Category: Latest News

The Airtricity League Premier Division continued on Friday evening with Dundalk returning to the summit of the league table following their three one victory over bottom side Bray Wanderers in the Carlisle Grounds. Third place Waterford made the lengthy journey to face Derry City in the Brandywell and were rewarded with a two one success while old Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers and Bohemian locked horns in Tallaght Stadium with the visiting ‘Gypsies’ scoring the only goal. The Markets Field tryst between hosts Limerick and visitors Sligo Rovers could go some way to deciding which of them faces the trauma of a relegation play-off and it was the hosts who suffered a severe setback with their visitors prevailing by three goals to one.

With six Irish players in their senior squad, Burnley are the focus of increased Irish interest and this evening they progressed to the next stage of the UEFA Europa League with a one nil victory over Turkish side Basaksehir at Turf Moor. The first leg ended scoreless in Istanbul last week and this evening’s contest was again scoreless at the end of normal time. The deadlock was broken seven minutes into extra-time and the ‘Clarets’ will now face Olympiakos of Greece in the next round. Jeff Hendrick, Kevin Long and Stephen Ward all completed one hundred and twenty minutes this evening.

Cork City  were eliminated from the UEFA Europa League when they went down to a three nil defeat by Norwegian side Rosenborg in Trondheim this evening. The Airtricity League champions faced an uphill task following their two nil first leg defeat in Turner’s Cross last week and in reality never looked likely to overcome the challenge.

Ireland U21 midfielder Ryan Manning has made a season long loan switch from Queens Park Rangers to fellow Championship side Rotherham United. The move would seem to indicate that the Galway man does not have a future with the Loftus Road side under new manager Steve McClaren.

The draw for the second round of the IRN-BRU Cup, at which point the eight English,Irish and Welsh clubs enter proceedings, was made today. The Airtricity League representatives, Bohemian and Sligo Rovers have been drawn against Scottish League Two side Peterhead and the winners of the Forfar Athletic (Scottish League One)/Livingston Colts (Scottish Premiership) first round tie, respectively. Bohemian will travel to Balmoor Stadium while Sligo Rovers will host their tie in the Showgrounds, with the match provisionally scheduled for Saturday the 8th September.   

Current Ireland U21 goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara has made a season long loan move from Manchester United to League Two side Macclesfield Town where he should encounter a more competitive level of football than that at club U23 level. O’Hara was called up to the senior Ireland training session during the summer and is regarded by many as a future senior international.