Goalkeeper
Ciaran Nugent (Sligo Rovers): The American stopper pulled off several vitals saves as the Bit O’Red caused an upset away to champions Dundalk.
Defenders
Tobi Adebayo-Rowling (Sligo Rovers): The English teenager had the uneviable task of marking Daryl Horgan at Oriel Park, but performed well and put in an important block in the second half.
Kevin O’Connor (Cork City): Played 90 minutes for Ireland’s U21s on Friday, but put in a shift 24 hours later in the Leesiders’ emphatic win over Galway United.
Lorcan Fitzgerald (Bohemians): The full-back caused the Hoops defence problems with his corners and provided an assist for Roberto Lopes’ winner.
Midfield
Karl Sheppard (Cork City): The ex-Galway United man gave his former team a torrid time on the right wing as he provided assists for four of Cork’s five goals.
Garry Buckley (Cork City): Dominated proceedings in a three-man midfield with Gavan Holohan and Greg Bolger and headed home the third goal.
Roberto Lopes (Bohemians): The Crumlin man’s leadership qualities were there to see as he netted the winner with a powerful header and then showed his incisive running and determination in the centre of the park.
Conan Byrne (St Patrick’s Athletic): Could have easily had four but had to settle for two as he wreaked havoc down Wexford’s left-hand side.
Forwards
Sean Maguire (Cork City): The Ireland U21 international provided two of Cork’s five goals which moved him to 16 league goals this season.
Sean Houston (Finn Harps): Scored two goals as Harps claimed a vital win. His displays will surely have caught the attention of other clubs.
Rory Patterson (Derry City): The Candystripes’ leading goalscorer grabbed this game by the scruff of the neck with two goals.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
Mad to think Denmark scored more in the Aviva than South Africa in the rugby
Though there were mistakes throughout by management, anyone who thinks the solution is to bring in a new messiah and to try and play attacking football is not looking deep enough. Of any of the fifty or so possible starters for an Irish team, the only one who could play that style is arter.
Dublin has a much lower population of GAA players than soccer, yet produces Diarmuid Connolly and Ciarain Kilkenny, both players who are wonderful passers of a football, with vision and attacking creativity. Soccer in Dublin produces no such players.
Irish soccer needs an overhaul similar to the one Belgium had in 2000, Spain had in 94, and Germany had in 2002. The style has to change from the age of six. Otherwise, it’s a long freewheel downhill from here
@Chucky Arlaw: the FAI have an awful lot to answer for. Useless
@Chucky Arlaw: are u saying the only player in the panel capable of playing good football is Arter?? Is that correct or have I misunderstood something?
So if McCleans shot goes in and the dynamics of the game change, and we hold on for an hour, we have no such problems in our game anymore? Give it a rest you bore it’s one game we got smashed cos of 2 sloppy goals in 3 minutes which was effectively the game ender. Put the fossil brush and magnifying glass away you pretentious aul eejit.
The North were brave when they appointed Micheal O’Neil and were rewarded. A league of Ireland manager who was progressive, on an upward curve in his career not winding his career down.
Why not take a punt on Stephen Kenny, he’s shown that he can coach players of a certain standard to perform well past expectation and win games against teams with vast superior resources.
The lack of preperation and lack of belief in the players ability means its time for a change at the helm. Would give anything to see Chris Hughton given a go
The north and south join up now stop this silly politics
@Aidan O: pour one bucket of muck into another bucket of muck, you just end up with a big bucket of muck.
@Aidan O: We already have players from the North; Duffy, McLean, O’Kane etc
European championship failure!
Not to worry. We still have John Delaney.
More failure on other international stages.