Had Boots Did Travel: Irish Abroad (w/e February February 3 2019)

League goal number 11 of the season for David McGoldrick, James Collins’ 18^th and an FA Cup strike for Ruesha Littlejohn were the highlights for the Irish abroad this weekend.

72 Republic of Ireland-qualified players were in action in the top four English leagues and the Women’s FA Cup this weekend.

The weather played havoc with the fixture list in the UK this weekend, meaning just 65 men’s players lined out in the top four divisions in England, scoring five times.

In the FA Cup, games also fell foul of the weather but seven Irish players nonetheless saw action, scoring once.

There were eight involved in the Premier League, 22 in the Championship, 20 in League One and just 15 in League Two, which was worst-hit by the weather.

Of those, 27 players came from a League of Ireland background: three in the Premier League, eight in the Championship, ten in League One and six in League Two.

Five of the six Irish players to appear in the FA Cup have roots in the Women’s National League.

Premier League

Shane Duffy played 90 minutes in defence and kept a clean sheet as Brighton & Hove Albion shared the points with Watford at the Amex Stadium.

Jeff Hendrick started as Burnley left it late to snatch a draw with Southampton. Robbie Brady came off the bench for Burnley, as did Shane Long for the Saints.

Cyrus Christie started and conceded a penalty for handball as Fulham were comfortably beaten 2-0 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Matt Doherty came off the better in the battle of Ireland’s right-backs, winning a penalty as Wolverhampton Wanderers saw off Seamus Coleman’s Everton 3-1 at Goodison Park.

And Declan Rice played 90 minutes as West Ham United held Liverpool to a 1-1 draw at the Olympic Stadium.

Women’s FA Cup

Ruesha Littlejohn scored the second goal in London Bees’ 2-0 win over Leicester City at Farley Way Stadium.

There were starts for Louise Quinn and Katie McCabe as Arsenal breezed past Crawley Wasps 4-0.

Megan Connolly made her debut for Brighton & Hove Albion but couldn’t prevent the Eagles from falling to a 2-0 defeat at home to Manchester United.

Leanne Kiernan continued her comeback from injury with a second-half introduction in West Ham’s 3-1 win over

Former Peamount United striker Heather Payne got a start in defence as Bristol City eased past AFC Wimbledon with a 3-0 win.

Emma Beckett’s first Tottenham Hotspur start was a winning one as the north London club saw off south London rivals Crystal Palace 3-0.

Championship

Callum O’Dowda scored his second goal in two matches, and fourth of the season, as Bristol City eased past in-form Swansea City 2-0.

And David McGoldrick notched his 11^th league goal to set Sheffield United, for whom John Egan and Enda Stevens started, on their way to a 2-0 win over Luca Connell’s Bolton.

Keiren Westwood started and kept a clean sheet as Sheffield Wednesday kicked off Steve Bruce’s reign with a 1-0 win at Ipswich Town, for whom Alan Judge started and Will Keane was a second-half sub.

No goals but three Irish starters as Preston North End were held at home by Derby County, Sean Maguire and Alan Browne starting for Preston and Richard Keogh for Derby.

Darren Randolph played the full 90 minutes in goal for Middlesbrough as the Smoggies edged out West Bromwich Albion 3-2 at the Hawthorns.

Anthony Pilkington started and Darron Gibson was a second-half sub as Wigan Athletic ran out 2-1 winners over QPR, for whom Ryan Manning was a late introduction.

Daryl Murphy started and played 60 minutes as Nottingham Forest fell to a 2-0 defeat to Birmingham City at St Andrew’s.

Darragh Lenihan played 90 minutes as Blackburn Rovers saw their 2-0 lead evaporate and turn into a 5-2 defeat away to Brentford.

James McClean played the full game as Stoke City were comprehensively beaten 2-0 by Hull City at the KCOM Stadium.

Shaun Williams started for Millwall and Richie Towell was a late sub for Rotherham United as the sides played out a scoreless draw at the Den.

Glenn Whelan and Conor Hourihane started as Aston Villa were held to a goalless draw by Reading at the Madjeski Stadium.

League One

Aiden McGeady’s eighth goal of the season was enough for Sunderland to seal a 1-0 win over Dylan Connolly’s Wimbledon, a  result that lifts the Black Cats to fourth.

A brace from League One’s top scorer James Collins brought him to 18 for the season, while Alan McCormack also started, as Luton Town beat Collin’s old club Shrewbsbury 3-0.

Stephen Quinn started for Burton Albion and fellow midfielder Samir Carruthers was a second-half sub for Oxford United as the sides played out a 0-0 draw.

Ryan Delaney completed the 90 minutes as Rochdale fought their way to a 2-1 victory away at Walsall, a result that lifted them out of the relegation zone.

Graham Burke and Mark Byrne started for Gillingham, while David Meyler and Jordan Shipley started for Coventry City, as they drew 1-1 at the Ricoh Arena.

Ex-Derry City striker Ronan Curtis couldn’t add to his ten league goals but played 90 minutes as Portsmouth rescued a 1-1 draw at home to Doncaster Rovers.

Paddy Madden played 90 minutes as Fleetwood Town won 1-0 at home to Charlton Athletic, for whom Josh Cullen also completed the full game.

Former St Patrick’s Athletic goalkeeper Conor O’Malley couldn’t prevent Peterborough United falling to a 1-0 defeat to Graham Carey and Niall Canavan’s Plymouth Argyle.

Anthony O’Connor and Eoin Doyle started, while Billy Clarke was a second-half sub, as Bradford City were held to a scoreless draw at Wycombe Wanderers.

League Two

Dara O’Shea and Pierce Sweeney played the full game in defence as Exeter City eased past MK Dons 3-1 to maintain their play-off position.

Joe Murphy, Eoghan O’Connell and Jay O’Shea all started as automatic promotion-chasing Bury were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Crawley Town.

Rene Gilmartin started in goal as Colchester United thrashed Northampton Town, who had John-Joe O’Toole in the first 11, 4-0 to get their play-off challenge back on track.

Bottom-placed Notts County handed a debut to Michael Doyle as they hosted top-of-the-table Lincoln City, who had Lee Frecklington started, and kept them to a 1-1 draw.

Padraig Amond was a second-half substitute as Newport County fell to a heavy 3-0 defeat away to Grimsby Town.

Former Waterford striker Courtney Duffus made his Yeovil Town debut off the bench as the Somerset club were beaten 1-0 at Michael Timlin’s Stevenage.

Ryan Sweeney started for second-placed Mansfield Town as they overcame Macclesfield Town, for whom Kieran O’Hara and Fiachre Kelleher started, 3-1.

Scottish Premiership

Colin Doyle, Conor Shaughnessy and Jake Mulraney started,with Mulraney bagging the crucial assist, as Hearts beat Gary Dicker and Alan Power’s Kilmarnock 2-1.

Former Dundalk striker David McMillan made his Hamilton Academical debut from the bench in their 1-1 draw with Dundee, for whom John O’Sullivan was also a late sub.

Tommie Hoban started and Stephen Gleeson was a second-half substitute as Aberdeen recorded a 2-1 win away to Hibernian.

St Johnstone were captained by Joe Shaughnessy as the Perth club were beaten 2-0 by league leaders Celtic at McDiarmid Park.

Charles Dunne played 90 minutes for Motherwell as they easily saw of Livingston 3-0 at Fir Park.

Rest of the World

Former Cork City striker Roy O’Donovan scored twice as Newcastle Jets demolished West Sydney Wanderers 5-1 on their own patch.

Andy Keogh scored Perth Glory’s third goal in a 3-0 win over Wellington Phoenix, for whom Cillian Sheridan was a second-half sub.

Dan Crowley played 90 minutes in midfield but couldn’t prevent Willem II from falling to a 2-1 defeat at home to Groningen.