Chris Forrester still has the X factor
Given the virality of Joey N’Do clips on X over the last few weeks, you could suggest some international recognition will soon be owed to Chris Forrester.
The 32-year-old’s ability to unlock games at this level is unparalleled, and week on week he seems to add to his catalogue of compilation-worthy moments – high-end flicks, touches, passes and potshots; people know exactly what you mean when you say that on Friday night, St Patrick’s Athletic‘s opening goal at Turner’s Cross was classic Forrester.
With the ball bounced into him on the edge of the box, the Dubliner cushioned it deliberately with his right. In near enough the same motion, he swung his left boot and sent a peach fizzing into the top corner. The game was all but over minutes later when another star in this Pat’s side, Brandon Kavanagh, followed Forrester’s lead and lashed home from 25 yards.
Cork worked hard and attacked with intent – the talent of young winger Cathal O’Sullivan is undeniable, and it is encouraging to see him back in full flow after the knee injury he suffered on the opening night of the season. They will undoubtedly struggle, though, in the absence of strike pair Seani Maguire and Ruairí Keating.
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Mipo Odubeko can be composed when it counts
Given the gravity of the game and the way in which Shelbourne are being made to fight for their victories this season, it was no surprise to see Damien Duff effuse about the quality and work rate of his side after their 1-0 victory over Bohemians.
Truthfully though, for 80-odd minutes this was a Dublin derby for fans of aimless crosses. Bohs dug in well, shoring up their defence and occasionally threatening on the counter. They fashioned the only clear opportunity of the first half – a hurried poke wide of Conor Kearns’s near post from Dawson Devoy.
In the second, Shelbourne exercised control, suffocating the away side and camping farther up the pitch. Harry Wood was an impressive focal point all night, revelling in the freedom given to him in this season’s set-up. It was his pass that set Evan Caffrey free in the lead-up to the night’s crucial moment.
In a game that lacked real attacking quality, that moment came from Mipo Odubeko. Pressure has been growing on the 22-year-old, who arrived as a marquee signing in the off-season. Too often he has lacked composure in front of goal, but goals such as this one will encourage fans.
Odubeko was quickest to react to a breaking ball in the area. It would have been easy to snatch at the chance as it fell to his left foot, but he quickly chopped back inside and toe-poked into the corner on his right. Cue Tolka flares and Duff jubilation.
Drogheda don’t need much possession to make teams pay
After a drab hour of football, Derry City striker Liam Boyce took matters of entertainment into his own hands at the Brandywell, scoring and getting sent off in the space of 60 seconds.
The striker had set up the equaliser for namesake Ronan Boyce against Cork last week, but roles were reversed on Friday night. Ronan jinked brilliantly down the right, lobbing a cross in for Liam to break his duck and head home an overdue first goal of the season.
His relief was fleeting. Boyce must have been aware of the threat that Conor Keeley posed farther up the pitch, clipping the heels of the galloping Drogheda centre-half and earning a second yellow card. Incidentally, Keeley was the man beaten in the air for Boyce’s goal.
With his opponent no longer of consequence, Keeley ploughed on further and, five minutes after the sending off, he had turned the game around with two expertly taken volleys. Calamitous for Derry but just the latest example of Drogheda’s ability to punish. Warren Davis added a lovely third late on, in what is becoming typical Warren Davis fashion.
Not for the first time this season, the league leaders had less than 30 per cent possession. In no game have they had more of the ball than their opposition. Many seem to view it as a sign that this run of form is temporary, but Nottingham Forest have offered a considerable blueprint in England this year. Drogheda fans may point out, too, that they’ve managed all this without the injured Douglas James-Taylor and Elicha Ahui.
Shamrock Rovers are finding their groove but something still missing
Shamrock Rovers, led by a classy display from Graham Burke, seem to have put their stumbling early-season form behind them.
Question marks remain around the Hoops. Some of the power and legs have faded, and the feeling of inevitability is no longer quite there. It is hard to argue with 13 points from 15 though, and this was a comfortable night in Tallaght against a Waterford side on a dismal run of five defeats in a row.
The ope r came from an expansive, patient build-up and some brilliant work from Josh Honohan. When the ball made its way out left, the winger took initiative, committing Navajo Bakboord and standing a cross up for Aaron McEneff, who couldn’t miss.
Rovers’ fans will have been particularly pleased to see Jack Byrne popping up with a moment of real quality for the second. His whipped free kick late in the day was met well by Lee Grace.
Burke deserved a goal for his performance, clipping the bar and testing Stephen McMullan on several occasions. He seems capable of finding space in the most crowded corners of the pitch, dangling his left foot like a patient southpaw but never shy of unleashing.
