Finn Harps will contest the Airtricity League Premier Division play-off final with Limerick following their two nil victory over Drogheda United in the second leg of the promotion play-off semi-final played in Finn Park this Friday evening. Tonight’s victory gave the Donegal side a three one aggregate victory. The first leg of the play-off final is set for Finn Park on the evening of Monday the 29th October with the second leg scheduled for the Markets Field on the evening of Friday the 2nd November 2018.
News
Championship on Friday evening…19/10/2018
The Championship resumed on Friday evening with Sheffield Wednesday going down to a two one defeat by fellow promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough at Hillsborough. Darren Randolph was in action for the victorious visitors who move to the top of the table this evening but the lengthy exile of Keiren Westwood continues at Sheffield Wednesday as he was again absent from the matchday squad.
Ireland lose to Wales in UEFA Nations League…16/10/2018
Following their scoreless UEFA Nations League draw with Denmark in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday evening our senior international team returned to the South Dublin venue where they went down to a one nil defeat by Wales in the same competition this Tuesday evening. With concussion victim Callum O’Dowda ruled out, manager Martin O’Neill made two changes to the starting eleven with Callum Robinson and Aiden O’Brien replacing Shane Long and O’Dowda. Ireland did start on the front foot and were gifted an early opportunity but Cyrus Christie failed to take the chance. The remainder of the first half was fairly uneventful with Wales dominating possession but Ireland remained defensively resolute and were little troubled. The game changed dramatically on fifty eight minutes with a needless free kick conceded on the edge of the penalty area by Harry Arter, who to that point had been defensively sound in the holding midfield role. The free kick was scored and thereafter Wales looked increasingly confident and might well have added to their lead. Ireland made three changes, with strikers Shane Long, Sean Maguire and Scott Hogan introduced for O’Brien, Robinson and Kevin Long and did have some late opportunities to secure the equaliser but a lack of composure coupled with stout Welsh defending denied them. It is difficult, even dispiriting, to identify where we go from here with the probability that we will finish bottom of this Group, thereby being relegated to pot three for the 2020 European Championship qualifying draw. We complete our League B Group Four fixtures in Aarhus against Denmark on Monday the 19th November 2018, a match for which James McClean will be suspended following his yellow card booking this evening.
U21s complete European qualifying campaign…16/10/2018
With only pride at stake, Ireland completed their failed European Under 21 Championship qualifying campaign with a two nil defeat by Germany in Heidenheim this Tuesday afternoon. The team did deliver a much improved performance from that provided in the home fixture against today’s opponents, which they lost by six goals to nil but nevertheless the outcome was never really in doubt. Ireland defended resolutely for the first thirty minutes but goals on thirty two and forty minutes secured a comfortable victory for Germany.
Team: Liam Bossin (Nottingham Forest); Corey Whelan (Liverpool-Loan-Crewe Alexandra), Ryan Delaney (Rochdale), Ryan Sweeney (Stoke City-Loan-Mansfield Town), Danny Kane (Cork City-Loan-AFC Fylde); Shaun Donnellan (Yeovil Town), Josh Cullen [C] (West Ham United-Loan-Charlton Athletic), Liam Kinsella (Walsall); Jordan Shipley (Coventry City), Ronan Hale (Birmingham City-Loan-Derry City), Jamie McGrath (Dundalk)
Substitutions: Jimmy Dunne (Burnley-Loan-Hearts) for Kane 65′ and Reece Grego-Cox (Crawley Town) for Hale 77′
U19s complete European Qualifying round…16/10/2018
With qualification for the Elite Stage already assured, Ireland and Holland went head to head in City Calling Stadium, Longford at 1pm on Tuesday afternoon to determine who would top Qualifying Group Ten and secure the Pot One seeding in the Elite Stage draw. Holland held the advantage by virtue of their better goal difference, so Ireland had to win if they were to top the Group and with an excellent performance they did, coming from behind to secure a two one victory. The Dutch took the lead on fifteen minutes but Ireland responded and equalised through Norwich City striker Adam Idah after twenty nine minutes. Ireland created several more scoring opportunities than their opponents and finally got their deserved winner on seventy minutes through Southampton striker Will Ferry. The only blemish on an otherwise excellent performance was the yellow card received by Stoke City centre back Nathan Collins in added time, his second of this qualifying group, which will rule him out of the opening contest in the Elite Group Stage.
Packie Bonner & Special Guests – ’88 & ’98 Remembered
Special Guests on the night Packie Bonner, Tony Galvin & Thomas Morgan
’88 & ’98 Remembered – Special celebratory evening
The London Branch of the Republic of Ireland Soccer Supporters Club hosted a Special Celebratory Event at the Claddagh Ring in Hendon on the evening of Saturday 6th October 2018. The function revived fond memories relating to the achievement of our Senior International Football Team in reaching the finals of the European Championship for the first time thirty years ago in 1988.
We also celebrated the excellent third place finish of our Under 20 side at the 1997 World Championship Finals in Malaysia and the magnificent victories of both our Under 16 and Under 18 sides who became European Champions twenty years ago – the first nation to ever achieve this double success.
We were delighted to be joined on the night by Packie Bonner and Tony Galvin, two stalwarts of that summer of 1988 in Germany together with Thomas Morgan, the captain of our World Bronze Medal winning Under 20 side.
Our three guests provided us with a whole array of fabulous memories of those golden years and it was clearly evident that each of them held nothing but the warmest feelings, gratitude and respect for their respective managers, Jack Charlton and Brian Kerr.
Our evening was enhanced by the excellent meal, service and surroundings provided by Finbar and his team at the Claddagh Ring, while DJ Shox found favour with his exemplary choice of music.
We are grateful to those of our members who, together with their families and friends, took time to join us on the evening and for the many positive plaudits and acknowledgements offered to the Club.
Some feedback from attendees:
"Had a nice day on Sunday with Wesley (Hoolihan) telling him how great the night before went at the Function. Thanks again for the invite, myself and Louise (wife) had a great time on Saturday and met a lot of lovely people who made us feel really welcome." Thomas Morgan
"Thanks for last night. Great to see Packie and Gerry again. An enjoyable evening. Cheers." Tony Galvin
"We thoroughly enjoyed Saturday night for which many thanks." RISSC London Member
"What a Great Time we had at The Claddagh Ring on Saturday Night celebrating in the company of The Sporting Legends of our Youthful Days supporting The Boys in Green ie. Remembering them Momentous Days of Irish Soccer which gave us such Wonderful and Unique Times celebrating in The London Pubs toasting their great achievements on Foreigh Fields; The Company and Craic was Mighty; The Food and Drink was Lovely; Music was Great and The Guests of Honour complimented the evening with their Tales of Days gone By." RISSC London Member
Senior Squad update for Wales encounter…15/10/2018
Preparation for the UEFA Nations League clash with Wales in the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday evening continue, with head injury victim Callum O’Dowda the only reported casualty from Saturday’s draw with Denmark. Portsmouth striker Ronan Curtis has been summoned from the U21 squad to link up with the senior squad at the NTC in Abbotstown. News has emerged that the visitors will be without their talisman Gareth Bale, who has returned to Madrid because of an ongoing injury while Aaron Ramsey will also miss the match for personal reasons. .