First Division Round-up: Series 22
Credit:
UCD won the game of the round, turning over Waterford United on their own patch whereas elsewhere Shelbourne, Longford Town and Sporting Fingal each won.
1st Shelbourne:
David McAllister and Tony Griffiths got the goals as Shelbourne laboured to a home win over Kildare County. Earlier in the season there would have been ample reason to complain about the performance, however now, after completing two thirds of the season, Shels’ five point gap is all that matters.
2nd UCD:
David McMillan got the only goal of the game in Waterford in what will no doubt turn out to be a massive victory for the Students. Greg Bolger’s second half dismissal prior to the strike makes the result all the more impressive, with a home tie against Limerick sure to keep UCD on the right path.
3rd Sporting Fingal:
extratime.ie columnist and all round nice guy Conan Byrne got the winner in Athlone after Francesco Georgescu had cancelled out Sporting’s opener from Robert Bayly. Athlone frustrated Fingal in Morton earlier in the season so this was never going to be as easy as it looked on paper for Liam Buckley’s men.
Away in Waterford next, a must win game for both sides.
4th Waterford United:
United’s loss at home to UCD is a real blow to their promotion ambitions, dropping them to fourth. However despite the loss against a ten man opposition, Stephen Henderson’s men are still only six points off Shels, leading surely to a nail-biting finish by the top four sides.
Tough game home to Sporting to come.
5th Wexford Youths:
Mervue are the whipping boys of this division for the last two months, losing their last eight league games. So Wexford’s trip to Galway should have proved a fruitful voyage. However, despite Neil Keane’s early dismissal for the hosts, the Youths could not get a win.
A tough trip to Tolka awaits and with one win in six, Wexford look long shots.
6th Monaghan United:
Monaghan United v Finn Harps was postponed.
7th Limerick FC:
Liam Lynch’s hattrick helped tear apart Limerick last weekend, inflicting another 4-1 home loss on Pat Scully’s men. Conor Molan’s late consolation was all the hosts could muster as they were beaten by Longford in convincing fashion.
With a trip to the Belfield Bowl awaiting tomorrow night, Limerick may well face another heavy loss.
8th Finn Harps:
Monaghan United v Finn Harps was postponed.
9th Athlone Town:
Francesco Georgescu’s equaliser in the first half, against Sporting Fingal, looked enough to give Brendan Place’s men a point against the Santry side. Yet after conceded an injury time sucker punch against UCD last time out - which cost them all three points - they were undone far earlier this time: Conan Byrne’s winner consigning Athlone to yet another winless game, nine in a row now.
10th Longford Town:
Liam Lynch’s second-half hattrick, preceded by Adrian Murphy’s opener, was more than enough as Longford destroyed Limerick. Longford are now within reach of an unlikely eighth spot in the First Division, with Monaghan visiting on Saturday.
11th Mervue United:
Mervue finally stopped the rot. A hard-fought 0-0 draw against Wexford Youths, after seeing their own Neil Keane dismissed midway through the first half, was a great result. Indeed, United almost stole all three points at the death, but for Packie Holden in the Wexford goal. Even still, Longford leap above Mervue, who drop to second-last.
12th Kildare County:
Kildare held on for far longer than many expected at Tolka, but were eventually undone and lost 2-0. As previously stated, it’s Kildare’s next few games which could see them put some more points on the board.
1st Shelbourne:
David McAllister and Tony Griffiths got the goals as Shelbourne laboured to a home win over Kildare County. Earlier in the season there would have been ample reason to complain about the performance, however now, after completing two thirds of the season, Shels’ five point gap is all that matters.
2nd UCD:
David McMillan got the only goal of the game in Waterford in what will no doubt turn out to be a massive victory for the Students. Greg Bolger’s second half dismissal prior to the strike makes the result all the more impressive, with a home tie against Limerick sure to keep UCD on the right path.
3rd Sporting Fingal:
extratime.ie columnist and all round nice guy Conan Byrne got the winner in Athlone after Francesco Georgescu had cancelled out Sporting’s opener from Robert Bayly. Athlone frustrated Fingal in Morton earlier in the season so this was never going to be as easy as it looked on paper for Liam Buckley’s men.
Away in Waterford next, a must win game for both sides.
4th Waterford United:
United’s loss at home to UCD is a real blow to their promotion ambitions, dropping them to fourth. However despite the loss against a ten man opposition, Stephen Henderson’s men are still only six points off Shels, leading surely to a nail-biting finish by the top four sides.
Tough game home to Sporting to come.
5th Wexford Youths:
Mervue are the whipping boys of this division for the last two months, losing their last eight league games. So Wexford’s trip to Galway should have proved a fruitful voyage. However, despite Neil Keane’s early dismissal for the hosts, the Youths could not get a win.
A tough trip to Tolka awaits and with one win in six, Wexford look long shots.
6th Monaghan United:
Monaghan United v Finn Harps was postponed.
7th Limerick FC:
Liam Lynch’s hattrick helped tear apart Limerick last weekend, inflicting another 4-1 home loss on Pat Scully’s men. Conor Molan’s late consolation was all the hosts could muster as they were beaten by Longford in convincing fashion.
With a trip to the Belfield Bowl awaiting tomorrow night, Limerick may well face another heavy loss.
8th Finn Harps:
Monaghan United v Finn Harps was postponed.
9th Athlone Town:
Francesco Georgescu’s equaliser in the first half, against Sporting Fingal, looked enough to give Brendan Place’s men a point against the Santry side. Yet after conceded an injury time sucker punch against UCD last time out - which cost them all three points - they were undone far earlier this time: Conan Byrne’s winner consigning Athlone to yet another winless game, nine in a row now.
10th Longford Town:
Liam Lynch’s second-half hattrick, preceded by Adrian Murphy’s opener, was more than enough as Longford destroyed Limerick. Longford are now within reach of an unlikely eighth spot in the First Division, with Monaghan visiting on Saturday.
11th Mervue United:
Mervue finally stopped the rot. A hard-fought 0-0 draw against Wexford Youths, after seeing their own Neil Keane dismissed midway through the first half, was a great result. Indeed, United almost stole all three points at the death, but for Packie Holden in the Wexford goal. Even still, Longford leap above Mervue, who drop to second-last.
12th Kildare County:
Kildare held on for far longer than many expected at Tolka, but were eventually undone and lost 2-0. As previously stated, it’s Kildare’s next few games which could see them put some more points on the board.
About Gordon Hunt
Gordon Hunt is one of extratime's Dublin based reporters. Having worked with the site since it's inception, Gordon's name is carved into the foundations of extratime's tower block. View Full Profile