February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
One of the joys of the cup competition are the David vs. Goliath meetings and once again the second-round draw has thrown up some plum ties after the so-called minnows or non-league clubs were paired with Eircom League clubs.
The second round games will be played next Sunday. Carrick United from Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary, probably got the top draw. They will travel to Inchicore to play Shamrock Rovers, who have won the FAI Cup a record 24 times but not since 1987. The Hoops, nonetheless, are still synonymous in some minds with the competition. Cup holders Longford Town have to travel to Cork to play non-league Leeds. And at least two non-league teams are guaranteed a place in the third round as Rockmount from Cork have been paired with Portmarnock and Quay Celtic play Drumcondra. No not the old Drums, but a junior club from the Drumcondra area of Dublin who are carrying on the great name. But the most exciting game probably will be the County Louth derby between Dundalk and Drogheda United at Oriel Park. Drogheda are riding high in the premier division at present, while Dundalk are struggling in the first division, but then of course the cup is a great leveler.
EIRCOM TEAMS PROGRESS
The Eircom League may only attract a few loyal fans, but for those of use who support the local clubs rather than English ones, things are looking up. Cork City have made history by becoming the first Eircom League club to qualify for the third round of the Inter Toto Cup. And three other Irish clubs in European action this summer should also progress beyond the first round-after reasonable results in the first legs last week.
Runaway league leaders Shelbourne probably have the best chance of progressing after scoring two valuable away goals against KR Reykjavik in Iceland. Bohemians got a creditable 0-0 draw away to Levadia Tallinn in Estonia and should win the return leg at Dalymount Park next Tuesday. Longford Town were the only Eircom League club to lose, going down 1-0 to Vaduz in Liechtenstein. But no doubt the players from the tiny European state should be put under more pressure in the second leg at the Strokestown Road venue next week.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Barry Ryan, who failed a drugs test while playing with Shamrock Rovers last season, has now joined Dublin City. Goalkeepers normally get a tough time from rival supporters and the Clare-born goalkeeper is sure to be reminded of his ban in the coming weeks.
QUARTERFINALS DELAYED
Last Sunday’s draw in the Leinster Football Final between Laois and Westmeath has meant that the GAA are forced to push back the All-Ireland football quarterfinals by a week.
The quarterfinals were due to take place on Aug. 1 and 7, but they will now be played on Aug. 7 and 14, the Saturdays before the All-Ireland hurling semifinals. In recent years Croke Park has been able to handle back-to-back games on Saturday evening and again on Sunday afternoon.
Games Administration Chairman Tony O’Keefee said it would have been impossible to make the football quarterfinals draw until the completion of the final round of qualifying games. And to avoid similar problems in future years, provinces due to meet one another at the semifinal stage will have to play their provincial finals on the same day. Even though there is have a successful back-door qualification system, the old provincial rotation system still applies at the semifinal stage in football.
Meanwhile, Croke Park will stage an attractive double header on Aug. 1, when Dublin play Roscommon and Tyrone meet either Westmeath or Laois. The other fourth round qualifiers will be played on Saturday. Limerick and Derry meet in Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon, while the game between Donegal and Fermanagh goes ahead in Clones. Also on Saturday, Laois and Westmeath replay their Leinster Football Final at Croke Par. Then on Sunday Antrim play Cork and Clare meet Kilkenny in hurling quarterfinals at Croke Park.
McATEER FOR ROVERS
Jason McAteer’s proposed move to Leicester City fell through last week, but on Monday The Republic of Ireland international left Sunderland for Tranmere Rovers where he has got a two-year contract. It’s a return to Merseyside after five years for the Wirral-born midfielder.
Also, McAteer’s old Sunderland and Ireland colleague Phil Babb has decided to retire after being handed a free transfer by the Black Cats. The 33-year-old defender decided to quit after failing to agree terms with Burnley and Coventry, who were both interested in signing him.
CELTIC LEAGUE KICKS OFF
Ulster, the Celtic Cup holders in rugby, will start this season’s Celtic league campaign with an away game against Edinburgh on Sept. 4. On the same weekend Leinster are at home to Cardiff Blues, Munster travel to play Neath Ospreys, while Connacht are at home to Glasgow.
RUGGERS GET HITCHED
It’s not often that a male rugby player marries somebody with more international caps than himself. But that’s what happened recently when Irish prop John Hayes married Fiona Steed in Nenagh. Hayes has 46 caps, but Steed, the most capped Irish woman of all time, won 67 consecutive caps before she retired last season. The couple were introduced three years ago by another female international, Rosie Foley, a sister of Anthony Foley.
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CONNERTON QUITS
Denis Connerton has quit as manager of Longford senior footballers. Connerton’s three-year term ended with the defeat by Dublin in the Bank of Ireland football qualifiers. Longford native Declan Rowley, who recently quit as manager of Leitrim, could be in the frame to fill the vacancy.
Meanwhile, Padraig Nolan is set to see out the final 12 months of his contract with Kildare. In 2003 Nolan led Kildare to the Leinster final in his first season in charge, but this year The Lilywhites made an early exit from the championship. They were beaten by Wexford in the Leinster quarterfinal and six days later were beaten by Offaly in the All-Ireland qualifiers.
And we could know sooner than expected whether Sean Boylan is to continue as Meath manager for a record 23rd year. Normally the Meath County Board don’t make a decision on their senior football manager until October, but this year the closing date for nominations has been brought forward to Aug. 3.
O’NEILL HONORED
Glasgow Celtic manager Martin O’Neill was in Buckingham Palace last week to accept an OBE from Queen Elizabeth. O’Neill said that while the ruling monarch admitted that she had an interest in soccer, she didn’t reveal whether she was a Rangers or Celtic fan. Instead, she chatted to the Northern Ireland man about the beautiful Scottish countryside.
Also, Celtic midfielder Neil Lennon said he is not going to make a comeback with Northern Ireland. Lennon, who was forced out due to threats, said that having discussed the matter with his family, he has decided not to make a comeback. New Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez had left the door open for Lennon to return to the squad.
The North’s next game will be a friendly against Switzerland in Zurich on Aug. 18. The Republic play Bulgaria in Dublin on the same day, but no doubt manager Brian Kerr is certain to have his spies in Zurich to check on our World Cup opponents.
GALWAY HAVE NO REGRETS
The Galway Hurling Board have defended their decision not to enter the Leinster hurling championship, where they would have gotten more match practice. The Tribesman turned down the offer made last year in a recommendation by the Hurling Development Committee. Galway went into the All-Ireland qualifier against Kilkenny two weeks back with only one competitive game under their belts.
“We won the National League title on May 9, but had only one game since then, Hurling Board spokesman Phelim Murphy said. “With all due respects to Down, that game wasn’t much help to us either. But I don’t think not playing in Leinster had anything to do with the defeat by Kilkenny, we just weren’t at the races. There will be a new structure next year and we will be guaranteed three games and that has to be a help to us. There is no substitute for competitive games.”
Meanwhile, in Tipperary there are reports that captain Tommy Dunne may be about to quit the county panel. Dunne was said to be devastated following Tipp’s loss to Cork in the hurling qualifiers in Killarney two weeks ago.