McDonnell awarded Player of the Month

**pineapple stu** · 08/07/2005, 1:05 PM

Oh the irony!

From the FAI alleged website -

UCD captain Tony McDonnell is the eircom/Soccer Writers' Association of Ireland Player of the Month for June. McDonnell was inspirational for the Students during the month as they went unbeaten in their four eircom League matches and one eircom League Cup clash.

Back in midfield after a spell at centre half earlier in the season, McDonnell was also in scoring form netting in a 1-1 draw with Shelbourne and a 2-1 victory over Drogheda United.

Now 29, McDonnell is the longest-serving one club man still playing in the eircom League as he enjoys his 13th season at Belfield Park, during which time he has won the First Division, the First Division Shield (both 1995) and FAI Super Cup in 2000.

He also helped UCD reach the eircom League Cup final in 2001, where they lost to St Patrick's Athletic as well as playing in the 2000 edition of the Intertoto Cup. A regular for the majority of those 13 seasons, he has clocked up 248 League appearances and scored 27 goals during his career with the Students.

So that's the good part. Now for the fun part! I've highlighted the errors (or what I think are errors) in the piece above. A disturbing amount!

1) We played three league games, one eL game and one FAI Cup game in June.
2) Not technically an error I suppose, but he also scored in the FAI Cup game.
3) Don't know if this is correct? Think he signed in 1994 (hence his testimonial last season) - which means this is his twelfth season.
4) He didn't play in the InterToto games - think he was injured.
5) He has 250 appearances - it was in the news towards the end of last week and a presentation was made before the Cork game!

It's the same article, more or less, as appeared in the Mirror, so it appears that the FAI aren't entirely to blame this time. But it's still a very poorly researched article and is typical of the couldn't-give-a-toss nature of eL reporting.

**Poor Student** · 08/07/2005, 1:18 PM

All the errors aside I'm delighted for our goal scoring machine! By eL reporting standards at least it's remotely accurate!

**Schumi** · 08/07/2005, 1:26 PM

Congratulations Tony, well deserved.

**el tk** · 08/07/2005, 2:22 PM

Meah, as I've said I'm not his beiggest fan but fair play to him

**Aberdonian Stu** · 08/07/2005, 2:31 PM

Just to clarify my position, I'm delighted he won, he's inspirational, but he's too weak in the air to play centre back

**John83** · 08/07/2005, 3:29 PM

Good for Tony. He's really kept us going for the past month.

REgardless of whether it was three or four league matches, thank **** Cork was the first of July!

**Poor Student** · 08/07/2005, 3:30 PM

Originally Posted by John83

Good for Tony. He's really kept us going for the past month.

REgardless of whether it was three or four league matches, thank **** Cork was the first of July!

Sure he still scored anyway in that one.

**pineapple stu** · 08/07/2005, 5:17 PM

And in the next game...!

**CollegeTillIDie** · 09/07/2005, 9:33 AM

Oh the irony...

pineapple stu you are wrong..

Tony signed for us in 1993 .

He made his debut at the tail end of the 1993/94 season against Longford Town and made 1 appearance that year.
He only featured on 2 occasions in the League during our promotion season 1994/95. He had been a regular in the League Cup campaign which ended at that time as per usual at the end of the group stage.

However thanks to injuries to experienced centre-backs the following season he chalked up 13 starts 2 as sub scoring 2 League goals.
His first goal coming away to Galway United in a 2-0 win in February 1996.
In 1996/97 he was a regular playing 25 games with 1 as a sub and he disappointingly did not score any goals that year.
In 1997/98 He played in 28 games and scored 1 goal against Limerick in the Promotion/relegation play off... which Sean Ryan of the Indo claims counts as a League goal. Well he wrote the book of League of Ireland goalscorers so who am I to argue.

You were correct in your other assertions however.
Disappointingly for him he missed the Intertoto Cup game through injury but was brought along, with the original Darren O'Brien, to assist Martin Moran as Theo was not available to travel.

Quite simply Tony Mc is a legend and he got the Player of the Month for June because HE WAS THE BEST PLAYER IN THE BLOODY LEAGUE !

**pineapple stu** · 10/07/2005, 5:21 PM

Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

pineapple stu you are wrong..

Tony signed for us in 1993 .

He made his debut at the tail end of the 1993/94 season against Longford Town and made 1 appearance that year.

Yeah, saw that when I looked back at one of the old newsletters - that's mad! 12 years!!

**Colie** · 12/07/2005, 4:33 PM

Originally Posted by Aberdonian Stu

Just to clarify my position, I'm delighted he won, he's inspirational, but he's too weak in the air to play centre back

How can people still uphold that he's not good in the air. Are they watching the same matches as I am; the UCD matches?

**Aberdonian Stu** · 12/07/2005, 6:35 PM

A good run does not make him good at heading. Yers he's done reasonably well with his noggin in recent weeks, but I can't see him maintaining it on a consistent basis and for a guy who's tall than myself (and with a lot less to carry) he really doesn't make enough of his height advantage.