Howyis?

(First published in Percy Main v Walker Central programme April 6th 2011)

Well, the business end of the season is well and truly with us as the visit of Walker Central is the first of an eye watering 10 league games in April. While the Northern League continues to beat its breast and howl over the thought of playing games beyond the end of April, at least the Alliance allows us to play until the last Saturday in May. Of course, that’s not the end of the season for me. I fly out to Dublin on Monday 30th May with the intention of taking in the Tallaght Corinthians versus Ex-Big Club at the Halting Site, as well as Hunky Dorys v Seagulls, or Shamrock Rovers v Bohemians and Drogheda v Bray Wanderers to the uninitiated, before flying home in time for the Percy Main end of season do in the Cricket Club on the Saturday night.

The Irish season kicked off in early March and, as expected, the Premier Division is seeing the appalling Shamrock Rovers walking away with things, while averaging an excellent 6,000 for home games. After 5 games, they’re 4 points clear of a surprisingly resilient Bohemians, who despite near bankruptcy and the repeated rumours of the imminent departure of manager Pat Fenlon, are hanging on in there. At the bottom Drogheda United seem more likely than even the equally impecunious Galway United to become detached from the rest. New manager Mick Cooke arrived from Monaghan to replace Bobby Browne, who walked out in pre-season, stating it was “My Prerogative” to do so. Anyway….

In D1, things are as fascinating as ever, really. As ever, no team seems head and shoulders above the rest. Shelboune and Cork City have the best crowds and JP McManus is bankrolling Limerick (a city that regards football as the 5th choice sport after horses, GAA, rugby and knife crime), but Monaghan seem the most interesting with quintessential Dub gobshite Roddy Collins, famous for being Ireland’s best dressed man in his trademark Louis Copeland tin of fruit and nearly bankrupting Carlisle when he led them down to the Conference, in the hot seat. At least it keeps him off de telly. Longford (aka De Town) have signed former Newcastle gambling addict Keith Gillespie, for how long we shall see. Crowds as ever remain a problem, as a contributor to the excellent www.foot.ie pointed out when discussing a game which, admittedly did coincide with Ireland trouncing England at rugby;

“I counted 47 at Salthill v Athlone tonight, which is astonishing because there were more cars in the car park than people at the game. One guy kept moving so that figure could easily be 46 or 48. There were probably more people in the Clubhouse talking about the rugby match than there were watching the game on the rain sodden pitch. About 20 die hards from Athlone who cheered their late equaliser like 80,000 in Camp Nou seeing Messi stick in the winner past Real Madrid.”

Away from the league, two cup competitions are making progress. The cross border Setanta Shield, which attracted 50 to see UCD 0 Lisburn Distillery 0 in the opening game, is at the semi-final stage. Sligo Rovers are paired with Shamrock Rovers as the two top teams slug it out, while Dundalk meet Cliftonville, the North’s only representative, in a tie that could be for the unofficial Dissident Republican Cup!! The semis are on 4 & 18th April, with the final on 14th May in Belfast. Or not, depending on who’s in it.

Meanwhile the EA Sports League Cup is at the last 16 stage, in 4 supposedly regional groups decided on which side of the Liffey a side is from, meaning Shelbourne and Monaghan are in Group A and UCD and Wexford in Group C. Typically this will be the second round, after 2 preliminary ties (including De Town 2 De Udder Town 1) and 9 round 1 games. As it is the League Cup and Ireland only has 21 league teams, 6 non-league sides were invited to guest to make it seem as much of a proposition by Fibonacci as a sporting contest. Fanad United, FC Carlow, Cobh Ramblers, Dynamo Tralee and the Kerry League Select all bowed out gracefully, while Donegal’s Cockhill Celtic humiliated a Galway United side who’d won away to Bohemians a few days earlier, to earn a home game against holders Sligo. Games played on Easter Monday. I’ll continue to keep you updated on things, but remember every Friday in April sees a live game at www.rte.ie with Derry v Dundalk on this Friday. I’ll be watching.