Hope abounded this week that Damien Duff would return to the League of Ireland having announced he will leave Fulham this summer. Duff has previously alluded to a career swansong back home. However a hunger “to taste something new before I go back home” has put paid to ideas of an immediate return.
One of the leagues most high profile players, the similarly languid Stephen McPhail had expressed his hope of seeing the 35-year-old return home. With Duff’s roots in nearby Ballyboden, Shamrock Rovers would be, on paper, the logical destination. However another year will need to pass before that likelihood is confirmed.
It was a high foot that almost cost McPhail his place on the field in last weekend’s defeat to St.Patricks Athletic. McPhail was lucky to stay on the pitch when he caught Greg Bolger in the face. It was McPhail himself though who apologised immediately and whose body language infused calm into the situation. Sweltering tempers quickly subdued by an old head.
Another old head whose assuredness has reinvigorated his own career after a season of hellish proportions in 2012-13, is QPR’s Richard Dunne. Now 34, Dunne didn’t quite slip from Irish minds, but certainly the idea of his rock-esque presence in the Irish central defence had begun to erode, at least by installments with each injury recurrence or new injury.
His performances for Harry Redknapp’s side have seen composure and consistency that has aided the sides probable play-off spot. Ironically, it’s the consistently high discharge of his duties, that see his side in the play-offs that saw him make the decision last week to skip Ireland’s end of season tour to the US.
“Ideally I would have been available [for the tour], but with the play-offs going on for the extra three weeks, to come out of the season having played nearly 50 games ... I mean it’s important for the team to play together with Ireland and for the manager to see everyone playing together and that, but when September comes around I will be available.”
If Dunne’s absence were to open up an opportunity it could well be Damien Delaney who takes advantage after a string of sterling performances for a resurgent Crystal Palace. Tony Pulis’s influence and style has invigorated the London side and none more so then on Wednesday night when he was on hand to limit Everton’s 17 chances to two goals. Palace scored with nearly half of their own chances, winning 3-2. Delaney, a likeable straight talker with a rugged charisma, was resolute yet again in his sides latest victory.
It was victory in the semi-final of the FA Cup that saw Hull’s Irish contingent book themselves a final meeting with an Arsenal side who just about pulled an errant nail from the coffin-like aura surrounding Arsene Wenger’s future in their own win over Wigan. Hull dismissed Sheffield United in a thrilling Wembley victory. Stephen Quinn and David Meyler both scored to seal their fate.
David Meyler, earlier on Sunday, made the front page of the Sunday Sun - the Sunday version of the Newcastle Chronicle. Why? Alan Pardew had awarded blame to the local media for his team’s eleventh defeat since the beginning of the year.
The Papers response; “We’re so sorry: As Pardew blames the local Press for fans’ anger after disastrous form in 2014, your Sunday Sun would like to apologise for losing 3-0 to Sunderland, 4-0 to Manchester United, 4-0 to Southampton, 4-0 to Spurs, 3-0 to Chelsea, 3-0 to Everton, 2-0 to Manchester City, 1-0 to Fulham, 1-0 to Stoke, 1-0 to West Brom and 2-1 to Cardiff… oh, and for headbutting David Meyler too.”
Millwall might be getting little good press with the depressing slump that sees them still sit uncomfortably in the relegation zone of the Championship, but there was some good news on Thursday when Ireland’s number one David Forde was given a brief reason to forget the pressure that comes with playing behind a porous defence to win the Millwall Fan’s player of the year award. Last year Forde finished runner up to Nigerian centre back Danny Shittu. But his composure, positioning and governance of his area justifiably saw his efforts rewarded by the clubs supporters.
Forde’s former club Derry City and manager Roddy Collins will be hoping they have turned a corner of sorts after the 3-2 defeat of Athlone Town. It has been a stop-start return to club management for Collins and after the victory over Mick Cooke’s side the former Bohemian’s supremo will be hoping to recline his seat for the ascent. Collins started with a 4-1-3-2 attacking formation which paid the necessary dividends and contributed to an exciting game.
Northern Ireland international Rory Patterson scored the sides second and continues his rich vein of form for Derry. Patterson scored 86 goals in 113 appearances for F.C. United of Manchester when the breakaway club was formed in 2005 until his last performance in 2008. What the club, his then side broke away from, would do now for someone with a similar record.
