In retrospect: Opening Games
Credit:
With the season almost upon us, Gordon Hunt takes a look at the opening games of
recent seasons.
2008 – Premier Division – Title Challengers:
St Patricks Athletic strolled into the 2008 season not just confident that extratime.ie would markedly change the global adoration of League of Ireland throughout the football world, but also confident that they – being the latest side to throw money around in search of silverware – would be crowned LOI champions come November. So with full-time contracts and Brian Kerr to boot, Pats faced Sligo Rovers to kick-start their campaign.
Bohemians were the obvious rivals in 2008, they themselves not shy in spending money. Derry City were also contenders, along with reigning champions Drogheda United.
Bohs would ultimately run away with the title, however after the season opener, they sat joint 4th on goals scored after their 1-0 victory in Galway was outshone by Pats’ 3-1 victory over Rovers. Derry won 3-2 in Belfield while Drogs, who suffered a difficult campaign, lost 1-0 to Shamrock Rovers.
Goal scorers for St Patricks Athletic: Jamie Harris, Ryan Guy (2). Bohemians: Neale Fenn. Derry City: Ruadhri Higgins, Mark Farren, Peter Hutton.
2008 – Premier Division – Relegation Candidates :
Finn Harps faced fellow relegation candidates Cobh Ramblers on the opening day of the season, emerging 2-1 victors. Both would end up relegated, along with UCD who lost 2-3 to Derry City. Galway United, who survived the season by a point, had lost to Bohs.
Goal scorers for Finn Harps: Conor Gethins, Shaun Williams. Cobh Ramblers: Kevin Murray
2008 – First Division – Promotion Challengers:
Sporting Fingal were the headliners in 2008, emerging from the shadows of Dublin City to become the QPR/Chelsea/Shakhtar of the Irish lower league. It was a frantic opening few weeks for the side, who were admitted to the First Division at short notice. Their rashly assembled squad was ill-prepared for their opening weekend debacle in Longford, going down 5-1 and losing both Brian Gannon and David Bracken to red cards.
Dundalk were joint favourites for the title, alongside a Shelbourne side still adapting to life outside of the Premier Division. Both sides played out a very entertaining 0-0 draw at Tolka Park, despite the visitors and eventual Champions Dundalk losing Chris Bennion to a red card.
Goal scorers for Sporting Fingal: Peter Hynes
2009 – Premier Division – Title Challengers :
Bohemians - as reigning champions - were clear favourites going into the 2009 season. Their opening game was away at newly promoted Dundalk, which they won 1-0. Despite Bohs eventually winning the title - not assured until the second last series of the season - the newly homed Shamrock Rovers were the biggest threat. Rovers drew 0-0 in Bray in the opening game of the season, however pushed Bohs all the way, with a lovely shiny new stadium to boot.
Goal scorers for Bohemians: Joseph Ndo
2009 – Premier Division – Relegation Candidates :
Bray Wanderers finished bottom in 2009, however their opening day draw with Rovers was a fine start to the season. Despite Cities Cork Derry going down for off the field idiocies, Drogheda United, St Patricks Athletic, Dundalk, Galway United and Sligo Rovers each battled it out at the bottom of the table.
Galway thrashed St Pats 3-0 in Richmond Park in the opening fixture, while Drogheda lost 1-0 to Derry, Sligo drew 1-1 at home against Cork in a thrilling finale and Dundalk narrowly lost to Bohs.
Goal scorers for Galway United: Derek O’Brien (2), Vinny Faherty. Sligo Rovers: Stephen Parkhouse
2009 – First Division – Promotion Challengers :
Shelbourne faced up to another season in the second tier after suffering heartbreak in the dying seconds of the 2008 campaign. Favourites, alongside Sporting Fingal, both were outshone by a young and quality UCD side, and were also pushed hard for the second and third place playoff tie by Stephen Henderson’s sometimes brilliant/sometimes poor Waterford United.
Shels started the season well, beating Wexford Youths narrowly, 2-1 at home. UCD beat Limerick FC by the same scoreline, while Waterford and Sporting drew 1-1, both goals coming in the final minutes.
Goal scorers for Shelbourne: Paddy Madden, Anthony Flood. UCD: Ciaran Kilduff, Chris Mulhall . Waterford United: Gary Dunphy. Sporting Fingal: Philip Byrne
2008 – Premier Division – Title Challengers:
St Patricks Athletic strolled into the 2008 season not just confident that extratime.ie would markedly change the global adoration of League of Ireland throughout the football world, but also confident that they – being the latest side to throw money around in search of silverware – would be crowned LOI champions come November. So with full-time contracts and Brian Kerr to boot, Pats faced Sligo Rovers to kick-start their campaign.
Bohemians were the obvious rivals in 2008, they themselves not shy in spending money. Derry City were also contenders, along with reigning champions Drogheda United.
Bohs would ultimately run away with the title, however after the season opener, they sat joint 4th on goals scored after their 1-0 victory in Galway was outshone by Pats’ 3-1 victory over Rovers. Derry won 3-2 in Belfield while Drogs, who suffered a difficult campaign, lost 1-0 to Shamrock Rovers.
Goal scorers for St Patricks Athletic: Jamie Harris, Ryan Guy (2). Bohemians: Neale Fenn. Derry City: Ruadhri Higgins, Mark Farren, Peter Hutton.
2008 – Premier Division – Relegation Candidates :
Finn Harps faced fellow relegation candidates Cobh Ramblers on the opening day of the season, emerging 2-1 victors. Both would end up relegated, along with UCD who lost 2-3 to Derry City. Galway United, who survived the season by a point, had lost to Bohs.
Goal scorers for Finn Harps: Conor Gethins, Shaun Williams. Cobh Ramblers: Kevin Murray
2008 – First Division – Promotion Challengers:
Sporting Fingal were the headliners in 2008, emerging from the shadows of Dublin City to become the QPR/Chelsea/Shakhtar of the Irish lower league. It was a frantic opening few weeks for the side, who were admitted to the First Division at short notice. Their rashly assembled squad was ill-prepared for their opening weekend debacle in Longford, going down 5-1 and losing both Brian Gannon and David Bracken to red cards.
Dundalk were joint favourites for the title, alongside a Shelbourne side still adapting to life outside of the Premier Division. Both sides played out a very entertaining 0-0 draw at Tolka Park, despite the visitors and eventual Champions Dundalk losing Chris Bennion to a red card.
Goal scorers for Sporting Fingal: Peter Hynes
2009 – Premier Division – Title Challengers :
Bohemians - as reigning champions - were clear favourites going into the 2009 season. Their opening game was away at newly promoted Dundalk, which they won 1-0. Despite Bohs eventually winning the title - not assured until the second last series of the season - the newly homed Shamrock Rovers were the biggest threat. Rovers drew 0-0 in Bray in the opening game of the season, however pushed Bohs all the way, with a lovely shiny new stadium to boot.
Goal scorers for Bohemians: Joseph Ndo
2009 – Premier Division – Relegation Candidates :
Bray Wanderers finished bottom in 2009, however their opening day draw with Rovers was a fine start to the season. Despite Cities Cork Derry going down for off the field idiocies, Drogheda United, St Patricks Athletic, Dundalk, Galway United and Sligo Rovers each battled it out at the bottom of the table.
Galway thrashed St Pats 3-0 in Richmond Park in the opening fixture, while Drogheda lost 1-0 to Derry, Sligo drew 1-1 at home against Cork in a thrilling finale and Dundalk narrowly lost to Bohs.
Goal scorers for Galway United: Derek O’Brien (2), Vinny Faherty. Sligo Rovers: Stephen Parkhouse
2009 – First Division – Promotion Challengers :
Shelbourne faced up to another season in the second tier after suffering heartbreak in the dying seconds of the 2008 campaign. Favourites, alongside Sporting Fingal, both were outshone by a young and quality UCD side, and were also pushed hard for the second and third place playoff tie by Stephen Henderson’s sometimes brilliant/sometimes poor Waterford United.
Shels started the season well, beating Wexford Youths narrowly, 2-1 at home. UCD beat Limerick FC by the same scoreline, while Waterford and Sporting drew 1-1, both goals coming in the final minutes.
Goal scorers for Shelbourne: Paddy Madden, Anthony Flood. UCD: Ciaran Kilduff, Chris Mulhall . Waterford United: Gary Dunphy. Sporting Fingal: Philip Byrne
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