Irish involvement in the Football League playoffs

[DannyInvincible]

The 17 year wait continues but to be honest the Championship is probably more interesting than the EPL where, Leicester aside, the usual hierarchy prevails each year. There are the top 6, the mid-rankers who aspire to be Top 6 but in reality are happy to cream in the dosh and survive and the relegation fighters who time will usually catch up with unless there is dross coming up from the Championship. In the Championship, it's usually anyone's to win and there are big clubs there now plus there'll be the Sheffield derbies.

Hmm, I think we've got here a case of sour grapes in the true sense of the term.

[OwlsFan]

Hmm, I think we've got here a case of sour grapes in the true sense of the term.

Danny speaks in riddles

[DeLorean]

Hmm, I think we've got here a case of sour grapes in the true sense of the term.

Learn something new every day. I will only use it as it was originally intended from now on!

[DeLorean]

John O'Sullivan came on for Carlisle with twenty minutes remaining tonight, got booked and scored a 90th minute equaliser against Exeter to make it 2-2 on the night, 5-5 on aggregate. Unfortunately for him Exeter went up the other end and made it 6-5 before the end. McAlinden and Sweeney unused subs for Exeter.

Similar heartbreak for Alan Sheehan and Glen Rea who both started for Luton as they went down by the same aggregate scoreline to Blackpool. They also conceded in the last minute, 3-3 on the night.

[Closed Account]

So Eddie Nolan (bench) v Liam McAlinden (bench) and Pierce Sweeney (bench) in the final.

[Stuttgart88]

Didn't Nolan play once under Trap? Nigeria at Craven Cottage?

[OwlsFan]

I love this bit about him in Wikipedia and why he was sent on loan to Sheffield Wednesday, especially the "as a result" comment :

"In 2009–10 season, Nolan continued to be used in the left-back position in Davidson's absent until Nolan's form was bad. As a result, Nolan joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan until the end of the season, where he's reunited with Alan Irvine.After appearing on the bench against Ipswich Town. Nolan made his Sheffield Wednesday debut on 27 February 2010, in a 5–0 loss against Reading".

[tetsujin1979]

Didn't Nolan play once under Trap? Nigeria at Craven Cottage?

Three caps according to wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Nolan

[DannyInvincible]

Similar heartbreak for Alan Sheehan and Glen Rea who both started for Luton as they went down by the same aggregate scoreline to Blackpool. They also conceded in the last minute, 3-3 on the night.

Sickening goal to concede, especially in the 95th-minute: https://streamable.com/p0t28

[DannyInvincible]

Didn't Nolan play once under Trap? Nigeria at Craven Cottage?

Aye, he made his debut in that game - a 1-1 draw - playing the full 90 minutes.

His two other caps were also in friendlies - against Australia (a 3-0 loss, of which he played the last 27 minutes) and South Africa (a 1-0 victory, of which he played the full 90 minutes) - that same year (2009). Both those games were in Thomond Park.

He was on the bench for the World Cup qualifier away to Bulgaria and also the qualifier against Italy in Croke Park that ended 2-2.

[CraftyToePoke]

Trap was a gas man wasn't he ? Nolan and Cunningham got the early nod but Coleman and McCarthy less so.

[tetsujin1979]

McCarthy was 19 when he made his debut, but he'd already been playing club football for about three years at that stage, so it seemed like he was older

[DeLorean]

League One Final 20 May
Millwall: Shaun Williams (should start), Aiden O'Brien (should start), Paul Rooney (unlikely)
Bradford: Colin Doyle (should start), Josh Cullen (should start), Billy Clarke (likely sub), Kevin Toner (likely sub)

Bradford v Millwall has just kicked off on Sky Sports 1.

Doyle, Cullen and Clarke all start for Bradford. Toner not in squad.

Williams and O'Brien start for Millwall. Rooney not in squad.

[DeLorean]

Clarke just missed a great chance to give Bradford the lead when clean through on goal. He seemed to do everything right but Archer made a brilliant save in the Millwall goal.

[DeLorean]

Millwall have, undeservedly, taken the lead late on through Steve Morison. Clarke and O'Brien both substituted earlier on.