Irish set for Championship and League One action…03/08/2019

Both the English Championship and League One swung into full new season action on Saturday afternoon.

Championship
Promotion play-off winners Charlton Athletic travelled to Blackburn Rovers, who included Darragh Lenihan in their starting eleven but a calf injury ruled out Derrick Williams, and secured a two one victory. New signing Daniel Crowley made his competitive debut for  Birmingham City in their surprise one nil victory at Brentford. There was also a one nil success for Millwall who defeated Preston North End at the Den where Aiden O’Brien, Alex Pearce and Shaun Williams all started for the hosts while Sean Maguire and Alan Browne started for the visitors. Josh Barrett, another U21 squad member, started for Reading who went down to a three one home defeat by Sheffield Wednesday for whom goalkeeper Keiren Westwood was red carded on eighty minutes. A disappointing start for John O’Shea as a new first team Coach with the ‘Royals’. Eighteen year old centre back Nathan Collins started for Stoke City alongside James McClean while visitors QPR included Ryan Manning in their starting eleven with Olamide Shodipo a seventy second minute substitute as they secured a two one victory. Cyrus Christie was introduced from the substitute bench for Fulham after thirty three minutes as they went down to a one nil defeat at newly promoted Barnsley. The late kick-off between Nottingham Forest and West Bromwich Albion at the city Ground ended in a two one victory for the visiting ‘Baggies’ for whom Ireland U21 defender Dara O’Shea was an unused substitute.

League One
Goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara who is on loan at Burton Albion from Manchester United and new signing John Joe O’Toole both started the one nil defeat by visitors Ipswich Town for whom Alan Judge was a sixty third minute substitute. Another young goalkeeper Max O’Leary is on loan at Shrewsbury Town from Bristol City and started in their one nil victory over visitors Portsmouth who included Ronan Curtis and new signing Marcus Harness in their starting eleven.