The Saint (Vol 33 #4)

2021 Season • Premier Division • Vol. 33 • No. 04 Fri 30 April • Richmond Park, Inchicore, D8 • KO:5.45PM

Sam Bone

Editorial

Ronan O’Flaherty

Ruairi Kavanagh

@stpatsprogramme

Welcome to our fourth edition of the season, and

fans on movies, books and other recommen-

we have almost reached the end of the first series

dations. It's another way of building a community

of games. We find ourselves in a position that we

within our fanbase and if you would like to get

probably, to be fair, did not expect when the

involved in this, or any other aspect of the

season kicked off, and to be top is something that

programme, please get in touch by email at

is richly deserved. We have a group of players

stpatsprogramme@gmail.com or on twitter

who are clearly relishing the challenge and taking

@stpatsprogramme.

each game in their stride.

The recent sight of over 7000 fans in Wembley for This is the first of two home games in a week for

the League Cup final gave some glimmers of hope

the Saints, so it's busy times for the programme

that there is a path out of the current malaise that

too! I'm glad to say we have put together another

we are in, and that brighter days are likely not too

packed issue, with loads that would be of interest

far away. The thoughts of printing The Saint again

to Saints fans, Irish football fans and footy fans in

may well be a reality sooner than we think, and

general! We have some great material from

while I love the digital format, I know a lot of fans

Dermot Looney on how the club fared in the early

relish the return of their more conventional

forties, and also a piece commemorating the 50th

matchday programme. When the time is right we

anniversary of our FAI Cup win. There's some

will be only too happy to oblige.

great archival material which I think you will definitely enjoy. We also have a list of other great

Enjoy the game and come on the Saints.

contributions, history, anecdotes, personal stories, comment and opinion and a whole lot more. We

Ruairi Kavanagh Editor

also have a new culture corner in this issue, courtesy of John Keegan, which canvasses Saints

The Saint

Contents 10

Dodges Data

38

Eurozone

19

On This Day

42

On the Spot

22

Supersaints

48

Local Heroes

26

FAI Cup1961

56

Culture Corner

Programme Production Editor Ruairi Kavanagh

Design Joe O’Rourke

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

Photo Sportsfile & Inpho 3

Fáilte Tá áthas orainn fáilte a chur roimh mbainistíocht, imreoirí agus lucht tacaíochta Chlub Pheile Baile Longfort go Phairc Richmond anocht.

Welcome We are pleased to welcome the management, players and supporters of Longford Town Football Club to Richmond Park tonight.

Tonight’s Squads

President’s Welcome

St Patrick’s Athletic

Longford Town

Tom O’Mahony

Manager:

Manager:

Alan Mathews

Head Coach: Stephen O’Donnell

2 John Mountney

D

3 Ian Bermingham

D

4 Sam Bone

D

o

4 Aaron Robinson

5 Lee Desmond

D

o

6 Jamie Lennon

M

o

6 Dean Zambra

M

o

7 Robbie Benson

M

o

7 Dylan Grimes

F

o

8 Chris Forrester

M

o

8 Robert Manley

F

o

o

9 Aaron Dobbs

F

o

1 Lee Steacy

GK o

o

2 Shane Elworthy

D

o

o

3 Patrick Kirk

D

o

M

o

5 Michael McDonnell D

o

10 Ronan Coughlan

F

o

10 Sam Verdon

F

o

11 Jay McClellend

F

o

11 Callum Thompson

F

o

12 Matty Smith

F

o

12 Aaron O Driscoll

D

o

15 Billy King

F

o

14 Aaron Bolger

M

o

16 Alfie Lewis

M

o

15 Aaron McCabe

F

o

17 Darragh Burns

F

o

16 Aodh Dervin

M

o

18 Ben McCormack

M

o

17 Matthew O Brien

M

o

20 Shane Griffin

D

o

18 Luke Dennison

GK o

21 Barry Murphy

GK o

19 Karl Chambers

M

o

25 Josh Keeley

GK o

20 Dean Byrne

F

o

28 Cian Kelly

D

o

21 Aaron McNally

D

o

29 Paddy Barrett

D

o

22 Joseph Manley

D

o

31 Kian Corbally

M

o

23 Ben Lynch

D

o

Daniel Norris

M

o

24 Callum Warfield

F

o

Jamie Whelan

M

o

25 Conor Davis

F

o

26 Thomas McLaughlin M

stpatsfc /stpatsfc

Match Officials

/stpatsfctv

Referee Ray Matthews

stpatsfc.com

4

Asst Manager: John Martin

GK o

/stpatsfc

info@stpatsfc.com

Good Evening

Daire Doyle

1 Vítězslav Jaroš

9 Nahum Marvin-Lambert F

Half-Time

Assistant 1 Wayne McDonnell

Full-Time

o

30 Michael Kelly

GK o

32 Joe Gorman

D

Assistant 2 Trevor Cotter

@jimmyedwards41

o

4th Official Adriano Reale

MOTM

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

Good evening and welcome back (virtually) to Richmond Park for this evening's visit of Longford Town. I want to extend a warm welcome to their players and officials. It's great to have them back in the Premier Division.

when Richie Towell arrives in the summer. It will be no surprise if they go on to better last season by winning a title over a full season.

It's just seven weeks since the various pundits were making their forecasts for how the season would pan out, and there was a remarkable degree of consistency. Almost every one of them saw the title challengers as being the same three as last year, with no team other than Shamrock Rovers, Dundalk and Bohemians featuring in any predictions. We are, of course, still in the early stages of the season and much can change in the coming months, but anyone who still sees either Dundalk or Bohs as realistic challengers should pay a visit to their local bookmaker where they will be welcomed with open arms.

The team sitting proudly on top of the table, unforeseen by any of the experts, has gone quietly and efficiently about its business. Built on the most solid of defences, with steel and flair in midfield and a newfound cutting edge up front, it has never yet trailed in a match and but for two last-gasp equalisers would still boast a 100% record. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you St Patrick's Athletic, the pride of Inchicore and West Dublin.

On the evidence to date, the threehorse race will be between ourselves and the two Rovers. As it happens, we play both in our next two fixtures, which should give us a better picture of our prospects, but as of now we are strong second favourites and it would be very hard to dispute that. Shamrock Rovers have carried on where they left off in terms of picking up results although not quite with the dominant performances that earned them the title in last year's half-season. They have had the resources to assemble an exceptional squad which will be even stronger

And yet...

Can we sustain it? That's a big ask but there seems to be a quiet confidence in the squad that we go into each match expecting to win. Of course, this is the most competitive of leagues, and the day you take a game for granted is the day you come a cropper. Tonight's opponents may be 12 points behind us, but they have already drawn with Bohs and Harps, beaten Derry and only lost to both Rovers by one-goal margins.

They will not be pushovers and if we are to come out on top we will have to maintain the very high standards we've reached in recent weeks.

Enjoy the game.

Tom O'Mahony President St Patrick's Athletic FC

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC FOOTBALL CLUB Richmond Park 125 Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8, Ireland Tel: +353 1 454 6332 Fax: +353 1 454 6211 For media enquiries, please email press@stpatsfc.com Opening Hours: 9.30am-5pm (Mon-Fri).

See our facebook page for additional opening hours on match days.

HONOURS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 1951/52, 1954/55, 1955/56, 1989/90, 1995/96, 1997/98, 1998/99, 2001/02, 2013 FAI CUP 1958/59, 1960/61, 2014 LEAGUE CUP 2000/01, 2003, 2015, 2016 PRESIDENT'S CUP 2014 LEINSTER SENIOR CUP 1947/48, 1982/83, 1986/87, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1999/2000, 2011, 2014, 2019 LOISHIELD 1959/60 FAI SUPER CUP 1999 DUBLIN CITY CUP 1953/54, 1955/56, 1975/76 LFA PRESIDENT'S CUP 1952/53, 1953/54, 1955/56, 1971/72, 1990/91, 1996/97 FAI INTERMEDIATE CUP 1947/48, 1948/49, 1952/53 (Reserves) FAI JUNIOR CUP 1940/41 FAI YOUTH CUP 1944/45

5

The Dugout

Ronan O’Flaherty

Alan Mathews & Stephen O’Donnell

We have emerged from last week's busy schedule with seven points out of nine points on offer, which is a credit to the players.

Had a little bit of luck gone our way, it might

After a hectic schedule of three games in six

have been nine out of nine, but we're not

days, we have now had a week without a game,

complaining. Momentum is important in

which was welcome. You need that time to take

football, so it's also pleasing that the team has

a step back and process where you are. Now

maintained the positive start to the season.

that we have been afforded that bit of time and space, we are keen to get going again. The

We were pleased with the performance in the last home game against Waterford. The team had plenty of possession and worked some good opportunities, but one goal was enough.

The scoreline could have been a bit more

intensity of training is a really positive thing.

From the perspective of a head coach or manager, it can make team selection tricky when everyone is performing at a high level, but it's a welcome headache.

comfortable, but the win was the most important thing.

It is now well over a year since we last played in front of supporters at Richmond Park. We

We took the momentum from the victory against Waterford into last Friday's game against Finn Harps in Ballybofey. Harps have started off really well and we knew it would be difficult. They work hard and don't give you much time on the ball. We stuck to our principles and it paid off with the 2-0 victory.

This evening we welcome Longford Town to Inchicore. Daire Doyle's team did very well to

OUR GAME IS ON THE BALL

secure promotion to the Premier Division. It is a much stronger squad than it is perhaps given

imagine that the fan experience has been a peculiar one, although it is good that the games are at least accessible to watch online. Of course, it's still far from ideal; we don't want you watching the games online and we continue to look forward to the day when you can return.

We don’t know when that will be, but there seems to be a feeling of positivity around, so hopefully it will be sooner than we all think. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy.

Enjoy the game,

credit for. We have identified areas where they offer particular threats and the plan is to cut out

Stephen O'Donnell and Alan Mathews

those threats, while of course focusing on our

UMBRO TEAMWEAR

TO FIND OUT MORE VISIT UMBRO.IE OR CONTACT ALAN (086 7880808)/ RICHY (086 0317672)

own strengths. We've been looking forward to the match all week and the players are keen to build on the result in Finn Park.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

7

Oh My Word!

Ronan O’Flaherty

Ronan O’Flaherty

@ronanoflaherty

The reaction to the Super League won't be forgotten in a hurry.

In the space of just a few days, it went from definitely happening to dying an unholy death.

Mass outpourings of disapproval from supporters were more effective than even they could have anticipated. Club owners offered up grovelling apologies in no time.

This wasn't just the usual, generic statement that is released to the public when a club owns up to a misstep. It was a series of seemingly genuine apologies from powerful billionaires. These men are used to getting their own way and don't say sorry lightly.

Appropriately, it was the will of the supporters that forced a near-instant u-turn. They achieved their goal with help from influential figures within the sport, such as Jordan Henderson and Pep Guardiola. But without the supporters – the underappreciated lifeblood of the professional football industry – it would not have been possible.

Distance will shape perspectives. In time, it might be popular to say we should have seen it coming. It would be a justifiable claim, too. This is, after all, just what rich people and rich organisations do – come up with ideas to somehow become even more rich.

Football at the elite level has been big business for decades. No secret in that. The mere sight of a financial report sits uncomfortably with some fans, but it shouldn't. Those same fans can forget about their team consistently challenging for the

8

Champions League if it isn't posting huge profits.

Embrace those financial reports. Enthuse over the exploration of new, faraway markets.

Embrace it all or hand back your badge. Football has been heading in this direction for years. It hasn't happened in secret, either.

Some romantics still call it the European Cup, but the Champions League is far removed from what it used to be. If anything, the naming should have been the other way around. Up until 1992, it was a tournament for national champions.

Since then, some clubs haven't even had to worry about challenging for a league title to qualify.

The situation soon evolved whereby a top-three finish wasn't even essential. A late surge towards fourth place would be enough, provided you are a club in Spain, England, Italy or Germany.

Irish clubs still get the traditional treatment from UEFA, in that only the league champions qualify for the Champions League. And even then, they don't really feel like they have qualified at all, as the marathon preliminary-round structure further depletes their chances. This is a ruthless business model.

The Champions League has been tweaked and expanded on occasion, each time leading to projections of even bigger prize money for participants. But how do you satisfy an insatiable appetite?

Champions League is no longer fit for purpose. This year's competition will be worth approximately €82million to the winner in prize money alone. The runners-up will have banked around €78million. The figures remain staggering for semifinalists and quarter-finalists.

If those sums of money are no longer big enough, it is to be expected that they would search for a solution. The announcement of the Super League shouldn't have come as a shock. And yet it did.

Football came close to wandering into the realms of sports entertainment – a term synonymous with WWE. These owners and directors had concocted a competition that their respective clubs were guaranteed to remain in, year after year, regardless of performance. Guardiola said it best when illustrating how such a concept could not be defined as sport.

For supporters of Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, it was a difficult few days. It has served as something of a wake-up call.

They now have a clearer picture of the people running their clubs.

One can only wonder what tradition and history means to an owner of one of the world's "biggest" clubs.

Liverpool and Manchester United built their mystique on the ingenuity and charisma of two Scotsmen. The legacies of Bill Shankly and Matt Busby continue to endure, but they are becoming increasingly watered down. Recent developments are just another step away from the core values

In the eyes of the wealthiest clubs, the 2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

that once defined these institutions.

There is much to be said for supporting your local League of Ireland team. For starters, "profit" is a word that doesn't really exist in the vernacular. It is more about minimising the losses.

Survival over accumulation.

Local over glamour. A desire to keep on keeping on.

Any views expressed in this article are the contributor's own.

9

Dodge’s Data!

Ronan O’Flaherty

John Owens

@seidodge

League Record v Longford Town HOME GAMES

Last 10 games v Longford Town

AWAY GAMES

6

Date

TOTAL GAMES

10

5

15/08/16

Venue

Competition

City Calling Stadium

League

Richmond Park

League

WIN

DRAW

LOSE

1-0

Mark Timlin

57

16

8

18

13

34 11

5

5

13/05/16

3-3

Sam Verdon, Conan Byrne, Jamie McGrath

11/03/16

City Calling Stadium

League

1-0

City Calling Stadium

League

3-0

Christy Fagan GOALS

25

GOALS

27

GOALS

29

18

54

45

26/09/15

Christy Fagan, James Chambers, Aaron Greene

Club Records in League Games with Longford Town 19/06/15

15/09/00

10/01/03

18/11/05

24/02/85

14/11/03

19/07/06

3-0

2-4

0-2

1-3

6-0

0-2

0-2

19/06/15

04/04/15

30 LOI

Dundalk

0-5

2010

Richmond Park

LOI

Shamrock Rovers

1-2

2004

Tolka Park

LOI

Shelbourne

0-2

1952

Oriel Park

LOI

Dundalk

1-1

3-0

City Calling Stadium

2-2

League

Chris Forrester, Conan Byrne

09/09/14

Oriel Park

League

Chris Forrester, James Chambers,

APRIL

2018

Richmond Park

City Calling Stadium

LSC Final

2-1

LSC QF

2-0

FAI Cup 2nd Rd

2-1

Sam Verdon,Jack Bayly

04/06/13

Richmond Park

Anto Flood, Conan Byrne Alex Williams

06/06/08

Richmond Park

Gary O’Neill, Mark Quigley T Cassidy

25/08/07

Flancare Park

League

1-2

Mark Quigley

10

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

11

Pats 1 Waterford 0

Burns 3 mins

Richmond Park • 20 April 2021 • Premier Division Ronan O’Flaherty

Starting XI 1 Jaroš 3 Bermingham 5 Desmond 8 Forrester 10 Coughlan 15 King 16 Lewis 17 Burns 18 McCormack 20 Griffin 29 Barrett Subs 7 Benson 2 Mountney 12 Smith 6 Lennon

12

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

46 82

65 54

46 54 65 82

13

Squad Sponsorship

Ronan O’Flaherty

Vítězslav Jaroš

John Mountney

Ian Bermingham

Robbie Benson

Chris Forrester

Nahum Marvin-Lambert

Goalkeeper

Defender

Defender

Midfield

Midfield

Forward

1

2

3

7

8

9

HOME SPONSOR

HOME SPONSOR

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KAVANAGHS PUB

BISTO FLOOD APPRECIATION SOCIETY

BILL DUGGAN

LUKE MULLINS

DECED

KEVIN ROCHE

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SWEENEYS

JOHN PAUL MOORE

CLÍODHNA BRAY

WILLIAM MORGAN

DC FITNESS PHYSIO

O'CALLAGHAN FAMILY

Sam Bone

Lee Desmond

Jamie Lennon

Ronan Coughlan

Jay McClellend

Matty Smith

Defender

Defender

Midfield

Forward

Forward

Forward

4

5

6

10

11

12

HOME SPONSOR

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WILL MORGAN

TOMMY KEYES

THE CLOCK

JOHN HUDSON

FYNCH

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THE LADS OFF THE CAMAC

CIAN MENTON

KILLIAN DONNELLY

MUSCAT SAINTS

14

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

AWAY SPONSOR

PATRICK COSTELLO TD

15

Squad Sponsorship Billy King

Alfie Lewis

Darragh Burns

Josh Keeley

Cian Kelly

Paddy Barrett

Forward

Midfield

Forward

Goalkeeper

Defender

Defender

15

16

17

25

28

29

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SMcN CONSULTING

PATRON SAINTS

THOMPSON SOLICITORS

GRACE O'REILLY

LAUREN O'REILLY

PROLINK STAFFING

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QUALITY MOTORS

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MARK B SHOPFITTING LTD.

PRECISION IRELAND

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Ben McCormack

Shane Griffin

Barry Murphy

Kian Corbally

Daniel Norris

Jamie Whelan

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Midfield

18

16

Ronan O’Flaherty

20

21

31

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BRIAN BRAMHALL

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2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

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2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

17

Irish Independent Thursday 01 May 1952

CUP AND LEAGUE WINNERS IN EXCITING DRAW AT DUNDALK APRIL

30 1952

DUNDALK 1 ST PATRICK'S ATH 1

This meeting of cup winners Dundalk and League Champions St. Patrick's Athletic, at Dundalk produced a stern struggle befitting the occasion and while home supporters felt that their team should have done better than drawing there was little between the teams at any stage.

Fast and clever football, on a greasy surface,

In a sound Dundalk defence, Ralph and

with play speedily switching from end to end,

Traynor, full-backs, and Clarke and Gavin,

made it one of the most exciting games of the

half-backs, were best. Fearon played a great

season and for once this was an end-of-the-

game at inside right, and Mullen was next

season game with none of the usual

best in attack.

atmosphere.

Cummins was outstanding in an equally good Dundalk were without Durkan and Moloney,

St. Patricks' defence, and Coyle was a

resting for tomorrow's game, while St

splendid full back. On the left, wing Cassidy

Patrick's were without Gibbons and Boland.

and Doran were their best forwards.

Five minutes after the start an awkwardly

Dundalk Must Seek Re-election

hopping ball from Cassidy went over McKenna's head for the visitor's score.

As a result of their draw last night Dundalk

Dundalk later put on strong pressure and

will have to seek re-election with Limerick to

Mulllen hit the upright, while a Martin-Fearon

the League next season. They totalled 37

move gave McDonagh possession three

goals for and 50 against, as compared to Cork

yards out, but he lobbed the ball over.

Athletic's 36 for and 44 against, and as both

McDonagh, however, made amends

are level on points Dundalk finish second last

immediately afterwards when he headed the

in the table.

equaliser from O’Brien’s corner.

18

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

19

COLOURING TIME!

OUR GAME KNOWS YOUR NAME THE OFFICIAL MATCH BALL FOR THE 2021 SSE AIRTRICITY LEAGUE, FEATURING BESPOKE BALLS MADE FOR EACH CLUB

PUT PADDY IN THE COLOURS OF ST PATS AS HE KICKS THE BALL AROUND RICHMOND PARK WWW.UMBRO.IE

Super Saints FYNCH

Ronan O’Flaherty

Johnny Keegan

@johnnykeegan

A lot goes into releasing a hip-hop track. For the latest instalment in our series of supporter interviews, we sit down with Drimnagh native, FYNCH. The hip-hop artist and label co-founder offers some FYNCHian insights into the creative process, the work that went into releasing recent single ‘Soon’, his plans for 2021 and beyond, and, of course, Joop…

What’s the starting point for a FYNCH track?

“Most of my songs start with the instrumental. I’m not a producer, so I’m dependent on collaborating with other people. Willhouse, the producer of ‘Soon’, sent me a batch of beats, and I spotted that one right away. Most of the time, the first idea or instinct I have when I hear the instrumental is what I go with.

“For ‘Soon’ I was thinking about being in my room and it being painted blue, and that I’d love to get out of here for a week, and obviously now we can’t go anywhere… I was very mindful of it not being a dour song, nobody wants to be reminded of lockdown all the time, I’d rather be optimistic and think about how good it’s going to be when we get back to normality.”

Tell us about Willhouse. Were the beats produced with you in mind?

“I don’t know, maybe I have a style… Most of the stuff he sent suited me, and there’ll be more tracks coming out between me and him. Willhouse has worked with a load of different rappers, his style isn’t particular, it can fluctuate, he’s quite talented in that regard – I think he just makes beats and beats and beats, and sends them off to all sorts of people, he’s a very prolific man.”

And what about this style of yours?

“I would say it’s lo-fi, very dusty, an in-the-pocket style of rapping, it’s not aggressive. There’s a lot of self-deprecation in my songs as well. I’ll deal with serious themes and my tone might be a bit serious too, but there’s a lot of humour also, mostly at my own expense.”

22

‘Soon’ was released via Burner Records, an independent label co-founded by FYNCH and some other likeminded artists. What are the challenges facing independent labels releasing on streaming services like Spotify?

“You’ll know almost immediately whether you’ll get a load of streams or not, because Spotify will put you on their playlists. Playlists are released on a Friday, New Music Friday, you’ll know immediately whether you’re on the playlist or not, if you’re on it you’re guaranteed a good few streams, and if you’re not, then you’re not really sure how it’s going to go, it’s up in the air. If you get on one playlist, then you’re more likely to get on more after that.

“Anyone can release music on Spotify, but you need to do it through a distributor, a middle-man basically. You deliver your music to them, and then they distribute it to the streaming platforms.

Thousands upon thousands of tracks are uploaded to Spotify every day, and Spotify aren’t able to ratify every one of them, so the distributors do that. If it wasn’t this way, I could release a track tomorrow as “FYNCH featuring Jay-Z”, but it wouldn’t be Jay-Z, I’d just be me with a filter on my voice… Which isn’t a bad idea, I’ll write that down…”

Pat’s fans who were roused by FYNCH’s words for recent club promo video ‘Ní Neart Go Cur Le Chéile’, will enjoy ‘Argos Argot’ – a staunch defence of the working-class vernacular so often derided in modern Ireland – performed for RTE 2FM and available on YouTube. Spoken word pieces require a different approach, according to FYNCH.

down for it. A lot of the skillset from hip-hop is transferable, but spoken word is a different tact, it’s just your voice carrying the whole whack; you have to inflect, tell a story, all the things that you would usually do, but it’s all your voice, and that’s quite a powerful thing.”

What can we expect from these other tunes that you’re working on?

“The overt theme of lockdown is played to death, so I wrote these songs with a foot in the past and the future, and tried not to dwell on the present. There’s no one theme that runs through them all, it’s me on a whole reflection of, basically, my life, certainly my life thus far anyway.

One of them is about Joop Jump, the aftershave; that was my aftershave of choice as a young teenager, going to underage discos banging of Joop. Once the memory of the smell of Joop tickles your nostrils you’re sent back into a wave of nostalgia, so I wrote a song about nostalgia and the olfactory sensation of Joop. A lot of them are on a similar theme of optimism to ‘Soon’.”

Exactly when we’ll hear these new tracks depends, like almost everything else, on us exiting lockdown and an easing of restrictions, but FYNCH is busy laying the foundations for success.

“I’m tactically setting out my play. I’ve got Joop at the back keeping the defence locked down, I’ve got optimism up front, and then in the middle we’re just going to link it all together like Git Forrester.”

“When somebody asks me to do a piece, I’m always

FYNCH can be found @SimplyFYNCH on Twitter and as FYNCH on Spotify.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s

If you or a Super Saint you know would like to be interviewed, please email johnnykeegan22@gmail.com

23

Notice This!

Ronan O’Flaherty

Karl Stafford

@karl_pats

Saints Weekly Newsletter We are delighted to announce the launch of our new weekly club newsletter.

The weekly newsletter will keep supporters up to date with all the latest news, fixtures, community activity, club merchandise and lots more throughout the season.

Newsletter subscribers will also have access to exclusive shop discounts and special offers from the Super Saints Store.

Sign up for the newsletter at www.stpatsfc.com/news

WhatsApp It's now easier than ever to contact us. We are on WhatsApp Business to

Golden Goal Competitions The Golden Goal Game will run exclusively on the Super Saints Store. Tickets cost €5 each.

You can choose your lucky number in the dropdown section and every number is available to purchase twice meaning two prizes are up for grabs.

the club a message on WhatsApp, our number is 085 126 4615. This will

Prize for picking the correct time of the first goal scored in the game is €100 in cash or a €125 Voucher for the Super Saints Store.

be operational during office hours Monday to Friday. Please note we are

More info on SuperSaintsStore.com

help with shop, ticket, and general queries from supporters. You can drop

not set up to receive calls, but you can still call the office on 01 454 6332.

Match Sponsorship

(From €1,000)

This package will include the following: • Title of Match Sponsor for your Chosen Match.

• Logo on the cover of The Saint Matchday Magazine.

• Full Page Advert in The Saint Matchday Magazine (Artwork Provided from Business one week in advance).

• First line of Match Preview on stpatsfc.com will mention your Business.

• Social Media post Two days before our game containing link to your Business Website and/or Social Accounts tagged.

• Signed St Pats Home Jersey (Optional giveaway on social media).

Match Ball Sponsorship

(From €250)

This package will include the following: • Title of Match Ball Sponsor for your Chosen Match.

• Line in Match Preview on stpatsfc.com will mention your Business.

• Logo on the cover of The Saint Matchday Magazine.

• Signed St Pats Football (Optional giveaway on social media).

Please contact karl.stafford@stpatsfc.com for more information.

24

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

Golden Goal Winners!

Drogheda Match Golden Goal was scored on the 59th minute by Ronan Coughlan and the winner is Deborah Boyd.

Boh’s Match Golden Goal was scored on the 62nd minute by Ronan Coughlan and the winner is Joe Walsh.

Happy Birthday Best wishes to the following Supersaints who celebrate lockdown Birthdays throughout the month of April.

Brendan Clarke Snr Phil Clarke Paul Oman Avril O'Connell Max Foy Brendan Ryan Joseph Kavanagh Shane McCabe Graham Jay Paul Byrne Sarah Tynan Laura Carney Sean McDonald Ruadhán Thompson James Keating Tony Flannery Paul Tyrrell Padraig Carney Dave Carter Paul Maguire Joe O’Rourke Gary Waters

Reeling in the St Patrick’s Athletic Years

We are seeking expressions of interest from individuals willing to take part in a virtual programme (via Zoom) which will revisit some key events of our illustrious history.

The programme will take place on Friday afternoons at 4pm and run for a duration of six weeks. While a start date is yet to be confirmed, a provisional date of late April has been earmarked if enough interest in secured.

Please email david.morrissey@stpatsfc.com to express interest or for more information.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

25

Club History Dermot Looney

@dlooney

FAI Cup 1961 – 60th Anniversary This month marks the 60th anniversary of our

Ronnie Whelan and Willie Peyton. The manager,

second FAI Cup win - a surprise 2-1 victory

as was the case two years earlier, was former

against Drumcondra in the 1961 final at

keeper Jimmy Collins.

Dalymount Park on April 23rd.

Drums opened the scoring after 10 mins with a Double-seeking Drums were heavy favourites,

goal from McCaffrey. But Pat’s came back with a

having beaten St Pat’s 6-0 and 2-0 in the League.

bizarre long range goal from Johnny White. It is described by Drumcondra’s unfortunate

“We hadn’t been beaten for a long time and,

goalkeeper Mick Smyth in Seán Ryan’s The

in 10 or 11 weeks, we hardly had a goal

Official Book of the FAI Cup. Johnny White (not pictured) sees his shot fly past Smyth, the Drumcondra goalkeeper, to put Pats ahead against Drums at Dalymount Park.

scored against us” noted Drumcondra captain Bunny Fullam. But the Saints, who had finished

“St Pat’s got a free kick on the half-way line

just one point behind the Northsiders in the

and Sean McCarthy squared it to Johnny

League, had other ideas.

White. He hit it towards goal, I saw it, came out and caught a glimpse of a red shirt out of

2-1 is a common enough score in football but it’s

the corner of my eye. By the time I looked

fairly remarkable that the Saints won through

back the ball was floating over my head into

each round on that same scoreline!

the net – the wind had caught it in that instant

Pat’s travelled to Cork in Round One where they defeated Cork Celtic 2-1 with goals from Pascal Curtin and Vinny O’Reilly. Next up was another

when I was distracted. At that moment I wished the ground would open up and swallow me.”

2-1 win in the second round at home to

As in the 1959 final replay, it was the great Willie

Shelbourne, with Ginger O’Rourke and Johnny

Peyton who scored the winner for Pat’s. Few of

McGeehan on the scoresheet.

the thousands of Saints fans who saw the Cup

The semis saw another tough trip to Cork to take on Cork Hibs at the Mardyke. The Saints again won by the odd goal in three, with O’Rourke scoring alongside Ronnie Whelan Snr. Pat’s lined up for the final with Dinny Lowry in goal, Johnny White, Tommy Dunne (c), Joe Clarke, Sean McCarthy, Vinny O’Reilly, Pascal Curtin, Ginger O’Rourke, Jimmy Redmond,

Willie Peyton, extreme left, scores his side’s winning goal against Drumcondra in the FAI Cup FInal. Other players, from left are: M. Smyth on ground; Fullam and Girvan (Drums).

lifted by Tommy Dunne in 1959 and 1961 would have thought a 53-year wait was in store until the next time the Saints won the FAI Cup! The Cup win meant that St Pat’s became the first Irish team to enter the European Cup-Winners’ Cup, and they would face Jock Stein’s Dunfermline Athletic in September in their first taste of European action.

Captain Tommy Dunne, who also lifted the trophy in 1959, receiving the Cup from FAI President and Minister for Justice Oscar Traynor.

26

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

27

Originally published at: https://www.extratime.com/articles/26732/2021-season-preview-longford-town/

Opposition Watch

Reprinted with kind permission

Andrew Dempsey

Survival the name of the game Players in: Callum Thompson (Bray Wanderers), Paddy Kirk (Bohemians), Aaron Dobbs (Shelbourne), Conor Davis (Cork City), Aaron Robinson (Bluebell United), Aaron Bolger (Cardiff City - loan), Michael Kelly (Cabinteely), Aaron O'Driscoll (Mansfield Town loan).

Players out: Dylan Hand (Athlone Town), Niall Barnes (Cabinteely), Adam Evans (Warrenpoint Town).

Extratime.ie Key Man: Rob Manley Manley of course scored the goal that got Longford

promoted to the top-flight, but that was not his sole impact of 2020.

His tireless work ethic proved pivotal, as did his 11 goals throughout the season.

And as far as new signings went for Longford in 2020, you will do well to find one who had more of an impact in just one year.

But as far as 2021 goes – Manley will be hoping that he can help propel Longford to top-flight survival.

The former UCD forward has only briefly been involved with a top-flight side - but rarely got a chance with Bohemians - so he will be looking to prove himself this term.

Extratime.ie One to Watch: Aaron McNally Joining from Dundalk’s under19 side, not many would have expected Aaron McNally to assert himself as one of Longford’s key players in their late season promotion charge.

Daire Doyle

The 20-year-old made the left wing-back position his own last season – and he will be looking to do the same this year in the Premier Division.

McNally has yet to play a game

28

in the top-flight – so it will be interesting to see how he finds the step up to the top-flight from the First Division.

However, he has all the attributes to excel in the Premier Division – but it remains to be seen if he will play and if Longford will keep with their three-man defensive system which allowed McNally to thrive in the wing-back position during the playoffs last season.

had more consistent league form in terms of a title charge – not that it really matters.

FAI Cup It was FAI Cup heartbreak for Longford Town as they lost to ten-man Cork City at Turners Cross in the first-round of

But the optics facing the promoted First Division sides are generally quite challenging – and going up during a Covid-19 year will not help matters at all.

They never do it the easy way, but Longford Town were promoted to the Premier Division after a four-year absence last season.

They of course did have some impressive wins along the way, with victories over UCD (home), Cabinteely (away), Galway United (away) and Drogheda United (away) setting them on their way.

But they finished fourth in the league season – and they will probably be left pondering what may have been had they

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

Of course, De Town have strengthened their ranks during the off-season, with the likes of Paddy Kirk and Michael Kelly coming into Daire Doyle’s squad for 2021.

Aaron Dobbs has also returned to the club following a recent spell with Shelbourne – who Longford relegated – and Aaron O’Driscoll has also come in on loan from Mansfield Town.

First Division

They achieved promotion via the play-offs with a win over Shelbourne, but they did struggle at times during the league campaign.

in the top-flight after a fouryear absence.

Rob Manley

tournament last season.

Ricardo Dinanga’s 121st minute winner for City proved telling as former Town boss Neale Fenn engineered a win over his former employer.

What to expect this season: Make no mistake about it, Longford Town face an almighty task if they are to survive in their first year back

The Red and Black have had a rough start, with just one win and two draws so far, but with both ends of the table likely to be highly congested, there is still plenty of time of improvement.

The contributions of talismanic midfielder Aodh Dervin will prove vital as the season progresses – and the contributions of Rob Manley in the striking department will be just as important.

But there will be questions surrounding the goalkeeping situation at the club – with Lee

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

Aaron McNally

Steacy and Michael Kelly battling it out to be first-choice come the opening day of the season.

There is also the question of what shape Longford will opt for this season. Will they or won’t they stick with the wingbacks?

To conclude, Longford face a real battle to stay up in the top-flight this season – and consolidating a place in the top tier for 2022 must be the priority.

Any views expressed in this article are the contributor's own.

29

Pitchside Sponsors

Who’s Who at The Saint?

We would like to thank the following who have

Like so many other things on match night, it takes considerable effort

sponsored the club for the 2021 season...

to compile the issue of The Saint you’re viewing. So who’s who?

RUAIRI KAVANAGH: EDITOR

KIERAN COUGHLAN

Works with the club, contributors and designers ato deliver each issue. Apart from that he specialises in getting randomers to come along to their first Pats game. This tactic has yielded a 100% win ratio to date.

When not found on the Camac, Kieran is to be found finding inventive ways to torture Saints fans with his fiendishly tricky questions.

JOE O’ROURKE: DESIGNER Part of the All Saints Show, having previously designed the club murals among other things Joe has spearheaded the redesign of The Saint and was a major reason for us being named Programme of the Year. Thanks Joe! PAT O’CALLAGHAN Long club serving historian and programme curator.

Pat has been involved with the club and the programme for decades. He’s also one of the friendly faces you encounter when entering the ground to buy your programme.

JIMMY EDWARDS Following on from his father's (of the same name) 30 years of writing for the programme, Jimmy Edwards (Junior) continues the Pensive Points tradition.

JOHN OWENS Statto supreme, we reckon he has shares in Microsoft Excel. An incredible range of knowledge, John was way too modest when he once described himself as just a ‘guy with a few spread sheets!’.

IAN TEMPLEMAN Our foreign correspondent. Writes, with considerable eloquence, from the UK with his observations on our league and particularly the Saints. Ever reliable, always has his copy in first.

RONAN O’FLAHERTY Journalist with a passion for Pats, Ronan comes from good Saints stock, as his surname might suggest. Ever the optimist Ronan can put a positive slant on the most dismal run of form. We know, we gave him plenty of opportunities last season!

30

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

STEPHEN BENNETT Journalist with the Herald and a lifelong Saints fan.

Inchicore born and bred, a lover of soccer history both home and abroad. He's not great at getting trains back from away matches, however.

DERMOT LOONEY Dermot is from Greenhills and has followed Pat's since he was a teenager in the 1990's. He works as a primary teacher in Tallaght and served as a County Councillor for ten years until 2019. Dermot is working on the @HistoryStPats project, researching and collecting information on the history of St Patrick’s Athletic in this, our 90th year.

SEÁN BRENNAN Seán is a full time languages teacher in Dublin a part time writer on football culture and cooking. He has been following St Pats since the early noughties and Serie A since the late nineties. A former resident of France, UK and Germany, he enjoys train journeys, radio, pasta and everything with the prefix ‘Euro-‘.

PAUL MAGUIRE Inchicore born & bred, Paul has been following the Saints since the late 80s. Favourite ever Pats player is Eddie Gormley. Used to host The All Saints Show and Pats match commentary until the FAI closed it down so now writes about the opposition rather than talking about them. Has around 50 Pats jerseys but can only fit into 10 of them. Plays guitar and sings, likes trains.

SEAN CREEDON A Kerryman living in Dublin... a long time. He has been attending League of Ireland and Republic of Ireland home games for over 50 years. Interested in all sports, but mainly GAA, Soccer and Rugby. A member of the Soccer Writers’Association. Writes on LOI and international matters.

31

Finn Harps 0 Pats 2

King 30 mins, Smith 61 mins

Finn Park • 23 April 2021 • Ronan PremierO’Flaherty Division

Starting XI 1

Jaroš

2

Mountney

3

Bermingham

4

Bone

5

Desmond

6

Lennon

8

Forrester

10

Coughlan

12

Smith

15

King

29

Barrett

85

70

87

Subs 16

Lewis

70

20

Griffin

85

18

McCormack

87

32

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

33

Pitchside Sponsors

Pensive PointsRonan O’Flaherty Jimmy Edwards

We would like to thank the following who have sponsored the club for the 2021 season...

@jimmyedwards41

Good Evening All Let me start by saying what a wonderful start it has

In last weekend's game away to Finn Harps, which is

been to this season for our Super Saints.

never an easy place to get a result, yet again we showed what we are all about.

The football we are playing this season is a joy to watch. This is the fruits of hard work by the players

Ronan Coughlan showed he is a brilliant front man,

and management team from last season because

with his link-up play getting him assists for our

there were certain games that we lost or drew last

Scottish duo of Billy King and Matty Smith. It was

season, where I feel we were the better team and

great to see Alfie Lewis and Ben McCormack making

didn't get our just rewards because we either didn't

their debuts against Waterford and then coming in

take our chances up front or any lapse in concen-

again against Finn Harps and playing their part.

tration at the back was punished by the opposition scoring a goal.

Tonight we welcome Daire Doyle and all from Longford Town FC to a ground where they no doubt

Pats fans have become accustomed to watching

had their best memory from last season, when they

possession-based good attractive football and this

beat Shelbourne 1-0 in the playoff final for

current squad are a joy to watch, so credit to

promotion to the Premier Division. I watched that

Stephen, Alan, all the management team and the

game and I remember being so impressed with the

players of course. If anyone has the forms to join the

football that Longford played against a more

Darragh Burns fan club can you please send me one

experienced Shelbourne team. Shels might argue

because this lad is a breath of fresh air.

that they were down to 10 men after Luke Byrne had been sent off but in truth Longford were out playing

He has everything; speed, skill and an eye for goal. I

them when it was 11 v 11 and one who really stood

watched his interview after the Derry game when he

out for me in that game was Dean Zambra, who I felt

scored his 1st senior goal, he was so happy and

controlled the match.

referenced his parents and family and mentioned that they normally sit in the stand behind the goal

Special welcome back to two ex Saints in Joe

but that they were all watching at home and

Manley and Sam Verdon. It's great to have Longford

cheering him on.

back in the Premier Division as they are always a welcoming, homely club when we visit for an away

I'm sure they were bursting with pride Darragh,

game.

because not only are you a very good footballer but you are a fine young man also. I thought the

Enjoy the game.

performance against Waterford was brilliant yet again and on another day we would have scored a

Up the Saints!

few more goals to add to Darragh's early opener.

Chris Forrester and Lee Desmond were majestic yet again.

Jimmy

Any views expressed in this article are the contributor's own.

34

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

35

Patron Saints This scheme is a special and unique initiative aimed at ALL St Patrick’s Athletic fans...

The main aim is to aid the long-term development of this great football club.

We firmly believe for any LOI Club to be successful, it needs the fans to play a huge part. As it’s your club, we are urging all fans, where possible, to join the scheme today.

For the past few years the Patron Saints have run: • The St Patrick’s Athletic Awards Night • Santa Claus visit to Richmond • The Hano Cup These were all fundraised through Golden Goals, raffles and innovative events such as snail racing.

Projects the Patron Saints have contribute to: • Emmet Road Mural • U19s Team Kit • Heart Monitoring Equipment • Media Room Renovation • West Stand Repairs • Club Shop • Grounds Keeping Equipment • Strength and Conditioning Equipment.

Benefits of joining the Patron Saints: • Badge & Membership Card • Priority access to Match tickets • Voting rights on what projects Patron Saints funds will go on • Twice yearly meeting with club officials

• Discounts on most Patron run events • Free annual raffle for player signed jersey sponsored by the Patron Saints • Free annual raffle for a set of signed programmes of the season

TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP GOLD MEMBERSHIP

€10 per week | €40 per month | €480 per year

SILVER MEMBERSHIP

€5 per week | €20 per month | €240 per year

BRONZE MEMBERSHIP

€5 per month | €60 per year

For more information or to sign up: email stpatssc@gmail.com, go to facebook.com/spafcpatronsaints or pop by the Patron Saints desk in the club shop on match nights.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

37 37

Eurozone: La Conexión Irlandesa Seán Brennan

@SBahnManc

Those fond of the attractive, passing football tend to romanticise continental leagues while lamenting the well trodden path of Irish footballers to lower division English football.

The emergence of Irish duo John Joe Patrick Flynn and Ryan Nolan at Madrid club Getafe has thus caught the attention of Irish football’s purists.

Both have the benefit of cultural and linguistic integration, Flynn is the Madrid-born son of an Irish father and Cameroonian mother, while Nolan, a former Internazionale youth player, moved to Spain as a kid with his family.

Irish players have known mixed fortunes in Spain. Injuries and integration have been the biggest barriers, although those who succeed are rewarded by cultural exchanges, actual hot weather and high profile opponents.

While Don Patricio holds an iconic status amongst fans of Barcelona and Real Betis, the first professional player to make the journey southbound was Alan Campell in 1984, signing for Racing Santander.

After scoring the winner on his debut against local rivals Gijón, he enjoyed 2 seasons at El Sardinero, before switching to CD Logroñes for one season, in which he helped the team from La Rioja hit the top flight for the

38 38

first time in their history. Spanish football of the time was not the tiki-taka we are familiar with today. In an interview with the42.ie Campbell spoke of defensive, ugly football and his encounters with Andoni ‘The Butcher of Bilbao’ Goikoetxa.

Santander was also the destination of former St Patrick’s manager Liam Buckley. As part of a geographically diverse career, ‘Bucko’ spent the 1986-87 season with Racing, scoring 5 goals in 35 appearances. His debut at ther Camp Nou was overlooked by many media organisations in favour of Gary Lineker and Mark Hughes making

their own debuts under El Tel, Terry Venables.

Birkenhead, signing for Tranmere Rovers in the summer of 1991.

GAA and soccer star Kevin Moran tried his hand at life in Spain, joining Sporting Gijón in 1988. While spending 2 years in the company of Luis Enrique was no doubt a formative experience, Moran struggled to adapt to Spanish life, and returned to England after 2 years.

The next Irish player in Spain wasn’t until 2004. I like to think that the fictional Spanish commentator, Jorge Hamiltón, would declare a free kick within 30 meters of goal was in “El territorio de Ian Harte”, as the free kick specialist left financially distraught Leeds United to join Valencian side Levante. 3 seasons there saw relegation, much improved performances to get them back up to La Liga, before injury struck and he found himself out of favour, departing in 2007.

1989 saw two Irish players move to Spain. Ashley Grimes, who had moderate success cut short by injury at Osasuna, and 1988 English First Division Top Scorer John Aldridge. Aldridge joined Real Sociedad from Liverpool for a fee of £1 million, with the Basque club abandoning their selective recruitment policy (which Athletic Bilbao still maintain) in order to sign him.

Aldridge justified their faith in him, scoring 33 goals over two seasons.

Unfortunately both he and his family had difficulties adapting to their new environment, and Aldridge swapped the pintxo bars of San Sebastián for the pubs and chippies of

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

One year later, the 2005 Champions League winner

Steve Finnan began a miserable season at Espanyol, playing just 4 times as injuries prevented him from meeting his potential.

Saving the biggest success for last, Michael Robinson moved from QPR to Osasuna in 1986.

While the striker scored a modest 12 goals in his 3 seasons in Pamplona, he appreciated the Spanish lifestyle and mastered the language quite quickly.

This opened up opportunities for him postretirement, where he launched a very successful media career, starting with punditry on Spanish television for Italia 90. He then spent 14 years hosting the informal analysis show, El Día Después (which is now fronted by former Valencia goalkeeper Santiago Cañizares), as well as doing voice-overs for advertisements and featuring in the Spanish dubbing of the Shrek films. Robinson died last year at the age of 61, with tributes pouring in from across the sporting world, even from tennis star Rafael Nadal, posting: “You are the one who always made us happy about sport. We are grateful to you. D.E.P.”.

In the reverse direction, apart from the exchange students who would be on the green in my estate around summer time, there have not been many Spaniards playing football in Ireland. 8 Spanish footballers in total have played in the League of Ireland. The most noteworthy of these was Alvarito, who played for and briefly managed Shelbourne in 1965. Having won both the Copa del Rey and the Cup Winners’ Cup with Atlético Madrid, he is likely one of the more high profile imports into the league.

In the meantime, we wish Flynn and Nolan great success at Getafe, and hopefully they will inspire other young professionals looking for sun, success and sangria.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

39 39

Quiz Time Kieran Coughlan

1 Which Irish club that played in the

6

Cork City were knocked out of the

first season of the Premier Division in

FAI Cup last season by which First

85-86 are no longer a league club?

Division side?

2 Which 3 players received a red card

7

Who were the only 2 player's to play

playing for St Pat's in the league last

for England in the 80s, 90s and the

season?

noughties?

3 When did Leicester last play in an FA

8

Cup Final?

4 Who were the last club to win the

Who did David McGoldrick score his only international goal against?

9

Who is the only person to win the

Champions League in their own

Scottish treble as a player and a

country?

manager?

5 Who scored the all important goal for Longford in their play off win over

10 Who were the first official sponsors of the English Football League?

Shelbourne last year?

PROUDLY SUPPORTING

THE SAINTS

MARCHING ON

40 40

WWW.MIG.IE

Answers Q1 Home Farm. Q2 Ollie Younger, Rory Feely, Shane Griffin. Q3 1969. Q4 Dortmund 1997. Q5 Rob Manley. Q6 Galway. Q7 Tony Adams, David Seaman. Q8 Switzerland.

Q9 Neil Lennon. Q10 Canon.

McCarthy Insurance Group

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

41 41

On the Spot

Ronan O’Flaherty

Séan Creedon

First Irish penalty scored 93 years ago.

William McCrum from County Armagh was the

If you cannot remember the

Robbie Keane is our penalty king,

make his move before putting the ball

man who came up with the idea of the penalty

sequence of our other

having scored 13 of his record 68

in the opposite corner.

kick in soccer. McCrum’s proposal for the

scorers against Romania

international goals from ‘the spot.’

introduction of a penalty kick was submitted by

that memorable afternoon

Robbie’s first goal from a penalty came

Con Martin played a game and half in

the Irish Football Association and accepted by

in Genoa before O’Leary

against Spain in that World Cup

goal during a tour of Iberia in 1946, so

the International Football Association at their

took his kick, it was: Kevin

second round game in South Korea. It

it could be said that he is the only

meeting in Glasgow in June 1891.

Sheedy, Ray Houghton, Andy

was his 13th international goal and

goalkeeper to score for The Republic.

Townsend and Tony

the Tallaght native also scored our

Con later converted penalties in three

McCrum was a goalkeeper with his local club

Cascarino, who took a fair

first penalty in the shoot-out. Steve

consecutive games in 1949, against

Milford F.C., who were founder members of the

lump out of the Luigi Ferraris

Finnan got our other goal in that

Spain in June, Finland in September

Irish League in 1890. William liked many sports

turf while taking his kick!

shoot-out in 2002.

and England at Goodison Park also in

and was obviously interested in the adminis-

However, both of our subsequent

Robbie got some famous late goals

penalty of that calendar year against

tration side of the game.

penalty-shoot outs ended in

and he scored his 13th penalty in the

Sweden in November ’49.

disappointment and frustration.

4-0 over Gibraltar in September 2015.

The Republic of Ireland’s first-ever penalty was

We lost 3-2 to Spain in a World

I could find only two occasions that

Goalkeeper Edward Courtney was

scored by Jack Sullivan in the 4-2 win over

Cup shoot-out in Suwon in June

Keane missed from the spot while on

injured after half an hour in the 3-1

Belgium in Liege on February 12, 1928. Sullivan,

2002 and last October we lost 4-

international duty; against Slovakia in

defeat to Portugal in Lisbon on May

who had captained Cork club Fordsons, when

2 to Slovakia in the Euro 2020

Zilina in October 2010 and in a

16, 1946 and Martin took over

they won the FAI Cup in 1926, was making his

semi-final play-off.

Freedom Cup game against Costa Rica

between the posts. Martin, who

in Philadelphia in June 2014.

normally played centre half, had

September. Martin scored his fourth

and he also played cricket and chess for Armagh

debut.

played senior championship football

In Suwon Ian Harte has his penalty It was an historic day as that was the first penalty

saved by Ikar Casillas in normal

Other regular Irish penalty takers down

for Dublin and his ball-handling skills

awarded to a Republic of Ireland team. It was

time and then in the shoot-out Matt

through the years included John

were excellent. Con then started in

also our first-ever win in international football

Holland’s shot hit the crossbar and

Aldridge, who scored six, Noel

goal in the next game against Spain in

under the auspices of the FAI, having lost our

Kevin Kilbane and David Connolly

Cantwell, who scored five, Con Martin

Madrid, but won the remainder of his

first two games to Italy, which were played in

both saw their efforts saved.

and Ian Harte who got four each and

30 caps outfield.

1926 and 1927.

Gerry Daly who scored three.

Overall we have had 28 different

In Bratislava last October Conor We all have fond memories of the penalty

Hourihane and Robbie Brady were

Aldridge, who was the first man to

successful penalty takers in normal

‘shoot-out’ at Italia ‘90 when Packie Bonner

successful with their kicks, but Alan

miss a penalty in an FA Cup final in

time over the past 93 years.

saved from Timofte and then while ‘the nation

Browne saw his shot saved by the

1988, had an unusual run- up, which at

held its breath,’ David O’Leary scored his first-

Slovakia goalkeeper and then

ever penalty in a competitive game to send us

Matt Doherty’s effort came back

through to the World Cup quarter-finals.

off the crossbar.

42

one stage was being questioned as to 25th June 1990 Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

whether it was legal. Aldo would start his run, then wait for the ‘keeper to

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

43

Club History @dlooney

Dermot Looney

1942/43: “A Riot of Dance And Fun” amidst The Emergency Three full years into World War II, the administration of football in Ireland was becoming increasingly tougher. FAI Committee minutes from the time show difficulties on and off the pitch. In the close season, the finances of the Leinster FA, who governed the Leinster League in which Pat’s competed, were said to be at their lowest ever point. The FAI had to assist them with a £100 overdraft.

Meanwhile, there were reports of extraordinary meetings in Sligo and Limerick about the perilous state of football in those counties. Many players at all levels were involved in the defences forces or had emigrated, while restrictions on fuel and travel during the Emergency, as the period of World War II was euphemistically called in Ireland, caused difficulties for teams. These restrictions were raised at one FAI Junior Committee meeting in early 1942 by one Mr RW Neville – the same Dick Neville who had founded the original St Patrick’s FC in Inchicore in 1898.

The League of Ireland, won this season by the short-lived Cork United, struggled on valiantly.

Before the war, twelve teams

44

had taken part, but this was reduced to eleven in 1940-41 and ten in 41/42. This number would fall to eight for the 1943/44 season.

Junior football was being hit just as hard by the restrictions and rationing. Its blue riband, the FAI Junior Cup, was the source of much contention. On July 14th, the FAI Junior Committee agreed to go ahead with the running of the 1942-43 FAI Junior Cup despite the difficulties. But by September, there were again calls for the Committee to drop the competition.

The Junior Cup eventually kicked off in January with St Pat’s, who had lifted the trophy two seasons previously, beating Pioneers 7-1 with five goals from McCarthy. The second round saw another comfortable win, this time against League rivals Midland Athletic on a 4-0 scoreline.

At some stage, however, the competition itself changed, being rebranded “the FAI Area Cup,” with localised sections for different parts of the country.

Restrictions on fuel and travel no doubt impacted on the previously-nationwide nature of the competition. St Pat’s were

placed in the Dublin and Louth Area competition. The Saints progressed through the following round with a bye and, in the quarter-finals, defeated the B team of Bray Unknowns, whose A team was competing in their final ever League of Ireland season. The semi-final saw Pat’s take on old rivals Mountpleasant, defeating them 2-0.

The Athletic met Home Farm in the final on Sunday May 16th at Tolka Park. “Each holds high reputations in junior football,” wrote ‘Socaro’ in the Irish Press, “and the match should be well-worthy of patronage.” The cost of such was, as it had been for the semi-final, either 6d or 1 shilling.

The final finished in a 1-1 draw, with Brogan the Saints’ scorer after 25 minutes despite Home Farm’s strong start. “It came as a surprise,” wrote the junior football correspondent for the Herald “when McCarthy dashed through to snatch the equaliser in the 85th minute.”

He noted good performances from Murphy, Delamere, Mullally, Dolan and Brogan for St Pat’s, but they were beaten 30 by Home Farm in the replay the following Friday.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

Pat’s ended their 42/43 Leinster Junior Cup campaign in the third round with defeat by Queen’s Park, and they failed to defend their Johnson Cup title, being knocked out in the second round

by Ierne.

Coverage of the Saints’ League campaign in Leinster League Division II was sporadic in the wartime newspapers, which concentrated their rationed inches of newsprint on battles in Leningrad and Stalingrad rather than Richmond Park. St Pat’s squared up against familiar foes including Bohemians C, Midland Athletic, St Paul’s, Queen’s Park, GSR, Harmerne, Hammond Lane, Ierne, Drogheda Utd and Bradmola, along with newcomers Portobello.

Pat’s had another decent League campaign, with players such as Brogan, McCarthy, Crowley, Keogh and Mullen regularly hitting the net. Bradmola ran out League winners with Pat’s finishing joint second with Drogheda United. The two faced

each other in a “test match” at the start of the following season for runners-up medals. This match took place in the neutral venue of Tolka Park on August 29th, with Drogheda winning 21. ‘Centre-Half,’ writing in the Drogheda Independent, noted that “both sets of forwards missed from close range repeatedly.”

Off the field, the club continued to be ambitious, organising fundraisers and club events as it

would do throughout the war years and into the late forties. A St Patrick’s Athletic annual dance took place on May 28th at the Phoenix Ballroom, with entertainment from the Selma Follies Band with Johnny Keyes.

Admission was 2 shillings. “A riot of fun and dance guaranteed” went the ad in the papers, and a cycle park was provided for those travelling by bike.

The club also helped raise funds for other causes. Pat’s took part in a charity 5-a-side tournament in the off-season in August at the GSR Grounds in Inchicore, with rivals such as Harmerne, Rossville, Home Farm and some GSR and army teams involved in the fundraising for the “Children of Mary Oratory Reconstruction Fund, Goldenbridge.”

Season Statistics League position: 3rd (after losing runners-up play-off).

Cup record:

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

FAI Area Cup Runners-Up, Johnson Cup 2R, Leinster Junior Cup 3R

45

Stephen Bennett@stebenn15

League of Ireland Irish Press - Monday 5th November 1984

ST PATRICK'S ATH 1 LONGFORD TOWN 2 Charlie Walker's nostalgic return to Richmond Park yesterday was something more than just a sentimental journey of remembrance of things past.

O'Kelly's first goal came after Just eight minutes, when from a pass by Dermot Wilkins, he swept the ball to the St. Patrick's net despite a brave attempt to save by goalkeeper Brian O'Shea, who got a hand to O'Kelly's shot but could not prevent it crossing the line.

It was a whirlwind start for Longford but worse was to follow for St. Patrick's when within three minutes O'Kelly had struck again. This time he picked up a bad back pass and having taken the ball into the St. Patricks penalty area, he nonchantly directed It round goalkeeper O'Shea and planted it into the back of the net.

ECSTATIC

It was a day of joyous celebration as he led Longford Town to their first win of the League of Ireland championship by beating his former club.

Whatever secrets Walker might have learned about St. Patrick's in the eight years he was at Inchicore were fully exploited by Longford in the first eleven minutes as they raced into a two-goal lead.

It was a devastating start which threatened great things for the newcomers to the League in terms of a big score but it has to be said that in order to complete their celebrations of this memorable victory, they had to defend to the limit of their resources as St. Patrick's put them on the rack.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC

who was "let go" by St. Pat's at the end of last season. The Inchicore locals made his night later in the Horse and Jockey when they gave a rousing cheer to the match result on TV. This victory, secured with two goals from ex-Kilmore and St. Pat's forward Tony O'Kelly, will take pressure off the bottomplaced Longford team.

New St. Pat's boss Eoin Hand described his team's performance as "desperate." He added: "Up until this we had been missing chances but yesterday we started gifting goals."

O'Shea; Gregg, Brady, Gavln, Matthews; Braddish, Gough, Davis; Delaney, Chubb, Quinn.

Subs: Morrison for Gough, Kelly for Davis (both 68min).

LONGFORD TOWN McCormack; Wilson, Wllkins (T), Duff, Sheridan; Murphy, Nevln, Hackett; Wilkins (D), O'Kelly, Hynes.

Sub: Mahon for Nevin (Half time).

REFEREE M. Caulfield (Dublin).

MAN OF THE MATCH Mick Sheridan (Longford Town).

Two-goal hero of that opening was Tony O'Kelly, but thereafter this recruit from Dublin junior club Kilmore was rarely seen as the pressure came from St. Patrick's as they strove to save their pride.

While O'Kelly took the scoring honours, it was the Longford defence which deserved all the praise for holding out.

St. Patrick's put themselves right back into the game when they scored within nine minutes of the resumption when Fran Gavin headed on a free kick and Derek Chubb jumped highest in the penalty area to direct the ball past Tom McCormack.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

DESPERATE: St Pats new boss, Eoin Hand, unhappy with his side’s performance against the league newcomers.

46

Longford were 'flying' at this stage and one could thoroughly understand their ecstatic approach to the game with the former St. Patrick's Athletic manager, Walker, watching their efforts. Despite their hopes and attempts to increase their lead, It was the experience and the strength of the St. Patrick's marking which closed them down and cut down their chances to the minimum.

It was the ideal start to the second half for the trailing St. Patrick's, but it has to be said that apart from a chance which fell to Brian Delaney from a neat chip by Austin Brady in the 56th minute and one to David Kelly, who was far, far too slow in taking it just close to the finish, St. Patrick's rarely looked like pulling the game out of what was an embarrassingly hot fire.

A Longford defence in which former Home Farm player Colin Duff and Mick Sheridan were outstanding, soaked up everything which came its way.

POST MATCH "This was a day to remember.

Fantastic," said Charlie. "It's a real sweetner after all that happened," added the manager,

47

Local Heroes Gerry O’Rourke Stephen Bennett

@stebenn15

In a new series, The Saint celebrates the local heroes who have made an indelible mark on the national and international sporting scene down through the decades.

These men and women - all born in the environs of Richmond Park - have excelled in their chosen sport and are remembered fondly both here in Ireland and further afield.

Our third Local Hero is Gerry O'Rourke - the Irish and World wheelchair champion who was born in the CIE Estate in Inchicore and turned tragedy into triumph following a horror accident that destroyed his dream of becoming a professional footballer - but failed to halt a remarkable career...

If events had transpired differently, Gerry O’Rourke would be dusting off some green velvet caps from a long, successful football career.

The dream was to play at the highest level, and more importantly, for Ireland. His abilities certainly matched the youthful ambition.

It was the path in which the sports-mad teenager was heading down and also the journey he had set his heart on growing up in the Dublin townland of Inchicore in the late 1970s.

English club scouts had him on their radar and there was big interest in the young centre-back, who played for Emmett Rangers and then the St Patrick's Athletic youth teams.

Gerry fitted the bill. At 15 years of age, O'Rourke cut an impressively strong figure in his favoured position in the heart of defence.

Leinster Senior Cup success in 1978, winning the final at Tolka Park.

It wasn't long before an English club made an approach.

Coventry City were interested and offered him a trial, through the usual route of talking to the manager.

Gerry was aware of the interest but not the trial. Possibly a way of keeping the young player grounded.

"I would have loved to get the chance to go away and play in England. There weren't many kids going over there," he recalls.

"I had been told by my manager at St Pat's at the time that Coventry were interested in me.

"In fairness, I didn't really think too much about it, I was only 16."

Then fate dealt him another hand entirely.

"I played with Emmet Rangers up to the age of 13 and then went on to St Pat's from age 14. I was doing very well," he says.

"Some days you think about things and you look at it and say, 'I'd love to have been able to play over there,' and especially for your country. It was just a dream you'd have, but then it was all cut short."

"It was a very good club. We used to play in Brickfields in Drimnagh and the odd time we'd get the chance to play in Richmond Park."

The living nightmare

At school, he captained St James' CBS to their maiden

48

Friday, September 14, 1979. Just a normal weekend day in the CIE Estate where Gerry lived with his parents, five

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

Inchicorean Gerry O'Rourke saw his dream becoming a professional footballer ended by an accident... but his sporting career was far from over

brothers and four sisters – Gerry being the youngest.

The area is located beside CIE Works which lies adjacent to the train tracks that flow into Heuston Station.

Gerry's father worked in CIE and Gerry himself had taken a summer job in the Works in 1979.

A large stone wall cordons off the estate and the Works. One road and a small doorway known locally as ‘the wicket' are the only points of access.

It was through ‘the wicket' that Gerry and his friend Pat Mitchell passed to take the short journey to

the Memorial Park for a kick-about.

his life forever.

Late in that afternoon, Gerry and Pat decided to head for home.

Losing his grip, he fell underneath the train, the locomotive relentlessly milling through the legs that were to achieve his dreams.

Gerry, however, was going to take a short cut. The two friends walked to the other side of the Con Colbert Road where the train tracks lay.

The plan was to jump on one of the trains going from Heuston and get off again near to the CIE Estate.

Using his upper body strength, Gerry grabbed on to a bar of the slow-moving train. He would then hoist the rest of his body onto the train and wait to jump off further up the tracks. Then, one moment in time would change the course of

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

His friend Pat witnessed the horror.

Gerry maintained consciousness throughout the ordeal and Pat, despite his state of shock, raised the alarm.

The ambulance sped down the train tracks to Heuston where Gerry was transferred to Dr Steevens Hospital, directly across the road.

"I remember it as if it was today. I actually still remember, as I was in pain, the lights of the corridor in

49

Local Heroes Gerry O’Rourke Stephen Bennett

the hospital as they rushed me in," he recalls.

"I was lucky Pat Mitchell was with me because I don't think I would have survived otherwise.

"I just tried to jump onto the train.

It was a stupid thing and I went underneath the train. I remember being down the hospital and I had to wait for consent forms to be signed.

"They were trying to track my parents, who were out doing their weekly shopping and the guards had to track them down, which eventually they did. They came in and signed the papers to do whatever had to be done.

@stebenn15

"After that first operation I was awake. I remember Dublin were playing in the All-Ireland final and that evening I just went into meltdown," he recalls.

Then nothing. Sedation, operation, recuperation. The road to a semblance of recovery would be long.

"The next thing I remember, it was about a month later. I'd gone through numerous operations.

Infection and gangrene kicked in and I was having operation after operation for the first couple of months."

The toughest decision of all, the amputation of his legs, had to be made.

"It's still so vivid."

The sheer agony gave way to despair after his first operation.

That contract with Coventry City and the promising football career was far from his youthful mind, until

Gerry is encouraged by a supporter in one of his many successful Dublin marathons

he found out that the offer of a trial from the Division One club had been made.

"It's true. I only found out about the trial after the accident and all those operations. But I had to do something. I had to set out on the road to recovery."

As the weeks and months passed, pain, bitterness and anger fleetingly filled his mind. Gerry credits his family and the friends who stuck by him for helping him recover mentally from the ordeal.

But none more so than his father, John.

"My Dad got me back into school.

When I came out of hospital the first thing he said to me was, ‘You need to continue and do your Leaving Cert'," he says.

"At that stage I wasn't up to it. I couldn't go back to James' Street.

I went to Ballinteer Community School. I'd be collected every morning on a bus and dropped off in the evening."

As the wounds healed, Gerry started to face the outside world again, with the help of his friends, this time in a wheelchair. Another friend Paul Kiernan helped, as did Davina Ryan.

As his family and friends soothed the devastating mental and physical injuries, most importantly, he didn't give up on himself.

Gerry told his story to the 'Evening Herald' newspaper back in the 1980s

now. My Dad didn't allow me to wallow. We'd have some days where we'd have a few tears. But it was the best thing to get back into school because it helped me get back into the community again," he said.

"Meeting new friends, a new school that was a huge challenge," he remembers.

The facilities at Ballinteer, however, reignited that passion for sport that burned within him. He didn't take a backward glance.

"They had a big sports hall and a gym so when I was there I'd be doing weight training so you had something to do in a sporting context as well as educational," he recalls.

"Fair play to my Dad, it was the right thing to do."

The drive that brought him to the attention of those English football scouts had returned.

"Forty years ago, thinking about it

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

"I wanted to be successful and I met great people out there and it got me competitive again."

In an RTÉ documentary in 1986, ‘Turning Point', Gerry revealed his struggles and his triumphs. He also revealed what he described as "phantom feelings" – where he felt that his legs were still there.

The brain playing tricks on reality. He had to scratch the mattress of his bed to bring himself back to the reality of his situation.

As the months passed by in the 1980s, his strength, both mental and physical, improved. By March, the determination which won him that ill-fated move to Coventry City was back.

"There were good days and bad days. When I got out and I started to go to football matches it would hit me that I should be out there playing," he says.

"But the window of opportunity was when I heard

50

about the Irish Wheelchair Association and the sports on offer that really kicked in because the drive and the hunger came back.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

Part 2 of this article will be in our next issue v Shamrock Rovers.

51

Club Shop

Ronan O’Flaherty

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2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

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2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

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35 53

A View from Afar

Ronan O’Flaherty

Ian Templeman

@iantemplemanloi

I'm writing this a week after the FA Cup semi-final between Leicester City and Southampton, which was watched by 4,000 spectators in warm sunshine at Wembley.

News has also emerged recently regarding the number of spectators being allowed in to watch Euro 2020 games at the same venue, and also at Hampden Park in Glasgow, and we’ve also seen other stadiums across Europe opening the doors now to spectators, albeit in limited numbers.

someone who used to proudly boast that, with my involvement in non-league football over here in England taking me out to games regularly each week, I never needed to sign up to pay-perview television to watch the big names and big games as I had more than enough action to enjoy at non-league grounds.

In Ireland, the situation might have changed by the time this programme sees the light of day, but at the time of writing, dates in May are being discussed with a view to getting spectators back into games in the SSE Airtricity League.

On midweek nights when the Champions League was on, or at weekends when the big Premier League games were played, I was out watching live non-league games and didn’t really bother too much about whatever live football was available on television.

It’s been a long time coming, and for those of us who are in the habit of attending games regularly, long overdue too, although we obviously all understand the reasons why.

However, I do wonder if the worldwide events of the last 14 months or so have influenced and affected forevermore the way in which we as supporters will watch our football, and how we want to watch it.

After a whole year of getting used to watching a variety of easily available football from different countries at numerous different times of day, and on pretty much every day of the week, I have to admit my viewing habits have changed. And I speak as

54

Now, though – and I never thought I’d say this - I have to confess that over the past months, watching football regularly at convenient times in my “man cave” in the corner of the dining room has become an increasingly enjoyable experience, and one that I organise my spare time around – especially when the games involve Pats.

What’s more, there are already signs that broadcasters over here in the UK are starting to realise that supporters like me have got used to saturation coverage from the comfort of their own homes, and it’s gone too far down the track to pull it back to where it used to be.

In Scotland for example, if you were a fan of any Scottish Premier Division club, you could have watched every game on a payper-view basis this season, either on Sky Sports or through the home club’s online television channel. Up to March 2020, for many games in the Scottish Premier Division involving the smaller clubs such as my team Hamilton Academical, all that was available after a game was a short package of highlights on the BBC website lasting between 3 and 5 minutes, and sometimes not much more for the bigger clubs. So, having the ability to pay to watch any game you wanted in full was a new experience for everyone.

It has now just been announced that an agreement with Sky Sports has been reached for next season too, so that the 12 top-flight clubs in Scotland can sell television access to home games not shown live by Sky. So, if you are a long distance follower of a Scottish Premier Division club, you could pay to watch every single game involving your favourites from the comfort of your own home all next season too.

Also, another feature from this season has been retained, namely that clubs will also be able to make matches available on a “season pass” to supporters for their side’s home games. So, even though there are high hopes

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

that by the time we get to summer, access to sports stadiums will be pretty much back to where it was in March 2020, this deal has been struck. Not only that, it’s one that the Scottish Professional Football League described as an arrangement that “gives certainty to fans and clubs alike on the ability to watch games live on TV”.

continues in some shape or form.

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster described the uptake of this season’s pay-per-view offering as “magnificent”, and on the new deal he said:

I’ve seen various comments about the Watch LOI service and how people wanted co-commentators, action replays and so on. Personally I don’t need any of that. If I turn up to watch a game live, there’s no one sitting next to me commentating, I’ve no way of seeing action replays and I’ve only got one view of the game, from where I am sitting or standing.

Recreate that for me for all the games here at Richmond Park and I’ll be happy.

“For the past few months, there have been intense, detailed discussions between ourselves, Sky Sports and our clubs to give fans certainty that they will be able to watch their heroes playing live next season, irrespective of when supporters are allowed back into stadia. Today’s announcement is a major boost for everyone involved in the game”.

I’ve been able to watch a lot of European football in the last year free of charge through betting websites, but that is not something I expect for this league – as a fan of the SSE Airtricity League and St Patrick’s Athletic, I am happy to pay for a live streaming service and put money into club coffers and/or the league from a distance.

I thought those closing words in particular were interesting. At a time when clubs will be desperate to start welcoming supporters back into grounds, and hopefully will be doing before a few more months have elapsed, a deal has already been agreed that allows fans to watch every game involving their club without setting foot outside their front door. More than that, it’s being hailed as a “major boost”.

Get a decent quality single camera positioned over the halfway line with a decent view of the pitch, just like you get from the television gantry here or at any of the other grounds, and that’s all I need. Forget the bells and whistles in providing commentators or replays, if someone can organise that single camera for me, I will happily pay for the privilege.

I know there will be those who will dismiss the online streaming or television offerings as being nothing like the real thing, and will claim they can never capture the atmosphere and camaraderie that being at a game will deliver. I agree with that, but the point is that the major beneficiaries of deals like this are people like me, who need to make a 400 mile round trip from my home in the North of England to watch my Scottish team Hamilton in action at home, or with my Saints hat on, I’d need to get on a plane or a ferry to come across and take in a game here at Richmond Park.

We know that Watch LOI is available until the midJune break and after that the coverage that will be available is a bit unknown. But I really hope that at the very least for overseas fans, those involved in the decision-making process in Ireland take their lead from Scotland, and that live coverage of this league

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

The future Watch LOI service could be based on an individual price per game, or a single “season ticket” price covering all the home games for a season, or it could be rolled into a membership scheme that gives other benefits. I don’t care, as long it’s available, because I am now well and truly in the habit of enjoying every 90 minutes of every Pats game, and I don’t want to give that up.

So, to those in a position of influence, I ask this question – I am a fan of the league and I am happy to pay to watch the product that is the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division – what can you do to satisfy my requirements from mid-June onwards once my current subscription runs out?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Any views expressed in this article are the contributor's own.

55

A round-up of what to watch, listen and read compiled by John Keegan.

Culture Corner

Get involved for future issues.

WATCH

LISTEN The Man Who Wanted To Fly

Pillow Queens - In Waiting

Bobby Coote wants to be a pilot. He lives in rural Cavan, and has no knowledge of aviation, but is determined that he will fly. Bobby is also in his eighties.

is clearly about the journey, not the destination. Watching it now, isolated from elderly friends and relatives, adds more poignancy to Bobby’s tale. The movie hints at obstacles both brothers have faced, but Bobby wants to focus on the future.

Recorded in rural Donegal, 35km

between; the transitionary period

should be top of any list of local

north of Finn Park, four-piece

of an adulthood that never seems

bands to see when venues reopen.

Dublin band Pillow Queens

to arrive, while you wait for that

released their debut album ‘In

lightbulb moment when

Waiting’ in September 2020.

everything makes sense, even

Shortlisted for the Choice Prize

though part of you knows deep

Album of the Year, they gained

down it will never come”.

Most of all, this film is a testament to perseverance, self-belief and good humour.

So, here’s to Bobby and Ernie!

It turns out it’s never too late to become a film star.

being featured on The Late Late

The characters in this documentary are so entertaining, it often feels like fiction. Bobby’s main rival for screen time is his brother Ernie, a sceptical loner with little time for Bobby’s wild theories. Only Bobby’s friend Sean, and Bobby himself, believe.

Filmed over five years, this film

Niamh Hanley

international recognition after Show with James Corden, in January 2021, including a special performance of their track Liffey.

Craig McDonnell

With powerful vocals and catchy hooks throughout, the album culminates with the five-minute epic Donaghmede, a nod to front woman Pamela Connolly’s home

The band themselves describe the

town. Also known for their

album as “an album about the in-

energetic live sets, Pillow Queens

LISTEN

READ

We asked local rapper, spoken word artist and Pat’s fan, FYNCH,

Notes from an Apocalypse – A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back by Mark O’Connell

to compile a ‘Best of Irish Hip-Hop’ playlist for The Saint readers.

We hope you enjoy it.

Kojaque Bubby's Cream

Celaviedmai Reckless

Rusangano Family Lights On

Pat Lagoon Smooth With It

Mango X MathMan Chest Out

Lethal Dialect Keep It Real

Driven by a mix of fear, guilt and parental anxiety about the world his kids will inherit, award-winning Irish writer, Mark O’Connell goes in search of manifestations of apocalyptic anxiety, visiting those who are preparing for the end of civilisation as we know it.

Nealo Sim Simma Soundsystem Man Like Me (ft. Denise Chaila) All the Leaves Are Falling Hazey Haze What's That

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Rebel Phoenix Off The Books

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

O’Connell’s investigations take him from the prairies of South Dakota, where one entrepreneur is turning a former US military base into the “World’s Largest Survival Community”, to New Zealand, where tech billionaires are

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

preparing lavish apocalyptic retreats, and back to the US to scrutinise Elon Musk and others involved in the race to colonise Mars.

Given the seriousness of the subject matter, O’Connell writes with great warmth and humour, while revealing the dark, murky truths and belief systems that drive some of these doomsday preppers.

Published in 2020 before the outbreak of Covid-19, O’Connell’s investigations take on a whole new pertinence in 2021.

Johnny Keegan

57

Player Apps & Goals 2021 League of Ireland

Total

Start

Sub

App

Goals

Start

Sub

App

Goals

Start

Sub

App

Goals

Vítězslav Jaroš

7

0

7

0

0

0

0

0

7

0

7

0

John Mountney

6

1

7

1

0

0

0

0

6

1

7

1

Ian Bermingham

5

1

6

0

0

0

0

0

5

1

6

0

Sam Bone

5

0

5

1

0

0

0

0

5

0

5

1

Lee Desmond

7

0

7

0

0

0

0

0

7

0

7

0

Jamie Lennon

6

1

7

0

0

0

0

0

6

1

7

0

Robbie Benson

5

1

6

1

0

0

0

0

5

1

6

1

Chris Forrester

7

0

7

0

0

0

0

0

7

0

7

0

Nahum Marvin-Lambert

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

0

Ronan Coughlan

7

0

7

2

0

0

0

0

7

0

7

2

Jason McClellend

2

3

5

0

0

0

0

0

2

3

5

0

Matty Smith

6

1

7

0

0

0

0

0

6

1

7

0

Paddy Barrett

3

2

5

0

0

0

0

0

3

2

5

0

Billy King

4

2

6

1

0

0

0

0

4

2

6

1

Alfie Lewis

1

3

4

0

0

0

0

0

1

3

4

0

Darragh Burns

2

2

4

2

0

0

0

0

2

2

4

2

Ben McCormack

1

1

2

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

2

0

Shane Griffin

3

1

4

0

0

0

0

0

3

1

4

0

Barry Murphy

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Josh Keeley

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Cian Kelly

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Kian Corbally

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Daniel Norris

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Jamie Whelan

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Own Goal

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

SSE Airtricity. Official Sponsor of the Premier Division.

FAI Cup

LAST 5 MATCHES

Pld

W

D

L

F

A

GD

Pts

1

St Patrick's Athletic

7

5

2

0

10

3

7

17

W W

2

Shamrock Rovers

7

5

2

0

11

5

6

17

D

3

Sligo Rovers

7

4

2

1

9

5

4

14

W

D

W W

L

4

Finn Harps

7

3

2

2

6

6

0

11

D

W

L

D

L

5

Drogheda United

7

2

2

3

9

7

2

8

D

W

D

L

L

6

Bohemian FC

7

2

1

4

6

9

-3

7

L

W W

L

L

7

Dundalk

7

1

3

3

7

9

-2

6

L

L

D

D

W

8

Waterford FC

7

2

0

5

5

8

-3

6

W

L

L

L

W

9

Longford Town

7

1

2

4

5

10

-5

5

L

L

L

D

L

7

1

2

4

4

10

-6

5

L

L

D

D

W

10 Derry City

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

D

W W

W W W W

59 59

Results & Lineouts 2021

League

Venue Comp Score

FAI Cup

1st Sub

2nd Sub 3rd Sub

4th Sub

5th Sub 1 Goals Scored

P Penalty OG Own Goal For

Starting XI

* Own Goal

Yellow Card

Red Card

Date

Opposition

Fri 19 Mar

Shamrock Rovers

Away

Series 1

1-1

Jaroš

Mountney

Griffin

Desmond

Barrett

Lennon

King

Benson

Coughlan

Forrester

Smith

McClelland

Bone

Bermingham Burns

Kelly

McCormack

Melvin-Lambert

Murphy

Keeley

Sat 27 Mar

Drogheda Utd

Home Series 2

2-1

Jaroš

Mountney

Griffin

Desmond

Bone

Lennon

McClelland

Benson

Coughlan 1

Forrester

Smith

Bermingham

Burns

King

1

Corbally

Lewis

McCormack

Melvin-Lambert

Murphy

Keeley

Sat 03 Apr

Bohemians

Away

Series 3

1-0

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Bone

Lennon

Burns

Benson

Coughlan 1

Forrester

Smith

Barrett

McClelland

King

Corbally

Lewis

McCormack

Melvin-Lambert

Murphy

Keeley

Fri 09 Apr

Derry City

Home Series 4

2-0

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Bone

Lennon

King

Benson

Coughlan

Forrester

Smith

Burns

McClelland

Lewis

Melvin-Lambert

Barrett

McCormack

Corbally

Murphy

Keeley

Sat 17 Apr

Dundalk

Away

Series 5

1-1

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Bone

Lennon

McClelland

Benson

Coughlan

Forrester

Smith

Barrett

King

Lewis

Corbally

Burns

McCormack

Melvin-Lambert

Murphy

Keeley

Tue 20 Apr

Waterford

Home Series 6

1-0

Jaroš

Griffin

Bermingham

Desmond

Barrett

Lewis

McCormack

King

Coughlan

Forrester

Burns

1 Benson

Mountney

Smith

Lennon

Bone

Corbally

Melvin-Lambert

Murphy

Keeley

Fri 23 Apr

Finn Harps

Away

Series 7

2-0

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Bone

Barrett

Lennon

King

Coughlan

Forrester

Smith

1 Lewis

Griffin

McCormack

Corbally

Burns

Norris

Melvin-Lambert

Keeley

Fri 30 Apr

Longford Town

Home Series 8

0-1

Mon 03 May

Sligo Rovers

Away

Series 9

0-1

Fri 07 May

Shamrock Rovers

Home Series 10

0-1

Fri 14 May

Drogheda Utd

Away

Series 11

0-1

Fri 21 May

Bohemians

Home Series 12

0-1

Mon 24 May

Derry City

Away

Series 13

0-1

Fri 28 May

Dundalk

Home Series 14

0-1

Sat 12 June

Longford Town

Away

Series 15

0-1

Fri 18 June

Sligo Rovers

Home Series 16

0-1

Mon 21 June Finn Harps

Home Series 17

0-1

Fri 25 June

Waterford

Away

Series 18

0-1

Fri 02 July

Bohemians

Away

Series 19

0-1

Fri 09 July

Derry City

Home Series 20

0-1

Fri 16 July

Drogheda Utd

Home Series 21

0-1

Fri 30 July

Shamrock Rovers

Away

Series 22

0-1

Fri 06 Aug

Dundalk

Away

Series 23

0-1

Fri 13 Aug

Waterford

Home Series 24

0-1

Fri 20 Aug

Finn Harps

Away

Series 25

0-1

Fri 03 Sept

Longford Town

Home Series 26

0-1

Sat 11 Sept

Sligo Rovers

Away

Series 27

0-1

Fri 24 Sept

Shamrock Rovers

Home Series 28

0-1

Fri 01 Oct

Drogheda Utd

Away

Series 29

0-1

Fri 08 Oct

Bohemians

Home Series 30

0-1

Fri 15 Oct

Derry City

Away

Series 31

0-1

Mon 25 Oct

Dundalk

Home Series 32

0-1

Sat 30 Oct

Longford Town

Away

Series 33

0-1

Fri 05 Nov

Sligo Rovers

Home Series 34

0-1

Fri 12 Nov

Finn Harps

Home Series 35

0-1

Fri 19 Nov

Waterford

Away

Series 36

0-1

1

1

1

Billy King puts the Saints ahead in Finn Park

Extra.ie FAI Cup Dates

EA Sports Cup

1st Round - Week Ending 25th July

The 2021 edition of the EA Sports Cup has been cancelled

2nd Round - Week Ending 29th August

1

Substitutes

Quarter Finals - Week Ending 19th September Semi-Finals - Week Ending 24th October Final - Week Ending November 28th

60

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

61

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