First Division Round-up: Series 12
Credit:
The highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly Waterford United’s 4-1 victory over Sporting Fingal in Santry, which knocked UCD off the top of the table on goal difference. Elsewhere, Shelbourne and Finn Harps each enjoyed much needed wins and Monaghan United’s victory over Longford Town has given them an amazing thirteen points from their last available fifteen.
1st Waterford United:
We mentioned last week that Waterford had dropped points in all three of their games against promotion rivals this season. However, last Friday Stephen Henderson’s men cast aside Sporting Fingal, on their home patch, by a massive margin.
Conceding almost immediately after kick-off, United knocked four past a defence that hadn’t conceded more than one goal in any game this season – before Friday night. Willie John Kiely’s brace keeps him top of the goal scoring charts, with nine this season. Graham Cummins grabbed his eighth of the year with Kenny Browne scoring the other.
Seamus Long’s red card is merely a side note in what was a fantastic result.
Wexford Youths up next at home.
2nd UCD:
Two scoreless draws in a row sees Martin Russell’s side surrender their league lead on goal difference. Limerick were a match for the Students throughout and threatened from the outset, but UCD didn’t lose, which is surely the minimum expectation in every game this season.
Home to Sporting Fingal on Thursday, a win would be great; however, it is not paramount. Sporting will be smarting from their loss to Waterford, though, so UCD could well capitalise.
3rd Shelbourne:
This was always going to be a difficult game for Shelbourne. Wexford Youths have improved massively since their loss at Tolka Park earlier in the season so it was perhaps no huge surprise that they took the lead.
But, with players like Paddy Madden and Anto Flood up front, even a sub-par Shelbourne side are dangerous. Both men netted within sixty seconds of each other to win the game and push Dermot Keely’s men above local rivals Sporting in the table.
“We’ve been really poor this year. We’re struggling for some reason, I don’t know why. We’ve got a few good results lately though,” said club captain Damien Brennan. However, just four points off Waterford, with a game in hand, Shels are well positioned.
4th Sporting Fingal:
Eamon Zayed’s opener, within a minute of kick off, was perhaps the only good thing to take out of the game with Waterford on Friday. Humbled, 4-1, Liam Buckley’s men missed a great opportunity to close in on the stuttering UCD.
Five points behind a side which comprehensively beat you at your own ground is not an ideal position to be in. However, an immediate response, against UCD on Thursday, would at least compensate a little for their biggest loss since their inaugural fixture at the start of last season.
5th Wexford Youths:
A greatly improved Wexford performance compared to their earlier meeting with Shelbourne was not enough on Friday when two goals on the hour mark saw off the threat from the Youths – who earlier saw Gavin Doyle give them the lead.
After seeing his side waste countless opportunities against Shels, Mick Wallace admitted that it was Wexford who lost the game following what he described as a ‘smash and grab’ performance from the visitors. However, regardless of who was better, Shels took the three points and with that it is just three from twelve points available for Wexford against the teams above them so far this season.
Waterford up next, the Youths face an even tougher task.
6th Limerick FC:
Pat Scully has done a great job at Limerick so far, if results are what it is all about. Matching UCD throughout the tie last weekend, the 0-0 draw gives Limerick thirteen points from the last twenty-four available. To any team outside the top four, that is a healthy return.
With a glamour tie against St Patrick’s Athletic to look forward to in the cup, the good results may well keep coming for Limerick. Up next is a trip to Mervue.
7th Monaghan United:
Thirteen points from the last fifteen available - brilliant.
Darren McKenna and Stephen McCrossan were the scorers on Friday as Longford Town were easily sent packing from Kingspan Century Park.
With Shelbourne yet to hit top form, Monaghan United will be very confident of getting something from Tolka Park this weekend.
8th Mervue United:
Mervue United twice came from behind to earn a draw in Athlone on Saturday. Damien O’Rourke levelled first, with David Goldbey grabbing a late strike to snatch a draw at the death.
Hosting Limerick on Saturday, Johnny Glynn’s side will be up against it.
9th Athlone Town:
Athlone haven’t won any of their last six league games. Following a strong start to the season from Brendan Place’s men, the last two results will perhaps be the hardest to swallow.
Last week, despite being on top for much of the game in Morton Stadium against Sporting Fingal, Athlone lost. And on Saturday, despite taking the lead twice against Mervue, through Kevin Williamson and Ciaran Reilly, again Athlone could not win.
A trip to Station Road awaits, the perfect venue to get their season back on track one would assume.
10th Finn Harps:
Finn Harps needed a win badly. Luckily, along came three points in the form of Kildare County. However, like Shelbourne found last week, it isn’t always simply a case of just turning up against Kildare.
Conor Gethins’ brace was just enough to give the Ballybofey side their second victory of the season.
Travelling to Longford this weekend, another win should be expected of the side, putting a comfortable distance between Harps and the bottom two. However, it is far from a certainty.
11th Longford Town:
Monaghan were comfortable winners against Longford on Friday. Following the resignation of manager Alan Gough, the game against Harps this weekend is hugely important in that it can either see Longford close up on the rest of the league, or be cast adrift with Kildare.
12th Kildare County:
Kildare lost again; however, again it wasn’t a complete walkover. Two games ago they matched Shels’ for a good while and last weekend they travelled to Ballybofey and lost by just one goal.
Good times.
1st Waterford United:
We mentioned last week that Waterford had dropped points in all three of their games against promotion rivals this season. However, last Friday Stephen Henderson’s men cast aside Sporting Fingal, on their home patch, by a massive margin.
Conceding almost immediately after kick-off, United knocked four past a defence that hadn’t conceded more than one goal in any game this season – before Friday night. Willie John Kiely’s brace keeps him top of the goal scoring charts, with nine this season. Graham Cummins grabbed his eighth of the year with Kenny Browne scoring the other.
Seamus Long’s red card is merely a side note in what was a fantastic result.
Wexford Youths up next at home.
2nd UCD:
Two scoreless draws in a row sees Martin Russell’s side surrender their league lead on goal difference. Limerick were a match for the Students throughout and threatened from the outset, but UCD didn’t lose, which is surely the minimum expectation in every game this season.
Home to Sporting Fingal on Thursday, a win would be great; however, it is not paramount. Sporting will be smarting from their loss to Waterford, though, so UCD could well capitalise.
3rd Shelbourne:
This was always going to be a difficult game for Shelbourne. Wexford Youths have improved massively since their loss at Tolka Park earlier in the season so it was perhaps no huge surprise that they took the lead.
But, with players like Paddy Madden and Anto Flood up front, even a sub-par Shelbourne side are dangerous. Both men netted within sixty seconds of each other to win the game and push Dermot Keely’s men above local rivals Sporting in the table.
“We’ve been really poor this year. We’re struggling for some reason, I don’t know why. We’ve got a few good results lately though,” said club captain Damien Brennan. However, just four points off Waterford, with a game in hand, Shels are well positioned.
4th Sporting Fingal:
Eamon Zayed’s opener, within a minute of kick off, was perhaps the only good thing to take out of the game with Waterford on Friday. Humbled, 4-1, Liam Buckley’s men missed a great opportunity to close in on the stuttering UCD.
Five points behind a side which comprehensively beat you at your own ground is not an ideal position to be in. However, an immediate response, against UCD on Thursday, would at least compensate a little for their biggest loss since their inaugural fixture at the start of last season.
5th Wexford Youths:
A greatly improved Wexford performance compared to their earlier meeting with Shelbourne was not enough on Friday when two goals on the hour mark saw off the threat from the Youths – who earlier saw Gavin Doyle give them the lead.
After seeing his side waste countless opportunities against Shels, Mick Wallace admitted that it was Wexford who lost the game following what he described as a ‘smash and grab’ performance from the visitors. However, regardless of who was better, Shels took the three points and with that it is just three from twelve points available for Wexford against the teams above them so far this season.
Waterford up next, the Youths face an even tougher task.
6th Limerick FC:
Pat Scully has done a great job at Limerick so far, if results are what it is all about. Matching UCD throughout the tie last weekend, the 0-0 draw gives Limerick thirteen points from the last twenty-four available. To any team outside the top four, that is a healthy return.
With a glamour tie against St Patrick’s Athletic to look forward to in the cup, the good results may well keep coming for Limerick. Up next is a trip to Mervue.
7th Monaghan United:
Thirteen points from the last fifteen available - brilliant.
Darren McKenna and Stephen McCrossan were the scorers on Friday as Longford Town were easily sent packing from Kingspan Century Park.
With Shelbourne yet to hit top form, Monaghan United will be very confident of getting something from Tolka Park this weekend.
8th Mervue United:
Mervue United twice came from behind to earn a draw in Athlone on Saturday. Damien O’Rourke levelled first, with David Goldbey grabbing a late strike to snatch a draw at the death.
Hosting Limerick on Saturday, Johnny Glynn’s side will be up against it.
9th Athlone Town:
Athlone haven’t won any of their last six league games. Following a strong start to the season from Brendan Place’s men, the last two results will perhaps be the hardest to swallow.
Last week, despite being on top for much of the game in Morton Stadium against Sporting Fingal, Athlone lost. And on Saturday, despite taking the lead twice against Mervue, through Kevin Williamson and Ciaran Reilly, again Athlone could not win.
A trip to Station Road awaits, the perfect venue to get their season back on track one would assume.
10th Finn Harps:
Finn Harps needed a win badly. Luckily, along came three points in the form of Kildare County. However, like Shelbourne found last week, it isn’t always simply a case of just turning up against Kildare.
Conor Gethins’ brace was just enough to give the Ballybofey side their second victory of the season.
Travelling to Longford this weekend, another win should be expected of the side, putting a comfortable distance between Harps and the bottom two. However, it is far from a certainty.
11th Longford Town:
Monaghan were comfortable winners against Longford on Friday. Following the resignation of manager Alan Gough, the game against Harps this weekend is hugely important in that it can either see Longford close up on the rest of the league, or be cast adrift with Kildare.
12th Kildare County:
Kildare lost again; however, again it wasn’t a complete walkover. Two games ago they matched Shels’ for a good while and last weekend they travelled to Ballybofey and lost by just one goal.
Good times.
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