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The 42
5 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Grounds for change in League of Ireland shines a light on anguish and joy in equal measure
EVERYONE GETS THEIR kicks in different ways. When Aaron McEneff scored an 89th-minute winner to complete a 2-1 comeback against Derry City last Friday he celebrated the moment in front of fans packed into the recently-opened North Stand at the Ryan McBride Brandywell. For some it was a form of treachery given he grew up just a few miles away in Carnhill, but McEneff's family's ties to the Hoops are strong. His father Noel was born and raised on Reilly's Avenue, a small row of south inner city cottages in Dublin sandwiched between the Coombe Hospital and Lowe's Pub. Rovers has always been Noel's club and that passion was passed down to his three sons, as was clear when Aaron sent Stephen Bradley's side six points clear at the top of the Premier Division. We digress. When a video of the goal was clipped and shared on social media within minutes of full-time, The Beat's first instinct was to refresh the website of picture agency Inpho to see the reaction of those supporters behind the goal. It didn't disappoint. Advertisement The faces and reactions were of anguish, disdain, anger and even a little bit of apathy. There seemed to be one lad in the top corner with his phone out either capturing the moment or his own reaction but, other than that, this was a real-time encapsulation of suffering in the purest form. In the first row, a Derry supporter who could pass for Dylan Watts has his arms outstretched and his mouth elongated in such a way that he was preparing for the last part of 'F**K OFF'. To his right was another fella simply committing to the good old-fashioned 'BOOOOOOOOO.' In between them, a woman has her hands clasped together like a regular Mass-goer, her glasses resting on top of her hair, a single bit of fringe flowing to the side with her lips and eyes narrowed in equal measure. 'Really, Aaron, really?' you could imagine her saying. Amid the glut of middle finger salutes and other, more accusatory hand gestures, a bald man with what appears to be a tobacco-stained moustache grips – and this is an educated guess because of lived experience – a can of Stella Artois tightly. Further back, one committed smoker refused to allow the McEneff goal get in the way of a final drag on his cigarette. There is the lad in Stone Island who just turns to his side and drags the fingers on both hands down his cheeks in a forlorn state of acceptance at the misery. We've all been there. Aaron McEneff celebrates his late winner in front of Derry City fans. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO Scan the photo and you will see mostly young faces. Red and white jerseys are few and far between. Some are enraged, all are engrossed, and as stated by the X account LOICrowds, and verified by the club, the 'attendance of 4,250 on Friday is their highest attendance at the Ryan McBride Brandywell for a league game since 2006.' If it wasn't for Derry City, and owner Philip O'Doherty, ploughing £2 million (€2.4m) into the redevelopment of the Brandywell to construct the new stand over the winter it's a sight we would have missed out on. A welcome addition to the aesthetics of a Friday night. Club director Robert Martin spoke to the Derry Journal last week and it was explained how the club had been turning away demands for an additional 700 season ticket holders because of their limited capacity previously. They say capacity will rise from 3,700 to 6,300 once upgrades are complete, and it won't just be locals feeling the benefits. The Derry Journal stated that 'the relocation of season ticket holders from the terrace areas and Southend Park stand will also free up room for an additional 500 seats for visiting fans.' Everyone's a winner, except when those home fans have to endure an away side scoring late in front of them. Derry don't own the Brandywell – the local council do – so their willingness to invest was crucial in improving standards. St Patrick's Athletic have been purchasing property along Emmett Road in preparation for redevelopment of Richmond Park. One homeowner of a property backing onto the ground even bid farewell at the start of this season when he pulled the back fence out to get curry chips from one of the vans in the ground. The commitment of almost €25 million from the Government's Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund will see Bohemians redevelop Dalymount Park, but the club confirmed last week that they will remain in Phibsborough for part of the 2026 season. That means Damien Duff may yet end up on the Grassy Knoll behind the goal again. Shelbourne have also been increasing capacity at Tolka Park by improving terracing that had been neglected, as well as making improvements around the ground as a whole, although when their redevelopment plans really take hold is up in the air after a 250-year lease was signed with Dublin City Council last year. Sligo Rovers, like Bohemians, were the big winners from the last round of LSSIF, and the Bit O'Red envisage 'the diggers being out' on a redeveloped Showgrounds next year. Related Reads 'I'm not one bit mortified for myself, I'm mortified for the league': Damien Duff on that viral photo Stephen Kenny says 'sportsmanship is a thing of the past' in League of Ireland Brotherly love and lifelong challenges for wheelchair users in League of Ireland Drogheda United were placed on a reserve list of that LSSIF allotment, the club's plans for a new 4,500-seater stadium on the north side of the town described last November by then Minister of State for Sport Thomas Byrne as 'essentially, they are the next big FAI project.' Wexford FC were allocated €2m towards a new 6,000-capacity ground closer to the town centre as current home Ferrycarrig Park is on a site that's part of the expansion of the M11. Galway United submitted a joint venture for a new training base alongside Athenry Swans Hockey but will have to wait for the next round of funding. All of these projects will go some way to improving Irish football. Even if it just means being able to see the anguish and joy of more people who love the game.
Irish Times
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Shamrock Rovers show their mettle, Duff's gamble pays off – what we learned from Friday night's League of Ireland action
Shamrock Rovers do what champions do With 25 minutes to go at the Brandywell, Danny Mullen put it up to Shamrock Rovers. Swept in behind by Carl Winchester, the Derry striker dinked a lovely finish over Ed McGinty, pointedly testing the mettle of the league leaders. After swatting St Pat's aside in a formidable 4-0 win on Monday, this was a different challenge for Rovers, and one they duly embraced. Just minutes after falling behind, Pico Lopes sensed an opportunity from distance. His sprayed lob was tipped on to the crossbar by Brian Maher, but the save proved little more than a backboard alley-oop for Michael Noonan, who was unmarked as he headed the rebound into the corner. Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley celebrates after their win over Derry City. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho A point would have been a fine result on the road in Derry, but Rovers are in no mood to settle these days. It was a returning son, Aaron McEneff, that pinched a late winner , slotting a Danny Grant cutback under the feet of Maher. McEneff cupped his ears and goaded the home support – perhaps a sign of the ruthless streak that is once more revealing itself at the heart of the Rovers machine. Five wins on the bounce and a six point gap now at the top of the table. Mason Melia is a special talent As if it needed saying. Having passed his driving test earlier in the day, Mason Melia underlined his precocious talent once more as St Pat's laboured to a 2-2 draw at home to Waterford. READ MORE A five-minute spell at Richmond Park on Friday evening was evidence enough for why Tottenham Hotspur are happy to pay close to €2 million for Melia. At 17, he looks faster, sharper and smarter than most of the players around him. His goals were devastating, both zipped into the bottom left corner past a helpless Stephen McMullan after the striker had pounced on the defensive uncertainty his presence instils. Mason Melia on his way to scoring his St Pat's second goal. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/INpho In a Pat's side blessed with some of the best and most experienced footballers in the League of Ireland, Melia looks like a talisman. This was another poor display from Stephen Kenny's men overall. Far from a motivated, wounded beast after their Monday night drubbing in Tallaght, the home side looked downtrodden and lacklustre. Waterford were fully deserving of a point and will accept it given Conan Noonan's well taken equaliser came with just 10 minutes left to play, but John Coleman will feel his side could have taken more. Shels find scoring touch Having watched his side toil towards two goals in their last five games, Damien Duff changed tack on Friday night at Tolka Park, bringing in John Martin to lead Shelbourne's line. He'd have taken a goal in return, but Martin rewarded him with three. The Kilkenny native had Evan Caffrey to thank for his first-half brace – his two inswinging crosses from the left flank were pacy and inviting. Martin's finishing was neat on both occasions, a level of composure that Duff has been desperate for in recent weeks. Shelbourne's John Martin celebrates scoring a hat-trick. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho Neat can't describe the hat-trick goal, which broke from a cluttered bundle of legs in the six-yard box. Martin emerged from the pile long enough to persuade the ball to trickle past Sam Sargeant and make it 3-1. It was a moment so disorderly that just a minute later, the game was rewarded with a goal of the season contender. Owen Elding, finding a pocket of space 30 yards out, unleashed a left-footed blast that the Tolka Park camera could barely keep up with. Lorcan Healy certainly couldn't, despite diving admirably after the ball. Unfortunately for Sligo, they couldn't build on it enough to take something from the game. An admirable effort, but they and Cork are well adrift of the pack. Stalwarts bring Galway reprieve When things aren't going well, it can help to turn to those you trust. Conor McCormack and Stephen Walsh were two of Galway United's heroes on the 2023 promotion trail, but through injury and rotation, both have watched much of this season from the sidelines. It was an unlikely double act that combined off the bench for a vital winner at Eamonn Deacy Park, ending Galway's run of four defeats on the spin. The home side looked low on confidence throughout the first half and could easily have found themselves behind. Clubs in England are reported to be circling Cork's Cathal O'Sullivan, and the young winger will be hoping none were watching on the cusp of half time. A defensive mix-up between Garry Buckley and Evan Watts afforded O'Sullivan a wide-open goal but, under some pressure from Greg Cunningham, he fired glaringly wide. Cork City manager Gerard Nash dejected after their 2-1 defeat to Galway United. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho In a tight game, the opener arrived at the start of the second period. It was Moses Dyer's handiwork, the striker jinking neatly to the byline and attempting a cutback. Deflected, the ball looped over Tein Troost and somehow trickled in – arbiters of dubious goals may ultimately deny the league's top scorer, but Dyer's effort was decisive. Galway's lead lasted just moments. Jeannot Esua was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball just inside the penalty area, and Djenairo Daniels converted. Cork looked decent value for a point, but John Caulfield found inspiration in his old guard. With five minutes to go, an onrushing McCormack was 40 yards further forward than usually permitted. Walsh, with his back to goal, hid his surprise at the sight of his team-mate and teed him up for an emphatic finish. McCormack leapt into Caulfield's arms in celebration, marking an embrace between two former Cork City men, as Galway moved up to seventh. Elsewhere, in a close fought game at Sullivan & Lambe Park, Drogheda United edged out Bohemians by a goal to nil.
The 42
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Last-gasp goal sees Shamrock Rovers win top-of-the-table clash
Derry City 1 Shamrock Rovers 2 Simon Collins reports from the Ryan McBride Brandywell DERRY MAN Aaron McEneff came back to haunt his hometown club with a last-gasp winning goal, which sent Shamrock Rovers six points clear at the top. Substitutions on both sides influenced this cat-and-mouse encounter on Foyleside, but it was Michael Noonan and McEneff who earned three vital points for the Hoops in the end. Derry haven't won against Rovers in the league in nine attempts, but sub Danny Mullen's fifth goal of the season on 66 minutes put them firmly in the driving seat. That lead lasted less than six minutes as Noonan headed in from close range after Roberto Lopes' long-range strike was turned onto the crossbar by Brian Maher. Against his hometown club! 🫨 Aaron McEneff scores late on that'll surely win it for the visitors. — League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) May 23, 2025 Derry reacted well to that setback, but it was a former hero turned villain at Brandywell, McEneff, who had the last laugh with an 89th-minute winner. Fellow sub, Danny Mandroiu threaded a pass through to Noonan, who picked out McEneff's run towards the near post, and he made no mistake. Advertisement The midfielder was cautioned for his overzealous celebrations in front of the home support in the Southend Park stand to silence a record 5,000-plus attendance. That goal ensured a fifth consecutive win for Rovers and a seventh game unbeaten as the Dubliners ominously started shifting through the gears. Derry started with promise, and Michael Duffy was gifted possession inside Rovers' penalty area when Dan Cleary's attempted clearance fell kindly to the winger, but his curling effort sailed harmlessly wide of the far post. Match referee Marc Lynch issued three contentious yellow cards inside eight first-half minutes to Boyce, Winchester and Rovers' defender O'Sullivan, who was replaced by Josh Honohan after just 18 minutes as Stephen Bradley wasted no time in turning to his bench. Derry carved open the Rovers defence with a neat pass into the feet of Whyte just inside the penalty area on 25 minutes, and the ex-Portsmouth man glided past his man before picking out Boyce eight yards from goal. The striker's first-time strike was deflected behind by Adam Matthews, who recovered well. From the corner,r the ball eventually came to Ferguson in space at the back post, but the full-back fired his effort wide of the target. Rovers' first shot on target arrived on 33 minutes after Ferguson's pass was intercepted inside his own half. Aaron Greene crossed low towards Graham Burke, but his powerful strike was saved comfortably by Brian Maher. Rovers were bossing the ball at the start of the second half, but it was Derry who broke the deadlock in devastating fashion on 66 minutes. Winchester won the ball from Byrne before finding McMullan on the right flank. The winger played a delicious pass to send his fellow Scot Mullen into space, and the former Patrick Thistle striker finished expertly past Ed McGinty. That lead lasted less than six minutes as Roberto Lopes' ferocious strike from distance was turned onto the bar by Maher, but substitute Noonan reacted to the rebound quickest and headed into the net from close range. McMullan and Mullen combined brilliantly again on 75 minutes, but the latter couldn't get enough lift on the ball to guide it over the head of McGinty who snuffed out the danger. Matthews made an important block to deny Duffy's close-range strike with nine minutes remaining as Derry went in search of a winner. Rovers issued a killer blow in the final minute when Mandroiu split the defence with a searching pass into Noonan, who picked out the run of McEnef,f and the Derry man made no mistake with a clinical finish. Four minutes of stoppage time were signalled, but Derry couldn't find an equaliser as their four-match unbeaten run came to an end. Derry City: Maher; Ferguson (Doherty 77), Connolly, Holt, Cann, Todd; Whyte (McMullan 60), O'Reilly (Benson 84), Winchester, Duffy (Hoban 84); Boyce (Mullen 60); Shamrock Rovers: McGinty; Matthews, Lopes, Cleary, Grant, O'Sullivan (Honohan 18), Byrne (McEneff 77), Nugent (Mandroiu), Burke (Watts 64), Greene (Noonan 64). Referee: Marc Lynch.
Irish Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Late Aaron McEneff goal nabs Shamrock Rovers win away to Derry
League of Ireland: Derry City 1 (Mullen 65) Shamrock Rovers 2 (Noonan 70, McEneff 89) Derry man Aaron McEneff came back to haunt his hometown club with a last gasp winning goal which sent Shamrock Rovers six points clear at the top. Substitutions on both sides influenced this cat and mouse encounter on Foyleside but it was Michael Noonan and McEneff who earned three vital points for the Hoops in the end. Derry haven't won against Rovers in the league in nine attempts but sub Danny Mullen's fifth goal of the season on 66 minutes put them firmly in the driving seat. That lead lasted less than six minutes as Noonan headed in from close range after Roberto Lopes' long range strike was turned on to the crossbar by Brian Maher. READ MORE Derry reacted well to that setback but it was a former hero turned villain at Brandywell, McEneff who had the last laugh with a 89th minute winner. Fellow sub, Danny Mandroiu threaded a pass through to Noonan who picked out McEneff's run towards the near post and he made no mistake. The midfielder was cautioned for his overzealous celebrations in front of the home support in the Southend Park stand to silence a record 5,000-plus attendance. That goal ensured a fifth consecutive win for Rovers and a seventh game unbeaten as the Dubliners ominously started shifting through the gears. Shamrock Rovers' Aaron Greene and Derry's Gavin Whyte. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho Derry started with promise and Michael Duffy was gifted possession inside the Rovers penalty area when Dan Cleary's attempted clearance fell kindly to the winger but his curling effort sailed harmlessly wide of the far post. Referee Marc Lynch was generous with his bookings and issued three contentious yellow cards inside eight first-half minutes to Boyce and Winchester and Rovers' defender O'Sullivan, who was replaced by Josh Honohan after just 18 minutes as Stephen Bradley wasted no time in turning to his bench. Derry carved open the Rovers defence with a neat pass into the feet of Whyte just inside the penalty area on 25 minutes and the ex-Portsmouth man glided past his man before picking out Boyce eight yards from goal. The striker's first time strike was deflected behind by Adam Matthews who recovered well. From the corner the ball eventually came to Ferguson in space at the back post but the full-back fired his effort wide of the target. Rovers' first shot on target arrived on 33 minutes after Ferguson's pass was intercepted inside his own half. Aaron Greene crossed low towards Graham Burke but his powerful strike was saved comfortably by Brian Maher. Rovers were bossing the ball at the start of the second half but it was Derry who broke the deadlock in devastating fashion on 66 minutes. Winchester won the ball from Byrne before finding McMullan on the right flank. The winger played a delicious pass to send his fellow Scot Mullen into space and the former Patrick Thistle striker finished expertly past Ed McGinty. Rovers' Josh Honohan and Derry's Shane Ferguson. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho That lead lasted less than six minutes as Roberto Lopes' ferocious strike from distance was turned on to the bar by Maher but substitute Noonan reacted to the rebound quickest and headed into the net from close range. McMullan and Mullen combined brilliantly again on 75 minutes but the latter couldn't get enough lift on the ball to guide it over the head of McGinty who snuffed out the danger. Matthews made an important block to deny Duffy's close range strike with nine minutes remaining as Derry went in search of a winner. Rovers issued a killer blow in the final minute when Mandroiu split the defence with a searching pass into Noonan who picked out the run of McEneff and the Derry man made no mistake with a clinical finish. Four minutes of stoppage time was signalled but Derry couldn't find an equaliser as their four match unbeaten run came to an abrupt end. Elsewhere Drogheda United earned a 1-0 win over Bohemians at Weavers Park to climb above Derry into second spot. St Pat's were held 2-2 in Inchicore by Waterford, Galway left it late to earn a 2-1 win against Cork while Shelbourne came from behind against Sligo Rovers to return to winning ways. DERRY CITY: Maher; Ferguson (Doherty 77 mins), Connolly, Holt, Cann, Todd; Whyte (McMullan 60), O'Reilly (Benson 84), Winchester, Duffy (Hoban 84); Boyce (Mullen 60). SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Matthews, Lopes, Cleary, Grant, O'Sullivan (Honohan 18 mins), Byrne (McEneff 77), Nugent (Mandroiu), Burke (Watts 64), Greene (Noonan 64). Referee: Marc Lynch.
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Super sub Aaron McEneff strikes late to complete Shamrock Rovers comeback against Derry City
Aaron McEneff struck a last-minute winner at the Brandywell to send Shamrock Rovers six points clear at the top of the Premier Division.
