Daniel McDonnell

@carpenter_david @Condron2000 @srfconor But Rovers are the biggest & most successful club in the country and very good to watch - taking comfort from crowd performance relative to teams whose seasons may be going nowhere (but in some cases still sell out games) is setting a low bar, no? Altho I accept Luas/Dart point

@McDonnellDan @Condron2000 @srfconor Average attendance over the season is pretty much as it has been over the last 3 years or so. Bank holiday weekend, DART & LUAS disrupted. We’d all love full houses but none of the other clubs could do any better. Stones & glass houses come to mind.

Drogs fans back at an away game for the first time since Oriel Park - their presence is needed as it’s (another) low Rovers crowd on a Monday. Can understand it for the nighttime Mon games but they surely have the capacity to be doing much more with a Bank Holiday game

@brendan1fox Presumably to the same place as the 4,000 or so Rovers fans that must have been there to watch Bohs for that great derby a few weeks ago but weren't there over the weekend...Rovers fluctations remind me of big regional clubs so interested to see how it's rectified.

@McDonnellDan So Derry had 300 more at their home game ? Where did the other 3000 go that were there to see Shamrock Rovers ? Derry have no Premier LOI club within 100 miles ! We know what we're doing and how we can improve. Measures have been taken to rectify these issues.

@brendan1fox I wouldn’t argue with that. It’s why I think it’s a shame that there are so many empty seats for a good product. I get that location makes it harder to pick up day trippers that the city centre clubs are doing very well out of so some comparisons are unfair but still…

@McDonnellDan Our matchday experience is second to none. Entry, egress, hospitality & safety is brilliant for visiting fans. Our pitch and team facilities are second to none for visiting teams. We are constantly seeking improvements in every aspect of this club and we'll never stop that.

@brendan1fox I am not convinced SRFC are growing it at pace they should when it’s a top team and a great place to go and watch games. I see Derry - who are having a poor season - had bigger crowd v Galway today presumably cos of cheap price/promotion at Celtic Park.

@McDonnellDan EVERY CLUB could improve their attendances. My point was quite simple, we have the highest average attendances in the league the last 4 or 5 years. We are constantly growing our fanbase/attendance. Outside factors influence attendances eg. weather, bank holiday weekends.

@Condron2000 @srfconor The only engagement I am getting is cranky Rovers fans tbf - an opinion isn’t always a dig you know…

@McDonnellDan @srfconor As I alluded to in my original post, there’s clearly more potential there & club needs to do better. Capacity issues elsewhere aren’t a Rovers problem though and facts are facts. Your constant digs about it are fairly obvious, but I suppose it keeps the “LOI Family” engaged.

@PrideOfRingsend @Condron2000 @srfconor Every couple of weeks is hyperbole and hypersensitivity! Please refer me to the most recent ones; I’ve been on the other side on pod defending SRFC esp around crowds for 8.0 Thurs Euro group games. The back catalogue is there but I don’t have the energy to find them all.

@McDonnellDan @Condron2000 @srfconor That’s a very much if my aunty had balls she’d be my uncle statement, Dan. Your overall point is a valid one, one that most Rovers fans would agree with you on, but when you try your best to make said point every couple of weeks, it looks more and more like a weird dig.

@brendan1fox Because I wasn’t at them? I apologise for holding the opinion that Rovers could be doing a lot better in that area even though your club has acknowledged both publicly and privately that it’s an area where it can improve. It’s not a view that should be taken personally

@McDonnellDan We have the highest average attendance for the 1st series of games this season. There were other 4 games on today, you never mentioned their official attendances ? I wonder why 🤔 OBSESSED 🤡

Stephen Bradley doubles down on view that Victor Ozhianvuna should be in 🇮🇪 squad now for sake of future as there’s no comparable midfielder & says he’d be happy for him to miss league game and go to 🇪🇸 (Clash expected to be reason for lack of LOI bodies) m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/l…

@Condron2000 @srfconor Sorry but on how many of those nights was biggest crowd because of stadium capacity. I think Rovers are underperforming in terms of promotions/initiatives to fill stadium for the quieter nights. Was 4,843 v Waterford on May BH 2024 with smaller away crowd. Something wrong there.

@McDonnellDan @srfconor Yes, clearly there’s more potential there, but there have been eight games in Tallaght this season, on six of those nights, the highest attendance in the country has been in Tallaght. But let’s not let facts get in the way of a (another) good story.

No Bank Holiday break for the regular LOI Premier Division review (with an obvious First Division point thrown in too) Talking points from the four draws and a Shamrock Rovers win discussed here with @fitzmaidan youtube.com/watch?is=4EBRx…

Alas...a disappointing end to Mahon's cameo as he goes down with a muscle injury - looks like hamstring - in dying stages. FT 4-1. As it stands, the other four games are draws so Rovers gaining on everyone today...

The rarely seen quintuple change from Shamrock Rovers as they are 4-1 up with 18 minutes remaining. Big applause for the last switch as Ben Mahon comes on for his LOI debut to replace Aaron Greene. 17-year-old striker who is highly rated. Looks physically strong for his age.

@srfconor The difference is they've definitely turned away people who would have gone to that game....the season ticket no shows will account for lower number. There's a reason Rovers new marketing exec brief mentioned attendances. You have loads of space to do more for sure.

@McDonnellDan Death, taxes, Rovers crowds. Only 4 more people at Dalymount Park for Bohs v Shels (4,015)

Mark Doyle temporarily made things interesting in Tallaght but a superb through ball from Victor Ozhianvuna for John McGovern gives Rovers their two goal cushion back Updates here independent.ie/sport/soccer/l…

Shamrock Rovers 2-0 up after 35 minutes in Tallaght. Drogs often described as a team that's strong on set pieces but they've conceded both goals from corners. John McGovern with a breakthrough, Matt Healy with the second.

Live blog with updates from around the grounds here - with @mikescully1 managing it independent.ie/sport/soccer/l…

Daniel McDonnell: Waterford at a crossroads as manager Jon Daly suffers familiar fate buff.ly/xeVGu3P

@reptracker Would be surprised if any involved in Qatar either with games on the 29th - same disrespect (for league) angle remains live so yeah it’s going to be Canada and rightly so. Nobody else in an active league will be asked to go to Grenada match unless it’s a young lad

I’ve actually been speaking about this on the Lansdowne Roar as well and totally agree with what Dan is saying here. When you put yourself in the shoes of Bohs, Shels, Pats or Rovers fans, losing key players in the middle of the LOI season (2 games with camp starting on the 7th) for a training camp could be very unpopular, especially if it costs points. No other league in Europe would allow players to do so. It also opens the door to criticism of Heimir Hallgrímsson if some clubs release players and others don’t. Makes a lot more sense to leave League of Ireland players for the Qatar & Canada games instead. Would expect Dawson Devoy and Jack Henry-Francis to be two certs for it.

@uebfn33948 The Champo players who are in Spain and involved v Qatar won’t go to Canada as well as their pre season will be starting again so would be surprised if likes of Molumby, Knight etc do all 3 games

@McDonnellDan From the Ireland perspective it will be alot harder to get into that squad given more midfielders will be available

Bit late to this but think debates around LOI lads for Ireland squad on Tues may be redundant. It's an out of window international so clubs can't request postponements of May 15 fixtures & can't see FAI/HH creating that situation. I'd imagine one or two may be in Canada mix