Two-times Premier League medal winner and 100-times capped Republic of Ireland star Damien Duff is calling winning the League of Ireland title as manager of Shelbourne the “pinnacle" of his career.
The race went right to the wire with Shamrock Rovers needing a win against Waterford at home Friday night and hoping that Shels would slip up at the same time on the road in Derry City. Rovers went 2-0 up against the Blues, and even after conceding a goal remained on course for the 5-in-a-row with no score reported from Derry. But four minutes from time, Shels’ Harry Wood pounced on a loose ball after a free kick to slot home. It proved to be enough to hand the famous Drumcondra-based club their first title since 2006. It's their 14th; the 1895-founded club won their first in 1926.
Hoops manager Stephen Bradley admitted that dropping so many points early in the season made the 5-in-a-row bid a tough ask late in the season.
Former Irish manager Stephen Kenny turned St Patrick Athletic’s season around, and the Saints beat Sligo Rovers 2-0 on Friday, their 9th consecutive win to finish 3rd in the table, which secured a place in Europe again next season.
Drogheda United will meet Bray Wanderers in the Premier Division promotion/relegation play-off at Richmond Park Inchicore on Nov. 16. Last Saturday Bray need penalties to get by Athlone Town in the first division play-off at Dalymount Park. As Drogheda finished second last in the Premier Divion they will now play Bray. Dundalk are already relegated from the Premier Division and they will be replaced next season by Cork City, the first division champions.
FAI CUP FINAL
Derry were aiming for the league-cup double just a few weeks ago, and some clubs were hoping for that, as it would have meant they’d be in the hunt for European spots. But now consecutive losses mean that Derry missed out on an automatic European spot, with the three places going to Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers and St. Patrick’s Athletic.
On Sunday next the Candystripes have another chance to win some silverware and secure a European place when they meet Drogheda United in the FAI Cup final at the Aviva. Since they joined the League of Ireland in 1985 Derry have had a good record in FAI Cup finals, winning six of their 11 appearances. Their last win was in 2022 when they beat Shelbourne, while Drogheda’s solitary win was in 2005 when they beat Cork City at the old Lansdowne Road.
It has been a great season for domestic football and hopefully the FA Cup final, which usually fills the Aviva, will provide a memorable game to what has been the most exciting ending to a domestic season in recent years.
SEXTON HAS IRISH
CONSULTANCY ROLE
Irish Rugby assistant coach Simon Easterby says the Irish players love Johnny Sexton’s new role with the Irish team, who play their opening game in the Autumn internationals against the All Blacks in Dublin on Friday next. The former Irish out half has agreed to work as a part-time consultant to the Irish squad. Sexton didn’t travel with the squad to their warm-weather training in Portugal, but spent a few days with the players at the IRFU’s High Performance Centre in Abbotstown. Easterby said: ‘‘The players loved him being around. Johnny has not been out of the game that long, but he adds a real bit of positivity and guys are delighted that he is involved.”
'PAY MANAGERS
€1,000 WEEKLY'
GAA manager Seamus McEnaney believes inter-county managers should be paid €1,000 a week. The former Monaghan, Meath and Wexford manager was speaking on RTE after GAA president Jarlath Burns recently suggested that inter-county managers could be put on contracts due to the full-time nature of the role. Burns accepts that the role is now far more time-consuming than it was when the GAA last examined its amateur status in 1997. McEnaney said: ‘‘The minimum wage in Ireland is €14. Pay them 20 euro an hour. A thousand euro a week. Make them another employee of the county board and it brings it official. It brings it under the umbrella because this discussion needs to be had. saying make it official. Take the All-Ireland final, 80,000 people, €10-12milion euro being turned over on the day and the two men that are under the most pressure out there are the two men that are not supposed to be paid. Inter-county management affects your family, we now have social media, you are getting abused on social media, everyone is having a cheap shot at you.’’ Seamus, better known as ‘Banty’ said that he didn’t receive any payment during his time managing his club Corduff or the Monaghan county team and took only travel expenses when he managed the Meath and Wexford county teams.
GALWAY KEEP
BOSS JOYCE
Padraig Joyce is staying on as Galway senior football manager until at least 2026. His reappointment was confirmed by the Galway County Board last week as was the speculation that former Leitrim manager Mickey Graham was joining Joyce’s backroom team. Graham, who has previously managed Cavan, quit as Leitrim manager in September having been appointed only a few months earlier. He has spent the previous year as assistant to Andy Moran in Leitrim. Selectors John Concannon, John Divilly and Micheál Ó Domhnaill are also staying on with Galway and they will be joined by another coach David Morris.
Meanwhile Steven Poacher has replaced Andy Moran as Leitrim manager. The County Down native has previously served in backroom teams in Carlow and Roscommon, but this is first time to become an inter-county manager. He will be joined in Leitrim by former Carlow footballer Daniel St Ledger, Ryan Jones from Fermanagh and Donegal-born coach Anthony McGrath.
In Clare, former Kerry manager Peter Keane is taking over from fellow Kerryman Mark Fitzgerald. Keane, who was a very successful manager of Kerry minors, winning three All-Irelands finals, was subsequently named senior manager in Kerry. In his first year Kerry lost to Dublin after an All-Ireland final replay. In 2020 a last-gasp Cork goal saw them eliminated at the Munster semi-final stage. And in 2021, there was more heartache when Tyrone prevailed after extra-time in the All-Ireland semi-final. With Dermot McCabe also confirmed in Westmeath, Derry is the only county without a senior football manager for next year.
KERRY’S BURKE
SIGNS WITH CATS
Kerry manager Jack O’Connor will be without Cillian Burke next year after the 21-year-old agreed a “Category B Rookie” contract with AFL side Geelong Cats. The Castlemaine clubman who can play in the half-back or half-forward line was impressive when called off the bench in championship games against Derry and Armagh in the summer. At Geelong he will link up with fellow Kerryman Mark O'Connor and Mayo’s Oisín Mullin where Kate Kenny, Aishling Moloney, Rachel Kearns and Anna-Rose Kennedy also feature for the AFLW side. Laois native Zach Tuohy retired at Geelong this year, having set the Irish AFL appearance record of 286 games.
MORE ‘MODEST’ PLAN
FOR CASEMENT PARK
The GAA has expressed hope that a lower spec redevelopment of Casement Park can be delivered without an excessive drain on the public purse. After meeting with the Stormont’s Communities Minister Gordon Lyons in Belfast last week, GAA president Jarlath Burns said the organization was still planning for a venue with a capacity in excess of 30,000 but he said that the fit-out would be more “modest and basic” than what was envisaged when the stadium was earmarked as a host venue for the Euro 2028 football tournament. It’s understood the GAA has now reverted to the plan it had in place for Casement prior to it being selected as a Euros venue.
1948 GOLD CUP
UP FOR AUCTION
The 1948 Cheltenham Gold Cup trophy won by Cottage Rake is being auctioned later this month. The solid gold trophy was won by the Vincent O’Brien- trained Cottage Rake and is valued at around £10,000-15,000. The cup is being auctioned by descendants of the owners Mrs and Mrs Vickerman and the auction will be held at the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket on Nov. 13. Kildare-born jockey Aubrey Brabazon rode the winner. The Cup was made by Dublin company Weir and Sons.
LEAGUE HAS GOOD
IMPACT ON ECONOMY
A recent Economic Impact Assessment of the League of Ireland by accountants BDO says that in 2023 the League of Ireland contributed €164.7 million to the Irish economy through direct activities, as well as indirect, such as supporting local businesses and jobs. The league also contributed an estimated €40 million to the Exchequer through taxes, highlighting its significant role in supporting national finances. With 826,086 fans attending league games in 2023, representing a 19.5 percent increase from 2022, the assessment highlights growing public engagement with Irish football. Including cup and European matches, total attendance for the year rose to 966,994. Additionally, viewership figures surged, with televised matches more than doubling since 2021 and peak viewership increasing by 80 per cent, reaching over 3.08 million in 2023, further reflecting the league’s expanding reach and popularity. Still a bit behind Gaelic football and hurling attendances, but there is no doubt that since Covid soccer fans have returned to watch League of Ireland games.
