Series 5 Previews

Derry City vs Galway United
Brandywell
KO: 7.45
Ref: R.Winter

Captain Jay O'Shea returns to the fold for Galway United as they head north to take on Derry City at the Brandywell Stadium on Friday evening; Kickoff 7.45pm.

O'Shea was on international duty with the Irish U-21's over the past week and started both games against Spain and Turkey. He also scored the opening goal in the International Friendly against Spain at the Waterford RSC.

Galway United Manager Ian Foster is without the suspended Jason Molloy and Declan Edwards, both serving one match suspensions. John Russell's recovery continues and he will be involved in Galway United A Championship fixture this weekend. United will also be 2/3 weeks without Shane Fitzgerald who is recovering from an ankle injury.

Injuries for Galway
John Russell, Shane Fitzgearld,

Injuries For Derry
Kevin Deery

Suspensions for Galway
Jason Molloy, Declan Edwards

Suspensions for Derry
Mark Farren, Clive Delaney, Tam McManus (doubtful-yet to receive international clearance)

Youths face tricky trip to high flying Town
Wexford Youths FC face a tough away fixture to Athlone Town on Saturday night at Lissywoollen. The Youths are still searching for their first away win of the season, but they will be confident after recording their first win last week against Longford Town FC. Athlone on the other hand are sitting nicely in forth place in the league, only behind Sporting Fingal on goal difference. They were unlucky to lose to Waterford United last week after conceding a stoppage time winner.

Mick Wallace will be able to call upon the services of Peter White after suspension, while Paul Rossiter is also welcomed back to the squad. Johnny Flynn O' Conner looks a major doubt after missing the game against Longford last week. While Wallace is still missing the injury quartet of Paul Murphy, Lee Aust, Danny Furlong and Gary Sheahan. Although Sheahan is making steady progress and could be back training in four to five weeks.

“This is a really tough away fixture for us, but we're confident after last weeks result. Athlone were unlucky last weekend after losing to Waterford when the conceded a late winner, a single point would have had them in the top three of the League so we're aware of the task ahead” said Wallace.

After the disappointment of last weeks All-Ireland U-18 Semi-Final the Youths will be hoping to give their fans something to cheer about on Saturday night. “it's a game we are really looking forward to” Wallace said.

Injured:
Paul Murphy, Lee Aust, Danny Furlong, Gary Sheahan
Doubt:
Johnny Flynn O' Connor

http://www.stpatsfc.com/news.php?id=2942

02/04/2009 [13:16]
SAINTS LOOK TO CONTINUE RUN
St Patrick’s Athletic will be looking to extend their winning run to four games tomorrow night as they take on Bray Wanderers in the Carlisle Grounds (kick off 7.45 p.m.)

The Saints’ 2-0 victory over Dundalk last weekend was not only their third win in succession but their third clean sheet also.

Manager Jeff Kenna spoke to stpatsfc.com about the importance of not conceding and how confidence is high in the squad.

“The clean sheets have been great because it’s a fundamental part of buildings a winning side. If you don’t concede it’s more than half the battle and we’ll be looking to keep that up.

“It’s another difficult game (in Bray) but confidence is high and we’re playing well. We’ve won two difficult games away from home and we’ll be going there full of confidence.”

Kenna will have to plan without Gary Dempsey and top scorer Mark Leech for next few months. Both suffered lower leg breaks in the Dundalk game and will miss the next three months at a minimum.

While acknowledging that both injuries are a blow, Kenna is hopeful that others in the squad will take the opportunity it presents.

“It’s a bitter blow losing the two lads. The team have been picking up good results and both of them have been influential and will be missed.

"This is the reason we have a squad though and it’s up to the other players who have been sitting on the bench to come in and stake their claim for a place in the team."

John Lester returns from suspension while Brendan Clarke is back in training following recent foot injury and is in contention.

Gareth O’Connor (thigh) and Stephen Maher (knee ligaments) are back jogging but both are at least two weeks from full fitness.

Kildare County v UCD preview


http://www.kildarecountyfc.com/?p=1088


Thomas Donnelly has no new injury worries as he prepares to welcome striker David O’Riordan back into his squad ahead of Friday night’s game against UCD.

O’Riordan hasn’t appeared since he limped off in the 83rd minute of the opening league game against Finn Harps but Donnelly revealed that although O’Riordan still isn’t back to 100% fitness, he is close to figuring against the Students.

“David is close to being back, he has been in training all week and has had no reaction so he is in contention for tomorrow night but whether he is selected or not is another matter. He is probably about 85% at the moment,” said the County boss.

The return of O’Riordan is the only piece of good news for Donnelly who is still without a number of long term injury victims but he does include former Liffey Celtic captain Thomas McLoughlin for the first time.

Donnelly said, “Thomas is a big strong lad and he will add a bit of physicality to the team which we have been missing. We’ve been a little too nice so far and we’ve been working with the lads during the week to add some controlled aggression to our game.”

McLoughlin was captain of the Liffey Celtic team who won the KDFL Premier Division league and cup double last season. He is the third member of that team to sign for County, following in the footsteps of O’Riordan and reserve goalkeeper Kevin McDonnell.

Kildare will be looking to bounce back from last week’s 8-0 drubbing to Sporting Fingal but Donnelly is happy with the reaction he has got from the players at training during the week.

He said, “We were in training on Sunday morning, we had a long chat I told them that we can’t continue to make the mistakes that we are making. We’ve worked a lot on defensive work during the week on things like defensive shape and in fairness to the lads, they were in for three and a half hours on Sunday morning and two and a half hours on Monday and we are in Thursday night as well so they are putting the work in. They want to turn things around.”

“The manner in how are defending is the thing that is bothering me the most at the moment even more so than losing 8-0, it’s the way we are conceding goals that is a concern but all we can do is put the work in on the training ground. We aren’t going to face the likes of Sporting Fingal every week although there are three or four teams who are close to that level including UCD who we play tomorrow,” said Donnelly.

Things will not get any easier for County when they head to the Belfield Bowl to play a UCD team who have won all four of their opening games. Central to that excellent run has been former Kildare County striker Ciaran Kilduff who scored five goals in those four games. Kilduff scored 11 goals in 39 games for Kildare last season including a FAI Cup hat trick against Fanad Utd and Donnelly is well aware of Kilduff’s capabilities.

“Duffer’s a fine player and it’s probably suiting him a bit more at UCD now because they play a bit more football. He is banging in the goals, they have 12 points from 12 and I think they have only conceded one goal so it’s going to be a big ask for our lads again. But I’ll be looking for the lads to increase the level of the performance significantly from last week and I want us to defend much better than we have been doing up to now.”

Sean Harding is a major doubt for the Students while Irish under 19 international Greg Bolger is also struggling. UCD Manager Martin Russell is wary of a possible backlash from County after defeat to Sporting.

“They were hurt so badly last week that their pride will have been hurt,” said Russell. “I’m hopeful we won’t be complacent when we play them,” added the UCD boss.

The game will be the first league game between the two clubs since a late Robbie Martin penalty gave UCD a 2-1 win at Station Road way back in 2004. In total there have been three league games between the two with one win each and the other game ending in a draw. Interestingly, Kildare won the only league meeting between the two at Belfield when goals from Alan Kelly and Martin Reilly gave Kildare a 2-0 win in July 2004.

The only other time that the two teams met in Belfield was the very first meeting between the two in the FAI Cup in 2002 when two Robbie Doyle goals meant that John Ryan’s penalty was nothing more than a consolation in a 2-1 UCD win.

http://www.finnharps.com/News/090402FingalPreview.htm

Sporting Fingal v Finn Harps – FAI League of Ireland First Division – Morton Stadium, Friday 3rd April, 2009 – kick-off 7.45pm

by Joe Doherty

Team News: Finn Harps Manager Paul Hegarty has a number of injury worries ahead of Friday’s trip to the Capital to take on the First Division Championship favourites Sporting Fingal. Ian Rossiter (thigh), who has missed the last three games, is still a major doubt although the former Sligo Rovers man is back training. Marc Brolly (torn ankle ligaments) is a definite absentee as is Ciaran Coll who was stretchered off with what looked like a serious leg injury in the 2-1 defeat against UCD last Friday. Thankfully for Coll and Harps, the defender didn’t suffer a break as was first suspected.

Brian Lafferty and Cornelius Gallagher, who were both starters in the midweek EA Sports League Cup victory over Ulster Senior League Champions Kildrum Tigers, are both expected to be in the squad for the trip to Fingal.

Michael Funston, who missed the League Cup tie, is available for selection again.

Friday’s game will be Harps’ first against Sporting Fingal. However, it won’t be their first trip to the Morton Stadium – they played three games there against Shamrock Rovers when the now Tallaght based team used it as their home ground at the start of the decade.

Harps Manager Paul Hegarty on the 1-2 defeat against UCD last Friday: I have nothing but admiration for my players to be perfectly honest. They tried hard and didn’t deserve to lose. I thought some of our play in the second half, in very difficult conditions, was very good. You can’t fault the lads for workrate or effort. I couldn’t see where there was a penalty and none of the UCD players even appealed for it. There were a few decisions that didn’t go our way. Conor Gethins’ equaliser was, apparently, two or three yards onside.

Paul Hegarty on Friday’s game with Sporting Fingal: It’s going to be a big test for us. They absolutely hammered Kildare last weekend. You’d expect them to win the League. When you look through their team, everyone of them are Premier Division players.

Previous Meetings:
This will be the first meeting between the two sides.

Form guide (last six league games):
Finn Harps: L-W-D-W-D-L (8 pts)
Sporting Fingal: L-D-D-L-W-W (8pts)

Finn Harps Goalscorers this season:
Conor Gethins – 2
Christy Conaghan – 1 (in League Cup)
David McDaid – 1
Michael Funston - 1
Ruairi Harkin – 1 (in League Cup)

Finn Harps Results so far this season (Harps goalscorers in brackets):
30th March – Kildrum Tigers 1-2 Finn Harps (Conaghan, Harkin) League Cup
27th March – Finn Harps 1-2 UCD (Funston)
20th March – Mervue United 1-1 Finn Harps (Gethins)
14th March - Finn Harps 1-0 Longford Town (Gethins)
7th March - Kildare County 1-1 Finn Harps (McDaid)

Mervue host high flying Shelbourne

© Galway Advertiser, April 02, 2009.

It has been a bittersweet few days for Mervue United. The pleasure and joy of last Friday’s stirring away success at Gortakeegan was diluted somewhat by last Monday’s League Cup reversal at Drom.

While all of Mervue’s endeavour against Monaghan United wasn’t forgotten the manner of the loss to Salthill Devon was worrying. Though penalties were ultimately required few could argue that Devon didn’t deserve the scalp as Emlyn Long and Mike Quirke’s tidy young team gave an adequate account of themselves on a senior stage. From James Whelan’s promise at centre half to the smashing skill of substitute Mikey Gilmore Salthill survived as Mervue’s greater experience was rendered insignificant.

Now Mervue face one of the nation’s form teams as Shelbourne make a welcome return to Terryland Park tomorrow. Prompted by the decorated Dermot Keely, Shels, denied promotion in the final minute of last season, have made a blistering start to the campaign winnning four matches on the bounce. An efficient approach has seen Wexford Youths, Monaghan United, Waterford United, and Limerick FC all outfoxed with only one goal being conceded.

Safe and solid at the back, and with Anto Flood in attack, it is easy to see why Keely is confident of challenging an expensively assembled Sporting Fingal. There is no shortage of guile in the Shels squad with Dean Delaney, Alan Keely, Damien Brennan, David Crawley, David McGill, and David Cassidy all proven at this level, so Mervue must summon a gritty display.

Still Mervue have been resourceful in their last two league matches taking four points, and they will be anxious to be equally industrious in the coming weeks. Mixie Harty’s capture provides Johnny Glynn with another midfield option as Mervue will need to monitor Cassidy diligently.

One certainty in football is that lengthy victorious sequences are always ended, and Mervue would take pride and satisfaction if they become the first side to disturb the Dubliners in 2009.

Press Release 03/04/09

Limerick FC-v- Monaghan United

Limerick is Monaghan United’s next opposition on Saturday night at Jackman Park.

At this early stage of the league campaign Limerick have made the better start to the season with four points against Monaghan United’s one. Like ourselves they went down one-nil to Shelbourne – Anthony Flood getting the goal in both games. Their one win so far has been against Mervue United who they defeated 4-1.

Limerick is a side that United always finds it hard to get anything against especially away in Jackman Park.

In what promised to be a good season Monaghan United have made a poor start in their points tally. They have demonstrated that they are capable of much better; their display against Mervue should serve as a wake up call. If they are to collect any points in Limerick they will have achieve the standard they displayed in the games against Longford and Shelbourne. A draw would be a good result in Jackman Park.

Hopefully manager Mick Cooke will have a full squad to pick from.

Injuries and Suspensions

Suspended : none
Injuries : none

Results of Last fixtures

Longford Town 3 3 Monaghan United
Monaghan United 0 1 Shelbourne
UCD 3 0 Monaghan United
Monaghan United 1 2 Mervue United

Next 5 Fixtures

Fri Apr 10 Monaghan United v Sporting Fingal 8.p.m.
Sat Apr 18 Waterford United v Monaghan United 7pm
Fri April 24 Monaghan United v Kildare County 8pm
Sat Apr 2 Athlone v Monaghan United 8pm
Fri May 8 Monaghan United v Wexford Youths 8pm


Managers Quotes

“ I was very disappointed with the result and our performance against Mervue United. We were severely punished for a lapse of concentration in the first half when we gifted Mervue with their first goal. Weather conditions on the night didn’t allow for good football but it is no excuse for our showing on the night. This was a game that we should have won even though our performance was poor I felt we were by far the best team.

We will just have to pick it up. This weeks game against Limerick will be tough our away record against them in recent years is not great Limerick like ourselves have made a poor start to the season but they are after signing the very experienced manager Pat Scully so if anyone can get them on the right track he will. I know that our team feel that they let themselves down last week and they will be out to prove themselves. I believe that we are much better than our points total would suggest, a good result in Limerick would restore our confidence, a share of the points would be a good result for us and that is well within our capacity to achieve and would set us up well for next weeks home game against Sporting Fingal.”

Longford Town go back to the South East this weekend to face Waterford United with the stinging words of manager Alan Gough ringing in their ears after last Friday night's 2-1 defeat to Wexford Youths.

After recovering from an early goal to draw level, a second goalkeeping error by Brendan Murphy handed the Youths their first win of the season.

“There's no point in simply blaming Brendan,” Gough told ltfc.ie, “because there were mistakes made all over the pitch to be honest. I felt we went into the game on the back of a bit of momentum; OK we lost to Finn Harps but the performance was good and then, of course, we had beaten Kildare County.

“But on Friday the overall performance wasn't there and I certainly won't accept that. The players were all given their instruction and we need a certain level of performance from them at all times. But I've let them know that. Sometimes a stronger mindset is needed and I expect them to learn from that.

“Sometimes if the result isn't there but the performance is, you don't mind so much. But when we play as badly as we did it's hard to take. Since we got together this year the lads have been fantastic, so if we can get back to where we were we can do alright this weekend.”

Jim Sheridan was sent off in the second half, making him the fourth Town player to see red in four games this season. Another point that upsets the manager.

“It's simply not acceptable for a player to be sent off for dissent,” said Gough. “We tell the players before every game how we expect them to behave, particularly towards the officials. Jim didn't follow that and was rightly sent off. Red cards are part of sport but careless one like that are very difficult to accept.”

Waterford will represent the strongest side Longford have faced this year, but Gough remains characteristically upbeat ahead of the trip to the RSC.

“They're a very decent side,” according to the manager. “I watched them play Athlone last weekend and was very impressed. Stephen Henderson is a very good manager and knows the division inside out and they've got a very good spine, starting with Michael Devine in goals and going right through the team. They've brought in a few of the Cobh Ramblers lads from last season so they'll be strong.

“However, if we can get back to the way we were before Friday, we won't have a lot to worry about. I really believe in these players.”

The biggest fall-out from last Friday's defeat has been the departure from the squad of goalkeeper Brendan Murphy. However, the manager is actively seeking a replacement before the clash so as to avoid a situation where he would have to don the gloves himself.

“Brendan has left the club by mutual consent and we wish him well. He is a great lad and a good goalkeeper but sometimes these things happen. I told the lads at training and it's gone and we move on. I chasing up some possibilities and I'm confident we'll have someone in by the weekend.

“I registered to play at the start of the season in case of emergency but it's not a situation I want to be in, so me playing is a last resort.”

Apart from Murphy's obvious unavailability, Jim Sheridan is suspended for Saturday's game. Otherwise it's almost a full hand for Gough with Adrian Murphy back in training and in contention for a place against the club Town beat to claim the 2004 FAI Cup.

Sligo Rovers v Dundalk Preview


Dundalk FC travel to Sligo on Saturday evening at the start of a busy period for Sean Connor's team.

Team News
Dundalk have a number of injury concerns ahead of the trip. Captain Thomas Heary, Declan O'Brien, Simon Kelly and Michael McGinlay are all rated doubtful for the game.

Despite hopes been raised earlier in the week - there is still no resolution to the ongoing Michael Collins international clearance issue.

Sean Connor also serves the first of his four match ban having lost his appeal.

Manager Comments
"It's the start of an intense period with three important games in six days. We are looking forward to trying to put some more points on the board. We were disappointed with some elements of our performance against St Pats last week and have worked hard in training to put these issues right.At the moment, Thomas Heary, Declan O'Brien, Simon Kelly and Michael McGinlay are doubtful but no decisions will be made until tomorrow to give them as much time as possible to be ready. It's going to be a very hard game. Paul Cook has done a great job in Sligo and I know from my own experiences how hard it is for a visiting team to get anything from the Showgrounds. However, there is a real impetus in our team to start moving up theleague table. We have lost our two away games so far and it is something that we wish to correct as soon as possible. I am starting my four match ban but it will not have any impact on the team's performance."