A Night to Remember
Credit:
Friday night in Inchicore was one of the best matches I have seen in Ireland in a long time. I was still struggling with my injury, so I ended up an interested spectator.
Since the start of the season, a lot of the so called “experts” (MNS springs to mind) have criticised the quality of football in the league. A season of transition is what is being said, but Friday night was an exception. Anyone who watched the 90 minutes must have gone home happy after seeing an excellent match.
After the disappointment of the Setanta Cup final, we were going into Friday’s game with a point to prove. Things didn’t go according to plan after we conceded an early goal, when Jason Byrne showed why he has been the best striker in the league for the past five years.
Two minutes later the game sprang into life. What sparked it off? Probably the worst challenge I personally have seen in football in a long time, resulting in Gareth Coughlan breaking his leg in two places.
As a player, returning to face you former club is always a difficult situation. You are more hyped up than normal and it is a mental battle rather than a physical battle you have to contend with. It was Mark Quigley’s first time back in Richmond since his close season move across the city and it was obvious he wanted to prove a point.
Having played with Mark for two seasons, and knowing the type of lad he is, I don’t think he intentionally went to break Gareth’s leg. I think when Mark looks back at the challenge he will realise it was a bad tackle and hold his hands up.
From the view I had in the stand, immediately, I knew the injury was bad. The lads on the pitch said that noise was sicking. My first reaction was definite red, but only a yellow card was brandished. Damien Hancock, who was the referee for the game, doesn’t normally get the big decisions wrong but he will surely be disappointed he didn’t show a red card this time when he sees it again.
Pat Fenlon’s immediate reaction was to substitute Mark. I am not sure if it was to protect Mark from any repercussions, or the fact that he knew it was a bad tackle, or just to calm down the situation, either way he was correct.
After everything settled down, we seemed to find a new life in the team. We began winning battles all over the pitch and that was rewarded with the best six minutes of our season so far.
Derek Doyle and Paul Byrne scored two scruffy goals to give us the lead but we saved the best till last, Stuart Byrne belting in a cracker from 25 yards. After the game we christened him the Irish ‘Pirlo’ for the night, which was very fitting with the watching Trapattoni in the stand.
Overall, it was our best performance of the season. In the second half we were waiting for the Bohs onslaught, but in reality it was us who were more likely to score again. After losing two games already in this round of fixtures, the three points against probably the champions this season is great.
Yes, I still fancy Bohs to find form and go on and win the league.
Away from the Airtricity League, on Tuesday night Gionvanni Trapattoni will be fielding an under-strength Irish team in a friendly versus Paraguay. I wouldn’t normally be excited by such a fixture but there is a chance that an old team mate, Keith Fahey, will earn his first, well deserved cap for Ireland.
Keith is probably the most talented player the league has seen in a long time and I have no doubt he can hold his own at that level. His performance versus Hertha Berlin two years ago was the best individual display by an Irish player in Europe in twenty years.
Recently on MNS there was a discussion whether any players in the league are good enough to play for Ireland. If that same question had been asked three years ago when Keith was playing, I wonder how many really believed he was good enough to become a Premier League regular.
Let’s just hope Keith becomes a regular in the Irish set-up.
Since the start of the season, a lot of the so called “experts” (MNS springs to mind) have criticised the quality of football in the league. A season of transition is what is being said, but Friday night was an exception. Anyone who watched the 90 minutes must have gone home happy after seeing an excellent match.
After the disappointment of the Setanta Cup final, we were going into Friday’s game with a point to prove. Things didn’t go according to plan after we conceded an early goal, when Jason Byrne showed why he has been the best striker in the league for the past five years.
Two minutes later the game sprang into life. What sparked it off? Probably the worst challenge I personally have seen in football in a long time, resulting in Gareth Coughlan breaking his leg in two places.
As a player, returning to face you former club is always a difficult situation. You are more hyped up than normal and it is a mental battle rather than a physical battle you have to contend with. It was Mark Quigley’s first time back in Richmond since his close season move across the city and it was obvious he wanted to prove a point.
Having played with Mark for two seasons, and knowing the type of lad he is, I don’t think he intentionally went to break Gareth’s leg. I think when Mark looks back at the challenge he will realise it was a bad tackle and hold his hands up.
From the view I had in the stand, immediately, I knew the injury was bad. The lads on the pitch said that noise was sicking. My first reaction was definite red, but only a yellow card was brandished. Damien Hancock, who was the referee for the game, doesn’t normally get the big decisions wrong but he will surely be disappointed he didn’t show a red card this time when he sees it again.
Pat Fenlon’s immediate reaction was to substitute Mark. I am not sure if it was to protect Mark from any repercussions, or the fact that he knew it was a bad tackle, or just to calm down the situation, either way he was correct.
After everything settled down, we seemed to find a new life in the team. We began winning battles all over the pitch and that was rewarded with the best six minutes of our season so far.
Derek Doyle and Paul Byrne scored two scruffy goals to give us the lead but we saved the best till last, Stuart Byrne belting in a cracker from 25 yards. After the game we christened him the Irish ‘Pirlo’ for the night, which was very fitting with the watching Trapattoni in the stand.
Overall, it was our best performance of the season. In the second half we were waiting for the Bohs onslaught, but in reality it was us who were more likely to score again. After losing two games already in this round of fixtures, the three points against probably the champions this season is great.
Yes, I still fancy Bohs to find form and go on and win the league.
Away from the Airtricity League, on Tuesday night Gionvanni Trapattoni will be fielding an under-strength Irish team in a friendly versus Paraguay. I wouldn’t normally be excited by such a fixture but there is a chance that an old team mate, Keith Fahey, will earn his first, well deserved cap for Ireland.
Keith is probably the most talented player the league has seen in a long time and I have no doubt he can hold his own at that level. His performance versus Hertha Berlin two years ago was the best individual display by an Irish player in Europe in twenty years.
Recently on MNS there was a discussion whether any players in the league are good enough to play for Ireland. If that same question had been asked three years ago when Keith was playing, I wonder how many really believed he was good enough to become a Premier League regular.
Let’s just hope Keith becomes a regular in the Irish set-up.
About Damian Lynch
Premier Perspective: Damian Lynch is an extratime.ie columnist giving his views on the current state of the league as well as his own personal performance with St. Patricks Athletic. The Saints' skipper will give his … View Full Profile