Latest news with #SSEAirtricityMen'sPremierDivision
RTÉ News
08-07-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Shelbourne tempo will be key to getting better of out-of-season Linfield
Richie Towell says Shelbourne must use the disparity in match sharpness to their advantage when they face Linfield in Wednesday's Champions League qualifier at Tolka Park. The first leg fixture between last season's SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division champions and NIFL Premiership holders will be live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Shels go into the game after a period of turmoil following Damien Duff's abrupt decision to depart as manager two weeks ago. But the Reds have looked to bring about some stability by appointing Duff's long-time assistant, former Republic of Ireland and Premier League defender Joey O'Brien, as head coach. After back-to-back draws as interim boss, O'Brien's Shels got back to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over bottom side Cork City on Friday. That will breathe confidence back into their ranks. But ahead of the Linfield clash on Wednesday and next week's second leg in Belfast, former Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk midfielder Towell believes the tempo Shels play at will be key to their hopes, given that David Healy's side are in pre-season mode - with the exception of a NIFL Charity Shield fixture against Dungannon Swifts last Friday. "For Shelbourne to get the draw that they have, it's a massive, massive bonus for them," he said. "Linfield are in the midst of pre-season now. Paul (Corry) will tell you, when you're in the midst of pre-season, you never feel great. "Pre-season is a hard slog. You come back in after having a couple of weeks off and it's a grind. The legs constantly feel heavy. "I remember even when I was at Brighton, full of Championship and Premier Leauge players, and you'd go and play against a League Two team, and you'd be getting beaten 2-0 and you just feel like, 'What's going on here?' You can't get the legs going. "So hopefully the Linfield players are a little bit like that. Now, I know times have changed and it's not running until you get sick anymore. It's a lot more science based. "I do understand that. But still, Shelbourne are in the middle of the season, they should be firing all guns blazing. They have to go for it, they have to go for the jugular. "They're playing against a Linfield team who, as we said, are in pre-season. If (Shelbourne) don't go and really raise the levels and have a really high tempo against them, it could backfire." Also speaking on the podcast, former Sheffield Wednesday, UCD and Shamrock Rovers midfielder Paul Corry, who agreed that Shelbourne have a "huge advantage" over Linfield when it comes to match sharpness, highlighted how vital getting through the tie is if the Drumcondra club harbour any hopes of playing league phase football in Europe with all the financial benefits accrued. As Shamrock Rovers showed last season, getting to at least the second qualifying round in the Champions League makes the path that bit wider towards the Conference League's own league phase. And Corry feels Shels are showing signs of a return to form under O'Brien just in time for Linfield, with Harry Wood and Mipo Odubeko among the goals more often. "There's been a little bit of a bounce in some of the performances since Damien Duff has left," he said. "They're obviously giving away very sloppy goals but even the little bounce in the likes of Odubeko, who's come in and probably has a little bit more confidence. "He's come in, he's scored goals. I know he's missed chances and that was very evident when they played Galway (United). But there are small little bits of hope there for Shels fans that they have turned a little bit of a corner in the last 7-10 days and you'd be hoping that they can continue on that trajectory over the next ten days which is ultimately going to be the most important stage of their season."
RTÉ News
25-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Bohemians brilliant in derby but 'tweaking' can push them on
David McMillan believes a few more tweaks to Bohemians' squad during this summer window are necessary to push them on further after an outstanding display in the Dublin derby victory over Shamrock Rovers on Monday night. Second-placed Bohs came into the game off the back of a damaging defeat at Waterford on Friday but harried and pressed Rovers in the first half at Dalymount Park three days later on route to a 2-0 win. The result puts Alan Reynolds' side nine points behind their derby rivals with two games in hand in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division to give a glimmer of hope to neutrals that a title race might still be a possibility. But looking at the Gypsies' squad, former Dundalk striker McMillan told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast that areas of the squad still need strengthening in spite of their decent run of form in recent weeks, capped by Monday's outstanding display on and off the ball. "Huge credit to Bohemians and the disappointment from (Alan) Reynolds' point of view is that they've lost so many games as well when they can perform as well as that," he said of a team that has remarkably not drawn a single game in the league this season. "I think if they can get a couple of reinforcements in, particularly in defensive areas... particularly with (Seán) Grehan gone, the fact that they've spent most of the season playing centre-mids at full back will tell me still that - and I thought this at the end of last season and I still think it - there's a bit of tweaking needed to that squad, even if it's just bringing in full backs and centre backs to allow those other midfielders to move into midfield. "I don't think they're a million miles away. I thought that at the end of last season and I still think a couple of good signings and they can improve and push on. "Whether they're close enough to challenge Rovers I think is very debatable but certainly from their perspective from where they were earlier in the season, from where Alan Reynolds was at half time in the game in Tallaght a couple of months ago to where he is now, it's brilliant from a Bohs perspective." Reynolds was under huge pressure from the Bohs fanbase at the time that they fell 2-0 down to Rovers in April but their comeback to win that game sparked a strong run which has lifted them up to second. Reynolds was able to enjoy the praise from the fans after Monday's game after being pushed towards the front of the stand by his in-form midfielder Ross Tierney and even indulged in some uncharacteristic Jurgen Klopp-like fist-pumping. His former team-mate Alan Cawley, also speaking on the podcast, expressed delight at the turnaround for the former Waterford boss and ex-Republic of Ireland Under-21 assistant coach. "I'm delighted because I think he has the makings of a really good team but being a really good manager as well. A lot of people know him as a coach," he said. "But I'm delighted to see things working out for him as well and they were brilliant (against Rovers), and if they can carry on that form from now till the end of the season, and they don't have the distraction Shamrock Rovers will have with Europe as well, that might help them also. "So they're in a really good place and if they can just maintain that form, they have a really good chance. But they were brilliant (on Monday night)."
The Irish Sun
23-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Shelbourne begin life after Damien Duff with a draw as Harry Wood brace salvages a point against Waterford in thriller
HARRY WOOD scored a brace as life after Damien Duff began with a share of the spoils for Shelbourne following a titanic battle with Waterford. The man who gave Duff his finest moment as Shels chief with the goal that won the league title in Advertisement 2 Harry Wood scored twice as Shelbourne drew with Waterford Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile 2 Grant Horton of Waterford celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match against Shelbourne Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile A whirlwind 36 hours for the Tolka Park club saw Joey O'Brien take over as interim manager after And the ex-assistant was on the edge of the touchline like his predecessor, dishing out the orders as a dramatic start to both halves was the tale of this encounter. And he could have been celebrating seven minutes into added time. O'Brien proclaimed in his post-match interview that it was a 'mad 24 hours' and that the players were 'shocked' by Duff's departure early on Sunday morning, but that his players were 'paid professionals', and it was Daniel Kelly who nearly won him his first game in the hotseat only to rattle the bar. The post-Duff era was only three minutes old when the champions struck the front. Advertisement Read More on League of Ireland Tyreke Wilson found space on the left before putting in a cross that saw Mipo Odubeko get a touche that took the ball into the path of Wood at the back post, and he squeezed the ball past Stephen McMullan. The madness continued five minutes later as Shels gifted their hosts an equalising goal. McMullan's long clearance was touched back to Kameron Ledwidge but his header to stopper Conor Kearns fell short before Grant Horton nipped in between defender and keeper to finish to an empty net. It took strong hands from Blues No 1 McMullan to deny the visitors from regaining the lead on 20 minutes. Advertisement Most read in Football Ali Coote cut through the centre before slipping the ball out left to his hitman Odubeko only for his stinging to be kept out. And when Reds attacker Odubeko outmuscled Darragh Leahy on the right five minutes later, he released Wood into a one-on-one run with Jesse Dempsey. Shelbourne manager Damien Duff gives sweet birthday shoutout to his mother after his side's draw against St Pat's And after the winger got the better of the battle, he could not beat McMullan, who saved at his near post. A wind-assisted McMullan goal kick on 41 minutes almost bounced for Amond on 41 minutes but keeper Kearns came out to collect just in front of the striker . Advertisement An incredible start to the first-half was bettered by a kamikaze start to the second. Within three minutes, the champions were the cause of their own downfall again as they fell behind. Paddy Barrett got his clearance all wrong and Conan Noonan's effort was parried by Kearns but striker Amond was on hand to finish the rebound from close range. Sixty seconds later though, interim chief O'Brien was celebrating after Mark Coyle made a lung-bursting run towards goal. Advertisement He then sprayed the ball out for Ali Coote who put in a teasing delivery and Wood was on hand to touch home. There was even time for more drama in the seventh added minute of five added on as the impressive Wood burst from midfield to slip the ball out wide right for Kelly — who let fly with a thunderous strike . But his effort came crashing back off the bar with McMullan beaten. SUN STAR MAN Harry Wood (Shelbourne) Advertisement WATERFORD : McMullan 7; Horton 7 (McCormack 84, 4), McDonald 7 (White 84, 4), Leahy 7, Burke 7, Dempsey 6 (Boyle 62, 5); Lonergan 6, Olayinka 7, Glenfield 7 (McMenamy 72, 5), Noonan 6; Amond 8. SHELBOURNE : Kearns 7; Gannon 7, Barrett 7, Wilson 7 (Norris 62, 5), Ledwidge 7; Lunney 7, Wood 9, Coyle 8 (Chapman 74, 5), Coote 7 (Boyd 74, 5); Odubeko 7 (Martin 86, 4), Caffrey 6 (Kelly 62, 7). REFEREE : D Toland (Athlone) 5
RTÉ News
23-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Harry Wood bags brace in Shelbourne's draw with Waterford
Harry Wood struck twice as life after Damien Duff began with a 2-2 draw for Shelbourne after a titanic battle with Waterford FC in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division at the RSC. The man who gave Duff his finest moment at Shels, with the winner that won them the league title against Derry last season, popped up with an equalising goal seconds after Padraig Amond had put the hosts in front early in the second half. A whirlwind 36 hours for the Tolka Park club saw Joey O'Brien take over as interim manager and he was on the edge of the touchline like his predecessor, dishing out the orders as a dramatic start to both halves was the tale of this encounter, but he could have been celebrating seven minutes into added time. O'Brien proclaimed in his post-match interview that it was a "mad 24 hours" and that the players were "shocked" by Duff's departure early on Sunday morning, but that his players were "paid professionals", and it was Daniel Kelly who nearly won him his first game in the hotseat only to rattle the bar. Life after their former manager was only three minutes old when they struck the front. Tyreke Wilson found space for himself down the left before putting in a ball that saw Mipo Adubeko get the slightest of touches that took the ball into the path of Harry Wood at the back post, and he squeezed the ball past keeper Stephen McMullan. The madness continued on the field of play five minutes later as Shels gifted their hosts an equalising goal. McMullan's long clearance was touched back to Kameron Ledwidge, who was on his knees when leaving a header back to Conor Kearns short as Grant Horton nipped in between defender and keeper to finish to an empty net. An incredible start to the first half was bettered by a kamikaze start to the second. Within three minutes, the champions were the cause of their own downfall again as they fell behind. Paddy Barrett's clearance off Conan Noonan saw his shot parried by Conor Kearns, but Amond was on hand to finish the rebound from close-range. Sixty seconds later, and O'Brien was celebrating an equaliser. Mark Coyle raced through the heart of the Waterford middle unchallenged before spraying the ball out for Ali Coote, who put in a teasing delivery, and Wood was on hand to touch home. There was time for more drama in the seventh added minute of five as the impressive Wood burst from midfield to slip the ball out wide right for Daniel Kelly, who let fly with a thunderous strike, but his effort came crashing back off the crossbar with McMullan beaten to the sound of the final whistle. Waterford FC: McMullan; Horton (McCormack 84), McDonald (White 84), Leahy, Burke, Dempsey (Boyle 62); Lonergan, Olayinka, Glenfield (McMenamy 72), Noonan; Amond. Shelbourne FC: Kearns; Gannon, Barrett, Wilson (Norris 62), Ledwidge; Lunney, Wood, Coyle (Chapman 74), Coote (Boyd 74); Adubeko (Martin 86), Caffrey (Kelly 62).
Irish Examiner
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Life after Duff begins for Shels as Woods brace ensures share of the spoils with Waterford
SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Waterford 2 (Horton 8', Amond 48') Shelbourne (Wood 3', 49') Harry Wood scored a brace as life after Damien Duff began with a share of the spoils for Shelbourne after a titanic battle with Waterford FC in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division at the RSC. The man who gave Duff his finest moment at Shels with the winner that won them the league title against Derry last season popped up with an equalising goal seconds after Padraig Amond had put the hosts in front early in the second-half. A whirlwind 36 hours for the Tolka Park club saw Joey O'Brien take over as interim manager and he was on the edge of the touchline like his predecessor, dishing out the orders as a dramatic start to both halves was the tale of this encounter, but he could have been celebrating seven minutes into added time. O'Brien proclaimed in his post-match interview that it was a 'mad 24 hours' and that the players were 'shocked' by Duff's departure early on Sunday morning, but that his players were 'paid professionals', and it was Daniel Kelly who nearly won him his first game in the hotseat only to rattle the bar. Life after their former manager was only three minutes old when they struck the front. Tyreke Wilson found space for himself down the left before putting in a ball that saw Mipo Adubeko get the slightest of touches that took the ball into the path of Wood at the back post, and he squeezed the ball past keeper Stephen McMullan. The madness continued on the field of play five minutes later as Shels gifted their hosts an equalising goal. McMullan's long clearance was touched back to Kameron Ledwidge, who was on his knees when leaving a header back to Conor Kearns short as Grant Horton nipped in between defender and keeper to finish to an empty net. An incredible start to the first-half was bettered by a kamikaze start to the second. Within three minutes, the champions were the cause of their own downfall again as they fell behind. Paddy Barrett's clearance off Conan Noonan saw his shot parried by Conor Kearns, but Padraig Amond was on hand to finish the rebound from close-range. Sixty seconds later, and Joey O'Brien was celebrating an equaliser. Mark Coyle raced through the heart of the Waterford middle unchallenged before spraying the ball out for Ali Coote, who put in a teasing delivery, and Wood was on hand to touch home. There was time for more drama in the seventh added minute of five as the impressive Wood burst from midfield to slip the ball out wide right for Daniel Kelly, who let fly with a thunderous strike, but his effort came crashing back off the crossbar with McMullan beaten to the sound of the final whistle. Waterford FC: McMullan; Horton (McCormack 84), McDonald (White 84), Leahy, Burke, Dempsey (Boyle 62); Lonergan, Olayinka, Glenfield (McMenamy 72), Noonan; Amond. Shelbourne FC: Kearns; Gannon, Barrett, Wilson (Norris 62), Ledwidge; Lunney, Wood, Coyle (Chapman 74), Coote (Boyd 74); Adubeko (Martin 86), Caffrey (Kelly 62). Referee: Declan Toland (Athlone)
