Week 5 threw up more questions than answers but it's Monday so here we go anyway; 5 things we learned form week 5 of the SSE Airtricity League.
1) Dundalk took the piss out of Pats in the end...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7JH6ckS8mg
As the goal above shows, Dundalk's win over Pats was far easier than it should have been. Pats were OK in the first half and probably deserved to be ahead but they lost all discipline in the second half and Dundalk were clear winners. Superb strikes by Mountney and Horgan put them ahead before Greg Bolger's red card made pats chase shadows for the final 15 minutes or so. As the injury time clip shows, they didn't really get close. For Dundalk, it's confirmation that their opening day hammering by Drogheda was a fluke and for Pats, it's confirmation that they still haven't settled this season. Dundalk host Derry City tonight while Pats travel to Bray knowing they need to win already.
2) Cork's home form continues to impress
We didn't learn too much about Cork to be honest, as we knew they'd be a tough game for anyone in Turners Cross with their high tempo and superb work rate, but it'd be wrong to make their win more about Shamrock Rovers than Cork City. Their home record now stands at 9 wins and 2 draws in their last 11 games. More questions popped up about Rovers though. Their 3 wins have come against Athlone, Bohs and Sligo who only have 1 win combined against other teams. Tonight Rovers face that other team (UCD, beaten by Bohs) so may win again but how will they cope with the form teams? We'll see in weeks to come.
3) Sligo are officially in a slump
We're not breaking news here but 4 league defeats in a row is unheard of for the modern Sligo Rovers. They had only 8 combined for the previous 2 seasons and 2 of them were while celebrating the league title. All 4 games have been by 0-1 scorelines and with arguably the league's best finisher in Danny north in the side, it'll be a tough job for Ian Baraclough to figure out how they're not scoring. Derry picked up their first home goal and their first win of the season and now have a base to kick on from. Derry face Dundalk tonight on what Roddy Collins describes as "worst pitch in the world".
4) Drogheda can go top of the league tonight
Drogheda United travel to Sligo tonight hoping to inflict another defeat on Sligo Rovers and if successful they'll go top of the league. With Limerick/Cork postponed due to those nasty rugby lads cutting up the pitch, Drogheda can leapfrog Cork with 3 points. They're unbeaten this season and Friday saw their 3rd win when they beat Athlone Town 3-2. The ageless Fabio O'Brien proving he's still among the best in the country with another hat-trick. Athlone host Bohemians tonight still looking for the first point.
5) Shelbourne's young team may be the pick of the First Division
An early top of the table clash in the First Division on Friday saw Shelbourne beat Finn Harps in Tolka Park. They lead surprise 2nd placers Wexford Youths by 2 points after Wexford picked up their 3rd win at home to Shamrock Rovers reserves. The favourites for the division were Longford Town but they could only manage a scoreless draw at home to Waterford United on Saturday night. They still have a game in hand but you'd expect Shels young team to get better as they become more used to the physicality of the League of Ireland's second tier.
5 games tonight in the Premier Division with Dundalk v Derry the pick of them.
