Month: March 2019

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LONGFORD TOWN 2 (Peter Hopkins 22′, Karl Chambers 90+1′)

SHELBOURNE FC 0

Dean Delaney’s blunder hands Longford all three points and Chambers sealed the win as they remain the only unbeaten side in the league and jump up to second in the table.

Longford broke the deadlock through a terrible error from Shels keeper Dean Delaney. He threw the ball straight to Hopkins and he easily went around Luke Byrne and fired low past Delaney. Longford were the much better side in the opening half, Zambra had a long-range effort tipped over the bar by Delaney just after the home side took the lead.

Shelbourne were much better in the second half. Brennan had a free header from a corner, but his effort was cleared off the line. However, Chambers made sure of the win after he was played through and smashed the ball in off the post.

Neale Fenn will be happy with the three points, but will be unimpressed with the majority of his side’s performance in the second half. Much work for Ian Morris to do though as Shelbourne couldn’t find a breakthrough despite all of their possession in the second half.

Report courtesy of sseairtricityleague.ie

Longford Town: Lee Steacy, Shane Elworthy, Anto Breslin, Mick McDonnell, Dean Zambra, Peter Hopkins (Karl Chambers 79′), Aaron Dobbs (Jamie Doyle 81′), Conor Kenna, Aodh Dervin, Dean Byrne, Sam Verdon (Paul O’Connor 88′)

Subs not used: Jack Menton, Tristan Noack-Hofmann, Joe Manley, Sean Brennan.

Shelbourne: Dean Delany, John Ross Wilson. Lorcan Fitzgerald, Luke Byrne, Daniel Byrne, Oscar Brennan, Darragh Noone (James English 59′), Ryan Brennan, Conan Byrne (Dayle Rooney 19′), Karl Moore, Ciarán Kilduff

Subs not used: Colin McCabe, Derek Prendergast, Sean Quinn, Flavio Marku, Daniel McKenna.

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Having spent 2011 and 2012 with Shelbourne amassing an impressive 15 goals, promotion and an FAI Cup Final experience, Conan Byrne has returned to the Reds inspired by his “grá” for the club. “The first time I walked into Tolka Park as a player, I got hairs standing on the back of my neck. When I was a kid, if I was to go to the football on a Friday night, it would have been Tolka Park,” the winger says.

After his first stint with the club, which had been extremely successful, Byrne has gone on to play for St Patrick’s Athletic in a well-recognised career glittered with wonderful goals and honours. This time around, Byrne remains committed as ever to bring success back to Drumcondra, while being encouraged by new manager Ian Morris, describing him as “a breath of fresh air.”

“Ian has been fantastic. He gets his point across extremely easy and the sessions are very good, really concise. They’ve been very different, never the same thing and that’s what you want as a player. Every day you will be learning something new, and you take in everything Ian and the staff have to say,” he tells shelbournefc.ie.

Byrne is under no illusions on the challenge of trying to bring back Premier Division football to Tolka Park. “Everyone has a point to prove in the league. I’ve said it since the start, it’s a very competitive league this season. People were saying we would run away with it, but that was never going to be the case. Every single game is going to be difficult.”

Heading into Saturday night’s game away to Longford Town, Shels sit on top of the table on goal difference, but go into the game having lost 2-1 away to Cobh Ramblers. Byrne has been pleasantly surprised at the positive reaction midweek to that loss in training. “It’s been very positive, actually, considering the result. We will have to take the good with the bad throughout the season. It was just a case of getting back to work, and we know what we have to do. Longford isn’t going to be easy,” he said.

With a large away travelling crowd expected again at the City Calling Stadium, the Dubliner cites the club’s supporters as another reason behind moving back. He remembers “the noise of the crowd” upon gaining promotion against Finn Harps in 2011 at Tolka Park. “It’s a cliche but the fans are the twelfth man, it’s so true. When they’re pushing you on you gain the extra 5 or 10 percent or go on that lung bursting run. That roar gave us the extra against Finn harps. Those are the days you want to recreate.” Although “a good few clubs” had come in for Byrne during the off-season, he says “as soon as Ian picked up the phone, that’s the team I wanted to come back to.”

Byrne has also been excited by the squad that has been brought together for the 2019 season, especially the balance of youth and experience, an element he says is the main difference between this and 2011’s squad. The professionalism in the camp is also something which has struck him, while also being impressed by the young players eagerness to learn. “The set-up has really come on, and the players are really eager to learn, always asking questions. I want to lead by example, and always be positive. We do not want negativity.

Mixing work as a teacher, family life and media work, Byrne is in no doubt as to the desire he has for getting Shels back to the Premier Division. “That’s what drives you on. You were here last time, and you were successful. Promotion, FAI Cup Final and that time we consolidated ourselves in the Premier Division. Seeing Shelbourne in the First Division didn’t sit easy with me and we want to get those past glories back.”

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SSE AIRTICITY LEAGUE – FIRST DIVISION

Longford Town v Shelbourne FC

City Calling Stadium

March 30 2019

KO: 19:30

With the Reds travelling to Longford Town on Saturday night, Shels boss Ian Morris says the “whole squad is ready to go” ahead of a “massive week.”

Despite a defeat last time out against Cobh Ramblers, Shelbourne remain top of the SSE Airtricity League First Division and play Longford Town on Saturday night at the City Calling Stadium looking to get a positive result.

Morris has been delighted with the away travelling support on top of strong home crowds, and this is something he believes the players will thrive off.

“We understand the frustration last week but it’s a huge credit to them to see the numbers that have travelled. There’s big numbers due this week again and we want to give them a performance. We really want to get the fans behind the team. We’re in this together,” he said.

Despite a strong start to the season with three wins so far, Morris told shelbournefc.ie that last weekend’s 2-1 loss to Cobh Ramblers was a “massive disappointment.”

“Nothing went right for us and we’re going to have to be brave enough to receive the ball and play,” he said.

“Some days you get one or two players who have an off day but as a collective, myself included, it didn’t go well. It was frustrating but we need to get over it and bounce back, we’re still top of the league so we’ve the chance to bounce back.” he added.

The Shels Head Coach has been encouraged, however, by the strength he has witnessed in the players this season, and impressed by the attacking players in the side.

“We have to focus on our strengths. It’s about giving players the confidence to express themselves. We’ve got really good players throughout the squad. They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t so good.

“These things happen in the course of a season. We’ve got good players so we’ll put it to bed. We’ll move the ball quickly. It’s a big pitch with a quality surface which will suit us,” he added.

Longford Town come into Saturday’s game on the back of a 1-0 away win at Athlone Town and Morris believes they’ve got a good squad with a “wealth of experience”

“Longford have gone under the radar. Everyone in the media were focused on ourselves but they’ve got Premier Division players with good squad depth. It’ll be a tough test, but we need to be confident and positive going into it,” he said.

Alex O’Hanlon returns to the squad after injury with Greg Moorhouse suspended following a red card against Cobh Ramblers on Friday.

Shane Farrell remains injured, however the young forward’s recovery has proceeded well in rehab which has given him an opportunity to build up his physical attributes.

Injured: Shane Farrell

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Greg Moorhouse

Previous SSE Airtricity League First Division results

Athlone Town 0-2 Shelbourne

Shelbourne 3-0 Wexford

Cobh Ramblers 2-1 Shelbourne

Longford Town 3-0 Drogheda United

Cabinteely 1-1 Longford Town

Athlone Town 0-1 Longford Town

Goal scorers (All competitions)

Ciaran Kilduff (5)

Ryan Brennan (2)

Oscar Brennan (1)

Dan Byrne (1)

Karl Moore (1)

Daniel McKenna (1)

Darragh Noone (1)

Dayle Rooney (1)

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COBH RAMBLERS 2 (Jaze Kabia 60′, Denzil Fernandez 71′)

SHELBOURNE 1 (Ciarán Kilduff pen 85′)

Cobh Ramblers put in a hugely impressive performance to secure a 2-1 victory over league leaders Shelbourne on Friday evening.

It was clear from the off that manager Stephen Henderson wanted his side to press the ball with high intensity. It proved to be quite successful in the early stages as Shels struggled to in possession. The first real chance of the game came in the 19th minute when after some great work by Stephen Kenny saw Ian Turner volley over from twelve yards. Dave Hurley saw his curling effort cleanly saved by Delaney soon after. Shels continued to find it difficult in the final third of the pitch and were reduced to an acrobatic attempt from Brennan while Kilduff almost found a way through before O’ Riordan cleared. Ramblers kept the same pressure up throughout the half but failed to create anything clear cut.

The second half began much in the same vein as the first with the home side pressing at every opportunity. It was that intensity that lead to the opening goal in the 60th minute when Kabia capitalised on an error from Delaney. The pass back to the keeper appeared simple enough but the ball bobbled at the wrong moment forcing Delaney to take a touch. Kabia got there quickly, got a touch on the ball and had a simple tap into the delight of the home crowd.

Energised by the goal, Ramblers went looking for a second and found it in the 71st minute through Denzil Fernandes. After some good build-up play, Kabia set up the winger who burst into the box and shot low under Delaney. Shels defender Prendergast made a terrific block on the line but the ball only rebounded to Fernandes who slid it home.

Shelbourne were handed a lifeline in the 85th minute when Stephen Kenny handled in the box. Kilduff took it and squeezed it past Mylod. Ramblers held firm though to record a much-deserved victory.

Report courtesy of sseairtricityleague.ie

Cobh Ramblers: Adam Mylod, Charlie Lyons, David Hurley, Stephen Christopher, Ben O’Riordan, Kevin Taylor, Stephen Kenny, Denzil Fernandez, Shane O’Connor, Ian Turner (Brian Murphy 86′), Jaze Kabia

Subs not used: James McSweeney, Cian Leonard, Matthew Lambe, Paul Hunt, Greg Henry, Stephen O’Leary.

Shelbourne: Dean Delany, John Ross Wilson, Daniel Byrne, Derek Prendergast, Lorcan Fitzgerald (James English 67′), Conan Byrne, Oscar Brennan, Ryan Brennan (Sean Quinn 54′), Karl Moore, Darragh Noone (Greg Moorhouse 67′), Ciarán Kilduff

Subs not used: Daniel McKenna, Colin McCabe, Luke Byrne, Dayle Rooney.

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Shelbourne FC is delighted to announce the signing of Chloe Mustaki to our WNL team from DLR Waves.

Mustaki started her early playing career at Park Celtic before moving to St Joseph’s as a teenager. The midfielder then made the move to Peamount United winning the Inaugural WNL In 2011.

With a scholarship commencing at UCD, Mustaki made the move to UCD Waves (now DLR Waves) where she reached the FAI Cup Final. She then moved to Bordeaux where she took up an Erasmus and played for French side Girondins de Bordeaux for the 2016/17 season before returning to UCD.

Chloe has represented her country at all underage levels. She captained the U19 side to the European Championships semi-finals in 2014 and received International Player of the year at U17 level.

A spokesperson for the club said: “We are delighted to bring Chloe in this season, she has always been a standout player in the league. A diverse player who can hold her own in the center of the field.”

Chloe says she’s delighted to make the move to Shelbourne FC and is looking forward to getting started this season and the new challenge it brings.

Welcome to the Reds, Chloe!

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SHELBOURNE 3 (Darragh Noone 50′, Ryan Brennan 60′, Dan Byrne 83′)

WEXFORD 0

Shelbourne were the victors after a dominant 3-0 win over strugglers Wexford on a chilly Friday night at Tolka Park.

A full report, courtesy of Colmán Stanley and extratime.ie can be found HERE

Shelbourne: Dean Delany, John Ross Wilson, Derek Prendergast, Dan Byrne, Lorcan Fitzgerald, Darragh Noone (Daniel McKenna 90′), Oscar Brennan, Ryan Brennan (Dayle Rooney 72′), Conan Byrne, Karl Moore, Ciarán Kilduff (James English 89′)

Subs not used: Colin McCabe, Luke Byrne, Aidan Friel, Sean Quinn

Wexford: Joseph Walshe, Liam McCartan, Paddy Cahill (Nike Arevadze 80′), Sean Callan, Darragh O’Connor, Ryan Nolan, Lee Costello (Owen McCormack 83′), Jack Doherty, Danny Doyle (Sean Kelly 80′), Emmet Nugent, Danny Furlong

Subs not used: Cory Chambers, Thomas Croke

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Shelbourne FC is delighted to announce the signing of forward Rebecca Creagh. Rebecca returns for her third spell at the club having previously departed for Australia and been side lined due to a reoccurring injury.

A spokesperson for the the club said: “We are thrilled to have Becks back for another spell at the club. Her presence in the dressing room, on the field and off the field, will be key to our success this season. Becks is a natural leader and our younger girls look up to her.”

Creagh said she is eager to get back to full fitness following a stint on the sidelines which has made her more hungry for success. She says she has a lot to prove and is ready to help the the team and club challenge for the league and cups.

Welcome back Rebecca!

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Shelbourne FC is delighted to announce the signing of Jess Gargan from Quinnipiac University. Jess joins the WNL side with a wealth of Domestic Experience.

Whilst at Quinnipiac, Jess captained the side for two years and was voted Player of the Year. A familiar face to the league, Gargan previously lined out for Peamount United for two years before departing for the States. Prior to joining Peamount, Jess spent 3 years representing Shelbourne’s underage academy.

Jess has represented Ireland at U16 , U17 and U19 Levels. As part of the U19 Irish side, Jess helped the team reach the European Finals in Norway in 2014.

IA spokesperson for Shelbourne’s WNL team says: “We are thrilled to have Jess on board for the coming season. We understand other teams were eager to get Jess To put pen to paper but after a few training sessions Jess committed to the Reds.”

Jess said she is delighted to be back at the club and has slotted in perfectly with her new team mates. The level of training and standards at the whole club are really high and I can’t wait to get going with the team and hopefully bring home some silverware this year.

Welcome to the Reds Jess!

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SHELBOURNE 1 (Dayle Rooney 30′ )

BOHEMIANS 4 (Aaron Barry 8′, 45′, Danny Grant 14′, Charles Mutawe OG 35′)

Shelbourne’s two-year reign as Leinster Senior Cup champions crashed to a halt on Monday night as they succumbed to Bohemians at Tolka Park.

A full report, courtesy of Dave Donnelly and extratime.ie HERE

Shelbourne: Colin McCabe, Aidan Friel, Flavio Marku (Derek Prendergast 72′), Daniel McKenna, Sean Quinn (Ciaran Burns 84′), Dayle Rooney, James English, Craig Giles, Charles Mutawe, Aaron Connolly, Alamu Abdulrasaq

Subs not used: Imrich Tothova, John Ross Wilson, Oscar Brennan, Darragh Noone, Michael McHugh

Bohemians: Niall Corbet, Aaron Barry, Scott Allardice, Robbie McCourt, Danny Grant (Ross Tierney 71′), Sam Byrne, Ryan Graydon, Andy Lyons, Paddy Kirk, Michael Barker (Alex Kelly HT), Ryan Swan (Dawson Devoy 81′).

Subs not used: Jamie Cleary, Mitch Byrne, Brandon Bermingham. Marlon Marishta.

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Shelbourne FC is committed to equality and parity of esteem for all of our players. That’s why, in preparation for the 2019 season, the club has taken a number of steps to demonstrate our commitment to women’s football:

  • Tolka Park will become the home ground for our Women’s National League (WNL) senior team. The AUL Complex was used for home games last season.

  • Our WNL team will now be known as “Shelbourne FC”, removing the word “Ladies” from the team’s name.

  • Shelbourne FC’s kit deal with Umbro and front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with Dublin City University includes both our Women’s and Men’s National League teams.

  • Shelbourne FC’s social media channels will represent and promote both our WNL and U17 WNL teams, in addition to our MNL and U19 MNL teams

  • All Shelbourne FC Season Tickets are valid for WNL matches and all boys and girls that play in our Academy can avail of a free season ticket

Shelbourne FC CEO, David O’Connor said, “We have appointed Dave Bell as Manager of our Women’s National League team. Dave has previously managed Ireland’s team at the WU17 European Championships in 2017 and is well-respected within football circles. We’re confident that Dave is the right person to realise the full potential of our WNL squad, which includes a number of Senior, U19 and U17 internationals. Dave will be assisted by Pat Behan.

“We’re also delighted that our U17 WNL side will continue to be managed by the successful management duo of Laura Heffernan and Karen O’Connell. Having won the inaugural U17 National League, Laura and Karen will be looking to repeat that success in 2019.

Shelbourne FC supports the 20×20.ie campaign, an initiative aimed at increasing media coverage of women in sport, female participation at all levels, and attendance at women’s games by 20% by 2020, and our WNL team will wear a “20×20″ arm patch in support of this initiative for the coming season.”

With a range of sponsorship opportunities available as well as fundraisers that can be supported throughout the season, you can show your support for Shelbourne FC and women’s football by getting in touch at commercial@shelbournefc.ie.