The club would like to thank Paul for his hard work and dedication over the past five years.

Waterford United does see a coaching role for Paul within the club structures in the future.

A further announcement on an interim manager will be made in the coming days.

Report to follow…

Blues: Craig Hyland; Dylan Mernagh, David Breen, Gavin Kavanagh, John Frost; Paudie Quinn; Seamus Long, Peter White (Kevin O’Connor 63), Michael Coady (Jack Doherty 74); Ben Ryan (Paul Quilty 82), Vinny Sullivan – subs: Chip Sanders, Aidan McGrath, Conor Coad, Daragh Walshe

Booked: Breen, Long, Sullivan

Youths: Graham Doyle; Craig McCabe, Gary Delaney, Jamie Carr, James Dermody; Thomas Croke, Shane Nolan, Joey Mulcahy, Eric Molloy, Aidan Keenan; Dean Broaders (Glen Hawe 77) - subs: Brandon O’Callaghan, Shane Clarke, Ian Goulding, Caolan O’Gorman, Shane Corcoran, Daryl Power

Goal: McCabe, Croke, Doyle

Booked: Carr 21

Referee: Keith Callanan (Cork)

Having taken a solitary point from the last two games, Waterford United will be keen to establish another winning run when they take on Wexford Youths at the RSC this Friday (KO 7.45pm).

The Blues played as well against league leaders Longford Town two weekends ago as they have all season, but got caught by a late equaliser at the RSC. Then a disappointing showing in front of goal at second placed Mervue United last Friday night meant an empty-handed journey back down the M18, as they spurned several gilt-edged opportunities to equalise and take the lead after shipping an early goal. And so what was a run of 10 points from four games has seen just one more added from the next two.

United now face a Wexford side who have moved a point ahead of them in the table and have triumphed the last two times the sides faced off, earlier this year at Ferrycarrig Park and at the end of last season at the RSC. Indeed, the Youths have returned victorious from two of their last three trips to Waterford. The Blues still have the upper hand in meetings at the Cork Road ground, though, and they will be keen to reinforce that advantage.

Paul O’Brien will once again have a full squad to select from, with no suspensions in play, and no major injury worries, other than a couple of players with niggles and knocks, and striker Peter Keegan who is rapidly returning to full fitness after being out injured for so long.

Paul O’Brien Quotes:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After the Mervue defeat:
“I’ve never been involved in a game that we controlled so much and came out as the losing party but that’s the way it goes.”
“We gave away a silly goal from basic defending after five minutes and we’re left chasing the game.”
“I thought that we created a lot of chances in the game, but we couldn’t take them and that’s cost us.”
“We’ll just have to dust ourselves down and get on with it. We have to take the knocks but have to move forward now.”
“I can see pieces of the jigsaw coming together every week. Couple of weeks ago we were getting criticised for not creating chances and now we’re creating chances but we’re not taking them.”
“We’ll have to take this on the chin and push on. I don’t know if it’s going to be hard to still win the league, because everyone will beat everyone.”
“We’re not out of it. I’m still going to push the players because we’re capable of winning this league.”

Match Trivia:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday’s meeting will be the twentieth competitive fixture between the sides since the Youths’ arrival on the scene in 2007. The very first was a League Cup tie, since then it’s been all First Division games.

Of the previous 18 League matches, the Blues have won five and lost three, both at home at the RSC, and away, with an additional two draws at Ferrycarrig Park.

The fixture very much tends to produce decisive results, with only those two drawn games, the most recent of those back in September 2009!

Continuing to develop into a spicy local derby, the fixture has produced eight red cards since 2010, and 10 in total in the 19 games played.

The Missing List:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suspensions:
none

Injuries:
none

Recent Form:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Last Match:
Mervue United      2 – 1      Waterford United
Manning 5                             Sullivan 90
Sinnott 78

Form:
All: [LWLD] WDLWL LWWDW WDL
League: DLLLW WDWDL

Head-To-Head League Stats:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Home League Record:
Played 8 – Won 5 – Drawn 0 – Lost 3 – Goals For 12 – Goals Against 5
Away League Record:
Played 10 – Won 5 – Drawn 2 – Lost 3 – Goals For 11 – Goals Against 13
Total League Record:
Played 18 – Won 10 – Drawn 2 – Lost 6 – Goals For 23 – Goals Against 18
Record Home Win: 4-0 (20/04/2012)
Record Away Win: 2-0 (14/10/2011)
Record Home Defeat: 1-2 (17/08/2012 & 30/05/2009) and 0-1 (15/07/2011)
Record Away Defeat: 0-6 (02/03/2012)
Record Aggregate Score: 7 – 6-1 away win in 2010

Head-to-Head Recent Results:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
28 Mar 13      Lge     Wexford Youths    2 – 1    Waterford United
17 Aug 12      Lge     Waterford United    1 – 2    Wexford Youths
29 Jun 12      Lge     Wexford Youths    1 – 2    Waterford United
20 Apr 12      Lge     Waterford United    4 – 0    Wexford Youths
02 Mar 12      Lge     Wexford Youths    6 – 0    Waterford United
14 Oct 11      Lge     Wexford Youths    0 – 2    Waterford United
15 Jul 11       Lge     Waterford United    0 – 1    Wexford Youths
29 Apr 11      Lge     Wexford Youths    1 – 2    Waterford United

Results This Season:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10 May 13     a      Mervue United            (Lge)     1-2     L
03 May 13     h      Longford Town           (Lge)     1-1     D
26 Apr 13      a      Finn Harps                 (Lge)     1-0     W
21 Apr 13      a      Everton AFC              (MSC)    1-0     W
19 Apr 13      h      Cobh Ramblers           (Lge)     0-0     D
12 Apr 13      a      Salthill Devon            (Lge)     2-1     W
05 Apr 13      h      Athlone Town            (Lge)     1-0     W
29 Mar 13      a      Wexford Youths         (Lge)     1-2      L
23 Mar 13      h      Mervue United           (Lge)     0-4      L
19 Mar 13      h      Cobh Ramblers           (EA)      2-1     W
16 Mar 13      a      Longford Town          (Lge)     1-2      L
11 Mar 13      h      Cobh Ramblers           (EA)      p-p    
08 Mar 13      h      Finn Harps                (Lge)     1-1      D

01 Mar 13      h      Cork City                   (Fr)      2-2      D
27 Feb 13      a      Bray Wanderers          (Fr)      1-4      L
24 Feb 13      a      College Corinthians    (MSC)    2-0      W
05 Feb 13      h      Limerick                    (Fr)      1-0      W
12 Feb 13      h      Tramore AFC              (Fr)      1-3      L

Next Six Matches:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
20 May 13     a      Limerick FC (EASC)
25 May 13     a      Athlone Town (ALFD)
01 Jun 13      h      Sligo Rovers (FAIC)
08 Jun 13      h      Salthill Devon (ALFD)
15 Jun 13      a      Cobh Ramblers (ALFD)
28 Jun 13      h      Finn Harps (ALFD)

Top Scorers (League):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4 – Paudie Quinn
2 – Vinny Sullivan
1 – Ben Ryan
1 – David Breen
1 – Michael Coady

Top Scorers (All Competitions):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5 – Paudie Quinn (4 Lge, 1 MSC)
3 – Vinny Sullivan (2 Lge, 1 MSC)
2 – Ben Ryan (1 Lge, 1 EA)
2 – Daragh Walshe (1 EA, 1 MSC)
1 – David Breen (1 Lge)
1 – Michael Coady (1 Lge)

Betting:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blues: 3/4
Youths: 16/5
Draw: 12/5

Shammy Long is the man in the spotlight, explaining why he is indebted to Conor Sinnott, Russell Crowe, and Screech from Saved By The Bell.

Elsewhere in the issue, Brendan White gets all Statto with the First Division figures,

Brian Kennedy gets somewhat exercised regarding the paucity of FD coverage,

Shane Murphy looks at some of the less fêted League of Ireland exports cross-channel,

Bluebeard charts the journey of another pair of intrepid travellers to and from our shores,

and we have an update from the victorious BTID United team (with due apologies to the uncredited lensman Maurice Hennebry!)

There also features an object lesson on why Wexford pink is a woeful choice as a club colour.

Don’t miss all this, plus the usual news, views and info, only in Friday night’s Wexford programme!

The arrival of the Premier League Champions has generated huge interest, not only in the city and county but across the South East and the club has announced that tickets will be released for general sale at this Friday’s Airtricity League First Division game against Wexford Youths at the RSC.

Gates will open at 6.30pm to facilitate the sale of the tickets to the general public and will only be on sale inside the ground.

Admission prices for the game have been set at €30 while there will be a very limited amount of child seats available at €20. A maximum of four (4) tickets per person will permitted for sale to any individual and the sale of tickets is limited to adults only.

Tickets will be available for the New Stand (Tramore Road Side) or the Old Stand (Cork Road side).

The club has also announced that Waterford United season ticket holders and registered members of the Blues Supporters Club will be able to purchase tickets in advance of Friday night with a special ticket booth being set up at tte RSC on Thursday night between 6.30pm and 7.30pm.

A special price of €25 per each Season Ticket or BSC Card will be available to these supporters of the club while Junior Blues Supporters will be able to purchase their ticket for €20. Adult Season Ticket holders and BSC members will also be able to purchase additional tickets at €30 on Thursday evening. To avail of this special price, each person must produce their season ticket or BSC membership card. Tickets will NOT be available to the general public on Thursday evening.

Report by Adrian Flanagan

Waterford United’s unbeaten run came to an unceremonious end at Fahy’s Field last night, as they slipped to their fourth defeat in a row at the hands of Mervue United. A lacklustre Blues side failed to match the improved performances of recent games, and although guilty of some wasteful finishing themselves, they might equally have shipped more if the Galwaymen were more clinical with their chances.

It took the home side less than four minutes into the game to take the lead when Gary Shanahan skipped down the right channel before putting the ball on the head of the unmarked Ryan Manning at the back post, and he just couldn’t miss, heading past a helpless Craig Hyland from six yards.

The Blues should have levelled matters less than six minutes later when Paudie Quinn sent Daragh Walshe clear on goal but with only Conor Gleeson to beat, he fired straight at the keeper when he should have found the net, before Peter Higgins was denied by a fine Gleeson save two minutes later.

Mervue had a glorious chance to double their lead on 17 minutes when Manning latched onto a throw from Stephen Walsh before putting the ball on the head of the unmarked Noel Varley at the back post, but somehow he managed to head wide from close range when he should have at least hit the target.

It was the home keeper Conor Gleeson that saved his sides’ blushes to deny the Blues the equalising goal on 62 minutes when Vinny Sullivan, who replaced Peter Higgins, whipped in a cross from the left that saw defender Stephen Walsh head towards his own goal but Gleeson magnificently tipped the ball over the bar.

Daragh Walshe was then handed a golden opportunity to level the tie on 70 minutes when he raced onto a through ball from Michael Coady but with only Gleeson to beat, he dragged a left-footed shot across the face of goal and wide of the far post.

Waterford were made to pay for those missed chances eight minutes later when Marc Ludden sent over a cross from the left that found Paul Sinnott but despite Blues keeper Craig Hyland brilliantly tipping the ball onto the crossbar, there was nothing that he could do to prevent Sinnott tapping the rebound to an empty net.

Sullivan had a chance to grab an instant reply for the visitors as they forced a corner kick at the other end that saw Ben Ryan put the ball on the head of the attacker but he headed inches wide, but minutes later at the other end Mervue squandered a glorious chance to put the tie beyond doubt when Brendan Lavelle broke clear following a slip from David Breen, but in attempting to square for Kenny Farrell for an open goal, he merely rolled it straight to Dylan Mernagh.

That meant a nervy final stretch for the home side when Sullivan did net a late conciliation in the last minute of normal time, when he touched home after Paul Quilty fired goalwards following a Peter White cross, but despite throwing everything forward, the Blues could not strike again for an unlikely equaliser.

Mervue: Conor Gleeson, Michael McSweeney, Mike Elwood, Stephen Walsh, Marc Ludden, Gary Shanahan (Brendan Lavelle 71), Paul Sinnott, Gary Curran, Noel Varley (Gary Kelly 66), Jason Molloy, Ryan Manning (Kenny Farrell 82) – subs: Joe Woods, Peter Healy, Oscar Simbanda, Alex Lee

Goals: Manning 5, Sinnott 78

Booked: none

Blues: Craig Hyland; Dylan Mernagh, David Breen, Seamus Long, John Frost; Peter Higgins (Vinny Sullivan 54), Ben Ryan, Peter White, Michael Coady (Kevin O’Connor 86); Paudie Quinn, Daragh Walshe (Paul Quilty 77) – subs: Chip Sanders, Aidan McGrath, Franny Rockett, Conor Coad

Goal: Sullivan 90

Booked: White, Walshe

Referee: Adriano Reale

Waterford United make the last of three trips in a row to the West of the country when they travel to Fahy’s Field to take on Mervue United on Friday (KO 7.45pm).

Having made the trek to Salthill and Donegal in recent weeks, returning with full points in both cases, the Blues will be looking for a third successful away day in a row, and to extend their unbeaten run to six league games. They will also be looking for a swift response to the disappointment of last weekend, when they failed to see out what would have been a superb home win, shipping a late equaliser against league leaders Longford Town at the RSC.

Waterford are unbeaten on their travels against the Galway outfit, both to Eamonn Deacy Park and Fahy’s Field, but all of their three losses to Mervue coming in the most recent three meetings (including two 4-0 thumpings) has heralded something of a sea-change in the head-to-head record. Mervue, in their turn, are unbeaten at home so far this season.

Blues boss Paul O’Brien has no suspension worries, and an empty treatment table, including long-term absentee Peter Keegan who has returned to full training after his horror knee injury sustained in last season’s play-offs, but may still be a week or two from match fitness. Centre back Gavin Kavanagh will miss the game, however, due to an important college exam.

Paul O’Brien Quotes:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“It feels like a defeat in the dressingroom as the lads are absolutely gutted.”
“We were so close, but I think at this level we have to be able to see games out and we weren’t able to do that tonight.”
“I thought overall we played very well. It was always going to be a game of two halves with the weather, Longford were always going to come out in the second half and force it. It’s just unfortunate we couldn’t see the game through.”
“To see the disappointment in the players’ faces means a lot more to me than than the result, because it shows that it means a lot to them now.”
“I think over the last couple of weeks that the lads have shown great character.”
“No matter who comes in, they are doing a job and putting in a shift. I think that we’re getting better and better.”
“The team are starting to gel, starting to find their feet, and starting to know each other, so hopefully we can push on again.”
“I’m not worried about being eight points behind, because nothing is won yet at this early stage of the season.”

Match Trivia:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After only managing two draws in the first 12 meetings between the sides, Mervue have very much turned the tables on the Blues, winning each of the last three games, all of which have taken place at the RSC.

They have also discovered their scoring touch. Having netted only five times in those first dozen games, the Galwaymen have since rattled in 10 in the last three!

The Blues have managed a healthy scoring rate of their own on their travels to the West, averaging over two per game, with 14 in six visits.

Waterford’s record at Fahy’s Field is somewhat less impressive, but they have secured two draws and a win in the three games there, scoring three times and conceding once.

The Missing List:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suspensions:
none

Injuries:
none

Recent Form:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Last Match:
Waterford United      1 – 1      Longford Town
Coady 15                             O’Sullivan 88

Form:
All: [LWLD] WDLWL LWWDW WD
League: DLLLW WDWD

Head-To-Head League Stats:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Home League Record:
Played 8 – Won 6 – Drawn 0 – Lost 2 – Goals For 13 – Goals Against 7
Away League Record:
Played 6 – Won 4 – Drawn 2 – Lost 0 – Goals For 14 – Goals Against 4
Total League Record:
Played 14 – Won 10 – Drawn 2 – Lost 2 – Goals For 27 – Goals Against 11
Record Home Win: 3-0 (25/06/2010)
Record Away Win: 6-1 (17/09/2010)
Record Home Defeat: 0-4 (23/03/2013)
Record Away Defeat: n/a
Record Aggregate Score: 7 – 6-1 away win in 2010

Head-to-Head Recent Results:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
23 Mar 13      Lge     Waterford United    0 – 4    Mervue United
05 Oct 12      Lge     Waterford United    1 – 2    Mervue United
03 Sep 12      Cup     Waterford United    0 – 4    Mervue United
04 Aug 12      Lge     Mervue United    0 – 2    Waterford United
01 Jun 12      Lge     Waterford United    3 – 1    Mervue United
06 Apr 12      Lge     Mervue United    0 – 0    Waterford United

Results This Season:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
03 May 13     h      Longford Town           (Lge)     1-1     D
26 Apr 13      a      Finn Harps                 (Lge)     1-0     W
21 Apr 13      a      Everton AFC              (MSC)    1-0     W
19 Apr 13      h      Cobh Ramblers           (Lge)     0-0     D
12 Apr 13      a      Salthill Devon            (Lge)     2-1     W
05 Apr 13      h      Athlone Town            (Lge)     1-0     W
29 Mar 13      a      Wexford Youths         (Lge)     1-2      L
23 Mar 13      h      Mervue United           (Lge)     0-4      L
19 Mar 13      h      Cobh Ramblers           (EA)      2-1     W
16 Mar 13      a      Longford Town          (Lge)     1-2      L
11 Mar 13      h      Cobh Ramblers           (EA)      p-p    
08 Mar 13      h      Finn Harps                (Lge)     1-1      D

01 Mar 13      h      Cork City                   (Fr)      2-2      D
27 Feb 13      a      Bray Wanderers          (Fr)      1-4      L
24 Feb 13      a      College Corinthians    (MSC)    2-0      W
05 Feb 13      h      Limerick                    (Fr)      1-0      W
12 Feb 13      h      Tramore AFC              (Fr)      1-3      L

Next Six Matches:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
17 May 13     h      Wexford Youths (ALFD)
20 May 13     a      Limerick FC (EASC)
25 May 13     a      Athlone Town (ALFD)
01 Jun 13      h      Sligo Rovers (FAIC)
08 Jun 13      h      Salthill Devon (ALFD)
15 Jun 13      a      Cobh Ramblers (ALFD)

Top Scorers (League):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4 – Paudie Quinn
1 – Ben Ryan
1 – David Breen
1 – Michael Coady
1 – Vinny Sullivan

Top Scorers (All Competitions):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5 – Paudie Quinn (4 Lge, 1 MSC)
2 – Ben Ryan (1 Lge, 1 EA)
2 – Daragh Walshe (1 EA, 1 MSC)
2 – Vinny Sullivan (1 Lge, 1 MSC)
1 – David Breen (1 Lge)
1 – Michael Coady (1 Lge)

Betting:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mervue: 7/5
Waterford: 13/8
Draw: 9/4

The second round of the Cup is scheduled to be played on the weekend of June 2nd, but with the Blues Legends v League of Ireland Legends charity match in aid of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland already set for the Friday night at Kilcohan, some doubt existed around the scheduling of the tie.

But with that game in mind, Saturday was always the preferred date for the game, and tonight the details were confirmed by the club.

The replay, if one is required, will kick off at the Showgrounds on Tuesday night, June 4th, at 7.45pm.

The Munster FA have also just confirmed the arrangements for the Munster Senior Cup Final against Avondale United, which will take place at Turner’s Cross on Wednesday June 12th, with a 7.30pm kick-off.

Report by Adrian Flanagan

A late equalising strike from the red-hot David O’Sullivan denied Waterford United an outstanding result at the RSC last night, as the Blues had to be content with a single point against league leaders Longford Town. In truth, it was no more than the visitors deserved, but having seemingly weathered a second half Town onslaught, United will be gutted by the manner and timing of the levelling goal, which keeps them eight points behind the Midlanders. A match dominated by a strong breeze, it turned out the perfect game of two halves, as the hosts controlled the first 45, before having to play second best after the break, as their brave effort to withstand the Longford onslaught just came up short.

The visitors actually had the first chance to go in front on 14 minutes, when Keith Quinn sent in an excellent right-wing corner kick, but Michael Coady, already booked after only two minutes, was on hand to superbly clear of the line at the back post. And Coady continued his early personal domination of the match notes less than sixty seconds later at the other end, giving his side the lead when some good work from Daragh Walshe and Paudie Quinn saw the latter superbly set up the left winger, who gave keeper Chris Bennion no chance with a cracking left-footed strike from ten yards, taken with some aplomb for his first League of Ireland goal!

The home side went close to doubling the lead on 22 minutes when Quinn linked up with Peter Higgins on the right end line, and his cross picked out Walshe, but his decent header was well saved by Bennion. Walshe had another decent chance to extend his side’s lead less than four minutes later, when the striker got on the end of a long John Frost throw from the left, but his brilliant overhead kick at the near post flashed inches wide.

It took a breathtaking full-length diving save from Bennion to deny the Blues their second goal of the game on 41 minutes, when Higgins sent in a cross from the right for Walshe, but somehow his close range effort was turned around the posts at the expense of a fruitless corner kick. A rampant home side continued to batter the Longford goal, and it was the post that came to the visitors’ rescue two minutes from the break, when referee Rob Harvey gave a very soft free kick against Mark Salmon twenty yards out, only for Paudie Quinn’s stunning free kick to come crashing back off the foot of the right hand upright with Bennion beaten.

Blues keeper Craig Hyland produced a contender for save of the season three minutes into the second half, when a long kick out from Town goalkeeper Chris Bennion caught the defense out and sent David O’Sullivan into the clear, but his exquisite chip was somehow touched onto the post by the home netminder at beyond full stretch. The visitors struck the woodwork themselves on 53 minutes, when Keith Quinn’s left-wing delivery found central defender Brian McCarthy, before Noel Haverty’s overhead kick came crashing back off the underside of the bar, and although David O’Sullivan fired the rebound to the net, it had already been ruled out for a foul.

It has to be said that the home side looked to have weathered the storm superbly, as Longford failed to break down a Blues defence that were brilliant throughout, and Paudie Quinn did have a chance to kill the game off shortly afterwards, but the centre forward fired into the sidenetting. But as the clock wound down, Longford struck for a deserved equalising goal with two minutes remaining, when Keith Gillespie whipped in a free kick from the right that wasn’t dealt with by the United rearguard, and the loose ball dropped kindly for that man David O’Sullivan to fire high to the net for his tenth of the season, and deny the Blues victory at the death.

Blues: Craig Hyland; Dylan Mernagh, David Breen, Gavin Kavanagh, John Frost Seamus Long 45); Peter Higgins, Ben Ryan, Peter White (Paul Quilty 72), Michael Coady; Paudie Quinn (Vinny Sullivan 85), Daragh Walshe – subs: Chip Sanders, Aidan McGrath, Kevin O’Connor, Jack Doherty

Goals: Coady 15

Booked: Coady, Frost, Long, Higgins

Town: Chris Bennion; Noel Haverty, Willo McDonagh, Brian McCarthy, Willie Tyrell; Daniel Purdy (Keith Gillespie 73), Mark Salmon, Gavin Doyle, Keith Quinn (Etanda Nkololo 73); Gary Shaw (Michael Isichei 64), David O’Sullivan – subs: Paul Hunt, Chris Deans, Des Hope, Josh O’Hanlon

Goals: O’Sullivan 88

Booked: McCarthy

Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin)

The limelight moves on to John Frost, revealing his admiration for a chilled-out colossus of HipHop, a legend of the viewer’s letter, and a certain ’gifted’ actor,

Shane Murphy goes all OK Corral, chronicalling both teams’ recent attempts to regain the promised land,

Brendan White talks to the latest of our ”have gloves, will travel” American imports,

Brian Kennedy explains that while there is indeed no “I” in team, some sides do lean rather heavily on that one hero,

and Bluebeard recalls two of our own, somewhat self-made legends from back in the day.

We’ve also included two deliberate mistakes, gold star for the first sharp-eyed reader to spot them!

Don’t miss all this, plus the usual news, views and info, only in Friday night’s Longford programme!