Ireland in Pre-Season

[LowerSouth]

Ryanair strike on Thursday so Just booked 2 flights back Wednesday night at 21:55 from Dublin 10euros a seat

 

[SiHath]

Ryanair strike on Thursday so Just booked 2 flights back Wednesday night at 21:55 from Dublin 10euros a seat

It's the Irish based pilots who are striking. If your flight has a British based pilot, you *should* be OK. If the plane starts its day at Luton/Stanstead/Birmingham then it'll probably be OK.

 

[makv]

So the Wednesday game against UTC clashes with the England semi-final. Re-schedule?

 

[Marked Ox]

So the Wednesday game against UTC clashes with the England semi-final. Re-schedule?

Kicking off earlier.

 

[makv]

So the Wednesday game against UTC clashes with the England semi-final. Re-schedule?

Kicking off earlier.

Cheers:

“Game 3 UCD
Wednesday 11th July
Kick off
5pm if England are in the World Cup semi-final that evening
6.45pm if England are not playing that night”

 

[Discoland]

Waking up in 11 hours to get an early flight out. Excited is an understatement, can't wait to see what KR is building with the squad.

 

[makv]

So the Wednesday game against UTC clashes with the England semi-final. Re-schedule?

Kicking off earlier.

Cheers:

“Game 3 UCD
Wednesday 11th July
Kick off
5pm if England are in the World Cup semi-final that evening
6.45pm if England are not playing that night”

Still doesn’t work if it goes to ET though!

 

[LowerSouth]

Still doesn’t work if it goes to ET though!

Why not ?

 

[makv]

Still doesn’t work if it goes to ET though!

Why not ?

Being dumb! Sorry. I blame the gin!

 

[Beckdale16Bicester]

Can't fly out till tomorrow so may have to miss the first game but looking forward to the other 2 and hopefully watch England on Wednesday at the UCD campus.

 

[mooro]

Did we ever settle upon a list of which players are actually out in Ireland?

Going from the diaries on the OUFC site, they said 22 including trialists.

GK: Eastwood , Shearer , Stevens (?) , Agboola (no, with U23s)
FB: Carroll , Norman , McMahon , Garrett , Long (?)
CB: Mousinho , Nelson , Dickie , Raglan (?)
MF: Baptiste , Little , Brannigan , Carruther , Ruffels (?)
WA: Napa , Hall , Henry
FW: Obika (?)

That gives 16 definites & 5 possibles, which is 21.
CAn anyone confirm whether any of the 5 ?s are there or not?

 

[RATC]

Did we ever settle upon a list of which players are actually out in Ireland?

Going from the diaries on the OUFC site, they said 22 including trialists.

GK: Eastwood , Shearer , Stevens (?) , Agboola (no, with U23s)
FB: Carroll , Norman , McMahon , Garrett , Long (?)
CB: Mousinho , Nelson , Dickie , Raglan (?)
MF: Baptiste , Little , Brannigan , Carruther , Ruffels (?)
WA: Napa , Hall , Henry
FW: Obika (?)

That gives 16 definites & 5 possibles, which is 21.
CAn anyone confirm whether any of the 5 ?s are there or not?

All of them 5 are there
There are 20 players available tonight and 0 Trialists have been. Kept on. Hall won't play for a roughly 2 weeks as he's had some swelling in the knee.

 

[mooro]

Ta, thanks for that - just making sure I hadnt forgotten anyone, or had someone there who wasn't

I know they've said Owen James is flying out to cover for Hall, but not sure he'll be there for tonight

 

[RATC]

Ta, thanks for that - just making sure I hadnt forgotten anyone, or had someone there who wasn't

I know they've said Owen James is flying out to cover for Hall, but not sure he'll be there for tonight

Doesn't sound like he will as Robinson said Napa and Baptiste may have to play the whole game tonight.

 

[mooro]

Doesn't sound like he will as Robinson said Napa and Baptiste may have to play the whole game tonight.

Plus with three keepers out there, then it might not be just those two - maybe some rolling subs?

 

[makv]

Jon Obika is the Raheem Sterling of Oxford

 

[monsieurgrumpy]

Got back last night. The Aer Lingus flight was two hours late, but at least it went, unlike some of the Ryanair ones. Didn't spot any fellow Us at the airport. Being over there for a week with no internet access, I went to Portmarnock for the opening game and wondered why I didn't see any Yellows en route. Got chatting to a local at the Portmarnock ground who put me in the picture about the change of venue to Tolka Park and then kindly gave me a lift back to Malahide DART station. He told me his nephew had been on trial with us and had been at Middlesbrough, Forest Green and now Longord Town .I made it to Drumcondra in time for the second half. Oxford were clearly in control against the amateurs but never looked like adding a second against their dodgy reserve keeper who came on, and we almost conceded an equalizer in the last minute. The UCD game was much better, especially the first half when a strong United side moved the ball well. After a good opening ten minutes in the second half from the students, United took control again and missed a few chances. The game fizzled out in in the last quarter and many Oxford fans left early in search of a pub with television for the England match. I though the UCD programme was great value for two Euros with up to date reports from our two previous friendlies. Very useful for me as I missed one and a half of them!

 

[WuTang]

Attended the Portmarnock and Longford matches, both very interesting stadiums, wasn't so fussed about the UCD Bowl and opted to find a pub for the match instead.

Over both matches I thought Carruthers looked superb, and Baptiste looked to have really bulked up ready for first team football as well as putting in good performances. Canice Carroll looked way off the pace and was awful at Longford, Derry looked more assured!!

 

[Jason N]

Missed the tour this year, absolutely gutted as it sounded a good one.

Great to hear that Baptiste is looking more likely to challenge for the first team squad. Having Long, Carroll, Baptiste and Napa competing for the squad is brilliant for the club and will only get better with all the improvements to the academy and u23 development squads. I'd much rather see these players coming through than the over-the-hill Journeymen players of last season and before the Mapp era.

 

[Dubai Yellow]

Just back from 8 days in Ireland yesterday, personally had a cracking holiday and was great to meet all the OUFC connected people along the way.

In terms of the team, yes we are in need of a few more players, but as it stands, I think the squad is full of young exciting prospects (with a few more experienced heads). As has been mentioned before, Baptiste was definitly one of our stand out performers, he might be young but physically he looks ready to handle regular first team football. Others that caught the eye were: Carruthers, Napa, Armani and Norman. Garbutt started to show signs of what he can do and also Obika looks in the best shape (literally) since joining the club (still need another striker though). Add to that: Nelson, Dickie, Ruffles, Brannagan, Henry, McMahon, Hall (if he stays fit), Whyte and all the up and coming youngsters, surely there is plenty of reason to be optimistic for the coming season and beyond.

Excited to see who else we add before it all starts but I'm feeling confident of some easy on the eye football and a decent season.