Lilies keeper to accept ban
Sean loving life at Shelbourne
NO PLAYER has won more League of Ireland titles than Sean Gannon, who officially has 10 to his name.
He doesn’t count his first one, with Shamrock Rovers back in 2011, as he only made one league appearance that season.
But even with the nine he actually treasures, he still leads the way from Ronan Finn, Owen Heary and Johnny Matthews on seven.
Throw in three FAI Cups, three League Cups, three European group stage campaigns and six PFAI Team of the Year selections ina-row, and you’d think he has done it all.
What could a decorated 32-year-old possibly still have to learn from a game that has given him so much?
Well, plenty, it seems as Gannon insists you CAN teach an old dog new tricks — and especially so under Damien Duff.
While Gannon made his name with Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk, he didn’t play as much for the Hoops last season as he would have hoped.
A move away over the winter was no surprise and Shels didn’t hang about.
Their assistant manager Joey O’Brien was a Rovers teammate of Gannon’s and knew what the raiding rightback would bring.
The fact Shels are still top of the table, having taken pole position on March 4, has made the transfer all the sweeter.
“As soon as I met the manager, he said he thought I could still improve and they have pushed me to be better,” said Gannon, as Drogheda visit Tolka Park tonight.
Opportunity
“I’m very grateful for my time at Rovers — we had a lot of success and there’s a lot of great people there who gave me that opportunity.
“Shels have given me a new challenge and the manager and his staff are very demanding of us as players.
“If you feel like you can’t keep improving, you’re in the wrong game. I like the demands being put on us because it shows the players are increasing their levels.
“The staff have really high standards and it’s important we as players keep to them. Lads like the pressure of those demands. It makes you a better player.
“I’m 32 but I’m learning things from coaches that add to my game,” continued Gannon. “It’s small detail, and sometimes really small, but I feel it’s improving me.
“I’m getting a run of games and staying injury-free and when that happens, fitness, confidence and the quality of your play all increases. It’s an amazing place to be.”
At the Brandywell on Monday, Sean Boyd struck in the 90th minute to earn Shels a point away to Derry City on a day when Duff varied his approach.
The leaders didn’t play with a recognised striker in the first half as they tried to starve Derry of the ball.
They conceded from a defensive mistake and had to chase the game in the end, but Gannon feels Duff is right to vary tactics.
Strings
“You have to keep teams guessing and keep mixing up your play,” he said of such a competitive league. “We’ve a lot of strings to our bow as a team and the manager and staff have a lot of ideas.
“We’ve played a lot of different formations as we’re very adaptable to situations in a game but we’re also level-headed and won’t get ahead of ourselves.”
DUNDALK are not appealing the 10-game ban slapped on goalkeeper George Shelvey for breaching FAI regulations on racism/ discrimination.
The Englishman, who joined from
Nottingham Forest in February, was sent off after the final whistle in Monday’s 2-1 derby defeat away to Drogheda United.
Dundalk lost to an injury-time goal and Shelvey (inset) made a comment to referee Rob
TODAY’S DIARY
(7.45pm unless stated)
P W D L F APts Shelbourne 15 7 6 2 16 10 27 Shamrock Rvs15 6 6 3 24 15 24 Derry City 15 6 6 3 23 15 24 Galway 14 5 5 4 8 7 20 Bohemians 14 6 2 6 14 16 20 Waterford 14 5 4 5 16 15 19 St Pat’s Ath 15 5 3 7 13 15 18 Sligo Rvs 14 4 5 5 14 15 17 Drogheda 14 3 5 6 14 22 14 Dundalk 14 1 6 7 7 19 9
P W D L F A Pts Cork City 14 9 5 0 21 4 32 UCD 14 7 3 4 19 13 24 Athlone 14 6 4 4 19 20 22 Bray 14 6 3 5 24 20 21 Finn Harps 14 6 3 5 13 12 21 Wexford 13 5 5 3 25 24 20 Cobh Rambls 13 4 4 5 19 23 16 Treaty Utd 13 3 3 7 10 14 12 Kerry 14 1 6 7 11 17 9 Longford 13 1 4 8 14 28 7
Harvey and was hauled before the Independent Disciplinary Control Unit yesterday.
“The player attended the Independent Disciplinary Control Unit hearing in which he explained that he deeply regrets the language that he used towards the referee,” read the Lilywhites statement.
Offensive
“While George realised very quickly that he had used inappropriate language, he did not, at first, comprehend the discriminatory aspect of his words.
“However, having discussed the matter with club officials he now fully accepts that his words were not only offensive, but also discriminatory.”
Meanwhile, Connor Parsons has boldly stated Waterford’s dream is to make it into Europe next season.
The midfielder said after Monday’s shock 3-1 win over Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght: “As a group we believe we can be in the European spots.
“Before the season began, people were probably saying that the goal should be to survive.
“But that has changed.”