All change for new year
Wexford F.C. hosting U.C.D. in season opener
THE HEAD-SCRATCHING in relation to the make-up of the SSE Airtricity First Division for 2020 finally ended on Thursday when it was confirmed that ten teams will be taking part.
Up to that point, clubs had been unsure of where they stood, with the original fixtures released on January 10 replaced a fortnight later with a completely new set that allowed for the inclusion of eleven participants.
However, with Limerick opting not to seek approval to join from the Independent Club Licensing Committee, and Shamrock Rovers II granted permission to enter despite objections from the remaining teams, the FAI reverted to the schedule of games as per that January 10 release.
It replaces the programme for eleven teams which we published last week, and there will be no pre-season shield competition as a result.
Instead, all sides will play 36 league matches, home and away twice against the other nine contestants, and Wexford will face a tough opener in Ferrycarrig Park this Friday at 7.45 p.m. when U.C.D. make the relatively short trip from their Belfield base.
The home squad is completely unrecognisable from last year, with the grand total of 19 new players added to the ranks by manager Brian O’Sullivan, who is about to embark on his second campaign.
It promises to be a particularly interesting night for the three U.C.D. old boys who have made the move, with Dan Tobin handed the captain’s armband after spending five and a half years with the students’ first team.
Charlie Smith and goalkeeper Tom Murphy have followed a similar path to Tobin, and clearly it’s going to take the small but loyal Ferrycarrig Park faithful a few weeks to become acquainted with so many new faces.
Among the more promising and better-known new arrivals are Kaleem Simon, a tricky winger who has featured with Bohemians and
Longford Town in the past.
Conor Crowley has joined from Cabinteely, with Cian Kavanagh coming on board from Drogheda United, while James Carroll will have learned a lot from his time with the all-conquering Dundalk.
Goalkeeper Jack Lydon plus Craig Giles are in from Shelbourne, while O’Sullivan has also looked to the midlands and signed Karl Fitzsimons and Janabi Amour from Athlone Town, as well as Patrick O’Sullivan and Kristian Crawford from Longford Town.
The higher echelons of the non-league ranks have also been trawled, and this has led to the addition of Azeez Yussuf from Lucan United, Malike Hill Benrouguibi from Bluebell United, Gianpiero Fragnoli from Ballymun United, Karl Manahan from Greystones United, and Daniel Tarcevskijs from Wicklow Rovers.
One obvious impediment to attracting some additional supporters to home games every second Friday night is the complete absence of any Wexford players in that list of newcomers.
Certainly, the situation has moved full circle from the first involvement of a Slaneyside team in the League of Ireland in 2007, when practically all of the players were from the locality.
The long list of names who featured in the 2019 campaign, but who won’t be involved this time around, includes Enniscorthy duo Ricky Fox and John Peare, Blackwater’s Conor Sutton, Ferns netminder Jason McGuire, and Rathangan-based Mayo man Seán Kelly.
Goalkeeper Corey Chambers has joined Cabinteely, with the likes of Joe Walshe, Thomas Croke, Paddy Cahill, Andy Mulligan and Daibhid Corish also moved on to pastures new.
Indeed, of the 36 players who featured in league matches last season, it would appear that only Lee Costello, Seán Roche, Conor English, Andrew Farrell, Liam Berry and Colum Feeney will be likely to feature this time around.
The management focused on playing Premier Division sides in pre-season, with some generally encouraging performances before a hefty 6-1 reversal against Bohemians.
With the fifth finisher from the ten contestants now also guaranteed an end-of-season promotion play-off, that is likely to be the target for Wexford, who were only spared the ignominy of finishing last in 2019 by the hefty points deduction dished out to Limerick.
The full amended fixtures programme is - Friday, February 21, home to U.C.D., 7.45 p.m.; Friday, February 28, away to Bray Wanderers, 7.45 p.m.; Friday, March 6, home to Galway United, 7.45 p.m.; Monday, March 9, EA Sports Cup first round; Friday, March 13, away to Athlone Town, 7.45 p.m.; Friday, March 20, home to Cabinteely, 7.45 p.m.; Saturday, March 28, away to Shamrock Rovers II, 3 p.m.
Friday, April 3, away to U.C.D., 7.45 p.m.; Friday, April 10, home to Drogheda United, 7.45 p.m.; Monday, April 13, EA Sports Cup second round; Saturday, April 18, away to Longford Town, 7.30 p.m.; Friday, April 24, away to U.C.D., 7.45 p.m.; Friday,
May 1, home to Bray Wanderers, 7.45 p.m.; Monday, May 4, EA Sports Cup quarter-finals; Friday, May 8, away to Galway United, 7.45 p.m.; Friday, May 15, home to Athlone Town, 7.45 p.m.; Friday, May 22, away to Cabinteely, 7.45 p.m.; Friday, May 29, home to Shamrock Rovers II, 7.45 p.m.
Friday, June 5, home to Cobh Ramblers, 7.45 p.m.; Friday, June 12, away to Drogheda United, 7.45 p.m.; mid-season break, Saturday, June 13, to Thursday, June 25; Friday, June 26, home to Longford Town, 7.45 p.m.; Friday, July 3, home to U.C.D., 7.45 p.m.; Friday, July 10, away to Bray Wanderers, 7.45 p.m.; Friday, July 17, home to Galway United, 7.45 p.m.; Friday, July 24, away to Athlone Town, 7.45 p.m.; Friday, July 31, home to Cabinteely, 7.45 p.m.
Monday, August 3, EA Sports Cup semi-finals; week ending Sunday, August 9, extra.ie FAI Cup first round; Saturday, August 15, away to Shamrock Rovers II, 3 p.m.; week ending Sunday, August 16, extra.ie FAI Cup second round; Saturday, August 29, away to Cobh Ramblers, 7 p.m.; week ending Sunday, August 30, extra.ie FAI Cup quarter-finals; Friday, September 11, home to Drogheda United, 7.45 p.m.; Saturday, September 12, EA Sports Cup final; Saturday, September 19, away to Longford Town, 7.45 p.m.; week ending Sunday, September 27, extra.ie FAI Cup semi-finals.
Promotion/relegation play-offs: Friday, October 2, fourth home to third in First Division, and fifth home to second in First Division; Friday, October 9, third home to fourth in First Division, and second home to fifth in First Division; Friday, October 16, winner of fourth/third play-off home to winner of fifth/second play-off; Friday, October 23, winner of fifth/second play-off home to winner of fourth/ third play-off; Monday, October 26, winner of First Division play-off series home to ninth-placed Premier Division club; Friday, October 30, ninth-placed Premier Division club home to winner of First Division play-off series.
The domestic campaign will conclude on Sunday, November 1, with the showpiece game, the extra.ie FAI Cup final in the Aviva Stadium.
Under-9: Tombrack United v. Adamstown; All Blacks v. Seaview United; New Ross Town v. Curracloe United; Moyne Rangers v. Cushinstown A.F.C.; Corach Ramblers v. Bridge Rovers; Bunclody A.F.C. v. Aughrim Rangers.
Under-12 Cup first round: New Ross Celtic v. Rosslare Rangers Navy; Aughrim Rangers v. Seaview United; Rosslare Rangers Yellow v. Ballindaggin F.C.; Gorey Rangers v. Forth Celtic; Bunclody A.F.C. v. All Blacks; St. Leonards v. North End United; Bridge Rovers v. Cushinstown A.F.C.
Under-12 Premier Division: Curracloe United v. New Ross Town.
Under-12 Division 1: Shelburne United v. Rosslare Strand.
Under-12 Division 2A: Tombrack United v. Adamstown F.C.
Under-12 Division 2B: Coolboy Rangers v. Corach Ramblers.
Under-16 Premier Division: Seaview United v. All Blacks; Bunclody A.F.C. v. Curracloe United.
Under-16 Division 1: New Ross Town v. North End United; Aughrim Rangers v. St. Joseph’s.
Under-16 Division 2: All Blacks 2nds v. Courtown Hibs; Bree United v. Gorey Rangers.
SUN. FEB. 23 Wexford Women’s Cup second round: Corach Ramblers v. Kiltealy Celtic; Fastnet Rovers v. Seaview United; All Blacks v. Adamstown.
Women’s Premier Division: North End United v. Forth Celtic; Ferns United v. Courtown Hibs.
Women’s Division 1: Tombrack United v. Bree United; Camolin Celtic v. St. Joseph’s.
Women’s Division 2:
A.F.C. v. New Ross Town.
Women’s Division 3:
Bohs v. Shelburne United.
Bunclody
Wexford