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Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Drogheda United assistant manager Daire Doyle confident squad is strong enough to handle a heavy schedule
The SSE Airtricity League clubs went into the hat alongside the first-round winners at the Sport Ireland campus in Abbotstown on Thursday and with three teams left in the pot it looked like Drogheda and the team they beat in last year's final, Derry City, might be set for an immediate rematch. However, that proved not to be the case, the Drogs got the home draw they craved and Leinster Senior League outfit Crumlin - the last team to be pulled out of the hat - will be the visitors to Sullivan & Lambe Park next month. The tie will take place the week before Drogheda play the first leg of their Uefa Conference League tie - subject to the club being permitted to take their place in that competition - but Doyle doesn't seem too concerned about a potential fixture pile-up. 'I don't think having the FAI Cup will test our resources,' he said. 'We play a league match on July 4 and we don't play the following week and then the cup match is fixed for the 18th. So it's before that run of games (around the Uefa Conference League) and we will be fine as regards bodies. 'We are hoping that we can go well in the cup again. Winning it last year has been huge for the club. The strong finish we had to last season gave us momentum that we carried into this year and it put belief into the group that we have. A lot of the lads that played in the cup final are still with us.' As for the challenge posed by Crumlin, Doyle is very familiar with the Leinster Senior League as his son Jack plays for Home Farm and he feels Drogheda could be found wanting if they under-estimate the challenge Crumlin will bring. 'I think when you look at it on paper, Crumlin are a strong side and they've had some good runs in the cup in the last couple of years and they've a lot of experience there. 'They're certainly a team we won't be taking lightly and it's a potential banana skin if you don't give it your full attention and do your homework, but we're delighted that we've been drawn at home.' With that tie more than a month away, though, all thoughts of another cup run have been parked as Drogheda are now preparing for a return to league duties, starting with a trip to face St Patrick's Athletic this Friday. ADVERTISEMENT 'We've a busy run of Friday/Monday games coming up and I don't think our attentions can get away from that, so we have to focus on that and see what happens after,' said Doyle. 'It's about getting back on the pitch and focusing on the next game against St Pat's. 'We've picked up some good points on the first few months and got ourselves into a good position and the challenge for us for the rest of the season is to maintain that and push on and continue to put in them performances and if we can do that then we should be in a good position come the end of the season.'
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Drogheda confident of claiming Euro place despite uncertainty
Uncertainty over Drogheda United's place in the Uefa Conference League hasn't affected their players, according to assistant manager Daire Doyle. A first-ever FAI Cup success for the Louth club last November was decorated by qualification directly into the second round of Europe's third competition at the second round stage. That guaranteed minimum €525,000 windfall in prize-money and their participation in the draw on June 18 is in jeopardy due to rules around multi-club ownership. Uefa forbid clubs with the same owners facing each other in competition for sporting integrity purposes and the latest club in the stable of Trivela, Silkeborg IK, also recently qualified from the Danish league. Crystal Palace are facing similar obstacles due to John Textor's stakes in Lyon and the American is prepared to sell his 25% shareholding to facilitate the first foray into Europe for the FAI Cup holders. That isn't so simple in the case of Drogs, who are 100% owned by the American investors. They recently purchased 80% of Silkeborg IK, outlining the difficulty of divestment. 'I'm confident we'll be in the draw and get to play in Europe because the club deserves it,' said Kevin Doherty's assistant Doyle. 'I know club officials travelled to Uefa and they have proposed a solution. We're all hoping for a positive outcome. 'If something was to happen all of sudden, to be honest it could be up in the air. We'll have to deal with that if it arises over the next week but I'm confident.' Doyle was speaking at the draw for the second round of the FAI Cup, which pits the holders against non-league Crumlin United. A yearly improvement in Ireland's European coefficient means this year's winners will enter the Europa League, guaranteeing a backdoor into the Conference and a minimum prize pot of €700,000. Drogs are currently second behind Shamrock Rovers at the midway point but Doyle admits the new Cup bonus makes it most favourable. 'I suppose it is because the league runner-up only qualifies for the Conference,' he admitted. Meanwhile, Cork City will face non-league Leicester Celtic – one of Damien Duff's former clubs - in the second round to be played on the weekend of July 20. Newly crowned FAI senior player of the year Robbie Brady helped conduct the draw and pulled out a Premier Division tie for the St Mochta's team his brother Liam is part of. Fresh from winning the Leinster Senior League on Wednesday night, they will travel to face Waterford. Munster Senior League outfit University College Cork are also on the road, taking on 2023 winners St Patrick's Athletic. Cobh Ramblers make the trip to Leinster Senior League opposition in Bangor Celtic, as do Bohemians against Killester/Donnycarney. The final will take at Lansdowne Road on November 9. In the Women's FAI Cup, holders Shelbourne face a tricky tie against Galway United while there's another top-flight clash between Cork City and Peamount United. Men's FAI Cup draw: Shamrock Rovers v Wexford FC Dundalk v Sligo Rovers Fairview Rangers v Shelbourne Kerry FC v Athlone Town. Cork City v Leicester Celtic. Finn Harps v UCD. St Patrick's Athletic v University College Cork. Salthill Devon v St Michael's Tipperary. Galway United v Tolka Rovers. Bray Wanderers v Wayside Celtic. Bangor Celtic v Cobh Ramblers. Castlebar Celtic v Longford Town. Killester Donnycarney v Bohemians. Waterford v St Mochta's. Treaty United v Derry City. Drogheda United v Crumlin United. Women's FAI Cup first round draw: Wexford v Bohemians Cork City v Peamount United Treaty United v Ferns United Newbridge Town v Whitehall Rangers Shelbourne v Galway United Athlone Town v Terenure Rangers Shamrock Rovers v Waterford Sligo Rovers v DLR Waves Ties to be held the week-ending June 29
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Cork City to host Leicester Celtic in FAI Cup
Cork City will face non-league Leicester Celtic – one of Damien Duff's former clubs - in the second round of the FAI Cup following today's draw. Robbie Brady pulled out his brother's St Mochta's team against Waterford while University College Cork will travel to take on 2023 champions St Patrick's Athletic. Cobh Ramblers make the trip to Leinster Senior League opposition in Bangor Celtic, as do Bohemians against Killester/Donnycarney. Ties to be played on week ending July 20. The final will take at Lansdowne Road on November 9. Men's FAI Cup draw: Shamrock Rovers v Wexford FC Dundalk v Sligo Rovers Fairview Rangers v Shelbourne Kerry FC v Athlone Town Cork City v Leicester Celtic Finn Harps v UCD St Patrick's Athletic v University College Cork Salthill Devon v St Michael's Tipperary Galway United v Tolka Rovers Bray Wanderers v Wayside Celtic Bangor Celtic v Cobh Ramblers Castlebar Celtic v Longford Town Killester Donnycarney v Bohemians Waterford v St Mochta's Treaty United v Derry City Drogheda United v Crumlin United Read More 'I wouldn't mind losing both friendlies if we won both qualifiers' - Hallgrímsson sets out his stall
Irish Daily Mirror
03-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish football figure faces possible 10 years behind bars after drugs conviction
This well-known Irish football figure is facing the possibility of a decade behind bars after he was convicted over a massive drugs haul. Andrew Noonan, a former manager of Leinster Senior League team Bluebell United, was convicted yesterday of possessing €2.77 million worth of heroin in west Dublin almost five years ago. Mr Noonan, 45, with an address at Redhills Park, Ellistown, Co Kildare had denied the charges but was convicted after a jury trial. Judge Elma Sheahan remanded Mr Noonan in custody for sentencing on May 16. He was found guilty of possessing drugs with intent to supply. That can carry a sentence of 10 years or more. He was also found guilty of simple possession, as well as possession of an article intended for use in connection with a drug-trafficking offence. The charges related to an operation involving the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and Revenue Customs in the Rosemount Business Park, Dublin 11, on August 5, 2020. They seized heroin worth €2.77 million in the operation and Noonan and former footballer Keith Quinn were both arrested and charged. Quinn, 37, received a package containing the heroin at his place of work in the industrial estate, before meeting with Noonan and delivering it to another address - where they were arrested. In 2021, Quinn - who was a former player for Sheffield United - pleaded guilty to the charges and was jailed for four years. That was later raised to seven years after an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions. His sentencing heard that Quinn, of Monastery Gate Avenue in Clondalkin, west Dublin was a "conduit" in the drug enterprise and was targeted because of a gambling debt he had amassed. Speaking after the seizure Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis said: "The outcome of cooperation between Revenue and Customs and An Garda Síochána, has resulted in the seizure of a significant quantity of heroin from circulation within communities that are suffering the consequences of drug trafficking".
