First Division Roundup: Series 3
Credit:
Shelbourne and UCD maintained their 100% records last weekend while elsewhere there were first wins of the season for Longford Town and Sporting Fingal, and a first point of the season for Mervue United.
1st UCD:
At the beginning of the season, we wrote that Ciaran Kilduff was integral to any promotion push by the ‘Students’. Hardly a wacky prediction, but four goals in the opening three games shows just how important, and talented, he is. Last Friday’s comfortable 3-0 victory over Mons’, orchestrated by the young yet experienced Ronan Finn in midfield, maintained the flawless start to the season made by UCD. Our Bar O’Sullivan has been raving about Finn for ages, and after the opening three games it looks like he was right. Away at Finn Harps on Friday, obviously struggling to adapt to the First Division, could well see the 100% record maintained.
2nd Shelbourne:
Shels’ win against Waterford United on Friday was their first major challenge of the season. Away, at one of their rival’s for promotion, a draw would perhaps have been acceptable. However Paddy Madden’s late winner after coming of the bench, seemingly now a trait of the Reds, along with Dean Delaney’s first half performance, keeps Shels’ powering through the 2009 season. At home to last season’s party poopers Limerick this Friday, Dermot Keely’s men have a great opportunity to keep this run going.
3rd Athlone Town:
Still unbeaten, Athlone Town enjoyed a hard fought scoreless draw away at Limerick last Friday. Credit where credit is due, it has been a fantastic start to 2009 for Brendan Place’s men. Ten men played the final twenty five minutes in Limerick, but still held on for the draw, great signs for the season ahead.
4th Finn Harps:
Embarrassment only just averted. On Friday, it took a very late Conor Gethins strike to rescue a draw away at newbies Mervue United: Almost exactly a year previous and Finn Harps had just beaten UCD in the Premier Division. 4th, but far from comfortable, it will be difficult to gain anything from this weekends game at home to the Students’.
5th Longford Town:
Longford’s first win of the season was as emphatic as it should have been. Jim Sheridan, Derek Glynn and Gary Curran each struck in the opening twenty one minutes to make the game far more comfortable than any other fixture Longford will win all season; Sheridan’s second, just after the hour mark, completed the rout. Longford are clearly having no difficulty finding the net this season, being the division’s top scorers with seven already.
6th Limerick FC:
Limerick’s scoreless draw at home to Athlone will be viewed as an opportunity lost: Despite Athlone’s great start to the season, they had yet to face any decent opposition. With a numerical advantage, at home, for the final twenty minutes, Limerick should have done better.
7th Sporting Fingal:
Sporting won for the first time this season with an Alan Kirby inspired 2-0 victory over Wexford Youths. Barely threatened by the Youths’ all game, Sporting’s victory was comfortable yet worrying. With very little creativity throughout, Liam Buckley’s men were reliant on an inspired display by Kirby, and with a squad like theirs they really should offer more.
8th Waterford United:
Waterford’s good start to the season was halted by a travelling Shels’ side, however had Waterford taken their chances it could have been different. If you get opportunities against the likes of Shels’ and don’t take them, then a loss is a likely outcome. Last Friday was a case in point for Stephen Henderson’s men.
9th Monaghan United:
What Mick Cooke would do for a clean sheet. Seven conceded now, with only a point to their name, 2008 is already looking difficult. In essence, though, last Friday Mons’ came up against a far superior side in the shape of UCD and will probably not be the only team to come away from The Bowl with a 3-0 loss this season.
10th Mervue United:
Gaining your first point of the season should be a momentous occasion for a side like Mervue, however throwing away your first three points with only minutes to go puts quite a downer on things. Finn Harps’ late equaliser cost Mervue the win, and manager John Glynn emphasised the difficulty his squad face this season. “I said to [the players] afterwards, that’s how hard it is to get a point,” he said.
11th Kildare County:
Comprehensively beaten by Longford, Kildare are showing the signs that just like last season, they may well prop up the Division come November. They had nothing at all to take out of the game.
12th Wexford Youths:
Mick Wallace’s men have had a difficult start to the season; however that should not take away from the fact that they offered absolutely no threat at Morton Stadium on Friday night. Sporting managed to play well within themselves yet come away with a comfortable 2-0 win. This Friday’s game against Longford should signal the start of their campaign.
1st UCD:
At the beginning of the season, we wrote that Ciaran Kilduff was integral to any promotion push by the ‘Students’. Hardly a wacky prediction, but four goals in the opening three games shows just how important, and talented, he is. Last Friday’s comfortable 3-0 victory over Mons’, orchestrated by the young yet experienced Ronan Finn in midfield, maintained the flawless start to the season made by UCD. Our Bar O’Sullivan has been raving about Finn for ages, and after the opening three games it looks like he was right. Away at Finn Harps on Friday, obviously struggling to adapt to the First Division, could well see the 100% record maintained.
2nd Shelbourne:
Shels’ win against Waterford United on Friday was their first major challenge of the season. Away, at one of their rival’s for promotion, a draw would perhaps have been acceptable. However Paddy Madden’s late winner after coming of the bench, seemingly now a trait of the Reds, along with Dean Delaney’s first half performance, keeps Shels’ powering through the 2009 season. At home to last season’s party poopers Limerick this Friday, Dermot Keely’s men have a great opportunity to keep this run going.
3rd Athlone Town:
Still unbeaten, Athlone Town enjoyed a hard fought scoreless draw away at Limerick last Friday. Credit where credit is due, it has been a fantastic start to 2009 for Brendan Place’s men. Ten men played the final twenty five minutes in Limerick, but still held on for the draw, great signs for the season ahead.
4th Finn Harps:
Embarrassment only just averted. On Friday, it took a very late Conor Gethins strike to rescue a draw away at newbies Mervue United: Almost exactly a year previous and Finn Harps had just beaten UCD in the Premier Division. 4th, but far from comfortable, it will be difficult to gain anything from this weekends game at home to the Students’.
5th Longford Town:
Longford’s first win of the season was as emphatic as it should have been. Jim Sheridan, Derek Glynn and Gary Curran each struck in the opening twenty one minutes to make the game far more comfortable than any other fixture Longford will win all season; Sheridan’s second, just after the hour mark, completed the rout. Longford are clearly having no difficulty finding the net this season, being the division’s top scorers with seven already.
6th Limerick FC:
Limerick’s scoreless draw at home to Athlone will be viewed as an opportunity lost: Despite Athlone’s great start to the season, they had yet to face any decent opposition. With a numerical advantage, at home, for the final twenty minutes, Limerick should have done better.
7th Sporting Fingal:
Sporting won for the first time this season with an Alan Kirby inspired 2-0 victory over Wexford Youths. Barely threatened by the Youths’ all game, Sporting’s victory was comfortable yet worrying. With very little creativity throughout, Liam Buckley’s men were reliant on an inspired display by Kirby, and with a squad like theirs they really should offer more.
8th Waterford United:
Waterford’s good start to the season was halted by a travelling Shels’ side, however had Waterford taken their chances it could have been different. If you get opportunities against the likes of Shels’ and don’t take them, then a loss is a likely outcome. Last Friday was a case in point for Stephen Henderson’s men.
9th Monaghan United:
What Mick Cooke would do for a clean sheet. Seven conceded now, with only a point to their name, 2008 is already looking difficult. In essence, though, last Friday Mons’ came up against a far superior side in the shape of UCD and will probably not be the only team to come away from The Bowl with a 3-0 loss this season.
10th Mervue United:
Gaining your first point of the season should be a momentous occasion for a side like Mervue, however throwing away your first three points with only minutes to go puts quite a downer on things. Finn Harps’ late equaliser cost Mervue the win, and manager John Glynn emphasised the difficulty his squad face this season. “I said to [the players] afterwards, that’s how hard it is to get a point,” he said.
11th Kildare County:
Comprehensively beaten by Longford, Kildare are showing the signs that just like last season, they may well prop up the Division come November. They had nothing at all to take out of the game.
12th Wexford Youths:
Mick Wallace’s men have had a difficult start to the season; however that should not take away from the fact that they offered absolutely no threat at Morton Stadium on Friday night. Sporting managed to play well within themselves yet come away with a comfortable 2-0 win. This Friday’s game against Longford should signal the start of their campaign.
About Gordon Hunt
Gordon Hunt is one of extratime's Dublin based reporters. Having worked with the site since it's inception, Gordon's name is carved into the foundations of extratime's tower block. View Full Profile