News

Our U19 Women went down to a three nil defeat by the hosts, European Champions Spain in their concluding Elite Stage qualifying contest of the 2019 European Championship in Santiago de Compostela, San Lazaro this Tuesday afternoon. Both sides won their opening two contests with Spain leading the way by one goal, meaning Ireland needed to win in order to progress to the Championship Finals but it was not to be as the hosts proved much too strong. 

Squad:
Goalkeepers: Rachael Kelly(Shelbourne WFC), Erica Turner(DLR Waves)
Defenders: Rachel Baynes(Galway WFC), Leah Brady(Galway WFC), Katie Burdis(DLR Waves), Sadhbh Doyle(Galway WFC), Roisin McGovern(DLR Waves), Aoife Slattery(Wexford WFC)
Midfielders: Sinead Donavan(Galway WFC), Lucia Lobato(Galway WFC), Megan Mackey(Brighton & Hove Albion), Tiegan Ruddy(Shelbourne WFC), Chloe Singleton(Galway WFC)
Forwards:  Kelly Brady(World Class-USA), Keelin McEntee(DLR Waves), Alannah McEvoy(Shelbourne WFC), Carla McManus(Kilkenny United), Michelle O’Driscoll(Daytona State University-USA), Heather Payne(Bristol City), Niamh Reynolds(Reading WFC)

The 2019 Toulon U21 Tournament draw was made today and the Republic of Ireland have been drawn in Group C of the twelve team tournament alongside Bahrain, China and Mexico.

We commence our challenge at 3.30pm on Monday the 3rd June against China in Stade de Lattre followed three days later on Thursday the 6th June with a contest against Mexico in Stade Parsemain at 7.30pm. We will face Bahrain in our final Group contest at 3pm on Sunday the 9th June in Stade Jules Ladoumegue.

The three Group winners, together with the best runner-up, will contest the semi-finals while the remaining eight countries will play off for positions five to twelve.

Group A comprises Chile, England, Japan and Portugal while Group B is made up of Brazil, France, Guatemala and Qatar.

FA Cup
Watford will face Manchester City in the 2019 FA Cup Final. The second semi-final took place at Wembley Stadium this Sunday afternoon and saw Watford recover from a two goal deficit with just ten minutes remaining to defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers by three goals to two in extra-time. The Midlands club took the lead on thirty six minutes through Matt Doherty and added a second after sixty two minutes. Watford pulled a goal back and then were awarded a penalty with just seconds of added time remaining which they converted to take the tie into extra-time and victory with a goal  just before the extra-time break.

Premier League
Republic of Ireland captain Seamus Coleman started for Everton in their one nil Premier League victory over visitors Arsenal at Goodison Park this Sunday afternoon. Fit again midfielder James McCarthy has been  training regularly and was named on the substitute bench today. 

FA Cup
The first semi-final in the 2019 FA Cup took place on Saturday afternoon in Wembley Stadium and saw quadruple chasing Manchester City progress to the final with a one nil victory over Chris Hughton‘s Brighton & Hove Albion, for whom Shane Duffy was excellent in central defence.

Premier League
AFC Bournemouth went down to a three one home defeat by visitors Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. Jeff Hendrick started for the visiting ‘Clarets’ with Robbie Brady, Kevin Long and Stephen Ward unused on the substitute bench.  

Championship
Blackburn Rovers included Darragh Lenihan in their starting eleven with Derrick Williams a half-time substitute in their one nil home   Championship defeat by visitors Stoke City who included James McClean in their starting eleven at Ewood Park this Saturday afternoon. Troubled Bolton Wanderers, whose players have not been paid this month, were granted permission to play their home fixture against Ipswich Town at the University of Bolton Stadium. Luca Connell was a forty first minute substitute for the ‘Trotters’ as they went down to a two one defeat, with Alan Judge completing the full ninety minutes for the visiting ‘Tractor Boys’.  Brentford played host to Derby County and Richard Keogh at Griffin Park where they equalised on three occasions to earn a draw. Alex Pearce started for Millwall with Aiden O’Brien introduced for the final minutes but Shaun Williams remained on the bench for their two nil success over  visitors West Bromwich Albion.  The Preston North End trio of Alan Browne, Sean Maguire and Callum Robinson all started against visitors Sheffield United who included John Egan, Enda Stevens and David McGoldrick, who scored the only goal, in their starting eleven with Aston Villa loanee Scott Hogan introduced as a late substitute. Keiren Westwood and his Sheffield Wednesday colleagues went down to a three one defeat by in form visitors Aston Villa who included Glenn Whelan in their starting eleven with Conor Hourihane unused on the bench. Goalkeeper Darren Randolph started for Middlesbrough, who continued their dreadful losing run with a three one defeat at Swansea City.  

League One
Striker James Collins started for League One leaders Luton Town and scored after just six minutes but was then dismissed on sixty one minutes following a second yellow card offence as his side played out a two all draw with visitors Blackpool at Kenilworth Road this Saturday afternoon. West Ham United loanee Josh Cullen and his promotion chasing Charlton Athletic colleagues made the lengthy journey to face Plymouth Argyle, for whom Graham Carey remains a consistent performer, and secured a two nil victory to maintain their promotion challenge.

Scottish Premiership
The Edinburgh ‘Derby’ between Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian at Tynecastle, headlined the Scottish Premiership early this Saturday afternoon. Jake Mulraney has been in fine form recently and started again this afternoon for the hosts, with Leeds United loanee Conor Shaughnessy together with goalkeeper Colin Doyle and striker Aiden Keena on the substitute bench. The visitors included Daryl Horgan in their starting eleven and he made quite an impact by scoring both goals as his side came from behind to secure a two one victory. 

Head Coach Dave Connell watched his U19 Women secure an impressive four nil victory over Serbia in their second Elite Stage qualifying contest of the 2019 European Championship in Campo Municipal de A Lomba, Spain early this Saturday afternoon. Ireland took the lead on twenty one minutes through Tiegan Ruddy and two second half goals from half-time substitute Leah Brady and another from captain Megan Mackey embellished an excellent performance.

The other two Group Four contestants, Hungary and mini-tournament hosts Spain met later in the afternoon with Spain crushing their opponents by seven goals to nil.

With only the Group winner progressing to the Championship Finals, Ireland will conclude their challenge against  European Champions Spain in their final Group fixture on Tuesday the 9th April 2019.

Team:
Rachel Kelly; Rachel Baynes, Roisin McGovern, Sadhbh Doyle, Lucia Lobato; Megan Mackey(C), Tiegan Ruddy, Niamh Reynolds; Heather Payne, Alannah McEvoy, Carla McManus
Substitutes:
Leah Brady for McManus 46′
Chloe Singleton for Ruddy 64′
Sinead Donavan for Reynolds 64′
Katie Burdis for Lobato 88′
Keelin McEntee for McEvoy 88′

Squad:
Goalkeepers: Rachael Kelly(Shelbourne WFC), Erica Turner(DLR Waves)
Defenders: Rachel Baynes(Galway WFC), Leah Brady(Galway WFC), Katie Burdis(DLR Waves), Sadhbh Doyle(Galway WFC), Roisin McGovern(DLR Waves), Aoife Slattery(Wexford WFC)
Midfielders: Sinead Donavan(Galway WFC), Lucia Lobato(Galway WFC), Megan Mackey(Brighton & Hove Albion), Tiegan Ruddy(Shelbourne WFC), Chloe Singleton(Galway WFC)
Forwards:  Kelly Brady(World Class-USA), Keelin McEntee(DLR Waves), Alannah McEvoy(Shelbourne WFC), Carla McManus(Kilkenny United), Michelle O’Driscoll(Daytona State University-USA), Heather Payne(Bristol City), Niamh Reynolds(Reading WFC)

Shane Long started and scored after seven minutes for Southampton in this Friday evening’s Premier League contest at St Mary’s Stadium against title chasing Liverpool who maintained their challenge by recovering to secure a three one victory. Long, who returned to training this week following his recent injury which forced his withdrawal from the Ireland squad for last week’s victories over Gibraltar and Georgia, was excellent in the lone striker role during his sixty minutes on the pitch. Fellow Ireland striker Michael Obafemi remains on the injured list.

The Airtricity League Premier Division continued on Friday evening with four match series nine contests taking place. The RTE 2 cameras were in Turner’s Cross and brought live coverage of the clash between hosts Cork City and current leaders Shamrock Rovers who extended their lead at the summit to ten points with a three one victory. Second place Dundalk returned to Richmond Park to face St Patrick’s Athletic whom they defeated in the EA Sports Cup on Monday last but suffered a one nil defeat. Up in the North West, struggling Finn Harps went down to a three two defeat by visitors Derry City while UCD trounced Waterford by four goals to one at the Bowl. 
Sligo Rovers and Bohemian faced each other in the Showgrounds on Saturday evening with the visitors emerging victorious by two goals to nil which saw them go second on the league table.

                            P  W  D  L   F   A   G/D   Pts
Shamrock Rovers            10  8  1  1  18   4   14    25
Bohemian                    8  5  2  1   8   3    5    17
Dundalk                     8  4  3  1  11   4    7    15
Derry City                  8  4  2  2  12   9    3    14
Waterford                   8  3  1  4  12  13   -1    10 
Cork City                   8  3  1  4   9  11   -2    10 
UCD                         8  2  1  5  10  13   -3     7
Sligo Rovers                8  2  1  5   5  12   -7     7
Finn Harps                 10  0  2  8   8  23  -15     2

There were four match series seven contests played in the Airtricity League First Division this Friday evening. Longford Town went top of the table with a two one victory over Wexford in Ferrycarrig Park while previous leaders Bray Wanderers went down to a one nil defeat by Shelbourne in Tolka Park and drop to fifth. Limerick sit in second place following their one nil victory over Galway United in Eamonn Deacy Park. In the Midlands, Athlone Town lost a two goal lead following the dismissal of one of their players and crashed to a five three defeat by visitors Drogheda United.  
Cobh Ramblers lost to the only goal from visitors Cabinteely in St Colman’s Park on Saturday evening. 

                            P  W  D  L   F   A    G/D  Pts
Longford Town               6  4  2  0   9   2     7    14
Limerick                    7  4  2  1   8   4     4    14
Drogheda United             6  4  1  2  13  11     2    13
Cabinteely                  7  4  1  2  11   9     2    13  
Shelbourne                  7  4  0  3  12   9     3    12
Bray Wanderers              7  4  0  3   7   4     3    12  
Athlone Town                7  3  0  4   9  12    -3     9
Cobh Ramblers               7  2  0  5   9  12    -3     6 
Galway United               6  1  0  5   6   7    -1     3
Wexford                     7  1  0  6   7  21   -14     3