DONE AND DUSTED MAYBE

The season could well be done and dusted as level 5 is going to be with us for some months to come. We cannot crib about this, as we said before, health comes first.

We all know what happened over the Christmas period and with a small number of people seemingly not caring the government and HSE have little choice but to continue with level 5.

The big question now however is will we have a season for 2020/21? A major question mark now hangs over the full season.

The Taoiseach has stated that it will be a slow opening and nothing will be done until after Easter which is the first weekend in April. Then, who know what will happen? Will kids be allowed back to train and when can games take place?

We all know how all of this is affecting both boys and girls. They love being out on the field playing with their friends. All we can do for the minute is to wait and see how things are panning out with Covid-19.

The league committee will no doubt meet up as soon as possible and draw up plans for going forward. At the moment it’s very hard to do anything. Over the next week or two we will have a chat with our chairman, Brian Donnelly, to get his views on the future of the league. Donnelly will not however have a magic wand but we would hope to get his views.

We wrote last week about the development squads and how hard it has been for players, managers and coaches. We spoke about the two big tournaments, namely the Kennedy Cup and the Galway Cup.

Dare I say it but could these competitions now again be in doubt this year? Again, it does not look good. With no SFAI council meetings taking place nobody really knows what is going to happen.

IRISH STARS

Over the last few weeks we have looked at young Irish players. This week we take a look at our senior players and how they are doing or indeed may not be doing.

‘Keeper Darren Randolph is not starting for West Ham. Indeed I think he has only got four starts this season. Not a good start but will still hold on to the number one shirt.

One of Ireland’s best fullbacks, Seamus Coleman, is back from injury but is now sitting out some games. Again, we need Coleman back in the starting line for Everton.

Another full-back or maybe midfielder is Matt Doherty. Doherty is playing most games for Spurs and hopefully this will continue. Another fullback, Enda Stevens of Sheffield United, is getting game-time with a side looking to drop down to the championship. Centre half John Egan is doing well with Sheffield and again is on from the start.

Back in action with Newcastle United is Ciaran Clark and is a regular starter. Will he get back to partner Egan?

Long-time centre half Shane Duffy of Celtic is having a horrid time since joining them. How he would like another loan move but his dip in form is very hard to put a finger on. Young Dara O’Shea of West Brom will be watched by Stephen Kenny as he improves with West Brom. Championship side Blackburn Rovers also have a centre half getting good reviews in Darragh Lenihan.

In midfield, Robbie Brady is back in the Burnley team again and could very will fit back in the national team as we doubt we need him. Jeff Hendrick is starting most games for Newcastle. Conor Hourihane, from Bandon, is getting back amongst the goals since his move to Swansea City.

Cappoquin’s Jayson Molumby must also be in with a fighting chance here, along with his Preston buddy Alan Browne. Callum O’Dowda of Bristol City may also come into the reckoning here as well as James McClean of Stoke. I am not forgetting Jason Knight of Derby who must be a certainty.

One of our biggest problems lies up front with goals hard to come by. Will Shane Long’s move to Bournemouth spring him back into Kenny’s favour? Will Luton’s James Collins hold his place? Birmingham City’s Scott Hogan is finding the net lately, will he be the player to rescue Kenny’s problem?

Aaron Connolly is a young player and hopefully a few more games with Brighton will give him new hope and the Irish supporters a ray of hope too. Where does all of this leave Seanie Maguire of Preston?

Other players looking to come in for Ireland, admittedly young strikers, are Adam Idah of Norwich, who is not getting a lot of game-time but much had been expected of this young man. So too was Troy Parrott, now with Ipswich Town. Time is no doubt on their side but Kenny needs someone now.

Other players in and out of the squad are Crystal Palace’s James McCarthy, Cyrus Christie and Harry Arter, both of Nottingham Forest and Calum Robinson of West Brom.