Sligo R vs Derry City

[Keyser Soze]

Terrible game.

[Nige92]

Terrible game.

Yet another terrible surface. Goes to show that a grass pitch alone is not good enough, it must be well maintained.

[davybhoy]

Same as usual so far this season. Creating absolutely nothing and still only one match this season we've scored from open play which is a terrible statistic.

Hopefully we can hold on for the win at least.

[marcoloco]

It’s a brutal watch.

Can’t string a pass together and can’t get hold of the ball.

If we get a win then we’re laughing after this performance.

[davybhoy]

And I don't buy this is a new team nonsense. Every team through the league brings in around 5/6 players at the start of the season- the bulk of last years players are still involved but we are still not getting a tune out of them and there's been no improvement.

[Nige92]

The team that we have out there at the minute is not a team that could be expected to pass and control the ball. There's very little creativity apart from Duffys direct running. We'll have to scrape through this one.

Two players that would help us control this game - Patching and Fats - have left.

I would bring Benson on to try and get his foot on the ball.

[Keyser Soze]

Looks like a bottom of the table clash.

[Paddydcfc2010]

Glad to get the win but that second half wow, doesn't get much worse quality wise.

[marcoloco]

Defended well and fought hard but not much else to shout about.

3 points away from home and we move on to the next one.

[brandyball]

Awful Game, Awful pitch but a win is a win. Need to improve dramatically for Rovers game.

[attack!attack!attack]

Yes, poor game, but a win is a win & we needed it. 7 points & 4 behind top.

Get this stand open, and let's get some momentum. I would imagine (hope) performances will improve gradually.

Interesting comments from McGlynn on Radio Foyle before the game, 'big disconnect between the board, players, and supporters' - perhaps inferring that it is overly transactional.

[marcoloco]

The standard of most pitches thus far have been poor. I guess it’s March and we just need to wait a few months but after 6 games and paying on crap pitches doesn’t make for a good spectacle. Irony is it’s grass too.

[TenaciousDee]

Following the match Dermot Liddy spoke to Liam Boyce

https://youtube.com/shorts/O-6dNc32qcE?feature=share

[stevebradley]

Poor game and a poor start to the season for us. Yet we're still only only 4pts off the top, and level on points with Shamrock Rovers.

This could be another wacky year in the League of Ireland !

[bt47red]

Was never going to be total football tonight given Sligo away. A win was needed tonight rather than performance arguably.

Still not impressed and need a lot more time to gel and improve.. still missing that creative spark and can’t be honestly relying on duffy for everything.. lets hope for an improvement against Rovers.

1 goal from open play in 6 games

[marcoloco]

45% of passes were misplaced

That’s almost 1 in every 2. Brutal.

Do we know why Holt wasn’t in the squad last night? Picked up an injury?

[Nige92]

45% of passes were misplaced

That’s almost 1 in every 2. Brutal.

Do we know why Holy wasn’t in the squad last night? Picked up an injury?

Lynch said that he was injured but didn't state for how long

[TenaciousDee]

Tiarnan Lynch's reaction following the game.

https://audioboom.com/posts/8672826-fir ... rnan-lynch

[magspat]

Attact,Attack attack. Patrick mc Eleney started for Balymena today thats why he wasn't on bench...

[TenaciousDee]

A tough game to call live, with little in the way of real action and chances at a premium, something that’s been a familiar story in that ground for over a decade.

One moment could have flipped the game entirely: Sam Todd’s crucial clearance off the line just seven minutes before we scored. If that goes in, we’re looking at a very different night. After the Shels game, I thought the criticism he got online was way over the top and some of it was brutal. Football fans love a bit of hyperbole, but some of the comments about his ability were downright savage. Since that night in Tolka, he’s quietly gone about proving his worth.

At the back, Cann had a solid tussle with Kavanagh, who looked out of his depth. But in open play, our lack of creativity remains a concern. We’re just not working goalkeepers enough. The switch from Boyce to Mullen saw an immediate shot on target, but beyond that, there weren’t many moments that tested the opposition keeper. Same for Maher at our end, though he did brilliantly to stand his ground against Mallon’s late effort.

Then there’s the pitch. The Showgrounds isn’t alone in struggling early in the season. Tolka Park was poor on opening night and hasn’t improved, Finn Park on Friday was like a plowed field (I know what you're thinking), and Turners Cross, while the best of a bad bunch, is hardly pristine. I’m not sure how many of these grounds have full-time groundskeepers, but a harsh winter has left a lot of these surfaces looking unfit for professional football.