IRELAND INTERNATIONAL Sammie Szmodics scored as relegation-threatened Ipswich earned a 2-2 draw against Fulham in the Premier League today.
Irish-eligible Liam Delap — son of former national team player Rory Delap — was also on target from the penalty spot, but Raul Jimenez scored two penalties as Fulham twice came from behind to draw at Craven Cottage.
Szmodics put the visitors ahead seven minutes before half-time, with Jimenez levelling from the spot midway through the second period after Harry Wilson was clipped in the area.
Delap then earned and converted from 12 yards himself two minutes later to restore Town’s lead, but Jimenez had the final say in stoppage time when he got up after being fouled to register his eighth Premier League goal of the season and secure a point.
Fulham enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the first half and mustered a chance on 20 minutes when Calvin Bassey, being deployed further up the field by Marco Silva, jinked inside and whipped a ball into the box for Jimenez, but his header from six yards was comfortably saved by Christian Walton.
The hosts continued to push and the game started to open up as the half wore on.
Ipswich defender Leif Davis was shown a yellow card for bringing down Wilson after the Wales winger had been slipped through on goal, and a VAR check ruled that punishment was sufficient.
After 38 minutes, the Tractor Boys broke the deadlock — against the run of playm– with their first chance of note. Delap surged forward and fed Davis, whose cross was headed onto the bar by overlapping right-back Ben Johnson. After a scramble to clear the danger, Szmodics was on hand to crash the ball off Bassey and past Bernd Leno for his fourth goal of the season.
It took until the 69th minute for the Cottagers to get back on level terms. Wilson found a pocket of space once more following Rodrigo Muniz’s pass and was brought down inside the box by Sam Morsy. The VAR check went in favour of the home side this time and Jimenez stepped up to slot his spot-kick to Walton’s left.
The drama continued soon after the restart when the tricky Delap got a foot to the ball first and was fouled by Timothy Castagne, with referee Darren Bond awarding a penalty to Ipswich. The 21-year-old powered his effort past Leno to put Town ahead for a second time.
Ipswich went close to a third when substitute Jack Clarke struck the post, but Fulham continued to probe for an equaliser and it arrived in the first minute of stoppage time. Jimenez picked himself up after being fouled by Davis and coolly found the top-right corner to secure his side a share of the spoils.
Dara O’Shea played the full game for Ipswich, while Jack Taylor was a second-half substitute.
Id imagine the referee is more disappointed with that Cork win than Kilkenny themselves. A shambles of a refereeing display. Kilkenny cynical all night. Good win for the Rebels.
@IrishOwl: Kilkenny cynical? Go way outta that. If Cork never win an All-Ireland again it’ll be too soon.
@LaoisWeather: lol… Good man. Well.. it’ll be a Cold day in Laois before they make any impact.. in any sport. More lemons ?
@LaoisWeather: kilkenny were absolutely cynical tonight. Ball dropping and a sneaky pull of the helmet or coming out with the ball and swinging the Hurley. Walter Walsh nearly bust Tim o mahonys back when he he threw a shoulder full force into his spine. Kilkenny have always been like that.
@James horgan: Kilkenny hurled, as they always have. Typical Cork, not happy with a flukey win.
@LaoisWeather: killkenny hurled and lost again to cork. Cork not been put off by the sly digs as much anymore. Question is do killkenny have anything else to offer?
@michael o farrell: Cork won’t get out of Munster
@LaoisWeather: Wake up, Kilkenny, while obviously have been a fantastic hurling team over the years, have also been one of the most cynical and dirty teams ever, but they are so cute and sly at doing it.
@James horgan: and Cork got a free and Walsh got yellow carded. What more could the ref have done in that situation
@Patrick O Connell: correct action was taken by the ref but the situation shouldn’t have happened. Could have seriously injured o mahony but Walsh didn’t care less and full pelt into the back. Just the kinda stuff kilkenny have been doing for years but you can’t call them out cause their supporter’s get offended. Even though it’s clear to everyone what they’ve been upto for years
@LaoisWeather: kilkenny wrestled and cork hurled. That’s why cork won out in the end. It was a hurling match not wreslemania
@LaoisWeather: what a bitter böllix you are mate.
The ref should never officiate again, trying to make a name for himself, at least 2 reds in game, lost the game in 2nd half
I don’t know if it’s wrestling the boys from Kilkenny think they’re playing or what. The amount of dragging and pulling off the ball that all of us in the crowd could see and the ref ignored was ridiculous.
Cork were sloppy enough with their passing game and had some bad wides . Hard to know where they are at . Kilkenny should have put them away but they hurled well the last 15 mins and got over the line
All Ireland favourites now,
@Chris Tobin: Limerick, Galway, Waterford and then Cork per the bookies with Limerick odds on.
@T Dawg: Galway will do well to make it to the semis. Nobody will lay a glove in Limerick again this year
@T Dawg: cork 5th favourite.
I’ll take that all day
@T Dawg: Yawn
Lads, Cork stop moaning and get on with. Soft as f. All the talent in the world (which ye have btw) won’t win anything relying on refs and a soft culture created by Dog etc. Brian Cody has not blown a whistle in Nowlan Park for 23 year! Its a war ffs
@Gary Quirke: will ya stop for crying out loud. What game do you want to see? Is it hurling or a mish mash of wrestling, rugby and hurling? Cody not blowing a whistle in 23 years doesn’t prove anything other than ye haven’t got the talent and so want to win dirty. That’s not something to be proud of. Hurling is supposed to be a fast and skillful game, not the awful yoke of a spectacle ye want it to be. I lost count of the amount of times a Kilkenny man used his hurley to tackle a player around the neck last night. Thats not hurling and all the ‘man’s game’ propaganda yer past players spout will never make it so.
@Gary Quirke: who won the match?
poor little Cork, depending on refs as usual
@Kevin Shortall: ah cmon now, take the loss like a man
Lads, see this moaning and complaining that Cork do? Its’ now ingrained in yere behaviour, culture and youth. Get on with, ye have the hurlers but do ye have it in the belly? Send up yere youth to St. Kierans College and ye might win a senior this decade
@Gary Quirke: We’re coming in this year off the back of winning the last 2 U20 All Irelands and last years Minor All Ireland and you want us to send up our young lads to St. Kierans, any more jokes like that
@Gary Quirke: sir did ASR beat Kierans lately
@Gary Quirke: so rattled from losing to cork again. Just take the loss on the chin like a man.
Where will the final take place?
@David O’Brien: Thurlas, next Sunday as far as I know. Expect waterford to beat wexford so an all munster final
@David O’Brien: league final always Thurles . So next Sunday in Thurles
@Eileen Hennessy: I recall Limerick winning the league in Croke Park recently?