First Division Roundup: Series 7
Credit:
UCD first loss of the season - at home to Wexford Youths - coupled with wins for Waterford United and Sporting Fingal, closed the gap between the top four to just three points. Elsewhere there were wins for Mervue United and Limerick FC.
1st UCD:
UCD remain top of the table, however, with results going the way they did, their great start to the season currently sees them just two points ahead of second place, and three points ahead of fourth. UCD have been winning and winning well, so this result came as a bit of a shock to us, but Wexford have improved greatly since the start of the season. Unluckily for UCD, they now must travel to Mervue - where they themselves are on a massive high from their latest run of results – with a win imperative to maintain the slender lead they enjoy at the top of the table.
2nd Sporting Fingal:
Sporting hosted Shelbourne in front of a record turnout at Morton Stadium on Friday and comfortably saw off their near neighbours. Sporting weren’t great, however, they reduced Shels to long hopeful balls once they had taken the lead and were well deserved of their 1-0 win. Three of the division’s top five scorers this season ply their trade in Liam Buckley’s side and travelling to Longford on Saturday, on the back of five wins and five clean sheets on the trot, it is likely another victory is on the way.
3rd Waterford United:
Four goals from Graham Cummins did two thirds of the job against Monaghan United on Saturday as Waterford turned on the style with a six-goal demolition job over their lowly visitors. Twelve goals in the four games since they lost to Shelbourne has seen Waterford rise up the table ominously. Still surprisingly long odds to win the division, they may well be worth a punt. Tough game away to Limerick this weekend.
4th Shelbourne:
Two losses in a row, against two promotion rivals, and Shelbourne really need to regroup. Missing a few first team players, notably David McAllister, they struggled to pass the ball well in Santry. Unlucky not to have opened the scoring, however, following a shocking decision to disallow what would have been a great goal by Anto Flood. This Friday’s game against Athlone is a must win.
5th Limerick FC:
Comfortable home win against Kildare for Limerick on Friday. Goals from Wayne Colbert, Paul Walsh and a Baba Isaaka OG did the necessary. Two wins on the spin for Pat Scully’s men, and it is not impossible to see a good result over Waterford this weekend.
6th Athlone Town:
Athlone let a great opportunity slip on Saturday night. Two goals up with fifteen minutes remaining against a struggling Finn Harps side, Athlone could only manage a draw. Probably still delighted with their points return thus far, it’s still a bit gutting to get a result like that. Tough trip to Tolka on Friday.
7th Mervue United:
Another win for Mervue sees them solidifying their place in mid-table. Suffering an early goal against Longford, United replied through Ger McGrath Eric Browne and Dave Goldbey to win 3-2, coming from behind twice. Fantastic results of late for Johnny Glynn’s men, any result against UCD this weekend would be regarded as a fantastic achievement.
8th Wexford Youths:
The result of the weekend should be Waterford’s 6-0 win, but the eye catching scoreline was UCD 0-1 Wexford Youths, Liam O’Loughlin with the solitary strike. Both playing a similar style of football this year, Wexford outplayed the hosts and according to our own Lloyd Murphy, “the Students were lucky to be only one-nil down.” Having turned it around since their opening run of difficult fixtures, Wexford do look the better of the chasing pack. Should really get a win against Finn Harps this weekend.
9th Finn Harps:
Finn Harps should be delighted with earning a draw at Athlone. Trailing as they did with time against them, Sean Houston and Conor Gethins got them the point, however, they are way off the pace in this division. Six points from seven is an awful return, with a tough trip to Wexford on the way.
10th Longford Town:
After taking such an early lead in Mervue, through Ger McGrath’s own goal, Longford will be sick at losing this one. Even after Mervue equalised, Longford again took the lead and with fifteen minutes to go they really should have held on. But it wasn’t to be and Longford must now look forward to the visit of Sporting Fingal in search of a much needed result.
11th Monaghan United:
Losing 6-0 to Waterford, Monaghan somehow hold a comfortable lead over Kildare at the bottom. That one point gap is far more comfortable than UCD’s two point lead at the top. But what’s this? Monaghan are home to Kildare this weekend, this game should be evidence of who will finish bottom.
12th Kildare County:
Lost 3-0 to Limerick: Still bottom; visiting Monaghan this weekend; who knows.
1st UCD:
UCD remain top of the table, however, with results going the way they did, their great start to the season currently sees them just two points ahead of second place, and three points ahead of fourth. UCD have been winning and winning well, so this result came as a bit of a shock to us, but Wexford have improved greatly since the start of the season. Unluckily for UCD, they now must travel to Mervue - where they themselves are on a massive high from their latest run of results – with a win imperative to maintain the slender lead they enjoy at the top of the table.
2nd Sporting Fingal:
Sporting hosted Shelbourne in front of a record turnout at Morton Stadium on Friday and comfortably saw off their near neighbours. Sporting weren’t great, however, they reduced Shels to long hopeful balls once they had taken the lead and were well deserved of their 1-0 win. Three of the division’s top five scorers this season ply their trade in Liam Buckley’s side and travelling to Longford on Saturday, on the back of five wins and five clean sheets on the trot, it is likely another victory is on the way.
3rd Waterford United:
Four goals from Graham Cummins did two thirds of the job against Monaghan United on Saturday as Waterford turned on the style with a six-goal demolition job over their lowly visitors. Twelve goals in the four games since they lost to Shelbourne has seen Waterford rise up the table ominously. Still surprisingly long odds to win the division, they may well be worth a punt. Tough game away to Limerick this weekend.
4th Shelbourne:
Two losses in a row, against two promotion rivals, and Shelbourne really need to regroup. Missing a few first team players, notably David McAllister, they struggled to pass the ball well in Santry. Unlucky not to have opened the scoring, however, following a shocking decision to disallow what would have been a great goal by Anto Flood. This Friday’s game against Athlone is a must win.
5th Limerick FC:
Comfortable home win against Kildare for Limerick on Friday. Goals from Wayne Colbert, Paul Walsh and a Baba Isaaka OG did the necessary. Two wins on the spin for Pat Scully’s men, and it is not impossible to see a good result over Waterford this weekend.
6th Athlone Town:
Athlone let a great opportunity slip on Saturday night. Two goals up with fifteen minutes remaining against a struggling Finn Harps side, Athlone could only manage a draw. Probably still delighted with their points return thus far, it’s still a bit gutting to get a result like that. Tough trip to Tolka on Friday.
7th Mervue United:
Another win for Mervue sees them solidifying their place in mid-table. Suffering an early goal against Longford, United replied through Ger McGrath Eric Browne and Dave Goldbey to win 3-2, coming from behind twice. Fantastic results of late for Johnny Glynn’s men, any result against UCD this weekend would be regarded as a fantastic achievement.
8th Wexford Youths:
The result of the weekend should be Waterford’s 6-0 win, but the eye catching scoreline was UCD 0-1 Wexford Youths, Liam O’Loughlin with the solitary strike. Both playing a similar style of football this year, Wexford outplayed the hosts and according to our own Lloyd Murphy, “the Students were lucky to be only one-nil down.” Having turned it around since their opening run of difficult fixtures, Wexford do look the better of the chasing pack. Should really get a win against Finn Harps this weekend.
9th Finn Harps:
Finn Harps should be delighted with earning a draw at Athlone. Trailing as they did with time against them, Sean Houston and Conor Gethins got them the point, however, they are way off the pace in this division. Six points from seven is an awful return, with a tough trip to Wexford on the way.
10th Longford Town:
After taking such an early lead in Mervue, through Ger McGrath’s own goal, Longford will be sick at losing this one. Even after Mervue equalised, Longford again took the lead and with fifteen minutes to go they really should have held on. But it wasn’t to be and Longford must now look forward to the visit of Sporting Fingal in search of a much needed result.
11th Monaghan United:
Losing 6-0 to Waterford, Monaghan somehow hold a comfortable lead over Kildare at the bottom. That one point gap is far more comfortable than UCD’s two point lead at the top. But what’s this? Monaghan are home to Kildare this weekend, this game should be evidence of who will finish bottom.
12th Kildare County:
Lost 3-0 to Limerick: Still bottom; visiting Monaghan this weekend; who knows.
About Gordon Hunt
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