25-04-2025
League of Ireland is becoming the Late Late Show amid dramatic comebacks – fans leaving games early should know better
THE press box at most League of Ireland grounds gives you a good view of those who decide to depart early.
They tend to be agents, scouts, rival managers and their staff and the odd pundit.
2
Rhys Brennan of Bohemians celebrates after his side's victory against Shamrock Rovers
Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
2
Kitt Nelson of Cork City, second from right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal against Waterford
Credit: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Other than everyone's hatred of
traffic
, I never understood why you would leave early and miss what is often the best bit.
Manchester
United had 'Fergie Time' for years. Martin O'Neill's
Ireland
loved a late goal too.
'Rovers Time' in 2021 saw
Hoops boss
hallmark
.
Read More on League of Ireland
Dylan Watts'
Had they won the league last season, his 84th-minute winner in Drogheda would have been a key moment.
Instead, eventual champions Shelbourne looked at some late goals of their own — such as Evan Caffrey's injury-time winner against St Pat's in May, or
Last weekend, Saints boss
Most read in Football
The ex-Ireland gaffer said: 'The good thing about the team this season is we've thrown the kitchen sink at stuff at the end and it's comes off.
'It's important to have that mentality.
Cork City fans watch League of Ireland clash against Dundalk in cinema
'It's easy to talk about it but players have to go and do it and ultimately it's the players that have gone and done that and different players are coming up to do it.'
Like the long-running chat show, Late Late Shows have become a weekly occurrence in our top tier, with 26 of the 141, or 18 per cent, of goals scored this season coming in the 80th minute or later.
So any supporter rushing to get home to watch
That was the case on Monday when it seemed one or two Bohemians fans had seen enough after their side fell 2-0 down to
But Bohs fans should know better as they produced arguably the greatest comeback in League
history
to turn 1-4 into 6-4 against Rovers in 2001.
They were at it again on Monday,
That said, those same fans also saw them lose at
Cork
City having gone in front, and watched them surrender a two-goal lead at home to
Sligo
Rovers only to then still win 4-2.
John Russell's Sligo felt deja vu that day having also recovered a two-goal deficit against St Pat's only to still lose.
And the Saints know what late shows are all about themselves. The Waterford win Kenny mentioned was a game where they were losing 1-0 with 87 minutes on the clock.
But no club has a monopoly on comebacks.
LATE SHOWS
As Bohs fans were still catching their breath and Rovers lovers were recovering from shock four days ago,
As mentioned, City also came from behind to beat Bohs earlier this season, but they lost to both Waterford and
Derry
having taken the lead.
Scoring first is normally crucial — Shelbourne dropped just four points from winning positions last season — but this year it has been less decisive.
Shels themselves have drawn three games where they led, though they,
League leaders Drogheda United's only defeat came against Shamrock Rovers in a game where they led, but they also beat
So the question is: Why would you ever leave a
