It’s been an excellent season for Ireland’s Brentford contingent.
Nathan Collins and Caoimhin Kelleher have both been regulars, with Keith Andrews’ side fighting for Europe.
A top-five finish and guaranteed Champions League football looks beyond them, as they are seven points adrift of Liverpool with five games to play.
But they are just two points off sixth-place Brighton, so they remain in the hunt for a Europa League/Conference League spot.
Everton are one point further back for the Bees, with Jake O’Brien a regular part of the Toffees’ defence. On the other hand, fellow Irish internationals Seamus Coleman (three appearances) and Mark Travers (0 appearances) have been peripheral figures.
It has been a season to forget for Josh Cullen and Matt Doherty, with both Burnley and Wolves’ relegations confirmed in the last week. Cullen’s campaign ended prematurely in December owing to an ACL injury. Doherty, meanwhile, who is out of contract this summer, has been limited to just 10 top-flight appearances, the last of which came on 3 March, with an injury restricting his playing time since.
Championship
Ryan Manning of Southampton. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
With runaway leaders Coventry (no Irish involvement) having already secured the title, it’s a tight race for second spot.
All four teams in contention for the automatic spot have Irish interest: Ipswich Town (Dara O’Shea, Jack Taylor, Kasey McAteer, all of whom have racked up plenty of minutes), Millwall (Danny McNamara, Will Smallbone, who have made 25 appearances between them), Southampton (Finn Azaz andRyan Manning have been regulars) and Middlesbrough (Alan Browne, Alex Gilbert, Darragh Lenihan, although the latter has played just twice this season owing to long-term, persistent injury problems and is expected to leave when his contract expires this summer).
Three teams can realistically hope to claim the final playoff spot. Wrexham have Thomas O’Connor on their books, but he has spent part of this season on loan at Peterborough before an injury curtailed his campaign.
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Hull are level on points with the Welsh side and sit outside the playoff places on goal difference. John Egan has been a key figure for The Tigers at centre-back.
Derby County, who have Sammie Szmodics on loan from Ipswich, can still mathematically make the playoffs, though it appears highly unlikely, as they trail Hull and Wrexham by four points with two games remaining.
At the other end of the table, Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday are going down, while Oxford United are almost certain to join them, even though it is not yet mathematically confirmed.
For the Owls, Gabriel Otegbayo and Tayo Adaramola (on loan from Crystal Palace) have racked up 48 appearances between them.
Aidomo Emakhu and Tyler Goodrham are both part of Oxford’s squad. However, the latter has not played since 1 January, and the former has lined out nine times since joining from Millwall in the January transfer window.
League One:
Johnny Kenny #9 of Bolton Wanderers F.C celebrates a goal. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Lincoln (Jack Moylan, James Collins, Josh Honohan, the latter is still awaiting a debut as he recovers from a long-term injury) and Cardiff (Callum Robinson, Joel Bagan) have already sealed promotion.
Currently in the playoff spots are Bolton (Johnny Kenny, Jack Bonham, Cyrus Christie, Lewis Temple, David Harrington – although only Kenny, Bonham and Christie have received playing time), Bradford (Tyreik Wright, Ciaran Kelly), Stockport (goalkeeper Andrew Wogan is on the books but is yet to make his debut, spending time on loan at Chester and Boston this season) and Stevenage (no Irish involvement)
Jack Wilshere’s Luton Town (Josh Keeley has been a regular) and Plymouth Argyle (Ronan Curtis and Owen Oseni have been important players) both still have an outside chance of making the play-offs.
Elsewhere, three of the relegation spots have all been confirmed.
The three going down are Rotherham (club captain Joe Rafferty, Emmanuel Adegboyega, although the latter has only made 10 appearances this season), Port Vale (Jordan Shipley) and Northampton (Conor McCarthy).
Exeter City (Pierce Sweeney, Jake Doyle-Hayes, Charlie Cummins) are in deep trouble and odds-on for the fourth spot.
But AFC Wimbledon (no Irish involvement), Leyton Orient (Aaron Connolly, Ollie O’Neill, Killian Cahill), Burton Albion (Ciaran Gilligan) and Peterborough United (Cian Hayes, David Okagbue) are not officially safe yet.
Bromley (no Irish involvement) have sealed their promotion.
Milton Keynes Dons (Liam Kelly, Scott Hogan) are virtually assured of joining them, as they need only a point from their final two games.
Salford City (Ryan Graydon) are in pole position to clinch the third automatic place, although they have played a game more than their rivals.
The playoff spots are currently occupied by Cambridge United (Shane McLoughlin, Glenn McConnell), Notts County (Conor Grant, Luke Browne), Swindon Town (League Two Player of the Season Aaron Drinan, Gavin Kilkenny) and Grimsby Town (Jaze Kabia, Darragh Burns, Reece Staunton).
Just a point off in eighth are Chesterfield (Sam Curtis, Dylan Duffy), while ninth-place Barnet (Emmanuel Osadebe) still have an outside chance of making it.
Harrogate Town (Brighton loanee Jacob Slater, Cathal Heffernan, Anthony O’Connor) and Barrow (Niall Canavan, Sam Foley, Killian Barrett) are level on 36 points in the relegation spots.
But Newport County (Ryan Delaney, Ciarán Brennan), Crawley Town (Justin Ferizaj, Louie Watson) and Tranmere Rovers (Lee O’Connor, Joe Murphy) have not yet confirmed their safety.
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What's at stake for Irish players as the English season reaches its climax?
Premier League:
It’s been an excellent season for Ireland’s Brentford contingent.
Nathan Collins and Caoimhin Kelleher have both been regulars, with Keith Andrews’ side fighting for Europe.
A top-five finish and guaranteed Champions League football looks beyond them, as they are seven points adrift of Liverpool with five games to play.
But they are just two points off sixth-place Brighton, so they remain in the hunt for a Europa League/Conference League spot.
Everton are one point further back for the Bees, with Jake O’Brien a regular part of the Toffees’ defence. On the other hand, fellow Irish internationals Seamus Coleman (three appearances) and Mark Travers (0 appearances) have been peripheral figures.
It has been a season to forget for Josh Cullen and Matt Doherty, with both Burnley and Wolves’ relegations confirmed in the last week. Cullen’s campaign ended prematurely in December owing to an ACL injury. Doherty, meanwhile, who is out of contract this summer, has been limited to just 10 top-flight appearances, the last of which came on 3 March, with an injury restricting his playing time since.
Championship
With runaway leaders Coventry (no Irish involvement) having already secured the title, it’s a tight race for second spot.
All four teams in contention for the automatic spot have Irish interest: Ipswich Town (Dara O’Shea, Jack Taylor, Kasey McAteer, all of whom have racked up plenty of minutes), Millwall (Danny McNamara, Will Smallbone, who have made 25 appearances between them), Southampton (Finn Azaz and Ryan Manning have been regulars) and Middlesbrough (Alan Browne, Alex Gilbert, Darragh Lenihan, although the latter has played just twice this season owing to long-term, persistent injury problems and is expected to leave when his contract expires this summer).
Three teams can realistically hope to claim the final playoff spot. Wrexham have Thomas O’Connor on their books, but he has spent part of this season on loan at Peterborough before an injury curtailed his campaign.
Hull are level on points with the Welsh side and sit outside the playoff places on goal difference. John Egan has been a key figure for The Tigers at centre-back.
Derby County, who have Sammie Szmodics on loan from Ipswich, can still mathematically make the playoffs, though it appears highly unlikely, as they trail Hull and Wrexham by four points with two games remaining.
At the other end of the table, Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday are going down, while Oxford United are almost certain to join them, even though it is not yet mathematically confirmed.
For the Owls, Gabriel Otegbayo and Tayo Adaramola (on loan from Crystal Palace) have racked up 48 appearances between them.
Aidomo Emakhu and Tyler Goodrham are both part of Oxford’s squad. However, the latter has not played since 1 January, and the former has lined out nine times since joining from Millwall in the January transfer window.
League One:
Lincoln (Jack Moylan, James Collins, Josh Honohan, the latter is still awaiting a debut as he recovers from a long-term injury) and Cardiff (Callum Robinson, Joel Bagan) have already sealed promotion.
Currently in the playoff spots are Bolton (Johnny Kenny, Jack Bonham, Cyrus Christie, Lewis Temple, David Harrington – although only Kenny, Bonham and Christie have received playing time), Bradford (Tyreik Wright, Ciaran Kelly), Stockport (goalkeeper Andrew Wogan is on the books but is yet to make his debut, spending time on loan at Chester and Boston this season) and Stevenage (no Irish involvement)
Jack Wilshere’s Luton Town (Josh Keeley has been a regular) and Plymouth Argyle (Ronan Curtis and Owen Oseni have been important players) both still have an outside chance of making the play-offs.
Elsewhere, three of the relegation spots have all been confirmed.
The three going down are Rotherham (club captain Joe Rafferty, Emmanuel Adegboyega, although the latter has only made 10 appearances this season), Port Vale (Jordan Shipley) and Northampton (Conor McCarthy).
Exeter City (Pierce Sweeney, Jake Doyle-Hayes, Charlie Cummins) are in deep trouble and odds-on for the fourth spot.
But AFC Wimbledon (no Irish involvement), Leyton Orient (Aaron Connolly, Ollie O’Neill, Killian Cahill), Burton Albion (Ciaran Gilligan) and Peterborough United (Cian Hayes, David Okagbue) are not officially safe yet.
League Two
Bromley (no Irish involvement) have sealed their promotion.
Milton Keynes Dons (Liam Kelly, Scott Hogan) are virtually assured of joining them, as they need only a point from their final two games.
Salford City (Ryan Graydon) are in pole position to clinch the third automatic place, although they have played a game more than their rivals.
The playoff spots are currently occupied by Cambridge United (Shane McLoughlin, Glenn McConnell), Notts County (Conor Grant, Luke Browne), Swindon Town (League Two Player of the Season Aaron Drinan, Gavin Kilkenny) and Grimsby Town (Jaze Kabia, Darragh Burns, Reece Staunton).
Just a point off in eighth are Chesterfield (Sam Curtis, Dylan Duffy), while ninth-place Barnet (Emmanuel Osadebe) still have an outside chance of making it.
Harrogate Town (Brighton loanee Jacob Slater, Cathal Heffernan, Anthony O’Connor) and Barrow (Niall Canavan, Sam Foley, Killian Barrett) are level on 36 points in the relegation spots.
But Newport County (Ryan Delaney, Ciarán Brennan), Crawley Town (Justin Ferizaj, Louie Watson) and Tranmere Rovers (Lee O’Connor, Joe Murphy) have not yet confirmed their safety.
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Championship dara o'shea EFL League One fyi Irish Players Soccer