Fern Mc Costigan

Monday, April 3, 2017

Saint Patrick’s Athletic staging a sudden resuscitation

After a sluggish start in the League of Ireland, Pats Boss Liam Buckley put the heat in all his players to step up their act and play with more hunger in this edition of the league of Ireland.

With a slow start in five matches and just netting a mingy point, the Saints were in trouble and in sole possession of last place and in the relegation spots.

Something odd to see from a squad those three years ago claimed the league title, FAI Cup and back-to-back League of Ireland Cups.

So far, in seven matches played in a busy schedule in the SSE, this Dublin based squad is suddenly staging an awakening, moving up on the league table, and leveling their game.

With wins in the always-contested Dublin Derby against their cross-town rivals the Shamrock Rovers and the Bohemians, all of a sudden we are seeing a sort of revival in this Inchicore based squad.

Currently in seventh place with seven points and moving on up the overall table, the Pats next compromise in the Derby against Leinster Senior League Division Bluebell United in the EA Sports Cup.

Then on Friday return to league action at home in Richmond Park to face a struggling Limerick FC on a scheduled Friday night match and a week after traveling to Eamonn Deacy Park and face Galway United.

Still the road to recovery is a long one for the Saints that after their match away in Galway they comeback home to receive a high flying Cork City- if the Turners Cross Boys are still undefeated maybe Liam Buckley and his Boys can play the role of spoilers.

Even though the Inchicore squad had its struggles in the beginning of the campaign, the positives have been in Conan Byrne reaching a milestone 100^th goal after he scored a midfield beauty that beat the Bohs keeper.

As mentioned earlier their first two wins in the campaign came in the Dublin Derbies, with a 2-1 rout over the Shamrock Rovers at home and later going to Dalymont in Phibsburg to defeat the local Bohemian sqaud to a 4-0 rout.

The need of adding points for the Saint’s became vital that after their meritorious wins against their Dublin foes, suddenly these wins became a sort startup that can get this club back to its old game and start fighting for the league top.

Still we quite a ways for the league to finish and for the Pats Manager Liam Buckley he and his Bunch has an all-around challenge all campaign long to continue mounting with his squad and putting on a fight until its end.

For the St. Pats newcomers and current players now getting their groove and game together, this squad can start putting on a show and fight not only for the league European spots but the league shield.

At the end both wins lately is a welcome sight from this club faithful and especially its manager looking forward to return the Pats to its old glories and start delivering trophies to the halls of old Richmond Park.

The Cumann Peile Lúthchleas Phádraig Naofa is back in business.

Photos Credit and Property of © Saint Patrick’s Athletic Football Club 2017

Portland Timbers back to reality after a tie at home

What a spoiler for the Portland Timbers and especially at home where it hurts the most, when today’s match scheduled against a modest New England Revolution.

These came ready to play the always-hated role of spoilers and denying the local squad the win.

Still the Portland Boys were very defiant and playing their new kind of football with the majority of its starters despite not having once again in the lineup both defensive backs in Liam Ridgewell and Vytas Andreskevivious, being in the DL.

For the Cheesmaster placing in the starting lineup for a second occasion in the regular campaign, rookie sensation Marco Farfan, along with Roy Miller, Laurence Olum and Alvas Powell.

The Rose City foursome looked very solid in the whole match, but football is a times rewarding or cruel and the local squad had to endure the latter one.

The return of David Guzman and Darlington Nagbe from international duty in the initial lineup, despite these two not completely rested, but their contributions and presence in the initial eleven became vital.

Unfortunately, their efforts at the end came short.

This time an opportune Lee Nguyen that took advantage of a pass from Kei Kamara stopped the thrill of victory cold for the locals and in the 84minute, the Revs star midfielder silenced a sold out Providence Park.

Contrary to earlier in the match and with just twelve minutes in the clock, Diego Valeri put his seal by sending a beautiful volley into the net of NE Cody Crooper to give the Timbers the lead and continue to exercise a full domination in the first half.

As in, the past matches and at home, the Andean has played a valuable and influential role in the Timbers 11 that has uplifted this squad and made his new team members adapt quickly in David Guzman and Sebastian Blanco to MLS play.

Another plus of Diego Valeri and the arrival of his compadre and country man Sebastian Blanco to the lineup- his game has stepped a notch a little more and playing more inspired as ever and looking like a sure MVP at the end of this campaign.

Despite of not netting the win, the Portland squad saw a big plus in its defensive side and with its future star in Marco Farfan, getting the call for the second time and not letting his Boss down and showing off another one of a kind match.

Very well seeing the defensive midfield getting its dynamic back with Guzman and Chara in the helm, this squad is poised for more spectacular and amazing things to come in the nascent campaign that so far the PTFC is playing with lots of hunger.

At the end with the draw, the Portland Timbers still situated in the Western Conference first spot and next week with a compromise in Philadelphia playing its Union, the Rose City squad is for a treat and an all-around challenge.

A win in the city of Brotherly Love will uplift this squad and if they deliver another win in the road, that will became a valuable one for sure!

Come next week in training camp for sure the PTFC will be hard at work and getting ready to correct and stepped their game as everyone from now on will be as important and as disputed like they are playing as an all-around final.

As in yesterday’s match the Timbers had number of opportunities inside the box but Adi is not the only option as Guzman, Blanco, Nagbe, Chara can step up and put a ball behind The nets, very well the way Caleb Porter did not went to his bench and not making a single substitution.

Especially when you guns of the likes of Barmby, Aspirilla and Mattocks in the bench and the Jamaican can make a whole lot of difference with his speed and game, pity these could made the difference in the game.

Crest Credit and Property of Portland Timbers Football Club and Craig Mitchelldyer 2017

Sunday, April 2, 2017

One point, keeping the Swans above relegation

Nothing is easy as well taking for granted any of your foes in this stages of Premiership, nearing its end and time running out for some squads, looking forward to save their hive from the abyss of relegation.

With the Swans suddenly losing their winning touch, the need for their permanency is up to them until the end of this campaign- entering into its final matches and April considered an important if not crucial month for the Welsh side.

Of course, if they would like to see another campaign in the ranks of Premiership.

After a third operate in their helm with Frenchman Paul Clement coming to rescue them, all of a sudden they were flying off relegation and accumulating points in their efforts to escape from the horrific and embarrassing relegation.

With a match played staged in Liberty Stadium and against one squad a sure candidate of returning to the ranks of Championship, Middlebrough coming to try to make a move on the locals and start adding some valuable and much needed points.

The outcome of this match became at the end a very even one for both sides and with a mingy point earned by both squads, the Swans got the best of it for now and hold a single digit lead over a renascent Hull City who won its match yesterday.

Still nothing won for Paul Clement and company after that tie in what could be an easy win but for the Swans, the Boro Boys became a tough client to play against and dominate at the end.

As the locals weapons in Gylfy Sigurdsson and Tom Carroll, who contributed for them in their recent revival, now were missing in action and out of luck to contribute in their cause and add a little cushion to their cause.

However, the outcome of starting another revival will be an all-around challenge for the hard fighting Swans, so far with just four points earned pout of fifteen and with three loses, one very painful against Hull City currently fighting for its survival.

In the case of the Swansea Boys with a match at home in their advantage but not fully when the Mauricio Pochettino and his high flying Spurs come to Liberty Stadium in a match considered not an easy affair for Clement and company.

In addition, it does not come easy for the Swans, when they play away against West Ham and Watford, returning home will be against Stoke City and closing the month at Old Trafford for a face off with a tough and resilient Manchester United.

In the case of the Swans alongside Hull City and Middlesbrough, this will be a three-team race to the end, just one of these squads will emerge victorious, and staying put in the ranks of Premiership.

For neither squad Boss blueprints worked at the end as the Swans Clement sent a very ambitious and aggressive 4-3-3 formation in contrast of a 4-3-2-1 sent by Boro interim Steve Agnew.

At the end, this match for both squads posts became a brick wall for their strikers and this match ended up with both squads sharing the lot of a point apiece and fighting for their survival.

For now the Swans are safe and out of hell but no definitely, as their main objective as stated by Manager Clement is to get to the promise land they need 42 points, daring, indeed!

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Zaha and Benteke, the ideal formula to silence the Blues

To play at the colossus of central London Town, Stamford Bridge is a way to play against the Gods of football, especially when the Chelsea Blues are enjoying a one of a kind campaign that maybe at tis end can proclaim themselves champions.

For the high flying if not soaring Eagles of Crystal Palace once involved in that relegation business and after posting a no good record that situated this bunch in what many know these positions as the abyss.

The chaps managed by a wise if not grand man at its helm, Sam Allardyce, considered as an all-around savior and a man known to uplift and give struggling squads is a sort of revival or oxygen whatever you want to call it.

Today he and his bunch did the ultimate of feats and giving a twist to the title race all of a sudden in the ranks of Premiership.

However, when you play a squad of the looks of Chelsea is no laughing matter or walk in the park as the Eagles came to this posh district of London, saw and beat their Pensioners with pure class and ambition.

Doing the unthinkable as well surprising the living daylights of all the English Premier League of how underdogs are not to be taken lightly and they can play a top of the line football against anyone as Allardyce and company did it today.

Despite both squads are based in the capital, this match had all the elements of a Derby as the visitors played with such hunger and passion that at the end their three points earned today, gave them an edge in the relegation race and a four point cushion.

At the end, this became a very even duel and both elevens playing like this match had all the elements of a final, with a squad in the visitors not letting go of their one goal lead and despite of looking for the go ahead one.

The Eagles overcome the fury of their hosts and prevailed to the conclusion of this match, to give the soon to be champions- if these survive in what seems to be a contested month April.

So far, with his loss the Blues have accumulated four beatings in the campaign and three of them being against London based clubs in with Tottenham, Arsenal and Crystal Palace, plus a loss early in the campaign to Liverpool.

For Antonio Conte seeing that Premiership is not as easy affair, despite his squad not being in danger of being move from the top, in this final stretch he and his Boys will put in a test.

Especially when they face off a hardened Manchester City and with its Manager Pep Guardiola looking for points to continue with his Sky blues in the title chase, this match proves to be a headliner comes this Wednesday April 5.

Still one thing to talk about is the way this Palace squad is playing lately and for some loss, it is another gain, for Sam Allardyce and company seeing a brilliant Christian Benteke scoring and assisting for the score.

All the tables have turned in favor of the Eagles that are in a four game winning streak and looking unbeatable and determined of not going down to the always-infamous relegation spots and playing in next campaign in the likes of Championship.

For Big Sam his one two punch of Zaha and Benteke worked wonders that delivered a key and valuable win in what many considered the venue of Stamford Bridge as a difficult one that can be labeled as a purgatory.

In the case of the Glaziers dynamic duo after seeing the locals getting in the scoreboard with just 5 minutes in the clock, these managed to defeat a tough Thibaut Courtois four minutes later and sealing the deal six minutes later for the final score.