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The Championship continued on Tuesday evening with the Blackburn Rovers trio of Greg Cunningham, Daragh Lenihan and Derrick Williams all in action in their one all draw with high flying Nottingham Forest at Ewood Park. Keiren Westwood and his Sheffield Wednesday colleagues went down to a one nil defeat at Hull City while U21 defender Dara O’Shea was an unused substitute for WBA who went down to a one nil defeat by Leeds United at Elland Road. Darren Randolph and Middlesbrough played out a one all draw with visitors Preston North End for whom Alan Browne, Sean Maguire and Joe Rafferty all completed ninety minutes at the Riverside Stadium. U21 midfielder Josh Barrett started for Reading who were reduced to ten men after just 20 minutes and crashed to a four one defeat by visitors Fulham who included Harry Arter in their starting eleven at the Madejski Stadium. Troubled Stoke City found no respite as they went down to a one nil home defeat by fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town. James McClean again started in a wing back position and completed the full ninety minutes.    

John Delaney has resigned from his position of Executive Vice President of the Football Association of Ireland with immediate effect.
A statement released on Saturday evening read:
“The Board of the Football Association of Ireland announces the resignation with immediate effect of Executive Vice President and former CEO John Delaney. This follows talks between the parties. The FAI will fulfil certain notice and pension obligations as agreed between the parties.”

The statement further confirmed that both parties had agreed to make no further comment. 

Managers Mick McCarthy and Stephen Kenny are set to announce their respective Ireland squads for their upcoming European Championship qualifiers on Tuesday(Senior)and Wednesday(U21)of this week.

Premier League
There was an early Saturday afternoon start for Sheffield United and their Irish trio of John Egan, Enda Stevens and Callum Robinson as they went down to a disappointing and undeserved one nil defeat by Premier League leaders Liverpool at Bramall Lane. The winning goal came courtesy of a calamitous error from the ‘Blades’ goalkeeper. Enda Stevens, who misses our match in Georgia through suspension, was excellent throughout while John Egan was commanding in central defence. Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was named on the substitute bench for the visitors. Conor Hourihane was included in the Aston Villa starting eleven for the two all draw with visitors Burnley for whom Jeff Hendrick started with Robbie Brady an 83rd minute  substitute. Kevin Long did not make the matchday squad. Aaron Connolly was a 65th minute substitute for Brighton & Hove Albion who went down to a two nil defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Shane Long and Michael Obafemi were both very late substitutes for  Southampton who went down to a two one defeat at Tottenham Hotspur. Matt Doherty scored after 18 minutes for Wolverhampton Wanderers who defeated visitors Watford by two goals to nil. James McCarthy was a 79th minute substitute for Crystal Palace who defeated Norwich City by two goals to nil at Selhurst Park. Adam Idah was an unused substitute for the ‘Canaries’. The late kick-off between Everton and Manchester City went the way of the visitors by three goals to one at Goodison Park. Despite the result, the ‘Toffees’ captain Seamus Coleman had an excellent game.

Championship
There was an early 12.30pm start for QPR and WBA who met at Loftus Road in the Championship. Ryan Manning was in action for the hosts who went down to a two nil defeat. Our U21 central defensive duo, Conor Masterson and Dara O’Shea, were unused on their respective substitute benches. The Blackburn Rovers trio of Greg Cunningham, Daragh Lenihan and Derrick Williams started against James Collins who scored for visitors Luton Town who claimed a two one success.  Josh Cullen was in the Charlton Athletic side who scored the only goal to defeat visitors Leeds United at The Valley. Teenager Jason Knight was a very late substitute for Derby County who scored a three two success over visitors Birmingham City and Daniel Crowley. The Millwall trio of Aiden O’Brien, Alex Pearce and Shaun Williams started their one all draw at Huddersfield Town with loanee Jayson Molumby unused on the substitute bench. Goalkeepers Darren Randolph and Keiren Westwood were in opposition when Middlesbrough played host to Sheffield Wednesday at the Riverside Stadium. Westwood enjoyed much the happier afternoon as the ‘Owls’ cruised to a four one victory. The Preston North End duo of Sean Maguire and Joe Rafferty started with Alan Browne a 62nd minute substitute for the visit of Bristol City for whom Callum O’Dowda was also a 62nd minute substitute in a three all draw. U21 midfielder Josh Barrett was a half-time substitute for Reading who came from behind to earn a one all draw at Swansea City.

League One
Alan Judge started for current League One leaders Ipswich Town who increased their lead at the summit with a four one victory over Tranmere Rovers at Portman Road while Ronan Curtis was withdrawn by Portsmouth after 62 minutes of their one nil victory over visitors  Bolton Wanderers at Fratton Park.

Scottish Premier League
Glenn Whelan started for Heart of Midlothian alongside Jake Mulraney in the Scottish Premier League at St Mirren where the contest ended scoreless. Colin Doyle and Aiden Keena were both unused on the ‘Jam Tarts’ substitute bench.

New Ireland senior women’s manager Vera Pauw has announced her first squad for the upcoming European Championship qualifier against the Ukraine at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday the 8th October 2019.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan(West Ham United), Marie Hourihan(SC Braga), Grace Moloney(Reading)
Defenders: Diane Caldwell(SC Sand), Megan Campbell(Manchester City), Keeva Keenan(Glasgow Celtic), Hayley Nolan(University of Hartford), Claire O’Riordan(MSC Duisburg), Louise Quinn(Arsenal), Harriet Scott(Birmingham City), Claire Walsh(Peamount United)
Midfielders: Megan Connolly(Brighton & Hove Albion), Niamh Fahey(Liverpool), Chloe Mustaki(Shelbourne), Denise O’Sullivan(North Carolina Courage), Stephanie Roche(CF Florentia), Tyler Toland(Manchester City)
Forwards: Amber Barrett(FC Koln), Rianna Jarrett(Wexford), Leanne Kiernan(West Ham United), Katie McCabe(Arsenal), Heather Payne(Florida State University), Julie Ann Russell(Sydney University)

The semi-finals of the 2019 FAI Cup, sponsored by Extra.ie, took place this weekend and saw the current top two clubs in the Airtricity League, Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers, progress to the final which will take place in the Aviva Stadium on the afternoon of Sunday the 3rd of November 2019.

A sold-out Dalymount Park hosted the clash of bitter Dublin rivals Bohemian and Shamrock Rovers on Friday evening with the visiting ‘Hoops’ emerging victorious by two goals to nil. A fifth minute strike from Graham Burke set them on their way and an 80th minute second from Aaron Greene sealed victory.

In the second semi-final, Sligo Rovers and newly crowned League Champions Dundalk locked horns in a sold-out Showgrounds on Sunday afternoon. The hosts offered stubborn resistance but were eventually undone in the 89th minute by a Michael Duffy goal.

There was also one Premier Division fixture played last Friday evening, with Derry City crushing visitors Cork City by four goals to nil in the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium. The ‘Candystripes’ now leapfrog Bohemian into third place on the League Table. 

                            P   W  D  L   F   A   G/D   Pts
Dundalk [Champions]        32  25  5  2  67  15   52    80
Shamrock Rovers            32  20  5  7  55  21   34    65
Derry City                 32  13 12  7  49  29   20    51
Bohemian                   32  14  8 10  42  26   16    50
St Patrick’s Athletic      32  13  9 10  26  28   -2    48
Sligo Rovers               32  10 11 11  36  41   -5    41
Waterford                  32   9  7 16  38  50  -12    34
Cork City                  32   7 10 15  25  43  -18    31
Finn Harps                 32   6  6 20  25  59  -34    24
UCD                        32   5  3 24  21  72  -51    18

Fulham defeated Wigan Athletic by two goals to nil at Craven Cottage on Friday evening in the Championship. Harry Arter was an 80th minute substitute for the hosts but Cyrus Christie did not make the matchday squad. Also in action were struggling Stoke City who went down to a three two defeat by in-form visitors Nottingham Forest who climbed to the top of the table. James McClean started at left back for the hosts and played quite well. He was later switched to his more regular left wing position where he again caught the eye and it was he who scored a fine header late on to give some hope to the hosts. Loanee Scott Hogan has not really found form and did not make the matchday squad and the same fate befell teenage defender Nathan Collins and the veteran Stephen Ward.