News

Head Coach Paul Osam took a twenty player Republic of Ireland U16 squad to Israel this week where they took part in a UEFA approved Quadrangular Development Tournament with Ukraine, Fiji and hosts Israel. The three matches were played over five days along the Mediterranean coast in Shefayim.

Ireland came from behind to defeat hosts Israel by two goals to one in our opening contest this Monday morning. The goals were scored by Evan Ferguson and Robbie Mahon.

Ireland continued their good form with a three nil victory over Fiji in their second match on Wednesday afternoon. An own goal followed by an Andrew Moran strike gave Ireland a two nil interval lead with Kailin Barlow adding the third in the second half.

Ireland went down to a two one defeat by Ukraine in their final contest of the Quadrangular Tournament in Shefayin on Friday morning. Bohemian striker Evan Ferguson gave Ireland the lead on 25 minutes but Ukraine responded with two quick fire goals just five minutes later. Despite dominating the second half, in which Ukraine did not have a shot at goal, Ireland were unable to find the equaliser which would have secured the Tournament Trophy.

Fixtures
29 April: 2-1 Israel       11am (9am Irish time)
1 May:    3-0 Fiji          3pm (1pm Irish time)
3 May:    1-2  Ukraine    9.30am (7.30am Irish time)

Squad
Goalkeepers: Josh Keeley(St Patrick’s Athletic), Daniel Rose(Everton)
Defenders: Kailin Barlow(Sligo Rovers), Fionnan Coyle(Finn Harps), Oisin Hand(Shamrock Rovers), Gavin O’Brien(Bohemian), Kevin Platon(Shamrock Rovers), Daragh Reilly(St Patrick’s Athletic), Adam Wells(Shamrock Rovers)
Midfielders: Colin Conroy(Bohemian), Oran Crowe(Cork City), Jamie Doyle(St Patrick’s Athletic), Kyle Martin-Conway(St Patrick’s Athletic), Ben McCormack(St Patrick’s Athletic), Andrew Moran(Bray Wanderers), Glory Nzingo(St Patrick’s Athletic)
Forwards: Sinclair Armstrong(Shamrock Rovers), Evan Ferguson(Bohemian), Calum Kavanagh(Middlesbrough), Robbie Mahon(Bohemian)

 

Cardiff City will be relegated from the Premier League following their three two home defeat by Crystal Palace this afternoon. Greg Cunningham was unused on their substitute bench. Earlier in the afternoon West Ham United defeated Southampton and Shane Long by three goals to nil at the London Stadium while at the same time Wolverhampton Wanderers and Matt Doherty overcame relegated Fulham and Cyrus Christie with the only goal at Molineaux. There was a Premier League debut for nineteen year old goalkeeper Mark Travers of AFC Bournemouth who defeated Tottenham Hotspur, who played much of the match with nine men following the dismissal of two players, by one goal to nil. Travers was excellent in the first half making a number of vital saves when the visitors had a full compliment of eleven and was named ‘man of the match’. 

European U17 Championship Finals
In addition to the Group A fixtures which saw the Czech Republic and Belgium get proceedings underway at noon on Friday the 3rd May in Tolka Park with a one all draw followed later in the evening by the dramatic draw between Ireland and Greece in Tallaght Stadium, the two opening fixtures in Group B also took place with Holland defeating Sweden by two goals to nil in the RSC Waterford at 5pm while France and England played out a one all draw in the City Calling Stadium, Longford at 7pm.

Group C commenced on Saturday the 4th May with Iceland defeating Russia by three goals to two in Whitehall Stadium, home of Home Farm FC, at 2pm while Portugal went down to a one nil defeat by Hungary at 7pm in the UCD Bowl.

Group D also commenced on Saturday with Spain defeating Austria by three goals to nil in the Carlisle Grounds, Bray and Italy defeating Germany by three goals to one in Tallaght Stadium.

Tennent’s Irish Cup Final
Crusaders have won the 2019 Tennant’s Irish Cup with a three nil victory over Ballinamallard United this Saturday afternoon in Windsor Park, Belfast. The County Fermanagh side were contesting their first ever cup final and hoping to improve the statistics which had seen them gain just one victory in twenty meetings with their opponents, with seventeen losses and two draws, but it was not to be. 

KNVB Cup Final
The Dutch Cup Final between Ajax of Amsterdam and Willem II from Tilburg took place at 5pm (Irish time) on Sunday afternoon in the De Kuip Stadium, Rotterdam with Ajax emerging as comfortable four nil victors. Twenty one year old midfielder Daniel Crowley was disappointingly named on the Willem II substitute bench and was only introduced after sixty two minutes. It is understood that Ireland manager Mick McCarthy was in attendance to cast his eye over dual national Crowley who has confirmed his wish to be considered for selection by Ireland but he is likely to have learned little in the circumstances. 

With the European U17 Championship Finals having commenced earlier today in Ireland, it was surprising and disappointing that there were four Airtricity League Premier Division matches, two of them in Dublin, also scheduled for this Friday evening. In form Bohemian were brought back down to earth by struggling visitors Cork City, who dispensed with manager John Caulfield earlier this week, with the ‘Rebels’ scoring the only goal in Dalymount Park. St Patrick’s Athletic went down to a crushing three nil defeat by visitors Waterford in Richmond Park, a response perhaps to their replacement in the Europa League by their hosts, announced earlier in the week.  Dundalk and Derry City locked horns in Oriel Park where the hosts took a two goal lead through Patrick Hoban but the visiting ‘Candystripes’ rallied and scored twice, the equaliser a penalty which resulted in the dismissal of Hoban, to earn a point.  The bottom two, Finn Harps and UCD, went head to head in Finn Park with the hosts emerging victorious by three goals to nil.

On Saturday evening the remaining duo, Sligo Rovers and current leaders Shamrock Rovers, faced each other in the Showgrounds with the hosts defeating the leaders by two goals to one.

                            P   W  D  L   F   A   G/D  Pts
Shamrock Rovers            16  11  1  4  24  10   14    34
Dundalk                    15   9  4  2  26  10   16    31
Bohemian                   15   9  3  3  15   5   10    30
Derry City                 15   7  4  4  23  17    6    25
St Patrick’s Athletic      15   6  3  6  12  14   -2    21
Waterford                  15   5  4  6  20  20    –    19
Sligo Rovers               15   5  4  6  13  17   -4    19
Cork City                  15   4  4  7  12  18   -6    16
UCD                        15   3  1 11  13  29  -16    10
Finn Harps                 16   1  4 11  13  31  -18     7

There was also a full programme of five Airtricity League First Division fixtures scheduled this Friday evening. Dublin duo, Cabinteely and Shelbourne, clashed at Stradbrook, another fixture in close proximity to our U17 side who were in action against Greece in Tallaght Stadium, with the hosts prevailing by one goal to nil. Current leaders Longford Town travelled to Drogheda United and maintained top place with a one nil victory while Athlone Town played out a one all draw with their visitors Cobh Ramblers. The Markets Field was the venue for the meeting of Limerick and Bray Wanderers with the hosts victorious by one goal to nil. The bottom two, Galway United and Wexford, clashed in Eamonn Deacy Park where the hosts secured a two nil success.  

                            P  W  D  L   F   A    G/D  Pts
Longford Town              10  7  3  0  13   2    11    24
Cabinteely                 11  7  2  2  18  12     6    23 
Shelbourne                 11  6  1  4  17  10     7    19
Limerick                   11  5  3  3  10   8     2    18
Drogheda United            11  5  2  4  18  16     2    17
Bray Wanderers             11  5  1  5  11   9     2    16 
Cobh Ramblers              11  3  2  6  13  17    -4    11
Athlone Town               11  3  1  7  12  22   -10    10
Galway United              10  3  0  7  12  12     –     9 
Wexford                    11  2  1  8  10  26   -16     7

The Premier League meeting of Everton and Burnley ended in a comfortable two nil victory for the hosts at Goodison Park on Friday evening. The ‘Toffees’ included Seamus Coleman in their starting eleven and he scored the second goal after just twenty minutes.   Robbie Brady, who was missing last week end following the birth of his second child, started for the visiting ‘Clarets’ and was replaced by Jeff Hendrick on eighty minutes while Kevin Long was an unused substitute.

FAI Board
Nominations to fill the vacant FAI Board positions which have arisen following the resignations of Honorary Secretary Michael Cody and Honorary Treasurer Eddie Murray closed this Tuesday evening, We await with interest, details of the nominees. In the event that more than one nomination is received for either position, a ballot of the FAI Council will decide the successful candidate.

FAI Governance
A new Governance Review Group has been established to review the rules and structures of the FAI ahead of the July 2019 AGM. The new Group comprises Chair Aidan Horan, a director at the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), Sport Ireland nominees, Dr Moling Ryan, a management consultant and qualified Barrister and Joe O’Leary, A partner in BMOL Chartered Accountants, while the FAI will be represented by newest board member Niamh O’Donoghue and interim Chief Executive Rea Walshe.

Acting Chief Executive Rea Walshe has issued  the following statement:-  “In partnership with Sport Ireland the FAI has established a Governance Review Group tasked with reviewing the existing governance arrangements within the FAI including advising on Board member/director nomination, election/appointment, term limits and succession planning including through the development of a skills, knowledge, experience and diversity matrix for the Board.

However, until such time as those recommendations are received and subsequently voted upon by the members at AGM/EGM the current rules apply and subject to the above it is proposed that a Special Council Meeting will be held immediately after the AGM on the 27th July to elect persons to those positions.”

Championship playoff hopefuls Derby County, captained by Richard Keogh, journied West on Wednesday evening and played out a one all draw with Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium. Their goal was scored by Keogh on twenty one minutes but the ‘Swans’ deservedly equalised midway through the second half. The ‘Rams’ currently sit in the sixth and final play-off position, one point ahead of their main challenger Middlesbrough while Bristol City are a further point adrift. The play-off battle now goes to the final day which is Sunday next, the 5th May with all fixtures scheduled to commence at 12.30pm. Derby County are at home to West Bromwich Albion while Middlesbrough visit relegated Rotherham United and Bristol City make the journey to Hull City.