Had Boots Did Travel - Irish Abroad FA Cup Special (9 Jan 2017)

League action mostly took a back seat in England over the weekend with the third round of the FA Cup taking centre stage. There were also a handful of League One and Two matches but the Scottish Premier League is currently on its winter break.

In total 50 Irish players lined out in the cup (across all the FAI Cup third round ties) with eight in League One action and a further five in League Two.

FA Cup Third Round

Daryl Horgan made his first appearance for Preston North End following his move from Dundalk but he couldn’t prevent his team from being knocked out by Arsenal who needed an 89^th minute winner to advance to the fourth round of the competition. Greg Cunningham and Aiden McGeady started for North End, with Alan Browne coming on as a sub, but there was no place in the match day squad for Andy Boyle. A mazy McGeady run was instrumental in his team’s goal.

Stephen Ward started and Jeff Hendrick came off the bench for the last 18 minutes of Burnley’s 0-0 draw with Sunderland.  John O’Shea played the last six minutes of the match for the Black Cats.

Damien Delaney had the captain’s armband for Crystal Palace on Saturday, helping his team to a clean sheet in their stalemate on Sam Allardyce’s return to Bolton.

Another Irish captain was Chris Forrester who led out his Peterborough side at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea got back to winning ways with a 4-1 win over the visitors.

Shane Long played just over an hour of Southampton’s 2-2 draw away to Norwich City.

In the all Premiership clash between Everton and Leicester City, Seamus Coleman was on the losing team as City beat the Toffees 2-1.

Job done for David Meyler as he  helped Hull kept a clean sheet in City’s 2-0 win over Swansea.

Marc Wilson started for Bournmouth as they suffered an embarrassing early FA Cup 3-0 exit to League One side Millwall. Shaun Williams played the 90 minutes for Millwall while Aiden O’Brien played until he was withdrawn eight minutes into the second half.

Liam Kelly played all 90 minutes of Reading’s 4-0 demolition by Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Graham Carey started for Plymouth against Liverpool, the team he supported as a boy, with Connor Smith coming off the bench in Plymouth’s battling 0-0 draw at Anfield.

Matt Doherty was on the scoresheet with a superb free kick as Wolves won their first FA Cup game in six seasons on Saturday. Along with Joe Mason in the starting line-up, they knocked out Premier League side Stoke City.

Daryl Murphy scored his first goal for Newcastle United. However his early goal wasn’t enough for the Magpies who will have to travel to Birmingham, who had Stephen Gleeson in their starting XI on Saturday, for a replay. 

Richie Towell played a much welcome 90 minutes for Brighton & Hove Albion in the Championship leaders’ win over MK Dons who had Darren Potter in their midfield.

Richard Keogh captained Derby County as they knocked West Brom out of the FA Cup. Alex Pearce played the last nine minutes of the match for the Rams while James McClean started his first game in some time having played the last seven matches as a substitute.

There was disappointment for Barnsley as they were held to a 0-0 draw with League Two side Blackpool with captain Conor Hourihane, Tom Field and Aidan White in the starting XI.

Anthony Pilkington was on the scoresheet with a fine free kick but both he and Brian Murphy were on the losing side as Cardiff City lost at home to Fulham on Sunday lunchtime.

Derrick Williams started in defence and Anthony Stokes came off the bench with three minutes to go in Blackburn Rovers’ 2-1 away win over QPR. Olamide Shopdipo played on the losing team as a second half substitute.

John Egan played in the central role in Brentford’s back three as the Bees inflicted a 5-1 defeat on National League side Eastleigh, who had Graham Stack in goal.

Stephen Henderson couldn’t prevent his Nottingham Forest team’s elimination from the cup. The goalkeeper conceded twice in Forest’s defeat away to Wigan Athletic.

Anthony Forde has played his last FA Cup game of the season as his bottom of the Championship Rotterham side lost 3-2 at home to League One Oxford.

Goalkeeper Conrad Logan and full back Joe Rafferty kept a clean sheet as their Rochdale team prevented Barrow Town reaching the FA Cup Fourth Round for the very first time. Centre half Keith Keane started in Rochdale’s 2-0 win and was replaced by Niall Canavan in injury time.

None of Ipswich Town’s Irish contingent played against Lincoln who had Alan Power and Sean Long both make appearances.

Defender Cian Bolger helped Fleetwood to a 0-0 draw away to Bristol City.

In the all League Two clash between Accrington Stanley and Luton Town, John O’Sullivan and Seamus Conneely started in Accrington’s 2-1 win over promotion chasing Luton who had Glenn Rea and Alan Sheehan in their team.

League One

Stephen Dawson was on the scoresheet as his Scunthorpe side beat Bury 3-2.

Colin Doyle kept a clean sheet in Bradford City’s 2-0 home win over Chesterfield with Conor Wilkinson used as a second half sub for the visitors.

Liam Lawrence got 10 minutes of action off the bench as Bristol Rovers hammered Northampton at home 5-0. John Joe O’Toole played for the majority of the game for the visitors having come off the bench in the first half an hour of the game.

Simon Cox started for Southend as they lost 4-2 at home to Sheffield United.

Sean Murray played 78 minutes of Swindon’s 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury who had Gary Deegan in their team.

League Two

Owen Garven was part of the Colchester starting XI that dismissed Carlisle 4-1 at home. Jamie Devitt started for the visitors.

Padraig Amond couldn’t get on the scoresheet as his Hartlepool side lost at home to Grimsby.

Leyton Orient lost to Barnet 3-1 with Michael Collins starting.

Barry Roche started in goal for Morecambe in their 4-1 win over Notts County.