FLASHBACK - Opening weekend of 2008 League of Ireland Season

Ten years have passed since we enjoyed our first season in existance and with the League of Ireland 2018 about to get underway, our reporter Tom Clancy looks back at how the opening weekend of the 2008 campaign panned out.

A look back on the opening weekend of the 2008 season proves an interesting exercise. Drogheda United began the 12-team Premier Division as defending champions, while Cork City had lifted the FAI Cup in November. Stephen Kenny’s Derry City had won the previous League Cup. The League’s title sponsor remained Eircom. The games were played on Friday March 7^th and Saturday March 8^th.

Drogheda United 0-1 Shamrock Rovers

Defending champions Drogheda United began the campaign against Pat Scully’s Hoops. Drogs were 9/4 favourites to retain their crown, but suffered an immediate blow when the then Tolka Park based side secured victory thanks to an early Alan Murphy goal. Paul Keegan, Ollie Cahill and Eamonn Zayed featured for the hosts, while Dessie Baker, Ger O’Brien, Barry Murphy helped Rovers to victory. Keith Wallace reported for Extratime.ie, describing a wonderful goal by debutant Murphy “the former Galway United man dispatching to the net from just inside the area with a sweet strike off the underside of the crossbar and into the top corner.”

UCD 2-3 Derry City

Connor Sammon, Peter Hutton, Ruaidhri Higgins, Paddy McCourt and the late Mark Farren all lined out for Derry. Credit must go to an extremely youthful UCD side who pushed the Candystripes all the way. Kevin McHugh also featured from the bench, as Stephen Kenny’s side got off to a winning start – despite letting a two-goal lead slip. Higgins, Hutton and Farren all scored while League of Ireland stalwart Alan McNally and Paul Byrne replied for the hosts. Ronan Finn, Ian Bermingham and Conor Kenna all featured for Pete Mahon’s side. It was to prove to be a difficult year in Belfield, but they proved a stern test for Derry. “Stephen Kenny shall no doubt be over the moon with the three points - especially when he considers that UCD dominated for extended periods of play” – the full report can be found here.

St. Patrick’s Athletic 3-1 Sligo Rovers

Referee Anthony Buttimer had an interesting start to the season. The Cork native delayed proceedings in Inchicore due to an issue with kits, as Sligo eventually donned the Saints second choice strip. The game itself was entertaining fare, with Jamie McKenzie’s first half strike enough to have Sligo ahead at the break. But a seven minute blitz from the hosts turned the game on its head. Jamie Harris equalised before a Ryan Guy brace gave the Saints the spoils. The future Guam international was joined by future Irish international Keith Fahey, as well as Barry ad Bobby Ryan and Mark Quigley. Loan signing Pat Jennings made his debut in goal for Sligo, while familiar names Raff Cretaro, Romauld Boco and Faz Kuduzovic also featured.  Full teams can be found here.
 
Galway United 0-1 Bohemians

Current Longford Town boss Neale Fenn notched the only goal of the game as Tony Cousins’ Galway side began the season with defeat. The Gypsies boasted an impressive subs bench, with Jason Byrne, Kevin Hunt, Stephen O’Donnell and Jason McGuinness all waiting in the wings. Killian Brennan, Glen Crowe, Owen Heary and Brian Murphy all started for a strong looking Bohs side. Wesley Charles, Gary Rogers, Derek O’Brien all featured for United. Vinny Faherty and John Russell were among the subs. It would prove to be a difficult year for the Tribesmen, who’d finished in eight place upon returning to the top flight in 2007.

Alan Dooley described how Bohs secured the victory,” Bohs held on, having scored with their only shot on target to register an amazing ninth successive victory at Terryland Park.”

Read more here.

 
Cork City 0-0 Bray Wanderers

The largest crowd of the weekend, 4,971, saw the only goalless Premier Division clash. Bray Wanderers featured a certain Alan Cawley, while a fresh-faced Gary McCabe also featured. Paddy Kavanagh saw red late on, but the Seagulls denied a Cork side which featured Irish internationals Joe Gamble and Colin Healy. City also boasted Dave Mooney and Denis Behan, while defender Dave Mulcahy had just turned 30! John O’Flynn, now of Finn Harps joined current City number one Mark McNulty on the home bench. Caeliv Donnelly described the action, “Bray for their part will be reasonably happy with an opening day point at a difficult venue.”

The season was to prove to be more challenging off the pitch for City, as difficulties with the Arkaga investment group meant the club entered examinership and were deducted 10 points

Finn Harps 2-1 Cobh Ramblers

Conor Gethins and Shaun Williams notched for the Donegal side, while Kevin Murray scored for the Rams. Williams went on to move to MK Dons with Milwall his current employers. Both sides had been promoted during the previous winter, with Cobh Ramblers managed by Stephen Henderson, their current boss. Chris McNulty reported for extratime.ie “On a night that was far from conducive to playing an attractive brand of football…the heavy nature of it making the going tough for the participants, the entertainment levels were a long way off what had been hoped for.”


First Division:

The First Division saw both Waterford United and Longford Town return to the second tier after long spells in the top flight. Sporting Final made their bow, while Limerick still had 37 in their name. Kildare County were still going, but Kilkenny City waved goodbye during the winter. Monaghan United renewed their membership again, alongside Dundalk, who nobody could have foreseen their future exploits, which took its first steps in 2008.

Wexford Youths 1-2 Waterford United

In his days before Dáil Éireann, Mick Wallace served the people of Wexford in a different way. The eccentric TD brought Youths into the League twelve months previously and was manager of this side who fell to Waterford in the south-easy derby. Goals from Karl Bermingham and David Warren cancelled out debutant Paul Murphy’s brief equaliser.

John Hayes saw red for the visitors as the bulk of the 1,600 in Ferrycarrig Park left disappointed. Kenny Browne was on the bench for United, while former Reading midfielder Conor Sinnott began his second season with Wexford. Full teams can be found here.

Monaghan United 1-0 Limerick 37

Current manager Tommy Barrett started for the Blues as they fell to Monaghan United in Gortakeegan. Phillip Sheppard scored from the spot to give the Ulster side the perfect start. Limerick, managed by future Athlone Town boss Mike Kerley, featured a largely local based squad, with Shane Tracy the only name who still features for the club on the pitch. Dom Tierney featured in midfield for Mons, and he enjoyed a decade in the League of Ireland, including a four year stint with Monaghan. Current owner Pat O’Sullivan was still selling coal, and it appears Limerick’s financial struggles were to continue during 2008. Read more.

Shelbourne 0-0 Dundalk

These two sides had eyes for promotion and ultimately, just one goal would decide the destination of the title. Before that, these sides played out a scoreless draw, in which Shelbourne failed to capitalise on the red card shown to Lilywhites keeper Chris Bennion. The likes of James Chambers, Philly Hughes, Anto Flood and Mark Rutherford were unable to break down a stubborn Dundalk who featured David Cassidy in midfield. Ending with nine men due to injury, it wasn’t apparent just how important the stalemate would prove for Dundalk. Gordon Hunt described the action, “the final ten minutes saw Dundalk sitting deep within their own half as Shels’ sought a winner.”

Longford Town 5-1 Sporting Fingal

It was a forgettable League of Ireland debut for Fingal. The Dublin side had replaced Kilkenny City in the off-season and were thumped at the hands of Longford Town, who’d been relegated in 2007. An Iarfhlaith Davoren brace was followed by a Darren McKenna hat-trick as the Midlanders cruised to victory.

Fingal weren’t helped by a brace of red cards while Peter Hynes notched their maiden league goal. Dinny Corcoran, Dave Rogers and midfielder by the name of Conan Byrne featured for the visitors, while Daire Doyle, who recently retired, captained Aaron Callaghan’s Longford outfit. Denise O’Flaherty described the one sided contest, “Town were in complete control and Sporting had no answer to a composed performance from Aaron Callaghan’s men who really showed great character.”


Athlone TownP-P Kildare County
The clash of these Leinster sides was postponed after a late pitch inspection in Athlone deemed the surface unplayable. 2008 was to prove to be Kildare’s penultimate in the League, with placing last in both 2008 and 2009. These sides finished sixth and seventh in 2007, respectively.  Dermot Lennon was in charge of Athlone while Joe Sommerville took charge of the Thoroughbreds.