Jim Goodwin impressed.
Daryl Murphy, who has signed a one-year extension to his present contract with Sunderland, enjoyed his Irish tour with the Black Cats. He scored after only 2 minutes in Turners Cross against Cobh Ramblers during their first game of the trip. On Thursday last the former Waterford United striker replaced Kieran Richardson after 55 minutes in Lissywollen against Athlone Town and scored in injury time to complete a 6-0 rout of the Co Westmeath outfit. Daryl was due to be involved with Sunderland’s last Irish game against Shamrock Rovers in Tolka Park on Saturday last but the torrential rain which fell from 4pm meant that the game was abandoned.
With Noel Hunt now settling in with his new club Reading (he scored twice during a pre-season game in Sweden) his former club have taken Roy O’Donovan from Sunderland on a season-long loan. Dundee United manager Criag Levein admitted he was finding it difficult to replace Noel, so he was thrilled to get O’Donovan for the season to Tannadice.
Roy also scored in Sunderland’s victory against Cobh Ramblers. He netted the last in a 4-0 win but alas that was to be his last appearance for Roy Keane’s men, at least for this season.
Eddie Nolan of Blackburn Rovers was named in Don Givens 18-man squad for the Under 21 Republic of Ireland squad to play a friendly game against Austria in Vienna on August 19th. The team will play Bulgaria (September 5th) and Portugal (September 9th) in the European Championship. Eddie will captain the team.
Jim Goodwin made his debut for Huddersfield Town on Saturday last. ‘The Terriers’ played at home at the Galpharm Stadium against Stockport County in League One. The visitors were promoted from League Two and they held Huddersfield to a 1-1 draw.
Stan Ternent, the Town manager, pulled no punches after the game, claiming his side “were disappointing and that I need to bring in more players”. He did however add that he would play the same team against Bradford in the League Cup in midweek.
Jim, the Tramore man who moved from Scunthorpe during the close season, did however enjoy a good game for his new club and he was one of the few players who impressed Ternent who was taking charge of the team for the first time.
Stephen Hunt played at left full-back for Reading on Sunday as they opened up their campaign in the Coca Cola Championship away to Notts Forest. He was asked to play in that position following Nicky Shorey’s transfer to Aston Villa. The game finished scoreless.
His brother Noel was present at the game but he did not figure in the 16-man squad as he picked up a slight injury in Reading’s last pre-season game. An interesting fact about this game was that the referee, Steve Attwell, is only 25 years old, the youngest in the entire English League.
John O’Shea was back at Wembley on Sunday and he picked up yet another winner’s medal as Manchester United defeated Portsmouth 3-1 on penalties to win the FA Community Shield. John started the game which United dominated throughout. He was replaced by Michael Carrick after 67 minutes, a player who scored in the penalty shoot-out. A good start to the season then for the Ferrybank man.
