Category: Latest News

The Airtricity League Premier Division continued this Friday evening with all ten teams contesting match series six. Current leaders  Shamrock Rovers maintained their position with a three nil victory over Sligo Rovers in Tallaght Stadium while Dundalk superseded  Bohemian in second place with a two nil success over Derry City in the Brandywell while the ‘Gypsies’ went down to a two nil defeat by Cork City in Turner’s Cross. Promoted duo UCD and Finn Harps renewed acquaintance at the Bowl where the ‘Students’ cruised  to a three nil victory to leapfrog their opponents at the foot of the league table. Waterford secured a two nil success over visitors St Patrick’s  Athletic in the RSC.

                            P  W  D  L   F   A  G/D  Pts
Shamrock Rovers             7  5  1  1  11   2   9    16
Dundalk                     6  3  3  0  10   3   7    12
Bohemian                    6  3  2  1   5   3   2    11  
Cork City                   6  3  1  2   8   7   1    10
Derry City                  6  2  2  2   7   7   –     8
St Patrick’s Athletic       6  2  2  2   3   4  -1     8
Waterford                   6  2  1  3   7   9  -2     7
Sligo Rovers                6  2  1  3   5   8  -3     7
UCD                         6  1  1  4   5   9  -4     4
Finn Harps                  7  0  2  5   6  15  -9     2

There were four Airtricity League First Division fixtures played on Friday evening, with Bray Wanderers being overtaken at the summit by Shelbourne, who defeated Wexford  by three goals to nil in Tolka Park, while Bray went down to a one nil home defeat by Athlone Town in the Carlisle Grounds. Drogheda United suffered a crushing four one defeat by visitors Cabinteely in United Park while Limerick overcame Cobh Ramblers by three goals to one in the Markets Field. 
Longford Town are set to welcome Galway United to the City Calling Stadium at 7.30pm on Saturday evening. 

                            P  W  D  L  F   A   G/D   Pts
Shelbourne                  4  3  0  1  10  5     5     9
Bray Wanderers              4  3  0  1   6  1     5     9
Athlone Town                4  3  0  1   6  4     2     9
Cabinteely                  4  2  1  1   8  7     1     7
Longford Town               3  1  2  0   4  1     3     5
Limerick                    4  1  2  1   3  3     –     5
Drogheda United             4  1  1  2   5  7    -2     4
Galway United               3  1  0  2   6  4     2     3
Cobh Ramblers               4  1  0  3   7  9    -2     3
Wexford                     4  0  0  4   3  17  -14     0

A number of Irish international auditions took place in the Championship on Wednesday evening. Birmingham City played host to Millwall for whom Aiden O’Brien and Shaun Williams received no opportunity to impress, remaining on the bench as their side prevailed by two goals to nil. Derby County captained by Richard Keogh locked horns with the visiting James McClean and his Stoke City colleagues at Pride Park in a contest which ended scoreless. Middlesbrough and Darren Randolph suffered a two one defeat by visitors Preston North End who included Alan Browne and Sean Maguire in their starting eleven at the Riverside Stadium. Browne was withdrawn through injury after just twenty two minutes and was replaced by Joe Rafferty who had made his debut as an added time substitute last Saturday. International retiree Daryl Murphy was a sixty second minute substitute for Nottingham Forest who went down to a three one home defeat by Aston Villa at the City Ground. Conor Hourihane started for the victors while Glenn Whelan was introduced for the final ten minutes.

Republic of Ireland U21 manager Stephen Kenny has named his first competitive squad for the upcoming 2021 European U21 Championship qualifier against Luxembourg. The match is set for Tallaght Stadium on Sunday the 24th March 2019 with a 5pm kick-off time.

SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu(Manchester City), Caoimhin Kelleher(Liverpool)
Defenders: Trevor Clarke(Shamrock Rovers), Barry Cotter(Ipswich Town), Darragh Leahy(Bohemian), Conor Masterson(Liverpool), Corey Ndaba(Ipswich Town), Lee O’Connor(Manchester United), Dara O’Shea(Exeter City-on loan from WBA), Liam Scales(UCD)
Midfielders: Conor Coventry(West Ham United), Jake Doyle-Hayes(Cambridge United-on loan from Aston Villa), Jamie Lennon(St Patrick’s Athletic), Daniel Mandroiu(Bohemian), Jayson Molumby(Brighton & Hove Albion), Connor Ronan(FC Dac 1904-on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Forwards: Aaron Drinan(Waterford-on loan from Ipswich Town), Zachery Elbouzedi(Waterford), Neil Farrugia(UCD), Adam Idah(Norwich City), Michael O’Connor(Linfield), Troy Parrott(Tottenham Hotspur), Simon Power(FC Dordrecht-on loan from Norwich City)

 

The draw for the second round of the 2019 EA Sports Cup was made today and is as follows:-

Bohemian v Cabinteely
Bray Wanderers v Shamrock Rovers
Cork City v Limerick/Cobh Ramblers
Derry City v Longford Town
Finn Harps v Sligo Rovers
Shelbourne v UCD
St Patrick’s Athletic v Dundalk
Waterford v Galway United

The ties are set to be played on Monday 1st/Tuesday 2nd April 2019

The Championship
Our senior management team did another round of appraisal in the Championship on Tuesday evening. Blackburn Rovers defender Derrick Williams was in action in the three nil victory over Wigan Athletic at Ewood Park while Keiren Westwood and Sheffield Wednesday secured  a two nil victory at Bolton Wanderers where teenager Luca Connell was introduced as a seventy second minute substitute for the defeated hosts. There has been recent disappointment for Bristol City and Callum O’Dowda and it continued this evening as basement side Ipswich Town held their hosts to a one all draw at Ashton Gate. O’Dowda was introduced as a seventy third minute substitute while  visiting midfielder Alan Judge was withdrawn after seventy five minutes.  Sheffield United maintained their promotion challenge with a two nil success over visitors Brentford at Bramall Lane despite playing for an hour with ten men following the dismissal of Gary Madine.  John Egan, Enda Stevens and Aston Villa loanee Scott Hogan started for the ‘Blades’, with Hogan replaced by David McGoldrick at half-time. McGoldrick then scored the second goal on eighty four minutes.

League One
League One promotion challengers Barnsley and Sunderland played out a scoreless draw at Oakwell on Tuesday evening with Burnley loanee Jimmy Dunne and veteran Aiden McGeady in the ‘Makems’ starting eleven. Current leaders Luton Town scored  the only goal at Bradford City to extend their lead at the summit but striker James Collins did not add to his current twenty goal tally this season. Midfielder Josh Cullen, our U21 captain last season, who is on loan at Charlton Athletic from West Ham United has also been performing well with another promotion challenger and he was in action in their two one success over visitors Burton Albion.

Premier League
Burnley travelled to face Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League at noon on Sunday and suffered a four two defeat. Jeff Hendrick has been a regular starter in recent weeks for the ‘Clarets’ and started again with Robbie Brady an unused substitute. Stephen Ward and Kevin Long have seen little or no action in recent weeks and were again absent from the matchday squad. Wolverhampton Wanderers and Matt Doherty journied to London where they secured a one all draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Championship
The high noon Championship clash of Birmingham City and Aston Villa at St Andrew’s Stadium was another feisty affair with the intrusion of a spectator who perpetrated a cowardly assault on an unsuspecting Jack Grealish casting a shadow over the occasion. That Villa collected all three points with Grealish scoring the only goal was perhaps a form of justice. Lukas Jutkiewicz started for the hosts and gave an excellent performance. If, as suggested, he is indeed qualified  to play for Ireland then perhaps we should be making the relevant overtures. Conor Hourihane and Glenn Whelan both started for the visiting ‘Villans’ and performed admirably.

Premier League
Shane Duffy and Brighton & Hove Albion made a successful early journey to face bitter rivals Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park where they secured a two one success in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. Harry Arter started and starred for Cardiff City who defeated visitors West Ham United by two goals to one while Cyrus Christie was an unused substitute for Fulham who went down to a three one defeat at Leicester City. Injury ruled Ciaran Clark out of the international squad but he has resumed training with Newcastle United although not yet ready for action as the ‘Magpies’ recovered  a two nil half-time deficit to defeat visitors Everton by three goals to two at St James Park. Seamus Coleman was named in the ‘Toffees’ starting eleven but was forced to withdraw through sickness. James McCarthy has been fit and available for some weeks following his lengthy injury absence but has not seen any action with the ‘Toffees’ and was again excluded from the matchday squad. Shane Long returned on the substitute bench for Southampton and entered the fray at half-time only to suffer a head injury which forced his withdrawal on seventy three minutes as his side came from behind to defeat Tottenham Hotspur by two goals to one at St Mary’s Stadium. 

The Championship
Saturday in the Championship kicked-off at noon with the Lancashire Derby meeting of Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End at Ewood Park. Derrick Williams, included in Mick McCarthy’s initial squad, started for the hosts following his two match suspension while both Alan Browne and Sean Maguire started for the visitors who secured a one nil victory. Callum Robinson, not selected in Mick McCarthy’s  international squad has resumed training following his lengthy injury absence. Fifteen minutes later the South Yorkshire Derby encounter between Sheffield United and Rotherham United kicked off at Bramall Lane. The hosts included John Egan, Enda Stevens, David McGoldrick and Aston Villa loanee Scott Hogan in their starting eleven, all of whom are in Mick’s extended squad, as they secured a two nil victory. Two more of Mick’s squad members, Aiden O’Brien, unused on the bench and Shaun Williams who started alongside loanee Alex Pearce for Millwall suffered a two one defeat at Bolton Wanderers who included teenager Luca Connell on their bench. Callum O’Dowda started alongside goalkeeper Max O’Leary for Bristol City who lost a crucial contest with Leeds United at Ashton Gate. Visiting striker Patrick Bamford whom it is understood is about to make the switch to our senior international ranks scored the only goal after nine minutes. Both O’Dowda and Bamford were withdrawn before the hour mark. Derby County, captained by Richard Keogh, were held to a one all draw by Sheffield Wednesday and Keiren Westwood at Pride Park. Fellow goalkeeper Darren Randolph and his Middlesbrough colleagues went down to a two one defeat by visitors Brentford at the Riverside Stadium while James McClean started for Stoke City who played out a scoreless with QPR at Loftus Road. Alan Judge and struggling Ipswich Town made the trip to West Bromwich Albion where they secured a point from a one all draw.

League One
Striker James Collins who has scored twenty times this season for current leaders Luton Town started in their scoreless draw at Plymouth Argyle in the First Division while the Sunderland duo of Burnley loanee Jimmy Dunne and Aiden McGeady also started at Wycombe Wanderers for Sunderland who scored a very late equaliser for a one all draw. Also on the road was Ronan Curtis who scored for his club  Portsmouth in their two one defeat at Charlton Athletic in the late kick-off.

League Two
The two League Two players selected in Mick McCarthy’s initial senior international squad, Kieran O’Hara and Padraig Amond were in action on Saturday afternoon. Goalkeeper O’Hara, on loan at Macclesfield Town from Manchester United, suffered a three one defeat by visitors MK Dons at the Moss Rose Stadium while striker Amond started for Newport County who went down to a three nil defeat by Colchester United at the Community Stadium.