News

The draw for the second round of the IRN-BRU Cup, at which point the eight English,Irish and Welsh clubs enter proceedings, was made today. The Airtricity League representatives, Bohemian and Sligo Rovers have been drawn against Scottish League Two side Peterhead and the winners of the Forfar Athletic (Scottish League One)/Livingston Colts (Scottish Premiership) first round tie, respectively. Bohemian will travel to Balmoor Stadium while Sligo Rovers will host their tie in the Showgrounds, with the match provisionally scheduled for Saturday the 8th September.   

Current Ireland U21 goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara has made a season long loan move from Manchester United to League Two side Macclesfield Town where he should encounter a more competitive level of football than that at club U23 level. O’Hara was called up to the senior Ireland training session during the summer and is regarded by many as a future senior international. 

Cork City, trailing by two goals to nil from the home first leg, travel to face Rosenborg of Norway in Trondheim at 7.45pm this Thursday evening in the third qualifying round of the Europa League. In the same competition and at the same time, Burnley and their Irish contingent take on Basakschir of Turkey, having played out a scoreless draw in the first leg last week in Istanbul. There are Turf Moor starts this evening for Kevin Long, Jeff Hendrick and Stephen Ward who moves into a midfield position.

The Final of the 2018 EA Sports Cup between Derry City and Cobh Ramblers will take place at the Brandywell on Sunday the 16th September with kick-off scheduled for 4pm.

The first round in the EFL Cup has been drawn on a North/South divide and commenced on Tuesday evening. The early rounds are frequently used to provide game time for fringe players and we will keep a keen eye on Irish players who fall into that category. In the Northern Section the Preston North End v Morecambe contest saw Graham Burke start and score for the hosts in their three one victory while veteran goalkeeper Barry Roche started for the opposition. Callum Robinson was unused on the bench for the ‘Lilywhites’ alongside teenage midfielder Adam O’Reilly. Rumoured Ireland target Patrick Bamford scored for Leeds United in their two one victory over Bolton Wanderers who had Marc Wilson in midfield. The televised meeting of Yeovil Town and Aston Villa in the Southern Section saw the midfield trio of Conor Hourihane, Glenn Whelan and Jake Doyle-Hayes all start for the Championship visitors with Hourihane scoring the only goal on seventy seven minutes. Callum O’Dowda started for Bristol City who lost to the only goal from visitors Plymouth Argyle who included former U21 internationals Graham Carey and Niall Canavan in their starting eleven.