JAMES MCCLEAN SCORED a goal and was later sent-off as Wigan Athletic maintained their promotion push from League One tonight.
Wigan won 2-0 at home to Fleetwood Town with McClean scoring the second when he netted in the 41st minute for his eighth goal of the season.
Another Ireland international had opened the scoring four minutes previously when Will Keane converted a penalty.
The game ended on a low note for McClean with red cards shown in injury-time at the end of the game to himself and Fleetwood’s Joe Garner.
90+6' 🟥 James McClean and Joe Garner are both shown red cards after a coming together between the pair.
— Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) March 1, 2022
(2-0)#wafc 🔵⚪️ #BELIEVE
The result leaves Wigan in second place in the table, seven points behind leaders Rotherham United but with two games in hand. Rotherham dropped points as they drew 0-0 away to Shrewsbury Town, Chiedozie Ogbene coming off the bench at half-time for Rotherham.
Gavin Bazunu was in goal for Portsmouth as they defeated fourth-placed Oxford United 3-2. Portsmouth are now in 10th, eight points off the play-off places and with games in hand.
In the Championship, Uche Ikpeazu dealt Derby’s survival prospects a damaging blow with his late winner securing a 1-0 Cardiff victory.
Both sides had hit the frame of the goal – Cardiff outscoring Derby two to one on that count – but the contest seemed destined for a goalless draw until Ikpeazu, on as a 66th-minute substitute, stuck out a foot from Perry Ng’s cross.
The 85th-minute winner was Ikpeazu’s third for Cardiff since his January loan move from Middlesbrough, and surely eases the Bluebirds’ last lingering relegation concerns.
It is not such a rosy picture for Derby, who were eight points from safety at kick-off and have now lost three games on the bounce.
Rams boss Wayne Rooney knows games are fast running out and, coupled with doubts over the club’s very future with Derby still yet to provide proof of funding for the rest of season, this is an extremely worrying time for everyone connected with the club.
Cardiff started the night just two places above the relegation zone, but four wins in eight games had given them breathing space from the clubs below them.
- Additional reporting by PA
Comedian Michael Fry is our special guest on this week’s episode of The Front Row, in partnership with Guinness. Joining host Seán Burke, Eimear Considine and Murray Kinsella, he chats about his family’s rugby background and his short-lived playing days, before using his musical ear to rank the anthems of each Guinness Six Nations team. Click here to subscribe or listen below:
Cork look to be the weakest team going into the Munster Championship this year. I really fear for us. The ground better dry up fast if we’re to have any hope.
Think Tipp will win the AI this year. Only lost to Galway by a point last year and were no where near their best.
Fair play to Limerick for going 10 games unbeaten.
@Munsterman: serious talent on that limerick side. Promising future ahead for limerick hopefully. Always were my second team outside of where im from.
Great win but the best is still to come.
Very hard to predict Tipps championship 15 now. Serious squad
What pissed many of us off was limerick v tipp just after munster v toulon, if the game was played today instead of last night after the munster v toulon game the attendance would have been double, i would have gone to thurles my self today, but no they played the game in thurles on a saturday night, i can not make out weather it was stupid or done on purpose.
@ktsiwot: who’s us? They could have moved the Munster game to today too!!
@Joe Kennedy: The Munster match was watched by millions around the world, I suspect it had more of a pull.
@Munsterman: haha….millions?! There was billions watching the hurling I believe!
@Joe Kennedy: I am from limerick and would have gone to that game if on today, was at thomond for what has an incredible match and atmosphere.
Many I know were in the same situation as well as many I met last night watching the match from both Limerick and Tipp.
They fixed that match last monday, they lost attendance and money, many were discussing it last night and could not get over the stupidity of it.
The majority of people follow all sport and not stuck to a specific mindset.
@Joe Kennedy: yes joe it is a european cup the pop of uk, france and ireland is well over 100 million, it is not stretching it to say a million saw the game. Nearly every one I new saw that match more so than the hurling match which was also brilliant.
@ktsiwot: excuses excuses. I made both comfortably. Even had time to stop in borrisoleigh for a hot chicken roll
@Tadhg Keating: good man Tadhg. Fair play.
@ktsiwot: he said “millions around the world” though!! Three European countries = the World does it?! Doesn’t matter anyway….was just laughing at the exaggeration. I follow all sports myself too by the way. Everyone I knew had no interest in the rugby…..not sure what that’s got to do with anything though!! Finally, as Tadhg said…. you could have made both if you really wanted to anyway no?
@Joe Kennedy: this match was broadcasted all over Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. I’m not at all exaggerating when I said millions watched it.
@Munsterman: haha… ah come off it!! Throw up your source for your stats there! How do you know how many watched it in those countries?!
@ktsiwot: typical privileged rugby fanboy comment. They could just as easily moved the rugby match to Sunday or even Monday but of course no one can even suggest that. The games clash so it’s the GAA’s fault. End of story.
We will win no All Ireland with Barry fullback. He is a disaster, wrong side of his man all night, no idea how to defend and running around in circles. No one else given a chance at fullback apart from Hamill who we also know is too slow. Puckouts major issue aswell, embarrassing watching last night, not 1 Tipp player able to catch a ball, even standing on their own they stick the Hurley up to knock the ball down instead of catching it. Put your hand up for christ sake and catch the ball.
@Wedger: WHEN I PLAYED hurling no one had the nerve to put their hand up.IT WAS FAR TOO DANGEROUS..
@Michael Heery: me too. Many a finger bone popped out of place from getting a smack catching the ball. Miss that on a freezing sunday morning. Used to love getting bones clicked back into place. Seriously tough game! Tipp have some panel. Hard to look past them come business end of the season.