Pat Scully: Post Match Reaction.

Limerick FC manager Pat Scully felt that his side did not get what they deserved after a narrow 1-0 defeat away to Shamrock Rovers in the second round of the FAI cup on Friday night “I am disappointed with the result and that we are out of the cup. I think that we deserved to be in the next round or at least deserved a replay. Sometimes in football you don't ge what you deserve.

The blues boss was proud of his team’s performance “I thought the performance was fantastic and that we played really well. I am proud of the players.  To go down to ten men and to come back at Rovers and nearly get something at the end was heartbreaking for them. We have some good young players coming through the club and I think that they showed that tonight.”

Scully was also aggrieved that his side were denied not one but two second half penalties in Tallaght “ We should have had two blatant penalties. The handball and the push at the end were two stonewall penalties. The referee came into our dressing room and pulled one of our players back because he had an inch of white sock showing from his boot and then he goes out onto the pitch and gets those two big decisions wrong. It is difficult to take.  Anthony (Buttimer) didn't do it on purpose but they were two huge mistakes and they cost us the game.”

Substitute Padraic Quinn received a straight red from Buttimer in the 76^th minute shortly after coming on as a substitute. The Limerick manager felt it was harsh call “I didn't get a good view of it but the referee said to the player (Padraic Quinn) that he didn't make any contact with the Rovers player (Kerrea Gilbert) but that he gave him the card because he thought it was intentional from three yards away. I thought that was very harsh.”

Scully was keen to emphasize how much he thought of his team's effort at the home of the league champions “Everybody impressed me. I thought the fullbacks were very good. I thought that Barry Ryan used all his experience and that the centre halves were excellent. Rory was fantastic and he looked a real hand full tonight. It's a shame that we were missing so many players. We didn't have the players available on the bench 10 minutes into the second half to change it. We could have passed the ball a little better in the midfield area but it is a difficult arena to play in and I am not going to take away from the work rate and the performance of the players. They were outstanding.”

© Seamus Egan 2012.

Shamrock Rovers 1-0 Limerick

Shamrock Rovers qualified for the third round of the FAI cup on Friday night after a 68^th minute goal from substitute Stephen O'Donnell gave them a hard fought victory over Limerick FC. However Limerick will feel aggrieved not to have been given a second half penalty.

It was an even opening half in the Tallaght Stadium. However it was the visitors who started the better and in the 5^th minute they nearly took the lead. Shane Treacy took a left footed corner from the right. After a goalmouth scramble the ball broke to Rory Gaffney. Gaffney's goalbound effort was cleared off the line by Conor Powell.

Rovers began to get into the game soon after and they had their first chance in the 13^th minute. Billy Dennehy played it to Gary McCabe on the left. McCabe's perfect cross picked out the unmarked Craig Sives. The Rovers defender rose and headed goalwards but his effort just shaved the post.

Stephen Kenny's side should have taken the lead in the 18^th minute. Gary Twigg played a lovely ball in behind the Limerick defence. He found McCabe on the right. McCabe put in another lovely cross and he found Rovers striker Gary O'Neill six yards out. O'Neill seemed destined to score but he somehow volleyed it over.

Limerick and Gaffney had another chance in the 36^th minute. The blues number 19 with the red hair stole the ball from Killian Brennan and hit it first time from about 20 yards out but Oscar Jansson dived low to his right to parry the ball to safety.

Just a minute later Gary Twig played in the busy McCabe on the right but the Hoops number seven shot straight at Barry Ryan in the Limerick goal.

Limerick should have been awarded a penalty in the 49^th minute. Captain Pat Purcell flicked the ball on and Killian Brennan handled in the area. Limerick manager Pat Scully was incensed that referee Anthony Buttimer did not give the blues a spot kick.

In the 63^rd minute Stephen Rice picked out McCabe on the right. McCabe put in another fine cross. This time he found Billy Dennehy at the back post but the Kerry man could not steer his header goalwards.

The home team took the lead in the 68^th minute. Two of the Rovers substitutes were involved in the goal. Daryl Kavanagh struck a fine shot from the edge of the Limerick area. Limerick goalkeeper Ryan dived low to his right but could only parry the ball out to the onrushing Stephen O'Donnell and O'Donnell who replaced Killian Brennan was there to tap it home.

Worse was to follow for Limerick soon after. Paudie Quinn who had just come on for James McGrath was shown a straight red by referee Anthony Buttimer for a high tackle on Kerrea Gilbert in the 76^th minute.

After Stephen O'Donnell gave away the ball in the 89^th minute, Stephen Bradley tried his luck from 30 yards out but the ball did not dip in time and went just over the crossbar.

Rovers should have scored a second on the counter attack in the 93^rd minute. Craig Sives played it through to Kavanagh. Kavanagh raced towards goal but instead of shooting played the ball back to Gary twigg. Twigg tried a bicycle kick but his effort was off target.

The home side held on for a slender victory but Limerick will be left to wonder what might have been  after being denied a clear penalty.

Shamrock Rovers: Oscar Jansson; Kerrea Gilbert, Craig Sives, Graham Gartland, Conor Powell; Gary McCabe (Conor McCormack 93), Stephen Rice, Killian Brennan (Stephen O'Donnell 61), Billy Dennehy; Gary O'Neill (Daryl Kavanagh 54), Gary Twigg (captain).

Subs not used: Reyaad Pieterse, Aaron Greene, Colin Hawkins, Ronan Finn.

Booked: Killian Brennan (22), Stephen Rice (45), Graham Gartland (48), Daryl Kavanagh (85)

Sent-off: None.

Limerick FC: Barry Ryan; Shaun Kelly, Paddy Purcell (captain), Shane Guthrie (Colin Daly 83), Shane Treacy; Corie Treacy,  David O’Leary, Steve McGann, James McGrath (Paudie Quinn 75); Garbhin Coughlan (Stephen Bradley 68), Rory Gaffney.

Subs not used: Shane Cusack,  Andrew Cowpar, Alex Scully, Anto O'Donnell.

Booked: Steve McGann (24), Corie Treacy (29), Stephen Bradley (68), Pat Purcell (74)

Sent-off: Paudie Quinn (76)

Referee: Anthony Buttimer.

Attendance: 1,300 estimate.

Man of the match: Gary McCabe (Shamrock Rovers).

© Seamus Egan 2012.

Radio Playlist 21-04-12.

Here is the playlist from my radio programme on Tipperary Mid-West radio
for the 21-04-12. I will be on again tomorrow night 19-05-12 from 7 to 9.p.m. Listen live on 104.8fm or at www.tippmidwestradio.com. You know it makes sense.

Days Are Forgotten - Kasabian      

You Know You're Right - Nirvana

Live the Dream - Cast

A Thing Called Love - Johnny Cash

Cigarettes and Alcahol - Oasis

The Song Remains The Same - Led Zepplin

Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds

Dolphins Were Monkeys - Ian Brown

Smoke On The Water - Deep Purple

Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks

Speed To My Side - Rollerskate Skinny

This Charming Man - The Smiths

Hey Jude - The Beatles

Teenage Kicks - The Undertones

Porcelain - Moby

Tumbling Dice - The Rolling Stones

Just Looking - Stereophonics

Don't Sit Down .....  Arctic Monkeys

April Skies - Jesus and Mary Chain

Orange Crush - REM

Everybody's On The Run - Noel Gallagher

God - John Lennon

Loaded - Primal Scream

Town Called Malice - The Jam

© Seamus Egan 2012.

Bohemians 1-1 Drogheda United

Boheminas and Drogheda United played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in the Airtricity Premier League at Dalymount Park on Friday night. Alan McNally cancelled out Ryan McEvoy's goal to insure a share of the spoils.

It wasn't the best opening 45 minutes ever seen at Dalymount Park but Bohemians will have been disappointed not to have taken an early lead. After just 5 minutes Keith Ward floated in a free kick which found the head of Luke Byrne just six yards out. However Byrne somehow headed it over the top.

Drogheda grew in confidence as the half wore on and had a couple of chances in the space of five minutes. Firstly in the 28^th minute Stephen Quigley crossed from the right. Declan O'Brien met the header but Bohemians goalkeeper Andy McNulty dived low to his left to make a comfortable save.

O'Brien had another chance in the 33^rd minute. He raced through the middle and received Peter Hyne's precise pass before hitting it first time from just outside the area. The ball went just over the crossbar.

Bohemians took the lead somewhat against the run of play in the 37^th minute. Keith Ward took a short corner from the right and played it to Keith Buckley. Buckley floated it towards the Drogheda area. The ball deflected to Ryan McEvoy and Bohemian's number nine struck it into the corner of the net from 18 yards out.

However Drogheda didn't leave it too long to hit back. In the 40^th minute Eric Foley took a corner from the right. Bohemians only half cleared it and the ball broke to captain Alan McNally who struck a sweet shot through a crowded goalmouth into the net from eight yards out.

Paul Crowley nearly put the visitors in front early in the second half. After Ryan McEvoy hesitated in midfield the Drogheda substitute gathered possession and raced towards goal. He curled a lovely right foot effort from outside the area which beat McNulty but ended up just wide.

The home side nearly took the lead in the 58^th minute. Keith Ward took a corner from the right. Once again Luke Byrne got his head to it but this time Gabriel Sava made a fine save and tipped it away for a corner.

Back came Drogheda and in the 61^st minute Eric Foley's corner from the left was met by McNally. However the Drogheda number five flashed his header across goal and the ball went wide.

In the 71^st minute another Foley corner from the right caused problems for Bohs. Derek Prendergast  met his cross at the far post. Predergast's goalbound header was saved by Bohemians substitute goalkeeper Craig Sexton.

Drogheda dominated possession thereafter but failed to create any clearcut chances. Substitute Sean Brennan struck an 87^th minute free kick harmlessly wide and also had another effort from inside the area which was brilliantly blocked by Bohemians captain Evan McMillan.

Gavin Brennan had a late shot from outside the area for Drogheda which was also well off target. A spirited Bohemians held on for a point. Arguably Drogheda boss Mick Cooke will be the more disappointed of the two managers after this game.

Bohemians: Andy McNulty (Craig Sexton 55); Derek Pender, Evan McMillan (captain), Kevin Feely, Luke Byrne; Keith Buckley, Keith Ward (David Mulcahy 65), Peter McMahon, Stephen Traynor, Ryan McEvoy, Peter McMahon (Karl Moore 81); Dinny Corcoran.

Subs not used: Roberto Lopes, Dwayne Wilson, David Scully, Dan Mahon.

Booked: None.

Sent off: None.

Drogheda United: Gabriel Sava; Stephen Quigley (Paul Crowley 36), Derek Prendergast, Alan McNally (captain), Shane Grimes; Brian Gannon, Ryan Brennan, Eric Foley, Gavin Brennan; Peter Hynes (Tiernan Mulvenna 83), Declan O'Brien (Sean Brennan 69).

Subs not used: Philip Hand, Dean Marshall, Stephen Trimble, John Breen.

Booked: Gavin Brennan (62),

Sent off: None.

Referee: Anthony Buttimer.

Attendance: 1,306.

Man of the match: Evan McMillan (Bohemians).

© Seamus Egan 2012.