Category: Latest News

Airtricity League champions Dundalk commenced their 2020 UEFA Champions League campaign with a scoreless draw in Oriel Park this Wednesday evening against Latvian champions FC Riga. The hosts dominated possession but did not produce the cutting edge to score. Manager Vinnie Perth remains optimistic following this first leg stalemate and echoed his belief that the ‘Lilywhites’ would score in the return leg when their opponents will be expected to offer a more attacking presence.

Northern Ireland’s Premier League Champions Linfield were also in action as they went down to a two nil defeat by Norwegian champions Rosenborg in Windsor Park, and now face a daunting task in next week’s second leg.

The first qualifying round of the 2020 UEFA Champions League kicked off on Tuesday evening with Glasgow Celtic coming from behind to secure a three one away victory over Sarajevo of Bosnia&Herzegovina. Jonny Hayes was introduced from the substitute bench on fifty seven minutes but recent signing Luca Connell was not included in the matchday squad.

Welsh champions The New Saints forfeited a two goal lead by conceding twice in the final three minutes of their home tie against KF Feronikelt of Kosova. Former Bohemian striker Curtis Byrne was a late substitute for TNS.

Our Women’s University side went down to a crushing five nil defeat by North Korea in the semi-final of the 2019 World University Games in Naples this Wednesday afternoon.

Our opponents had reached this semi-final stage with emphatic victories over Canada (4-1), South Africa (8-0) and Italy (4-1) and are joint favourites to win the Tournament.

Ireland will now contest the 3rd/4th place Bronze Medal match on Friday afternoon with Russia.

Our men went down to a two one defeat by Ukraine in the semi-final play-off for the 5th/8th positions this Thursday afternoon and will now face France in the play-off for 7th/8th positions at 5pm on Saturday afternoon.

 

The draw for the third round of the 2019 FAI Cup was made early this evening by our U21 manager Stephen Kenny and former Sligo Rovers cup winning captain Gavin Dykes. The ties are scheduled to be played on the week ending Sunday the 11th August 2019.

Bohemian v Shelbourne
Cabinteely v Cork City
Cobh Ramblers v Dundalk
Cobh Wanderers v Limerick
Collinstown v Galway United
Crumlin United v Malahide United
Derry City v Wexford
Drogheda United v Avondale United
Glebe North v Sligo Rovers
Longford Town v Athlone Town
Lucan United v Killester Donnycarney
Maynooth University Town v Waterford
Shamrock Rovers v Finn Harps
St Michael’s v Glengad United
St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers
UCD v Letterkenny Rovers

Ireland’s men and women topped their respective qualifying groups at the World Student Games in Naples and are through to the knock-out quarter-final stage where they will face Russia and China.

First into action at 5pm this Monday afternoon were Dave Connell‘s women who played out a scoreless draw with China but progressed to the semi-final stage with an emphatic 4-1 penalty shoot out success.

Goalkeeper Amanda McQuillan took the shoot-out plaudits by scoring the opening penalty and then was beaten only once from the three kicks taken by China while her colleagues Megan Smith Lynch, Lynn Craven and Eleanor Ryan Doyle all converted their kicks.

Greg Yelverton‘s men took on Russia at 8pm on Tuesday evening in their quarter-final contest but suffered a one nil defeat. The goal came after just seven minutes from the penalty spot and despite strenuous efforts Ireland were unable to find the equaliser. 

The Airtricity League Premier Division continued on Friday evening with a full five match programme.
Leaders Dundalk journied to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium where they received a stern test from their hosts Derry City as the sides played out a two all draw. Second place Shamrock Rovers were held to a scoreless draw by Sligo Rovers in Tallaght Stadium while third place Bohemian played out a scoreless draw with  Cork City in Turner’s Cross in front of the live eirSport cameras. Waterford went down to a two one defeat by visitors St Patrick’s Athletic in the RSC while basement side UCD scored the only goal in the Bowl to narrow the gap to their opponents Finn Harps. 

                            P   W  D  L   F   A   G/D  Pts
Dundalk                    24  17  5  2  46  13   33    56
Shamrock Rovers            24  15  3  6  35  15   20    48
Bohemian                   24  12  6  6  27  17   10    42
St Patrick’s Athletic      25  10  7  8  21  22   -1    37
Derry City                 23   9  9  5  36  24   12    36
Sligo Rovers               24   7  9  8  25  30   -5    30
Cork City                  24   6  8 10  18  28  -10    26
Waterford                  21   6  5 10  28  33   -5    23
Finn Harps                 25   3  5 17  21  50  -29    14
UCD                        22   4  1 17  15  40  -25    13

There was also a full five match programme played in the First Division on Friday evening. Leaders Shelbourne journied West to take on Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park where they secured a three nil victory. Longford Town travelled to face Limerick in the Markets Field where they went down to a three one defeat. Drogheda United climbed in to second place with a four two victory over visitors Cobh Ramblers in United Park. Cabinteely secured a two one home success over Bray Wanderers at Stradbrook. The remaining contest saw Athlone Town defeat visitors Wexford by three goals to one.

                            P   W  D  L   F   A    G/D  Pts
Shelbourne                 19  14  1  4  30  13    17    43
Drogheda United            19  12  2  5  41  25    16    38
Longford Town              19  11  3  5  24  14    10    36
Cabinteely                 19  10  5  4  27  23     4    35
Limerick                   19   9  5  5  22  17     5    32
Bray Wanderers             19   9  1  9  24  18     6    28
Cobh Ramblers              19   5  4 10  24  31    -7    19
Athlone Town               19   5  3 11  24  41   -17    18
Galway United              19   4  1 14  19  29   -10    13
Wexford                    19   2  3 15  16  40   -24     9

The 2019 World University Games, hosted by Italy in Naples, commenced on the 2nd July and saw our Republic of Ireland Women’s team, guided by Dave Connell, defeat defending champions Brazil by one goal to nil in their opening Pool C encounter.

The winning goal in the Stadio San Mauro, Casoria came after seventy one minutes from a stunning thirty yard strike by Lauren Kelly.

In the three team pool, Ireland took on South Korea at 5pm this Thursday afternoon again in Stadio San Mauro where two first half goals from Eleanor Ryan Doyle underpinned a two one victory. Ireland are now through to the knock-out quarter-finals which are set for Monday afternoon and evening.

The Republic of Ireland, led by Greg Yelverton,  is also represented in the men’s competition where they have been drawn in Pool A alongside South Korea and Uruguay who met on Tuesday afternoon in Stadio Pinto where South Korea prevailed by two goals to one.

Ireland commenced their challenge this Friday evening against South Korea in Stadio San Mauro and recovered from conceding an early goal to record a three two victory. South Korea were reduced to ten men on thirty six minutes but it was not until the 60th minute that the equaliser arrived courtesy of Cillian Duffy. The victory was secured by captain Alan O’Sullivan who converted penalty kicks on the 64th and 79th minutes. South Korea did score a second on 83 minutes which made for a nervous ending to the contest.
Ireland topped their Group with a one all draw against Uruguay on Sunday afternoon in Stadio Pinto. Captain Alan O’Sullivan was again on the mark, putting Ireland in front on twenty minutes but Uruguay equalised from the penalty spot seven minutes later. 

Cork City were represented in the Cardiff Athletic Stadium this Thursday evening when Cardiff Metropolitan University faced FC Progress Niederkorn of Luxembourg in the second leg of their Europa League qualifying round tie.
The Welsh hosts won the match by two goals to one but their one nil deficit from the first leg played in Differdange last week saw them exit the competition on the away goals rule.
The ‘Rebels’ will now face FC Progress Niederkorn in the first qualifying round of the Europa League with the first leg set for Turner’s Cross at 7.45pm on the evening of Thursday the 11th July 2019.
In other contests played this evening, Ballymena United played out a scoreless draw with NSI Runavik in the Faroe Islands to progress to the next round having won the home first leg by two goals to nil last week. Ballymena will now face Malmo of Sweden in the first qualifying round.
Fellow NI side Cliftonville followed up their scoreless away draw last week with a four nil home victory over Barry Town of Wales and will now face Haugesund of Norway in the first qualifying round.