Dave Kelly - the boot room
© Irish Independent
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/ & http://www.unison.ie
Shels collect season's honours
Wednesday November 24th 2004
THE formalities may have concluded off the pitch but The Boot Room can always make a little more time to upset even more Eircom League hotheads. So, in no particular order, and with no particular reason to offend, as this is purely a personal reflection, here is a brief compendium of the Premier Division campaign's highs and lows.
Team of the season: Undoubtedly, Shelbourne. Winning back-to-back titles would have sealed the award in itself, but their European adventure has also raised the bar. Emulating their achievements will prove to be an even bigger test of their ability next season.
Flop of the season: Bohemians. From double winners to also-rans in double-quick time. The messy end to Stephen Kenny's tenure may not have altered the tenor of their season but failure to finish in the top two certainly has. Predictably shorn of many of their best players, having allowed their contracts to lapse, next season will be an uphill struggle for a club who have demonstrated a will to be the country's best.
Players of the season: Eschewing convention, we'll choose one per club. Bohemians Kevin Hunt. Cork City Kevin Doyle. Derry City Peter Hutton. Drogheda United Dan Connor. Dublin City Gary O'Neill. Longford Town Sean Dillon. St Patrick's Athletic Keith Fahey. Shamrock Rovers Trevor Molloy. Shelbourne Wes Hoolahan. Waterford United Daryl Murphy.
Manager of the season: Pat Fenlon. Special mention to Alan Matthews.
Goals of the season - Champions League: Dave Rogers' left-footed screamer which knocked Hajduk Split for six in Tolka Park. FAI Cup: Sean Dillon's coruscating extra-time strike for Longford Town deep into injury-time which ended Drogheda's interest in the competition. League Cup: Dillon again, this time putting Bohs to the sword with another superbly timed long-ranger. League: Michael Nwankwo finishing a typically slick Cork City move against St Pats in Inchicore. Trevor Molloy nicking the ball off Bohs keeper Shay Kelly in Dalymount, any one of Andy Myler's free-kicks or Jason Byrne's crucial second in the penultimate game against Waterford
Save of the season: Steve Williams' finger-tip effort in Iceland against KR Reyjkavik which, had it not prevented a goal, would have almost certainly prevented Shelbourne advancing any further in the Champions League and raising the profile of the League for a brief spell during the summer.
Comeback of the season: Shelbourne in Reykvaik and at home to Lille, Felix Healy and Pete Mahon, Gary O'Neill, Neal Horgan, Longford Town in the Cup final.
Fond Farewells: Paul Osam, Mbabazi Livingstone, Toccy O'Connor, Liam Buckley.
Feuds of the season: Paul Doolin v Pete Mahon, Dermot Keely v Roddy Collins, Pat Dolan v Pat Fenlon.
Best atmosphere: Lansdowne Road for Shelbourne v Deportivo La Coruna. Wouldn't it be great if it were like this all the time. As Fenlon admitted last week, it's the only occasion when most Irish fans are tempted to get off their arses, which doesn't say much for the weekly bread and butter diet.
U-turns of the season: Drogheda United's €20 entrance fee, Roddy Collins walking out of Dublin City, Shamrock Rovers and Liam Buckley, Bohemians and full-time status, too many clubs and their players' contracts
Best ground: Dalymount Park. Special mention to the Flan Siro and the (sadly rarely visited) Cross.
Worst as in uncomfortable ground : United Park. Special mention to officious stewards in Richmond Park.
Website of the year: Foot.ie.
Programme of the year: Cork City.
Referee of the year: Alan Kelly.
Substitution of the year: George O'Callaghan coming on to change Cork's season away to Dublin City.
Signing of the year: Alan Moore (Shelbourne).
Moan of the season: (Aside from EL clubs' petty rivalries and FAI incompetence) Eircom League clubs bemoaning dearth of media coverage, despite the fact that they receive a disproportionate amount of space in the newspapers given the hopeless attendances. The really grating thing is that most of the clubs treat the press with complete and utter disdain! Wonderful logic!
Person of the year: Shelbourne chairman Finbar Flood. For his statesmanlike qualities during the club's European run.
Reasons to be cheerful: The Setanta Cup, a dry-run for an All-Ireland league which might rescue club football in this country. The FAI caring about the League we hope. The return of Finn Harps. Alan Moore and Gareth Farrelly deciding their future lies in the Eircom League. UCD winning U21 league.
Dave Kelly
The Boot Room
© Irish Independent
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/ & http://www.unison.ie/
