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Sport

Shamrock Rovers (v Derry City, Tallaght Stadium)

Competition: League of Ireland Premier Division

Date: 28 March 2025

Result: Shamrock Rovers 0 – 0 Derry City

Tickets:  €20 for adults and €8 for kids under 12 in the West Stand.

Attendance: 6,073

Game/ Experience Rating:  ☆

The Game: I’m a big, consistent defender of the League of Ireland. I think it’s a vastly underrated league and I’d love to see it supported more widely in Ireland (though things are getting notably better). I feel the need to say that first because this was just awful, up there with the worst games I’ve ever attended in person.

Two red cards in the first half, both arguable to some degree, probably didn’t help, but all in I felt like I was watching two teams that were unable to create. Given these are probably the two most expensively assmebled squads in the league, it was incredible how little attacking intent there was in the game, with a handful of weak shots the entire sum total of the game. Two of the favourites for the league by all accounts. If this is the best they can do, they’ll be a long, long way short. I’m sure they’ll both improve.

The ground: I like Tallaght, in that it feels like a modern lower-league football ground in the UK, in a lot of ways, now it’s fully rounded off with the fourth side added. It has a decent atmosphere (though perhaps not today) and feels positively and friendly. The new shop is cool, too. Shame about the game.

Extras: Plenty on offer, I tend to avoid the programmes etc these days. Right call this time.

Assorted asides: I want to see more of Michael Noonan before he inevitably disappeared for the big leagues. The young striker sat on the bench for much of today while Rovers created essentially nothing. Ah well.

My totals for the year so far:

Games: 4. Home wins: 1 Draws: 1 Away wins: 2

Goals: 8. Home goals: 3. Away goals: 5. Goals per game: 2.00

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Aston Villa (v Club Brugge), Villa Park

Competition: Champion’s League Last 16

Date: 12 March 2025

Result: Aston Villa 3 – 0 Club Brugge (6-1 on aggregate)

Tickets:  The only way I could get in was a hotel package. As a result, the ‘tickets’ plus a hotel cost €230 or so each. The most I’ve ever played to get to a football match, and worth it.

Attendance: 42,461

Game/ Experience Rating:  ☆☆☆☆☆

The Game: It felt almost unreal to me to watch the team I’ve supported for the whole of my lifetime play in the knock out stages of a competition they’ve not been anywhere near for most of that time. Still more surreal to see them win it comfortably. In truth, the tie was over as a contest when Martinez launched a ball over the top to Rashford, who was brought down on-on-one with Simon Mignolet, resulting in a red card for Brugge’s centre back after half an hour or so.

The first half, aside from that, was quite poor, in all honesty, but with tifo at the front of the Holte, the riotous support from the back of K6 (where my son and I sat), and the knowledge that a quarter final tie was on the horizon was enough.

Enter Marco Asensio, the best play on the pitch consistently since he arrived at Villa, and now heading back to PSG to see what damage he can do to his real employer. Asensio had blasted two and played a bit-part role in a third goal within 16 minutes of his arrival, and the tie was dead, a jubilant Villa Park turning to ‘oles’ by 70 minutes as Brugge couldn’t get a foot on the ball. And this was a good Brugge side, too, well able to turn over Villa on another day even without the gift provided by Tyrone Mings in the group stage.

This was something else. Villa are as good as I’ve ever seen them, and I will treasure having been there. More so with my 11 year old in tow.

The ground: Villa Park has adapted a little recently, not least to the tendency to welcome this heroic team noisily off the coach, and the new facilities around this (we missed it, unfortunately, as we waited at the usual spot near the North Stand; the team arrived up near the Trinity).

The following day we took a tour, heard some little tit bits of history I didn’t already know, and got a new appreciation for just how upmarket parts of the ground we’re not usually anywhere near are. It’s such a stunning spot, and to me a kind of spiritual home.

Extras: A programme was a must this once, though I usually find them bordering on a waste of space. The club also laid on scarves on every seat, which formed a part of the atmosphere. How big was this game? The scarves were going for over €100 in ebay the following day. With the cost of the trip, I was almost tempted!

Assorted asides: We couldn’t go any further… could we?

My totals for the year so far:

Games: 3. Home wins: 1 Draws: 0 Away wins: 2

Goals: 8. Home goals: 3. Away goals: 5. Goals per game: 2.66

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Shamrock Rovers (v Molde FK), Tallaght Stadium

Competition: Europa Conference League

Date: 20 Feburary 2025

Result: Shamrock Rovers 0 – 1 Molde FK (1-1 on aggregate, Molde win 5-4 on penalties)

Tickets:  €20 (adult), €8 (kid), plus a €1 per ticket transaction fee.

Attendance: 9,533 (close to a sell out)

Game/ Experience Rating:  ☆☆☆

The Game: This should have been the one. I say ‘should’ rather than could, as the first modern era proper knock out game for an Irish club in Europe was very, very winnable for Shamrock Rovers having arrived back in Tallaght with a lead. An early mistake gifted Molde what was an equaliser in the context of the tie with a defensive mix up after Shamrock Rovers had somehow come back from Norway with a 1-0 lead, and from then on Shamrock Rovers controlled the game, though with relatively few clear cut chances.

It was the 16 year old wonder kid Michael Noonan who scored away in Molde, and he had a great chance here, too, with a header from about 6 yards out that went just wide. So we went to extra time, and then penalties, all without Molde really offering a whole lot (I felt they were playing for penatlies from about the 50th minute, and especially in extra time when they were a man down).

Perhaps they knew what they were doing, as the shootout was immaculate from Molde, without Rovers getting anywhere near any of their finishes, and one weak one from Rovers being saved ending the tie. Still, the little lad’s first time seeing a live penalty shoot out, and a good night out. It’s just a real shame when we could have had a last 16 European tie in Dublin. I do feel it’ll happen sooner or later, but it’s odds against every individual year, so perhaps we’ve a few more years to wait. Still, for anyone who doubts the value of the Europa Conference League, here it is, this run was fantastic despite the loss.

The ground: Tallaght Stadium is a fairly regular haunt for me, however it’s a slightly different beast for a European game: assigned seating (I stupidly picked a seat with a slightly restricted view from a fairly free choice at the time I booked – watch out for the top left corner of the West Stand, where the near end goal is difficult to see). Nice to see it so close to sold out for the second consecutive time I’ve been there.

Extras: We chose McDonalds over the very long multi-storey car park queue afterwards. A good call. That car park is quite daft – after games queues are so long you have to pay another hour on the ticket as the allowance for getting the car has expired. They really should fix that for game nights.

Assorted asides: I couldn’t find a programme, which is probably a sign of the status of this game (it’s unusual that I wanted one). The new club shop looks good, though, in the bottom of the North Stand.

My totals for the year so far:

Games: 2. Home wins: 0 Draws: 0 Away wins: 2

Goals: 5. Home goals: 0. Away goals: 5. Goals per game: 2.5

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KF Tirana (v KF Egnatia), Air Albania Stadium

Competition: Albanian Superliga

Date: 18 January 2025

Result: KF Tirana 0 – 4 KF Egnatia

Tickets:  €21 (2,000 Albanian LEK, VIP section). Price would have been under €5 (400 Albanian LEK) for standard entry.

Attendance: circa 700, rough head count.

Game/ Experience Rating:  ☆☆☆

The Game: KF Tirana are something of a modern-day Man United of Albania: their most successful club, but currently really struggling. Here they hosted the reigning league champions (who went back top with a win), KF Egnatia, from a provincial crossroads town outside the capital.

The quality was not fantastic – in fact I’d rate the opening half as one of the worst halves of live football I’ve seen in a very long time. In the second half, though, Egnatia got their acts together and blew Tirana out of the water. The goals were generally quite messy efforts that found their way in via crosses or pinball in the box, but their literally about ten away fans appreciated them, and they were very much coming. The league seems tight and while it had a fair few foreign players as well as the locals, probably of a lower level than League of Ireland (insofar as you can judge based on one game).

A cool experience, but not a league you’d go out of your way to see lots of based on this game.

The ground: Air Albania is the Albanian national stadium, and it’s beautiful. A modern red and black-cladded outside gives way to a comfy little stadium that carries atmosphere. To get into my section, I had to walk up some ornate looking stairs into a small-ish side on section that would be incredible for international football (the other three sides were all far larger). The only time I’ve ever gone VIP at a football match (for 20 quid, why not), and while I’m not sure it added a whole lot, it was a cool experience.

Around the ground, Albanian coffee culture and lots of little shops were on full display – despite this being a modern arena on the edge of a large park, it’s still integrated into city life in a way a lot of modern arenas don’t seem to be. In fact, I think there were more people here for other things than the game. Definitely recommended as a spot to visit.

The place was very empty for this, but fair play to the lively KF Tirana ultra section behind the goal. They got frustrated at the end, understandably, but all the atmosphere came from them.

Extras: The VIP section that I shelled out all of €20 for came with padded seats, drinks holders and even a fresh seat cover. There was also a bar at the back showing live Premier League games, and momentos in it including signed Roma kit from the Conference League final that took place here a few years ago. I didn’t see a programme, but perhaps that’s because of the small turn outs.

Assorted asides: Tirana is so incredibly cheap to do cool stuff in. Highly recommended. I do slightly regret not buying a KF Tirana shirt to bring home (they were available in a shop under the stadium), but €50 felt like a lot in a local context.

My totals for the year so far:

Games: 1. Home wins: 0 Draws: 0 Away wins: 1

Goals: 4. Home goals: 0. Away goals: 4. Goals per game: 4

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Shamrock Rovers (v Waterford, Tallaght Stadium)

Competition: League of Ireland Premier Division

Date: 2 November 2024

Result: Shamrock Rovers 2 – 1 Waterford

Tickets:  €20 (adults), €8 (kids)

Attendance: 9,522

Game/ Experience Rating:  ☆☆☆☆

The Game: This was very much the ‘finale’ of the League of Ireland top tier season, with Shamrock Rovers needing a win at home to Waterford and for Shelbourne to drop points away at Derry to take yet another title. Honestly, I’d marginally have preferred to go to Derry, but ticketing and the length of the journey (an 8 hour round trip requiring time off work) had me down in Tallaght.

This had a cracking atmosphere, plenty of pyro from the Shamrock Rovers fans and plenty of that niggling noise from the Waterford away end, who seemed to enjoy their defeat given its ultimately being of no consequence for Rovers (that’s football, I guess). Waterford were decent and created chances, but never really looked like getting something, especially after Rovers hit their second early in the second half. It ended a fairly comfortable 2-1. All eyes, then, on Shelbourne, and an extended period of 0-0 in Derry meant that Rovers were top of the ‘as is’ league from the 4th minute to when Shelbourne scored a late winner in the 85th.

Even after that, rumours went around Tallaght of a Derry equaliser – I haven’t seen anything to suggest why – prompting a loud reaction from the Rovers fans. Personally. I’m quite glad Shels won, though I kept that quiet. It’s not good for any league for one club to dominate. I do suspect, though, given their deterioration in the second half of the season, that it might not be repeated next year.

The ground: We went in the North Stand for the first time, and apart from a few idiotic kids throwing things down from the back row at everyone in front of them, it’s a decent spot. The attendance of over 9,500 is by some distance the largest I’ve seen for a League of Ireland league match.

Extras: There’s a new shop in the North Stand, we arrived too late to check it out.

Assorted asides: There’s still the Europa Conference League, which may even see Rovers go to the knock out stages the way it’s going (fingers crossed!). But I’ll miss the League of Ireland.

My totals for the year so far:

Games: 11. Home wins: 3 Draws: 5 Away wins: 3

Goals: 27. Home goals: 13. Away goals: 14. Goals per game: 2.45

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Aston Villa (v Manchester United, Villa Park)

Competition: Premier League

Date: 6 October 2024

Result: Aston Villa 0 – 0 Manchester United

Tickets:  £67.50, in the Holte End Upper

Attendance: 42,682

Game/ Experience Rating:  ☆☆

The Game: It’s a thing, isn’t it, that after a top class performance (Villa’s quite incredible home win against Bayern Munich midweek), what follows is usually something a bit indifferent. This was exactly that: an inspired game that’s main plus from a Villa supporter’s point of view was that Manchester United clearly no longer believe they can win at Villa Park, which is quite a change from recent history.

The most interesting thing that happened is that Marcus Rashford somehow avoiding being sent off for perhaps the most blatant second yellow card you’re likely to see (some things, I suppose, never change), and Villa demonstrated a singular inability to play a final ball in a scenario where they were well on top. I usually love these trips, but this, in short, was not a classic, though over two hours of walking Birmingham’s canals added a little something.

The ground: I love Villa Park and the Holte End Upper is usually rocking. I honestly felt they were a bit bored.

Extras: I managed to get a programme from Munich and my kid’s Christmas present (he’ll never read this, but he’ll love the Martinez third gk shirt). Let’s not talk about the prices.

Assorted asides: Watching players arrive via the new fanzone was quite a cool experience. Full marks to Diego Carlos, who engaged by far the most.

My totals for the year so far:

Games: 10. Home wins: 2 Draws: 5 Away wins: 3

Goals: 24. Home goals: 11. Away goals: 13. Goals per game: 2.4

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Groundhopping: Ireland (v England, Aviva Stadium)

Competition: Nation’s League (Second Tier)

Date: 7 September 2024

Result: Ireland 0 – 2 England

Tickets:  (apparently over €100 each for quite a lot of the normal tickets – but for us, included in our season tickets)

Attendance: 50,359

Game/ Experience Rating:  ☆☆☆☆

The Game: This, of course, is a bitter rivalry, and the atmosphere reflected it, with relentless abuse directed to the England side… for about half an hour. England looking unaffected, truthfully. In fact, their dominance was substantial, with Ireland struggling to get decent posession, and there was something particularly galling for Ireland fans about the two former Irish players Declan Rice and Jack Grealish – the latter off a great passing move centred around Rice – scoring the two goals.

The booing was relentless (the irony of the like of James McLean also having played for different national teams when they were younger apparently lost on the home fans), but England under Carsley look a substantially better side than Ireland under their new Icelandic boss. The second half was disappointing, though England went close again. Ireland most frustratingly don’t really have any bite. In a game like this, they should. Still, a lively if one-sided experience.

The ground: The Aviva is rarely as lively at it was in the opening stages of this game, and then flat as anything. Plenty of Irish fans stayed under the stand well into the second half (I know, because the little lad decided he needed a loo trip). From lively to sedate in no time.

Extras: €10 for a programme seemed a bit much, I have to be honest. It’s a fairly basic programme at that.

Assorted asides: I had to keep my head down as an Englishman in an Ireland shirt (I’m an Ireland regular, going to easily two thirds of home games). While I only saw very minor verbal agro, I’m not sure allowing home and away fans to arrive down the same narrow route next to the river into the south/ west stand is a very clever idea.

My totals for the year so far:

Games: 9. Home wins: 2 Draws: 4 Away wins: 3

Goals: 24. Home goals: 11. Away goals: 13. Goals per game: 2.67

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Groundhopping: St Patrick’s Athletic (v İstanbul Başakşehir, Tallaght Stadium)

Competition: Europa League 4th Qualifying Round

Date: 22 August 2024

Result: St Patrick’s Athletic 0 – 0 İstanbul Başakşehir

Tickets:  €20 adults, €8 kids

Attendance: 6,219

Game/ Experience Rating:  ☆☆☆☆

The Game: The first, home leg of the final qualifying round for the Europa Conference League group stage, so a massive game for St Pat’s in a season where Shamrock Rovers have already qualified – two teams in the group would be massive for Irish football, and for Pat’s team currently in a fairly uninspiring 7th in the League of Ireland. Başakşehir are a government funded Turkish side with a squad that far exceeds Pat’s in value, but they simply weren’t very good on the night.

They should, on paper, have been significantly overmatched here, but instead the game was controlled by the Inchicore side, who will be really frustrated not to have won it. They created a series of chances – a close range header, a shot from outside the box that slammed against the post, and a cross that just failed to connect two yards out. The ‘nearly’ moments that might be key, but nonetheless, a really excellent effort against a team they should have struggled against. Of course, going out to the heat of Istanbul for the return leg and getting anything is a huge ask, and they’ll probably go out now. But it was a great watch, a memorably strong performance. No harm in those extra UEFA points either.

The ground:  I’ve now sat basically everywhere in Tallaght except behind the goals. In the rain, it was surreal today, with fans packed in back from the touchline to stay dry. A decent turnout, with the noise all over in the traditional away end, and a collection of Turkish fans in the South Stand.

Extras: There was a programme, but as usual I didn’t buy it.

Assorted asides: I found the Turkish fans confusing, largely clad in Galatasary and Fenerbarche tops. I wasn’t even 100% sure they were supporting the Turkish side at times, and the noise from them was loud but very intermitant. I don’t think they were too impressed with their side.

My totals for the year so far:

Games: 8. Home wins: 2 Draws: 4 Away wins: 2

Goals: 22. Home goals: 11. Away goals: 11. Goals per game: 2.75

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