There was knockout heartache for Exiles in Germany and Fiji this weekend but goals aplenty too as Robbie Keane and Roy O’Donovan found the back of foreign nets. It’s The Emerald Exiles weekly round-up.
In The Goals
Republic of Ireland’s record goalscorer Robbie Keane reacquainted himself with some old friends on Saturday but that’s where the frivolities ended as his first half goal earned LA Galaxy a 1-0 win over Vancouver Whitecaps at the StubHub Center.
For Whitecaps, managed by Keane’s old Wolves teammate Carl Robinson (pictured in more fresh faced times) and with his former Ireland teammate Andy O’Brien in defence, that was a second successive defeat. Galaxy with several games in hand on their rivals will look to climb the Conference and Keane has seven for the season in all competitions.
In Singapore’s S League, Roy O’Donovan helped fire Brunei DPMM to the top of the league in a 5-0 win over Harimau Muda on Friday afternoon. The striker, who joined fellow Corkman Joe Gamble to the club earlier this year scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season, lobbing the keeper in each half.
Gamble played his part too. The Ireland international was involved in a brilliant free-kick routine as Brazilian Rodrigo Tosi fired in Brunei’s fourth.
Elsewhere, there were goals for in-form Irish strikers in land as disparate as Italy and Malaysia. In action on both Friday and Monday, Billy Mehmet first headed in a late equaliser in Kedah FA’s 1-1 draw with UiTM before firing a brace in their 6-1 demolition of Perlis on Monday afternoon.
The former St Mirren and Perth Glory frontman, a former Ireland Under 21 cap, put in a powerhouse performance scoring two early on and making the other four as Kedah recovered from sacking manager David Mitchell last week. In Italy, a second half goal from Kyle Lafferty maintained Palermo’s 13 point lead at the top of Serie B. They beat Trapani 1-0.
It’s A Knockout
WNT striker Fiona O’Sullivan suffered last gasp anguish for the second successive week as SC Freiburg were beaten in extra time in their women’s DFB Pokal cup semi-final against SGS Essen on Saturday.
The California born forward watched on as her Freiburg teammate Melanie Leupolz broke Irish hearts at Tallaght Stadium this week but they both were on the wrong end of defeat domestically as a goal in the second half of extra time ended their hopes of a cup final appearance. O’Sullivan, with two cup goals to her name this season, was a 78th minute substitute.
At the Oceania Champions League in Fiji, Brian Shelley saw his Waitakere United exit at the group stage after a 3-1 defeat to Tahiti champions Pirae on Tuesday. Despite winning their opening game, the 2007 and 2008 champions go home early.
Back In The Game
Darren O’Dea completed his first competitive 90 minutes for over four months at the weekend. The defender, who has only recently returned to action after mid-season break extended by unrest in the country, helped Metalurh Donetsk keep a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Sevastapol in Ukraine’s Premier League.
There was an even more significant first in an old haunt of O’Dea’s. Canadian side Ottawa Fury played their first ever competitive game on Saturday but lost 2-0 to Fort Lauderdale Strikers on the NASL’s opening day. Captained by former Sligo Rovers midfielder Richie Ryan, the Tipperary man couldn’ prevent his side from falling to defeat.
In Sweden, Louise Quinn helped newly promoted Eskilstuna United to a 2-0 opening day Damallsvenskan victory over KIF Orebro on Monday. The Ireland centre back, one of three Irish players remaining at the club from last season, played 90 minutes but did suffer the misfortune of missing a penalty in the win.
On the March…And The Rest
FC Den Bosch continued their relentless march up the Ereste Divisie table on Sunday. Ever-present Barry Maguire featured as the beat ten man Achilles 29 3-2 to move level on points with third placed Excelsior. Maguire has three goals to his name this term and Den Bosch look set for the end of season promotion playoffs next month.
Cillian Sheridan started in APOEL’s 1-0 win over Anorthosis on Sunday but failed to find the net before being withdrawn on 72 minutes. After undergoing a scan on Monday, the club said the striker has picked up a muscle injury and his participation in the rest of the campaign is in doubt.
In Australia, Liam Miller’s Brisbane Roar lost, as did Kevin Walker’s GIF Sundsvall in the Swedish Superettan and Patrick Kohlmann’s Union Berlin, whose Bundesliga promotion hopes now lie in tatters.
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