Irish in more weekend action…28/09/2020

Monday
Fulham went down to a three nil defeat by visitors Aston Villa at Craven Cottage in the Premier League this Monday evening. Conor Hourihane started and scored the second Villa on 15 minutes while also providing the free kick assist for the third goal. He was withdrawn on 77 minutes.

Sunday

The Premier League meeting of Sheffield United and Leeds United at Bramall Lane on Sunday afternoon ended in a one nil defeat for the hosts. Enda Stevens and David McGoldrick started for the ‘Blades’  but John Egan missed out through suspension. Tottenham Hotspur and Matt Doherty played host to Newcastle United and Jeff Hendrick at 2pm while Ciaran Clark was again absent through injury as the visiting Magpies’ stunned their hosts with an added time equaliser following another contentious penalty decision. The one all draw was scant reward for the hosts who had been totally dominant throughout but the failure to score a second goal proved crucial. In the late kick-off, Darren Randolph was again on the substitute bench for West Ham United who defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers by four goals to nil at the London Stadium.

Goalkeeper Max O’Leary was on the Bristol City substitute bench for the two nil Championship victory over visitors Sheffield Wednesday while Callum O’Dowda remains an injury absentee. Relegated duo, AFC Bournemouth and Norwich City met at 4pm with Mark Travers unused on the substitute bench as the host ‘Cherries’ secured  a one nil victory. Adam Idah was a 74th minute substitute for the visiting ‘Canaries’.

Following their midweek Caribou Cup disaster Lincoln City resumed League One action with a two nil victory over visitors Charlton Athletic. Sean Roughan started for the hosts and Anthony Scully was a 79th minute substitute but Zak Elbouzedi remained on the bench.  

There was Scottish Premiership action for Shane Duffy when Glasgow Celtic defeated visitors Hibernian by three goals to nil while Jonny Hayes and Tommie Hoban were in the Aberdeen side which defeated their hosts Ross County by three goals to nil. Hayes was named ‘man of the match’.

Saturday
Aaron Connolly and his Brighton & Hove Albion colleagues suffered bitter Premier League disappointment when they lost to visitors  Manchester United by three goals to two in the Amex Stadium early on Saturday afternoon. The ‘Hosts’ were excellent for much of the contest and hit the woodwork three times but lady luck was not smiling on them today. James McCarthy and Crystal Palace welcomed Seamus Coleman and Everton to Selhurst Park where the visiting ‘Toffees’ emerged victorious by two goals to one. West Bromwich Albion and their Irish duo of Dara O’Shea and Callum Robinson were seeking to recover from their disappointing start to the season when Chelsea visited the Hawthorns this afternoon. In the first half they certainly were buoyant and raced to a three goal lead with Robinson scoring twice but the second half was bitterly disappointing as they conceded three goals to end up with just one point. Turf Moor hosted the meeting of Burnley and Southampton at 8pm where young Jimmy Dunne and Kevin Long were in central defence for the hosts who went down to a one nil defeat. Michael Obafemi was a 77th minute substitute while Shane Long and Will Smallbone were unused on the  substitute bench for the visiting ‘Saints’.

In the early kick-off, James Collins and Luton Town went down to a one nil defeat at Watford in the Championship on Saturday afternoon. At the same time Daryl Horgan and his Wycombe Wanderers colleagues  host to visitors Swansea City by two goals to nil. Permanent signing Scott Hogan started for Birmingham City but he was withdrawn on 66 minutes of their one all draw with visitors Rotherham United for whom Chiedoze Ogbene started while 69th minute substitute Kieran Sadlier scored their goal from the penalty spot. Derby County and Jason Knight suffered a crushing four nil home defeat by Blackburn Rovers for whom Daragh Lenihan and Derrick Williams completed 90 minutes at Pride Park. Millwall included Alex Pearce in their side while Shaun Williams was an unused substitute for the one all draw with visitors Brentford. Alan Browne and Sean Maguire started for  Preston North End who lost to the only from visitors Stoke City for whom James McClean started but was withdrawn on 65 minutes. Conor Masterson was again an unused substitute for QPR but there was no sign of Ronan Manning and Olamide Shodipo as they played out a one all draw with visitors Middlesbrough at Loftus Road.

Accrington Stanley loanee Ryan Cassidy scored from the penalty spot in their League One encounter with visitors Oxford United but to ni avail as the visitors scored four for a comfortable victory. Liam Kelly and Anthony Forde both completed the full match at the Wham Stadium. Loanee Warren O’Hora was in the MK Dons side which went down to a two nil defeat at Crewe Alexandra while Glenn Whelan was in action with Fleetwood Town who lost to the only goal from visitors AFC Wimbledon. Stephen Ward started while Aaron Drinan was a 67th minute substitute for Ipswich Town who defeated visitors Rochdale by two goals to nil at Portman Road. Manager Brian Barry Murphy included the quintet of Gavin Bazunu, Eoghan O’Connell, Paul McShane, Jimmy Keohane and Jimmy Ryan in his starting eleven. The Portsmouth trio of Ronan Curtis, Marcus Harness and Sean Raggett all started the two one defeat by visitors Wigan Athletic and new manager John Sheridan at Fratton Park. Aiden O’Brien was an early substitute for Sunderland as they defeated visitors Peterborough United and Jack Taylor by one goal to nil. 

Glasgow Celtic loanee Lee O’Connor was in the Tranmere Rovers side which played out a scoreless League Two draw at Cambridge United. 

Millwall loanee Danny McNamara was in the St Johnstone side which went down to a two nil Scottish Premiership defeat at Livingston while Jim Goodwin and his St Mirren quintet of Conor McCarthy, Joe Shaughnessy, Jamie McGrath, Sam Foley and Dylan Connolly lost to the only goal from visitors Kilmarnock for whom goalkeeper Danny Rogers started with Colin Doyle on the substitute bench.

Friday
There was disappointment for new signings Harry Arter and Cyrus Christie (Loan) who made their Championship debuts for Nottingham Forest on Friday evening when they went down to a one nil defeat at Huddersfield Town.