Updated at 20.45
IT’S THAT TIME of the week again as we look back on the weekend’s SSE Airtricity League action. Our team of reporters pick out the talking points from the latest round of fixtures.
Derry find a new lease of life
It’s been a difficult campaign for Derry City, but a couple of wins ensures the Candystripes are feeling good about themselves again.
The return of Paul Hegarty to the backroom staff is a significant coup. So too is the fact that the Derry squad has been bolstered by some interesting transfer window additions.
At Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday, Derry were far too classy and clinical for a jaded Galway United. The impact made by on loan attacker Ciaran O’Connor alongside the smashing Mark Timlin was dramatic.
“Young Ciaran O’Connor just ran himself into the ground, he gave us a spark and he was very aggressive,” Hutton smiled afterwards.
It was an accurate assessment as Derry followed up their convincing success over Longford Town.
- Cian O’Connell
But Dundalk continue to stumble
The champions have won just one game in their last six in all competitions. It’s their worst run of results since Stephen Kenny took over in December 2012. Now, two of those matches were against BATE in the Champions League while others included a depleted side’s scoreless draw in EA Sports Cup semi-final and the home draw against Cork.
They’ve looked a little one dimensional of late. Too many players aren’t reaching the high standards that they themselves have set over the last two years. With Cork and Pats looking re-energised, Dundalk need to rediscover their zip and zest.
- Barry Landy
Pat’s are on a roll
Eight wins in a row for St Patrick’s Athletic means they have finally put some distance between themselves and Shamrock Rovers in the chase for the final European spot, although the Hoops do have a game in hand.
Winning in Tallaght twice in five days obviously pleased Liam Buckley, and he praised young Jamie McGrath who led the line in both games, but they will need Christy Fagan back in their starting XI and scoring goals if they are to make a late push.
For Rovers, both games against Pat’s last week in the EA Sports Cup and the league showed how they can be contained when you match them in midfield.
That being said, had Mikey Drennan taken one of the three chances he had when he came off the bench, they could have easily taken something from Friday’s game.
A lack of a definitive date for the return of Keith Fahey and Stephen McPhail, and the debut of Damien Duff, must also be frustrating Pat Fenlon and the Tallaght faithful, but they certainly have enough to at least push the Saints for third place.
- Simon Walsh
Optimism abounds in Limerick
Four points. That, and a nice chunk of goal difference is all that separates Limerick from Sligo Rovers. Limerick hadn’t won a single game in 21 attempts, and have now won back to back home ties to give themselves hope. The pieces are falling into place.
There’s more experience in the team, there’s a slight change in formation that suits key players and the atmosphere at the Market’s Field is electric now.
Tom, Dick and Harry have been dug – Limerick might just make it out the other end.
- Andrew Cunneen
The race is on
The race for the title is far from over now as Cork are just four points within leaders Dundalk. Dundalk failed to beat Longford on Friday night, meaning that they would have been hoping for a Sligo victory. Cork have had their critics, many have written them off already, but it would take a fool to write them off now as they continue to keep up the pressure on Stephen Kenny’s side at the top. With just four points separating the two now, things have become a whole lot more interesting. Just ten games remain in the league this year, and could it be enough time for Cork to move to the top? Of course it could. No-one can predict what will happen here.
- Jessica Farry
