The teams in the Premier Division have a week’s respite from league action with the third round games in the FAI Ford Cup next week, but there are several ties that should be very interesting and we'll have cameras at them.
Obviously, the two all-Premier Division ties will be of interest, and the first outing for Tralee Dynamo's at this stage next Saturday will also be historic for that club and football in Kerry, although the fact that the Kerry footballers have a meeting with Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh the same evening might detract somewhat from the Dynamo's big day.
The panel were all in good form this week. Johnny McDonnell and Colm Foley both thoroughly enjoyed St Pat’s clash with Bohs at Inchicore (they would, wouldn't they), while Dave Barry wasn’t enamoured with Cork City’s draw with Shamrock Rovers last Friday night. As nil-alls go, it was on the boring side of mediocre.
The email from our viewer, Jennifer, who berated Roddy for saying that Kieran Westwood should have moved his wedding to play for Ireland caused a few raised eyebrows in studio. Colm, when asked which was more important replied ‘football’, although the fact that he's not married probably helped. Johnny Mac, scored a hat-trick a few days after getting married, which is probably the best advertisement ever for going ahead with the nuptials, whatever about the honeymoon. Dave Barry skated on thin enough ice, hoping that his wife wasn't watching.
Jennifer was very harsh on Roddy, describing him as ‘ignorant’, but he was probably only saying what very many people involved in football at a professional level feel.
Thankfully Shay Given stayed fit, and Kieron Westwood wasn't missed in Sofia!
I was very pleased that Dundalk got a win against Bray at Oriel Park this week. Not because I have anything against the Seagulls, it's just that Dundalk have been so unlucky in recent weeks. I don't know how true that old saying about luck equalling out over the course of a season is, but if it is true, then the Lilywhites are due a break here and there.
At Tallaght recently they hit the woodwork when it was nil-all, and then Manasaram had a goal-bound effort headed off the line by Aidan Price with six or seven minutes remaining with the score at 1-1. What happens? Gary Twigg scores yet again and Dessie Baker rounds things off for a 3-1 win for the Hoops and another blank for Dundalk.
Sean Connor’s side were also very unlucky when going down 2-0 at home to Sligo Rovers and suffered a 1-0 reverse at home to St Pat’s the week before. Yet again they hit the woodwork a number of times and I'm sure Dundalk fans were wondering if their luck would ever change, but the 3-0 win at home to Bray has steadied the ship for now. Mind you, Dundalk's next three league matches are away to Cork, home to Derry and home to Bohemians. No problem there then!
I've said here before that I've always had a soft spot for Dundalk, since the days when my uncles supported the club in the 1940's and 50's. The club has a great history in the League, and has always been well supported, especially when they've been going well.
It got me thinking, because I also have fond memories of Sligo Rovers and the support they showed for Shamrock Rovers at the last ever match at Milltown, when the Sligo fans came onto the pitch and joined the Hoops fans there to protest at the horrible decision to move the club from it's traditional base.
Then there's Cork City. I've no particular gra for the club, and yet it's one of my favourite places to go to watch football. Turner’s Cross feels like a real football ground. The crowds they get there create an atmosphere like a real football crowd should, and you know that there's a great potential support in the City for the team if they're going well. Now that they've completed the St Anne's end of the ground, I can't wait to see City play in Europe, and witness a totally packed Turner’s Cross.
I love going to matches in Galway, partly because I love the city of Galway, but you always get a friendly welcome from the Galway supporters and officials, and the fact that you can walk from Terryland Park to the heart of the city in 10 or 15 minutes is a great plus.
Then there's the Carlisle Grounds. Particularly nice to visit on a warm sunny evening by the seaside. Wet and windy nights in November mightn't be quite as much fun. You can also get a Dart to within a few yards of the turnstiles and that's another reason for letting the train take the strain and not have to worry about parking near the ground.
I've been to the Brandywell many times, and a bit like Cork, it's another good place to watch a match, although the greyhound racing track doesn't help. The Derry crowd do manage to overcome that and create a good buzz there, especially for the visit of the top sides.
In reality, there's no League of Ireland ground I don't enjoy going to. Perhaps some more than others, but I'd encourage everyone who knows anyone who's more used to going to games in England and Scotland to give their local Irish team a chance during these summer months when there's a dearth of football on TV (excluding the Confederations Cup on RTÉ during June). I know I must be sounding like a cheerleader for a league that's clearly not the healthiest patient in the ward, but I do feel very passionate about the fact that Irish professional football deserves more support than it's getting.
When there's a good atmosphere, whether at Tallaght, Turner’s Cross, Oriel Park, Inchicore or wherever, it raises the match to another level. There's no doubt that players react to the atmosphere, colour and noise generated by supporters, as we saw with last seasons FAI Ford Cup final at the RDS.
Hopefully we'll see a few more like that in the coming weeks.
