to the management. We looked clueless, useless
and hopeless.

[Richie87]

UCD should have tired as the game went on after playing Collingwood Cup during the week ,but were full of running. A bit on unfair that they had to play so many games in a week but didn't affect them.

[tip on]

Actually think Hoban hit the penalty well - keeper guessed right and it was a brilliant save.

Perfect height for the keeper and wasn't hit hard.

[magarnagle]

I know we all try to be positive when season starts, but that was really poor.

Must have missed the positivity, all I am reading is the standard orielweb histerics. We're getting relegated, we're not fit enough, we didn't play enough friendlies (while not knowing the number we've played 🙄), Dave Mackey was the brains last year after all.....

Must take a look back at threads last year after we drew our first four, same knickers all in a twist I'd imagine.

No doubt the result was disappointing as was the performance, there needs to be a lot of improvement, but maybe we don't write the season off just yet.

[dundalkfc1903]

It was utter shite, but if you look back at the thread for our 2018 opening night O-O draw against Bray wanderers you will see a very similar theme running thru... Michael Duffy not good enough, jamie.mcgrath and Benson rubbish.. question marks over the board and chairman, squad not strong enough...think we had the league wrapped up in September that year.

Obviously we are dealing with a very different club now, and in my opinion the club have been unable to offer Stevie an improved squad to work with, he has cobbled together something, and who knows if it will work but from the outside looking in the budget seems tight as a ducks arse.

O'Donnells achievement of securing European football last year should not be underestimated, but I would say that his teams so far are not very pleasing on the eye. We rarely play with a proper number ten and it's not exciting football to watch, even when winning. It's pragmatic stuff