Irish involvement in the Football League playoffs

With the last game of the football league calendar today, I thought it would be useful to compile a list of which Irish players will be competing for each side as the spots are decided. The Championship is already finished, so I'll start there.

Young players not yet in the senior set-up in italics.

Championship:

Derby: Jeff Hendrick, Richard Keogh, Mark O'Brien, Conor Sammon

v

Brighton: Keith Andrews (on loan from Bolton), Stephen Ward (on loan from Wolves)

QPR: Kevin Doyle (on loan from Wolves), Richard Dunne, Brian Murphy, Frankie Sutherland, Michael Harriman

v

Wigan: Rob Kiernan, Chris McCann, James McClean

League One

Leyton Orient: Dave Mooney

v

Peterborough: Danny Kearns (on loan at Chesterfield), Robert Duggan

Rotherham: Lee Frecklington

v

Preston North End: Alan Browne, Keith Keane, Graham Cummins (on loan at Rochdale), Will Hayhurst (on loan at York City)

League Two:

Fleetwood Town: Adam Barton (on loan from Coventry)

v

York City: Lanre Oyebanjo, Will Hayhurst (on loan from Preston)

Southend United: Conor Clifford, Barry Corr, John Egan (on loan free agent), Michael Timlin

v

Burton Albion: Damien McCrory

Or another way...

Derby: Jeff Hendrick, Richard Keogh, Mark O'Brien, Conor Sammon
V
Brighton: Keith Andrews, Stephen Ward

QPR: Kevin Doyle, Richard Dunne, Brian Murphy, Frankie Sutherland, Michael Harriman
V
Wigan: Rob Kiernan, Chris McCann, James McClean

Derby or Wigan please. :)

McCann's not going to play any part, he's still out with a knee injury.
Sutherland was rumoured to play a part in QPR's run in, despite injuring his cruciate in November, but still hasn't appeared for them: http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11711/9267089/championship-frankie-sutherland-eyes-role-in-qpr-run-in

Added the other two leagues per Stu's suggestion.

The Secret Journalist's predictions for the play offs: http://www.thesecretfootballer.com/a...son-shoot-out/

It's pretty simple in my eyes. The teams that win the playoffs are usually the teams hitting form around now, so for me that means Derby, Preston and Fleetwood. I'd be surprised if any of those sides don't make the final at least.

Preston are D-W-L-W-W-L

Peterborough are W-W-L-W-W-D

Peterborough face Dave Mooney on Saturday though, who is an L1 beast.

Hmm, fair enough, I had a better impression of Preston's form. They have been rocketing in goals though.

I agree broadly on form heading into a playoffs is more beneficial than position, generally, but in L1 it's about to be tested as despite being a relegated side from the level above last season, Peterborough finished a distant sixth and a full 20 points from the automatic spot for second and 29 off title winners Wolves. But they bring the best form into the playoff games.

Yeah, the way Orient's challenge tailed off doesn't give you much optimism they'll be making the final, when for much of the season they were odds-on for automatic promotion. Same with QPR in the Championship.

Preston
5/2

Rotherham
13/5

Leyton Orient
13/4

Peterborough
10/3


Value ? Tricky ? :)

Montage of Lee Frecklington in celebration of his life and being in the playoffs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T5IV3AHiKM

Tbh, these play-offs are a complete lottery, understand the logic of the predicted winners, but don't be surprised if at least one 'unfancied' side makes each Final and had no idea as per Chuck's OP so many of the participants were in the senior set-up, or was that just the Championship/Div.2 clubs?

I don't think there are unfancied sides. Out of the four Championship sides, they're all strong enough to make it. As CraftyToePoke pointed out, Peterborough are the form side coming into the League One playoffs having been relegated last year, while Orient and Rochdale have been near the top all year. League Two is a bit harder to call but Southend's Phil Brown has form winning playoffs while Fleetwood finished the season well.

Derby are currently 2-1 up in the first leg of their tie away to Brighton. Ward, Andrews and Will Buckley (who is also eligible for us and allegedly interested) all started for Brighton. Buckley was replaced at half-time. Keogh and Hendrick started for Derby, while Sammon joined the fray on 72 minutes.

Edit: Derby held on for a 2-1 victory.

Sammon was very harshly booked for getting the ball. The linesman was right beside it and said no foul, but the referee knew better from 30 yards away. Hendrick looked very active in the first half but he faded as Derby began to sit deeper. Thought Ward played very well and Andrews was tidy. Obviously saving his important goal for the return leg.

It has to be said Sammon is awful...well in the Eng.top two divisions.
A definite fish out of water...

Alan Browne starts this evening for Preston against Rochdale with Keith Keane on the bench. Earlier on, Dave Mooney played as Leyton Orient got a good draw at Peterborough.

Dunne and Kiernan both started in the Wigan-QPR game last night, with Doyle a late sub for QPR and McClean unused for Wigan.

How now Browne cow.

Dunne and Doyle start for QPR, with Brian "Better than Julio Cesar" Murphy on the bench. McClean and Kiernan both start for Wigan.

Lanre Oyebanjo and Will Hayhurst start for York City against Fleetwood in the rescheduled first leg.