First blood to Forth Celtic in a rivalry that's destined to grow
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Irish Independent
10 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Goals bonanza as US-bound Ciaran Moore signs off with Duleek
DULEEK 7 Duleek recorded a thumping win away to local rivals Kentstown Rovers on Thursday night in what was Ciaran Moore's last game for the club. The 21-year-old former Dundalk U19s player is heading to the US and has been a key man for the Tollstone side since he joined from Glebe North this season. This victory extends Duleek's unbeaten run to seven games, six of which were wins. They have a six-point lead at the top of the table, but Parkvilla, the side emerging as the biggest threat, have three games in hand. The visitors hit the front on two minutes when Sean Kennedy broke down the left and played through Jayden Clarke who fired low into the far corner. Kentstown hit back three minutes later, direct from a free kick, and after that the sides exchanged chances, with Kentstown going closest before Jayden Clarke played a ball in from the right which was turned home by the deftest of flicks from Josh O'Reilly - 2-1 to Duleek on 28 minutes. Then two Karl Dyas goals in first-half stoppage time gave the visitors a commanding lead. A long ball into the Rovers box was half cleared to Dyas who rolled in the first goal on 46 minutes. Then, from the restart, Duleek won back possession and Matthew Noone released Dyas who sent the keeper the wrong way. Both sides made changes early in the second half and Kentstown struck first. Having hit the post a minute earlier, the hosts scored from the edge of the box although amid calls for an offside. The game then got interesting on 64 minutes when Kentstown made it a one-goal game, forcing the ball home at the back post after a free kick wasn't properly dealt with by the visitors' defence. That nervousness, though, lasted only three minutes as Bobby Brady calmed Duleek with a brilliant fifth goal, taking out three Rovers defenders before powering a shot into the bottom corner. Breno Araujo, only on the pitch 60 seconds, then scored his first Premier Division goal for Duleek. ADVERTISEMENT O'Reilly, completing a hat-trick of assists, whipped in a cross from the right and Araujo just beat the Rovers keeper to the ball and regained possession to score into an empty net. Duleek then completed the scoring with three minutes to go. Sean O'Halloran cut back from the byeline and nutmegged the Kentstown full-back before shooting between the legs of the hapless Rovers keeper. Duleek: Jonathan Clear, Sean Kennedy (Robbie Daly 49), James Traynor, Craig Moore (Callum Cooney 62), Ben Boyce, Tom Reilly, Sean O'Halloran, Matthew Noone (Bobby Brady 49), Josh O'Reilly, Karl Dyas (Jamie McCarthy 61), Jayden Clarke (Breno Araujo 72).
RTÉ News
a day ago
- RTÉ News
Stephanie Zambra takes over at Shamrock Rovers on interim basis
Stephanie Zambra has been appointed as women's head coach of Shamrock Rovers on an interim basis. Zambra, who had been acting as assistant coach, replaces Collie O'Neill who stepped down on Thursday. O'Neill left with the team in sixth place in the Premier Division, with six games remaining in the season. Zambra, who also acts as a Republic of Ireland women's development team coach, will be in charge for at least the first of those with Waterford set to visit on Tuesday. The former Ireland striker was a notable addition for Rovers as they revived a women's team ahead of the 2023 season before announcing her retirement in October 2024. "Shamrock Rovers F.C. can confirm that current assistant coach, Stephanie Zambra, has been appointed interim Head Coach of our Women's First Team and will prepare the squad for Tuesday's game against Waterford at Tallaght Stadium," the club said.
The 42
2 days ago
- The 42
Remarkable Sligo comeback dents Cork's survival hopes
Cork City 2 Sligo Rovers 3 Stephen Barry reports from Turner's Cross CORK CITY coughed up a two-goal lead to fall to a costly defeat, which leaves them 11 points adrift of Sligo Rovers in their Premier Division relegation struggle. The hosts showed signs of life as Evan McLaughlin and Seani Maguire's goals put them on the brink of a first league victory in 14 attempts. But manager Ger Nash was denied an overdue triumph by Owen Elding and Patrick McClean's strikes. City came close to a late winner only for Alex Nolan's wonderstrike to cannon off the crossbar. Rovers countered as Ryan O'Keane buried the 89th-minute winner. Despite the 11 remaining games, those goals may have all but condemned City to the drop in front of a 2,673 crowd, which included Roy Keane. They were booed off by the Shed End at the final whistle. Nash opted for three changes, headlined by the return of Maguire up top for Charlie Lutz. Harry Nevin made his first start in two months at right-back, while McLaughlin was recalled to the midfield. They were without five possible starters in keeper David Odumosu, suspended captain Charlie Lyons, Milan Mbeng, Seán Murray, and St Mirren-bound winger Malik Dijksteel. Advertisement Sligo's recent success has been built on early goals. Here, they were under the cosh from the start. City got behind them down the flanks to force a couple of quickfire corners. Maguire got under his header, while Cathal O'Sullivan had a shot blocked. However, City regained possession from the latter opportunity and sliced Sligo open. Maguire switched to Kitt Nelson in space, and the Preston loanee zipped a quality ball into McLaughlin's feet. He jinked onto his left and deceived Sam Sargeant by whipping the ball inside the near post for his second of the season. That seventh-minute strike was City's earliest goal in almost three months. The hosts weren't used to holding such an early lead, but they made life difficult for their opponents by defending in a determined low block, led by the aerial ability of Fiacre Kelleher. Despite holding 59% of possession, the Bit o' Red didn't muster a shot on target in the entire half. A couple of Rory Feely long throws further highlighted City's intent to make life as awkward as possible for the visitors, resulting in a Nelson shot down the keeper's throat. Maguire's hold-up play provided a key outlet for Brann's route-one balls. But when the keeper launched him straight through the middle, the 11-cap Ireland international delayed too long and fluffed his shot. O'Sullivan was an early casualty as he was helped off, worryingly, rubbing his left knee after attempting to contest a high ball. Matthew Kiernan's driving runs on the counter kept Sligo unsettled. One forced a corner, which saw Kelleher retreat with his head in his hands after nodding wide. Then, Nelson twisted onto his right, but shot straight at Sargeant. City were comfortable until the break to hold their first half-time lead in 19 games. Brann was alert to make a flying save on the resumption as Will Fitzgerald's hit looked destined for the top corner. He added a follow-up save from McClean from the corner. Fitzgerald headed their next chance over. From that goal kick, Nelson and Alex Nolan combined down the right to drag the ball back for Maguire. His first shot was saved by Sargeant, but Maguire latched onto the rebound to bury his fourth goal of the season, and first in two months. The two-goal cushion lasted just four minutes. Sligo exploited the vast tracts of space around the tiring City defence as Hakiki fed Elding, who finished at the second attempt after a fine Brann save. Fitzpatrick blazed wide before Sligo switched to two up front. Elding almost profited from a Feely slip, but Brann foiled the opportunity, and Nevin cleared. Brann again came up trumps to push around the post from Hakiki, but from Fitzgerald's corner, McClean directed a bullet header into the far corner. New signings Kaedyn Kamara and Brody Lee made late debuts, but once Nolan's effort bounced away from danger, Sligo came up with a late dagger through O'Kane. CORK CITY: Conor Brann; Harry Nevin, Rory Feely, Fiacre Kelleher, Matthew Kiernan (Benny Couto 82); Darragh Crowley, Evan McLaughlin; Cathal O'Sullivan (Alex Nolan 20), Kitt Nelson (Kaedyn Kamara 83), Josh Fitzpatrick (Brody Lee 82); Seani Maguire (Charlie Lutz 75). SLIGO ROVERS: Sam Sargeant; Conor Reynolds (Francely Lomboto 70), Ollie Denham, Patrick McClean, Seán Stewart; James McManus, Seb Quirk; Will Fitzgerald, Jad Hakiki, Ryan O'Kane; Owen Elding. Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin).
