Sunday
Leicester City are through to the FA Cup Final following their one nil victory over Southampton at Wembley Stadium early this Sunday evening. The ‘Foxes’ were deserved winners in front of a crowd of 4,000 and will return to Wembley to face Chelsea in the final on Saturday the 15th May 2021. The ‘Saints’ included young Will Ferry on their substitute bench.
There was Premier League action at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon with Manchester United defeating visitors Burnley by three goals to one. Jimmy Dunne was in the matchday squad but both Robbie Brady and Kevin Long remain on the ‘Clarets’ injury list.
The Scottish Cup Round of 16 clash between Glasgow Rangers and Glasgow Celtic ended in a two nil success for the hosts at Ibrox Park. Loanee Shane Duffy was not included in the ‘Hoops’ matchday squad. The loan move to Glasgow has certainly not worked out for the Derryman.
There was a noon kick-off for the Championship meeting of Rotherham United and Birmingham City with Kieran Sadlier and Chiedozie Ogbenne unused on the host substitute bench while Scott Hogan was introduced from the visiting ‘Blues’ bench in added time as they ran out one nil victors.
Josh Cullen was on the RSC Anderlecht substitute bench for the one nil Belgian First Division victory at Sint-Truidense VV this Sunday afternoon.
Saturday
First into Premier League action at 12.30pm on Saturday afternoon were relegation threatened Newcastle United and vibrant West Ham United who met in St James Park. The hosts included Ciaran Clark in their starting eleven with Jeff Hendrick unused on their substitute bench while Conor Coventry was an unused substitute for the visiting ‘Hammers’. The hosts ultimately won the contest by three goals to two following two calamitous errors by the visitors, one of which saw them reduced to ten men. They did fight back to level matters but swiftly conceded the third and winning goal. The late evening kick-off saw the relegation of Sheffield United confirmed as they suffered a one nil defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The ‘Blades’ included John Egan and Enda Stevens in their starting eleven.
Young Danny McNamara and his Millwall colleagues journied across London where they played out a scoreless draw with hosts Brentford in the Championship. Luton Town introduced James Collins from their substitute bench on 77 minutes to replace a colleague who had just been injured in an incident which resulted in a penalty kick. Collins then converted the penalty for the only goal and victory over near neighbours and promotion candidates Watford at Kenilworth Road. Nottingham Forest and Cyrus Christie went down to a surprise two nil home defeat by Huddersfield Town and the veteran Richard Keogh. Relegation threatened Sheffield Wednesday and Keiren Westwood were held to a one all draw by Bristol City at Hillsborough where young Ciaran Brennan was an unused substitute for the ‘Owls’. Stoke City played out a scoreless draw with visitors Preston North End who included Alan Browne and fit again Greg Cunningham in their starting eleven while Sean Maguire was a 76th minute substitute but loanee Jayson Molumby remained unused on their substitute bench. Promotion play-off candidates Swansea City included loanee Conor Hourihane and Ryan Manning in their starting eleven as they recovered from a two goal deficit to earn a point from a two all draw with visitors Wycombe Wanderers. Daryl Horgan was a 74th minute substitute for the visitors while Hourihane was withdrawn by the ‘Swans’ on 54 minutes. Norwich City whose promotion back to the Premier League was confirmed by earlier results today went down to a three one defeat by visitors AFC Bournemouth. Young Andrew Omobamidele was in the ‘Canaries’ starting eleven while Mark Travers was on the substitute bench for the visiting ‘Cherries’.
Promotion play-off chasers Lincoln City included Anthony Scully in their starting eleven and he scored the only goal after 16 minutes for victory in their League One encounter at Bristol Rovers. Fellow play-off candidates Ipswich Town travelled to Charlton Athletic where Stephen Ward, and loanee Mark McGuinness both started in their scoreless draw. Alan Judge was excluded from the squad and will not play in the remainder of the season as he has now played 29 matches and one more would trigger an automatic one year renewal of his contract. Ronan Curtis and Marcus Harness were in the Portsmouth squad which went down to a one nil defeat at MK Dons as they too seek promotion from this division. Manchester City loanee Gavin Bazunu was again confined to bench duty with Rochdale but Conor Grant, Eoghan O’Connell, Paul McShane and Jimmy Keohane all started the three one victory over visitors Accrington Stanley. Keohane scored the opening goal on 10 minutes while 88th minute substitute Conor Shaughnessy added the third in injury time.
Joshua Kayode, given a three year contact by parent club Rotherham United earlier this week, was a 52nd minute substitute for loan club Carlisle United who played out a scoreless draw with visitors Port Vale in League Two. Fellow loanee Lee O’Connor was in the Tranmere Rovers side as they also played out a scoreless draw with visitors Salford City. Another loanee Tyreik Wilson started for Walsall who went down to a two one defeat at Colchester United later today.
There were three Airtricity League Premier Division fixtures played this Saturday evening. Struggling Dundalk scored a late equaliser to earn a point against joint leaders St Patrick’s Athletic in Oriel Park. Defending champions Shamrock Rovers scored in added time to defeat newly promoted Longford Town by two goals to one in Tallaght Stadium. Sligo Rovers scored the only goal to defeat Finn Harps in the Showgrounds.