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The Championship continued on Tuesday evening with Cardiff City scoring the only goal to defeat visitors Stoke City who included Stephen Ward in their starting eleven with Scott Hogan introduced as an 82nd minute substitute. James McClean missed the match through suspension. Cyrus Christie was introduced from the Fulham substitute bench after 80 minutes of their three nil victory over visitors Derby County. James Collins started for Luton Town who defeated Charlton Athletic by two goals to one at Kenilworth Road where the visitors were without the injured Josh Cullen. Millwall included loanee Jayson Molumby and Shaun Williams in their starting eleven for the visit of Wigan Athletic while Aiden O’Brien was an 86th minute substitute as the sides played out a two all draw. Anthony Pilkington started for Wigan and scored after just three minutes.

In League One, Alan Judge remained on the Ipswich Town substitute bench for the scoreless draw with visitors Wycombe Wanderers while Ronan Curtis scored in the first minute for Portsmouth who secured a three two victory over Rotherham United at Fratton Park. Trevor Clarke started for the ‘Millers’ following his recent injury while Chiedozie Ogbene, available following suspension, was introduced for the second half. Sunderland took on Burton Albion and Kieran O’Hara at the Stadium of Light where Aiden McGeady put the hosts in front from the penalty spot after nineteen minutes. John Joe O’Toole, who conceded the penalty, and Stephen Quinn started for the visitors who recovered to secure a two one victory.

Following the break for the international window, club football resumed in the top divisions of England and Scotland this weekend.

Monday
The remaining Premier League fixture of this weekend took place at Villa Park on Monday evening when Aston Villa defeated visitors  Newcastle United by two goals to nil. Conor Hourihane started and scored the opening goal from another superb trademark free kick. The Cork native then set up the second with another delicious delivery which just required the merest of touches for the second goal.  Ciaran Clark recovered from the knock he picked up on Ireland duty last week and started in the middle of the ‘Magpies’ back three.

Sunday
There was an exciting climax to the Premier League contest between Sheffield United and visitors Manchester United at Bramall Lane on  Sunday afternoon as the sides played out a three all draw. The host ‘Blades’ had Enda Stevens and David McGoldrick in their starting eleven but John Egan did not recover from the injury picked up on international duty last week and missed out while Callum Robinson was introduced as a very late substitute. The ‘Blades’ with both Stevens and McGoldrick prominent dominated proceedings for the first seventy minutes scoring twice and looking in total command. However, the visitors responded unexpectedly with a three goal burst in seven minutes which seemed to have secured the points but not so as the hosts continued to show resilience and enterprise and secured the equaliser in added time.

Earlier in the afternoon the Championship clash of Middlesbrough and Hull City ended in a two all draw. The hosts with Darren Randolph in action took an early two goal lead but then lost a player to a red card on 37 minutes and were unable to hold out as the visitors scored twice in the final twenty minutes.

Saturday
Southampton secured a two all draw with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon with Michael Obafemi named in the ‘Saints’ starting eleven while Shane Long, surprisingly overlooked by Mick McCarthy for Ireland, introduced from the substitute bench on 73 minutes. Wolverhampton Wanderers included Matt Doherty in their starting eleven for their two one  victory at AFC Bournemouth while Shane Duffy started for Brighton & Hove Albion who went down to a two nil defeat by second place visitors Leicester City. A groin injury ruled Aaron Connolly out of contention for the ‘Seagulls’. Seamus Coleman was introduced from the Everton substitute bench on 66 minutes as they went down to a two nil defeat by visitors Norwich City. Jeff Hendrick started while Robbie Brady was an unused substitute for Burnley who secured a three nil victory at Watford.

Josh Cullen started in midfield for Charlton Athletic but was stretched off after 56 minutes of their two all draw with visitors Cardiff City in the Championship early on Saturday afternoon. Darragh Lenihan returned to the Blackburn Rovers starting eleven after several weeks of injury absence but Derrick Williams had not recovered from the injury suffered on international duty last week and missed out as their side defeated visitors Barnsley by three goals to two. Callum O’Dowda started for Bristol City but was substituted after 65 minutes of their scoreless draw at home to Nottingham Forest. Alan Browne and Sean Maguire were both in the Preston North End side which went down to a one nil defeat at Derby County. James McClean and Stephen Ward were both in the Stoke City side which came from behind to defeat visitors Wigan Athletic by two goals to one. James Collins scored for Luton Town who went down to a two one defeat by visitors Leeds United at Kenilworth Road.

Left back Thomas O’Connor, who made his Ireland U21 debut last week in the away defeat of Armenia and retained his place in the Tallaght victory over Sweden, was surprisingly named on the substitute bench for Gillingham who went down to a one nil League One defeat at AFC Wimbledon. O’Connor was however introduced from the bench after just 30 minutes. Alan Judge was an 85th minute substitute for Ipswich Town who were held to a two all draw by visitors Blackpool while Kieran O’Hara started for Burton Albion in their one nil defeat at Peterborough United.

Friday
There was one Championship fixture played on Friday evening with Fulham defeating local rivals QPR by two goals to one at Craven Cottage. Cyrus Christie, whose international career is hanging by a thread with Seamus Coleman, Matt Doherty and the emerging U21 player Lee O’Connor barring his way at right back, was introduced from the Fulham bench on 76 minutes while the recently heralded left wing back Ryan Manning was in the QPR starting eleven.

The details of the 2020 European Championship Path B play-offs were confirmed at UEFA Headquarters in Nyon this Friday morning.

The semi-final play-offs between Slovakia and the Republic of Ireland and Bosnia & Herzegovina and Northern Ireland are scheduled to be played at 7.45pm on the evening of Thursday the 26th March 2020 with the respective victors facing each other 5 days later on Tuesday the 31st March 2020 to determine qualification for the Championship Finals.

Initial discussions indicate that the match in Slovakia is expected to take place at the newly refurbished 22,500 capacity Tehelne pole Stadium in Bratislava. This has not as yet been formally confirmed. Ireland are entitled to 5% of capacity, which is 1,125, with the FAI having requested an additional allocation.

The victors from the Bosnia & Herzegovina and Northern Ireland semi-final will host the final. 

Our U15 international side played their second match against visitors Poland at noon on Thursday in Eamonn Deacy Park and secured another 2-1 victory. Ireland conceded a 6th minute goal following a corner kick but continued to play in a confident and constructive manner. The equaliser came on 44 minutes with Rocco Vata being the quickest to react to a penalty kick save by the Polish goalkeeper to fire home. The winning goal duly arrived after 64 minutes with Kevin Zefi scoring with a fine shot from outside the penalty area.

Team: Shay O’Leary; Tristan Hughes, Sam Curtis, Cathal Heffernan, Daniel Kelly; Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh, Rocco Vata, Cian Barrett; Kevin Zeffi, Adam Nugent, Alex Nolan
Substitutes:
Luke O’Brien for Hughes 46′
Adam Murphy for O’Brien-Whitmarsh 47′
Caden McLoughlin for Nugent 55′
James McManus for Nolan 58′
Justin Ferizaj for Vata 70′
Gideon Tetteh for Barrett 73′

Squad:
Goalkeepers: Shay O’Leary(Shamrock Rovers), Conor Walsh(Mayo SL)
Defenders: Finn Cowper-Gray(Klub Kildare), Sam Curtis(Shamrock Rovers), Cathal Heffernan(Cork City), Tristan Hughes(Shamrock Rovers), Daniel Kelly(Mayo SL), Luke O’Brien(Bray Wanderers)
Midfielders: Cian Barrett(Shamrock Rovers), Justin Ferizaj(Shamrock Rovers), James McManus(St Kevins Boys/Bohemian), Adam Murphy(Belvedere), Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh(Cork City), Rocco Vata(Glasgow Celtic)
Forwards: Caden McLaughlin(Malaga CF), Alex Nolan(Cabinteely), Adam Nugent(Mayo SL), Gideon Tetteh(Shamrock Rovers), Kevin Zeffi(Shamrock Rovers)

There was a swift return to the ‘day job’ for two members of our senior international squad, with goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara in action for his loan club Burton Albion who defeated Salford United by four goals to one in their FA Cup Round One replay on Tuesday night while Alan Judge scored the added time winner for Ipswich Town in their replay victory at Lincoln City on Wednesday evening. Prolific lower league goalscorer Padraig Amond also found the net for his club Newport County who defeated Grimsby Town in their 1st round replay.

The 2020 European Championship Path B semi-final play-offs between Slovakia and the Republic of Ireland and Bosnia & Herzegovina and Northern Ireland are scheduled to be played at 7.45pm on the evening of Thursday the 26th March 2020 with the respective victors facing each other 5 days later on Tuesday the 31st March 2020 to determine qualification for the Championship Finals. It should be emphasised that these ties have not yet been formally confirmed by UEFA.

The draw to identify which victorious semi-finalist will host the final is set for UEFA Headquarters in Nyon this Friday morning.