VERY MONDAY, WE scan the passports, check the family trees and cross-reference with the “granny rule” to keep you informed about the ups and downs of all the Irish (and Irish-eligible) footballers in England, Scotland and further afield.
Think of us as the Tardelli to your Trap, if you will…
Premier League
Shane Long (West Brom 2-1 Chelsea)
The Tipperary striker put the passing of his 99-year-old grandmother Elizabeth to one side to play courageously for the Baggies – scoring a 10th-minute header in their 2-1 win over Chelsea before returning to Ireland to attend the funeral. He celebrated his fourth league goal of the season by revealing a t-shirt which read “Rest in Peace Nan”.
Anthony Pilkington (Norwich 1-0 Manchester United)
The Canaries caused a major upset against Manchester United at Carrow Road on Saturday evening and their Irish pair Anthony Pilkington and Wes Hoolahan played pivotal roles in the win. Hoolahan again excelled behind Grant Holt and was involved in the build-up for Pilkington’s first goal of the current campaign, which proved decisive.
Seamus Coleman (Reading 2-1 Everton)
Only days ago, Donegal full-back Coleman was turning in a man-of-the-match for Ireland but endured a more difficult afternoon at the Madejeski Stadium on Saturday. The 24-year-old needlessly brought down Adam Le Fondre inside the box on 79 minutes to allow the Royals earn their first league since since returning to the top tier.
Enda Stevens (Manchester City 5-0 Aston Villa)
After making his full league debut against United last weekend, Stevens and fellow Irish players Ciaran Clark and Stephen Ireland were on the wrong end of a 5-0 drubbing by the reigning Premier League champions at the Etihad.
League One
Dave Mooney (Carlisle 1-4 Leyton Orient)
Ex-Cork City and Longford Town frontman Dave Mooney was on target twice for the visitors, while one-time capped Ireland international Peter Murphy scored Carlisle’s only goal.
Billy Clarke (Crawley Town 2-2 Walsall)
22 minutes in, Billy Clarke struck his seventh goal in all competitions to help deny the Saddler a win.
SPL
Cillian Sheridan (Dundee United 3-3 Kilmarnock)
Cavan’s Cillian Sheridan fired Killie into the lead with a superb free-kick from 30 yards at Tannadice on Friday night after being fouled by Sean Dillon. However, Jon Daly scored twice to rescue a point for Dundee in what turned out to be a cracking game.
Watch highlights below:
YouTube credit: splofficial
Richie Foran (Inverness CT 1-5 Motherwell)
Foran’s goal on 47 minutes couldn’t prevent Motherwell from seeing off the home side in the Highlands.
MLS
Robbie Keane (Seattle Sounders 2-1 LA Galaxy, 2-4 on agg)
The Ireland skipper contributed to the Galaxy’s successful defence of the Western Conference title by scoring from the penalty spot last night. Read the full story here.
She’d hand it back to ya soft
I’d be afraid she wouldn’t hand it back to you at all
She is pretty hot too. I don’t think you’d mess with her though!
Some power!
Women fighting in UCF code!! C’mon this is all wrong. Who really has an interest in watching too women batter the life out of each other? Im not against UFC by the way but having women partake is a step too far. Boxing is one thing but this is entirely another. I happy to take the accusations of being sexist etc, on this one.
Can you at least elaborate on your opposition of women partaking?
No problem Roibeard. I find UFC a facinating but brutal sport. Im not against it but nor do i follow it too closely. The reason i would be against women in the sport is because it is easily the most physically dangerous sport on the planet. If you look at the problems boxing and the NFL have with brain injuries from former pros, given the amount of punishment inflicted during a UFC bout they would dwarf their couterparts in American football or boxing. I believe UFC has a s##t load of lawsuits in the post when the current generation of UFC fighters reach middle age/ retire. Female UFC fighters with brain injuries- not a nice thought. Plus its the asthetics of it. I can imagine there is a significant proportion of the male population who likes to see 2 women murdering each other. But i’m not one of them.