Shamrock Rovers were crowned League of Ireland champions on Friday night for the sixth time in seven seasons, and for the 23rd time overall, after they beat Sligo Rovers 4-0 at Tallaght Stadium. Any hope Bohemians had of putting pressure on the Hoops in the final round of games on Friday next, were ended when Shelbourne won 1-0 in what was the last League game under the old floodlights at Dalymount Park. So another league title for the Hoops and number six for 41-year-old Stephen Bradley, who was appointed Rovers manager in November 2016.
Shelbourne, then managed by Damien Duff, ended Rovers hopes of a five in a row in 2024, but The Hoops bounced back last year and continued their dominance this season. Shels, who had ended St Pat’s hopes when they won 2-1 in Inchicore two weeks back, did the same to Bohs on Friday night, taking all three points thanks to a late goal from former Irish under 21 international Mipo Odubeko.
Sligo Rovers are already relegated and Drogheda United now seem certain to be in a play-off with the club that wins the First Division play-off. The Drogs were beaten 3-1 by Waterford at the RSC on Friday night and that completes a brilliant recovery for The Blues, who were in danger of automatic relegation prior to the appointment of Dubliner Graham Coughlan as manager back in early May.
UNDER 21S FOR
TURNER’S CROSS
The Republic of Ireland under 21 team are going to stick with Turner’s Cross for their European championship play-off against Finland next month. Following that historic 3-1 win over England in Cork earlier this month, the FAI has now confirmed that the second leg of the European championship play-off against Finland will be played at Turner’s Cross on Nov. 17. The first leg will be played on Nov. 13 at the Tammelan Stadium in Tampere.
COMO DOWN UNITED
Manchester United’s 4-1 defeat away to Como in midweek was the big talking point from the Champions League games in midweek, as the Red Devils suffered one of the worst European nights against Como to pile the pressure on beleaguered manager Michael Carrick. Eight days after conceding in the first minute to Atletico Madrid, United’s defenses were breached after 118 seconds as brilliant Argentina playmaker Nico Paz scored the first of his double. It meant United became the first English team in history to concede in the first two minutes of consecutive major European matches, something no-one at Old Trafford wants to be associated with. When United last won the Champions League in 2008, Como were in Serie D. It is a measure of the different directions the respective clubs are heading in that this was about as comprehensive a victory and as one-sided a match as it is possible to imagine. And after losing 3-0 at home to Bournemouth in the EPL on Sunday, it looks like Carrick will be sacked very soon.
Better news for the other Manchester club where Phil Foden scored a hat-trick as City beat AEK Athens 5-1 at the Etihad. Aston Villa won again, beating Viking 3-1 at Villa Park and Declan Rice scored a late equalizer for Arsenal as they drew 2-2 away to Bayern Munich. Alexis MacAllister scored twice in Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Villarreal at Anfield to send the ‘Pool level on points with PSG at the top of the Champions League table after three rounds of games.
In the Europa League Bournemouth ran out comfortable winners at home to 10-man AC Milan to maintain their perfect start in the competition. Penalties from Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier, and a late free-kick from substitute Amine Adli, helped the Cherries to a dominant victory over the seven-time European Cup winners. It was Milan manager Ruben Amorim’s first match in England since his sacking by Manchester United in January.
LOI results: Bohemians 0, Shelbourne 1; Derry City 2, Dundalk 1; Galway 0, St Patrick’s Ath 0; Shamrock Rov 4, Sligo Rov 0; Waterford 3 Drogheda 1.
