News

Premier League
Seamus Coleman started for Everton with James McCarthy a seventy sixth minute substitute in their four nil Premier League drubbing of visitors Manchester United in Goodison Park on Easter Sunday afternoon. Later in the afternoon at 4pm, title chasing Liverpool maintained their challenge with a two nil success over relegation threatened Cardiff City for whom Greg Cunningham was an unused substitute. 

Scottish Premiership
Hibernian and Glasgow Celtic played out a scoreless draw at Easter Road in the Scottish Premiership early this Sunday afternoon where old fashioned wingers Daryl Horgan and Jonny Hayes both started for their respective sides.

Premier League
Relegated Fulham scored the only goal to defeat their hosts AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League on Easter Saturday afternoon. Cyrus Christie was introduced from the bench for the ‘Cottagers’ on seventy five minutes. Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton & Hove Albion played out a scoreless draw at Molineaux where Matt Doherty and Shane Duffy both started for their respective sides. Newcastle United defeated their visitors Southampton by three goals to one in the late kick-off at St James Park where Shane Long was a seventy sixth minute substitute for the vanquished visitors.

League One
Promotion chasing Luton Town defeated their hosts Accrington Stanley by three goals to nil to increase their lead at the summit of the League One table to five points from Barnsley with Portsmouth and Sunderland still very much in contention for automatic promotion.  James Collins returned to the ‘Hatters’ starting eleven following his suspension while defender Alan Sheehan got a rare starting role which was cut short by injury after fifty one minutes. Collins opened the scoring for the ‘Hatters’ after twenty four minutes from the penalty spot. Accrington Stanley are managed by former Sligo Rovers manager John Coleman and captained by Seamus Conneely.

Scottish Premiership
Heart of Midlothian went down to a three one home defeat by Glasgow Rangers at Tynecastle Park in their Easter Saturday noon engagement in the Scottish Premiership. Midfielder Jake Mulraney started for the hosts while Colin Doyle and Leeds United loanee Conor Shaughnessy were unused substitutes. 

There was a full programme in the Airtricity League Premier Division on Good Friday evening. Leaders Shamrock Rovers maintained their lead at the summit with the only goal against their hosts Derry City in the Brandywell. Bohemian reclaimed their second position with a three nil victory over UCD in Dalymount Park while Dundalk also secured a three nil victory over visitors Finn Harps in Oriel Park. Down in the RSC, hosts Waterford defeated Munster rivals Cork City by two goals to nil while St Patrick’s Athletic defeated visitors Sligo Rovers by two goals to one in Richmond Park.

                            P   W  D  L   F   A   G/D  Pts
Shamrock Rovers            12  10  1  1  21   5   16    31
Bohemian                   11   7  2  2  12   4    8    23
Dundalk                    11   6  3  2  16   6   10    21
Derry City                 11   6  2  3  17  11    6    20
St Patrick’s Athletic      11   4  3  4   8  10   -2    15
Waterford                  11   4  2  5  15  15    –    14
Cork City                  11   3  2  6  10  15   -5    11 
Sligo Rovers               11   3  2  6   8  15   -7    11
UCD                        11   3  1  7  12  19   -7    10
Finn Harps                 12   0  2 10   8  27  -19     2

There were four series eight contests played in the Airtricity League First Division this Good Friday evening. Athlone Town crashed to a four nil home defeat by Galway United while Bray Wanderers defeated their Carlisle Grounds visitors Drogheda United by three goals to one. Up in Tolka Park, Shelbourne defeated visitors Limerick by two goals to nil while Cabinteely secured  a two nil success over their hosts Wexford in Ferrycarrig Park. 
On Saturday evening, Cobh Ramblers played out a scoreless draw with visitors Longford Town in St Colman’s Park.  

                            P  W  D  L   F   A    G/D  Pts
Cabinteely                  9  6  1  2  16  11     5    19
Longford Town               8  5  3  0  11   2     9    18
Shelbourne                  9  5  1  3  14   9     5    16
Bray Wanderers              9  5  0  4  10   7     3    15 
Limerick                    9  4  3  2   9   7     2    15
Drogheda United             9  4  2  3  14  14     –    14
Cobh Ramblers               9  3  1  5  11  12    -1    10
Athlone Town                9  3  0  6  11  19    -8     9
Galway United               8  2  0  6  10   9     1     6
Wexford                     9  1  1  7   8  24   -16     4

 

Our 35th Anniversary Event set for the Claddagh Ring on the evening of Saturday the 14th September 2019 is now ‘SOLD OUT’ and the ticket portal is now closed.

We are operating a standby waiting list which will be applied on a first come first served basis in the event of any cancellations.

The mid-afternoon (3pm) kick-offs in the Championship and League One featured a number of Irish internationals.

The oft touted Ireland eligible Lukas Jutkiewicz scored after two minutes for Birmingham City but Richard Keogh also found the net for visitors Derby County as the contest ended  in a two all draw at
St Andrew’s. Aston Villa journied North and secured  a two nil victory over beleaguered Bolton Wanderers. Glenn Whelan started for Villa with Conor Hourihane a seventy second minute substitute while teenager Luca Connell completed another ninety minutes  for the host ‘Trotters’. Stoke City included centre back Nathan Collins, who reaches 18 at the end of this month, together with James McClean in their starting eleven as they went down to a one nil defeat at Middlesbrough for whom Darren Randolph was in his customary net minding position. Preston North End, who have struggled badly in recent weeks, crushed already relegated Ipswich Town by four goals to nil at Deepdale. Sean Maguire and Callum Robinson were joined in the hosts starting eleven by full back Joe Rafferty while seventeen year old midfielder Adan O’Reilly was named on the substitute bench. Alan Judge started and fit again Will Keane was a fifty ninth minute substitute for the visiting ‘Tractor Boys’. QPR included Ryan Manning in their starting eleven for their two one home defeat by visitors Blackburn Rovers and their duo of Darragh Lenihan and Derrick Williams. 

Ronan Curtis was a seventy sixth minute substitute for Portsmouth who maintained their League One promotion challenge with a late winner in a two one success at Burton Albion. The Sunderland duo of Aiden McGeady and Burnley loanee Jimmy Dunne were in action at the Stadium of Light as their side maintained their promotion challenge with a two nil victory over visitors Doncaster Rovers.  

There was an early Good Friday afternoon start for some of the Irish contingent in both the Championship and League One.

While Callum O’Dowda has resumed training following his knee injury, he was not available for Bristol City who were held to a one all draw by visitors Reading in a noon kick-off at Ashton Gate.  Sheffield United were without John Egan, who was serving a one match suspension, for their crucial Bramall Lane engagement with Nottingham Forest. Enda Stevens and David McGoldrick both started for the ‘Blades’ while Aston Villa loanee Scott Hogan was a sixty sixth minute substitute as they climbed into second place with a two nil victory with Stevens scoring the second. The oft touted Ireland eligible Lukas Jutkiewicz scored after two minutes for Birmingham City but Richard Keogh also found the net for visitors Derby County as the contest ended  in a two all draw. 

In League One, promotion chasing Charlton Athletic and their West Ham United loanee Josh Cullen suffered a disappointing two one defeat at Oxford United.

The saga surrounding FAI governance continues to rumble with another statement from the Association today and the commencement of further related proceedings in front of the Oireachtas Committee.
The FAI communication from Honorary President Donal Conway and directed to Minister for Sport Shane Ross advised that the current Board of the Football Association of Ireland will step down to allow for a new board to be constituted in the best interests of Irish football.