Fern Mc Costigan

Saturday, October 6, 2018

Waterford keeping its hopes alive with an important win

Bohemians 1, Waterford 3

Dalymont Stadium, Dublin

Nobody in Waterford envisioned that their Blues were to perform a wondrous campaign in the League of Ireland and be fighting for a European spot after their cross-country foes the Shamrock Rovers gained on them.

Still this club before their campaign in the League of Ireland Premiership armed themselves to put on a challenge on this edition of the SSE and the way these performed in the course of the campaign is to applaud their all-around efforts.

For manager Alan Reynolds and company is business as usual and with no doubt the club directives for sure will raise the bar for next campaign in stepping up their performances and maybe seeing a run to the league title.

However the need to stay in the hunt for that last spot that awards a European spot is imperative for manager Reynolds and company after being in the whole campaign in third spot and until the air ran out, but these Blues are for real.

In this weekend of play the Blues and Hoops with their respective results, the Waterford side had a little help from tier friends in Cork City limiting the Rovers to no goals and in their match ending in a stalemate.

So far, Waterford and the Shamrock Rovers are dead even with 56 points each and with three matches left this for sure will become a contest for both squads looking to net a spot in UEFA Europa League knockout rounds.

As the Blues, compromises include a match at home against the newly crowned league champions Dundalk and later going to Dublin town colossus of Tallaght to face off the Shamrock Rovers and later closing at home KO with Limerick.

Anyway getting back to this weekend merit Waterford delivered against a hardened Bohemians on Friday at Phibsborough venue of Dalymont were these Gypsies are one tough challenge for any squad coming to these parts of Dublin.

Suddenly we have a revival in Alan Reynolds squad that is showing off signs of putting on a fight in the end and delivering pure and genuine football that gave Waterford in the end in what many considered an important win.

As the Blues, offense came wild and beating the likes of these Bohs that in my mind these will put on a run next campaign, still as many saw a different lineup end by the locals manager Keith Long giving some rest to his big guns.

As manager Long is bracing for Mondays semifinal contest to net their pass against Cork City in the FAI Cup , many stated this club initial eleven filled with youth in the end they succumbed to the push of a hard fighting Waterford.

Despite the early lead taken by the Big Club in the 10’ minute by a goal from Cristian Magerusan, putting the home side ahead, no later than ten minutes later the response of the visiting Blues put in by a hot Sander Puri.

As Puri shoot in the 20’ minute put the score even at one goal apiece, five minutes later came another score of the visitors by Stanley Aborah in the 25’ minute as Reynolds and company taking the lead going into halftime.

Still the game was to belong to a determined and spirited Waterford side sealing the deal in the 55’ minute with a score from Noel Hunt and maintaining their lead by stepping up their defense and the scoreboard to come up with a valuable win.

Late comeback ensures Mourinho Boys a win

Manchester Untied 3, Newcastle United 2

Old Trafford, Manchester

For Jose Mourinho seeing his side netting a valuable win, not only he sees the bad streak being shaken off at home but also sees a little insurance and a vote of confidence of keeping his job at the head of the Red Devils.

By netting, an important and valuable win after his side showing off his old magic with a come from behind rally from a determined Newcastle United looking at any cost the win and upset in the Theater of Dreams.

However not everything looked wondrous for the Portuguese and his side early in the match, when they fell prey to an inspired and initiative riddled Magpies that since the get go started causing havoc on the posts defended successfully by David De Gea.

Still these Geordies came prepared and ready to start adding points to their cause, with an early score with just minutes into the game when Ayotze Perez pas to a wide open and opportune Kenedy to score the Geordies first goal in the 7’ minute.

No later than three minutes passed by when once again the dominance of the visitors was so intense and despite Mou repeated protests to the fourth official, a nice move inside the area by Jonjo Shlevey finding a wide-open Yoshinori Muto.

As the Japanese with a nice move and turn his shoot beat an effortless De Gea stretching to stop the ball trajectory and coming short for the Magpies to go up the scoreboard in the 10’ minute and the man from the land of the rising sun scoring his first premiership goal.

As Rafa Benitez and company all around authority in the first half was evidently seen with one arrival after another and putting the likes of Manu goalkeeper to work extra in order to prevent his posts falling prey to the hunger of the Geordies strikers.

Going into halftime the lead taken by the visiting Toon Boys and the possible win separated by just 45 minutes of the second half and knowingly of a possible revival of the Trafford side, was somehow a concern for the Geordies manager.

One thing he had in mind or envisioned was the rally and meltdown of his initial eleven in the second half-felling prey to the push and magic game of the Manu boys felling the pressure from their faithful of not dropping another heartbreaker at home.

With all the right moves performed by Jose Mourinho with his substitutions with Juan Mata coming in the 19’, followed by Marouanne Fellaini 45’ and later Alexis Sanchez 67’ became vital in the Portuguese comeback.

The first goal came in the 70’ minute after the locals turned the game in their favor when Juan Mata send a volley inside the Newcastle posts and putting the game within a one goal difference by the Magpies.

The second score came later and showing an all-around revival by the Trafford side when Paul Pogba pass to Anthony Martial beat he likes of the Geordies keeper Martin Dubravka and put the game even at two goals apiece.

With six minutes after the first goal of the Red Devils, these countered in the 76’ for the tie and with more to come when the game in its agonizing minutes, the 90’ the game winner scored by Alexis Sanchez via a pass from Ashley young.

In the end despite the extra efforts sustained by Mourinho and company, the need to step up teir defense and put more efforts to work in the field are a must is this squad is to see a recovery and all around revival in the end.

Photos Credit and Property of © Copyright Premier League. com 2018

Friday, October 5, 2018

Hail to 2018 League of Ireland Champions Dundalk FC

Dundalk FC 1, Saint Patrick’s Athletic 1

Oriel Park, Dundalk

What a game and a way to comeback and stop the spoils that were on the way by a visiting Saint Patrick’s side. These looking forward to cause a delay in the celebration already in place by both Dundalk players and its followers.

Hard and tough was today’s match at a sold out Oriel Park, these Lilywhites were to delight their fans to another amazing and exciting afternoon when their top gun Patrick Hoban delivered in the clutch and another league championship.

With a scoreless first, half and going into halftime both squads were deadlock at zero goals and despite the Lilywhites being dominant and looking forward to score with a whopping 14 shoots at goal overall.

In the end these managed to just score a lone goal after these lucky Saints defensive game steeped up but not too tough after a late play in the end that brought this match to a share of spoils and ending with a one goal tie.

For this match this was not an easy affair for the Lilywhites now waiting for a foe in their next adventure in the finals of the FAI Cup and looking forward to raise another shield in what could be a double.

As mentioned before this was one of the toughest outings in this dwindling campaign that despite the Lilywhites amazing run with perfection in double digits and that heartbreaking loss against the Shamrock Rovers, still these did not put their guard down.

Very well in the start netting a single point via a draw against relegation prone Bray Wanderers, many saw and predicted for this squad a troublesome campaign and a sure repeat by their cross country foes the Rebel Army.

As the match in the second, half twelve minutes into action a shoot by the visitors Pats with Conor Clifford scoring the first goal and putting in silence the whole of Oriel Park but only shortly, after seeing how their Town Boys fight.

For Stephen Kenny netting his fourth league title in five years tells you a lot of the man all around accomplishments in these parts of Louth County as well elevating this squad as the premier in the League of Ireland in such amounts of time.

However, manager Kenny praises the way and consistency his Boys delivered in the course of a contested campaign, as nothing given to them as last weekend against newly promoted UCD gave this squad a run in the semifinals of the FAI Cup.

As the man has all the right moves in his initial elevens all campaign long in the end this is rewarding and to raise the league shield in front of your fans it’s somehow a display of unity and total teamwork were the ingredients to a successful 2018.

In the end for Dundalk an opportune and wondrous striker in Patrick Hoban on injury time the 91^st minute, that score became the tying goal and delivering this squad another league title and a return to Champions League.

As Patrick Hoban scoring his 26^th goal of the campaign and what became a valuable goal that this lad performance is surely to draw the attention of the Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’ Neill to give Super Pat the opportunity in the national team.

Congratulations to the 2018 SSE League of Ireland flamboyant champions Dundalk FC hard work, determination and consistency were the elements to net another trophy and all around accomplishment.

Monday, October 1, 2018

Amazingly the way the Bournemouth Boys are playing

AFC Bournemouth 2, Crystal Palace1

Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth

Seriously, for Eddie Howe and company this campaign his side is looking like an all-around contender and a defiant squad looking forward to fly high in the course of this contested campaign.

With today’s win at home in a sold out Vitality Stadium, the Cherries are looking good and hungry to climb the league table and occupy the top spots, as for Howe his aims for to nab a spot in the European theaters.

As today win puts the AFC in seventh place tied in total points with 13 along with Watford however, the goal differential for the Hornets separated these two squads, and trailing Arsenal in 5^th place by two points.

Still these AFC is for real and ready to rock the living foundations of all Premierships!

With Crystal Palace in town and for Roy Hodgson and company was not an easy foe today and these proved it in the second half with the tying goal but in the end, these saw their efforts going down the drain with that penalty.

One thing I’ll tell you this was not a total yawner if not see its an all around contest from start to finish with these two titans not giving up on their desires to came up as victors and in the end only one came ahead as the lone victor.

After the first move performed by the local AFC side with an early goal by David Brooks via a pass from Callum Wilson and sending the whole of Vitality into a frenzy and putting the home side ahead early in the match.

With this score both squads went into the task of looking forward the draw or the go ahead goals, a both squads intensifying their contest in the field, the locals persevere until halftime and with the lead of just a lone goal.

However many in attendance were ready to a entertaining and much disputed second half with the Glaziers looking to tie this one up but in the end for Hodgson and company the idea was to net the whole three points on the road.

As the second half gave way immediately, the visiting London side going hard at work in several tries put the equalizer in the scoreboard after ten minutes gone by in the half and with a nice combination that involved the Eagles Talisman.

Coming on the left side was a determined Patrick Van Aanholt assisted via Wilfred Zaha that opportune moment caught by the Glaziers top man and serving toe the Dutch defender never hesitated to put the ball behind the nets defended by Asmir Begovic.

With the score tied at one goal apiece in the 55’ minute and seeing both sides defensive units coming strong, the outlook of this match ending in a draw was to be in the books in this Premiership Monday, still there was more to come.

As experience was against youth with Boscombe Eddie Howe in every match and campaign is seen as one future big name manager that can’t take over the National Team helm as well seen taken over a league giant.

The move paid off for Howe when he got Junior Stanislaus for Joshua King in the 84’ minute and three minutes later that Mamadou Sakho foul and yellow card gave way to the game winning goal and in a penalty in the 87’ minute.

In the end this match ended with three yellow cards per side in what seemed a total contest between these two sides and Bournemouth coming ahead with the win and three golden points, how far will they go in the campaign.