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The Verdict
So that’s the first of three parts of our season sorted and to be fair
it’s hard to decipher between Cork and Shelbourne for top spot in 2006.
For my money, I’d have to swing the way of Jabba the Hut’s outfit purely
on the basis that they can hardly be worse than they were last season –
in qualifying ‘worse than they were last season’ I do accept that they
finished in 3rd position but for all the money gambled on that side in
the last few years, one would have to expect that they’d make a stronger
challenge for the league than they did last year. The coming season
should see a more settled side who on paper at least, are the strongest
side in the country.
I don’t know what it is about Cork that I don’t trust. I didn’t trust
them last year to win until they had a good string of results behind
them. I think it’s the fact that Cork remind me of an insecure teenage
girl insofar as they can be going along grand until something happens
and then the wheels can easily fall off, just like the teenager is
portraying confidence and needs an arm around her shoulder and the
support of those closest to her to keep telling her how great and
beautiful she is. When City go through a bad patch, the Cork crowd is as
fickle as they come and this may have a bearing on their results
throughout the season. That said, they are stronger than Bohs and as
current league champions should mount a stern defence of their title.
Derry looked good against Linfield in their Setanta Cup opener and
playing against a side who are the reigning Setanta Sports Cup champions
and running away with their own domestic league, it was Derry looking to
win the match in the dying minutes of that game for which they deserve
credit. But as we witnessed with Stephen Kenny not too long ago if Plan
A isn’t working then he often relies on Plan A to see his sides through.
With greater expectation on Foyleside a few injuries could prove too
much for Derry to surmount. I couldn’t see them winning last years title
and I don’t see them improving enough this year to mount a challenge on
either of the top two sides.
Bearing in mind that we are quoted at 14/1 to win the league this year –
which incidentally, I don’t think we have a chance – I do think that
should we stay relatively injury free this year and (stating the
obvious) win a few points against the aforementioned ‘Big Three’ then we
have it within us to achieve a European spot through the league and with
it a place in next seasons Setanta Cup for which, let’s face it, in two
years of it’s existence it is a travesty that we have not qualified even
once for this important competition.
Along with apathy, maybe the relaxed state of our minds coming into the
new season and with this being arguably the first side in Gareth
Farrelly’s image coupled with the serenity of our pre-season, we could
improve on our recent starts to the last few seasons. If this does
actually come to pass, we could end up with a relatively pain free
season and spend this time next year saving up our sheckles for a trip
in the Inter Toto Cup – or better still, the Uefa Cup – to such outposts
as Azerbaijan or Belarus. Europe here we come,… if we can be bothered
that is!
So there you have it. Enough of that sitting on the fence Father, I
predict a finish in fourth spot behind Shelbourne, Cork City and Derry
City and ahead of Drogheda and I don’t care after that. The present is
black. The future is red and black.
Father Indefatigable
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