Airtricity League referee appointments

Ireland legend Paul McGrath was back in the colours of St. Patrick's Athletic on Sunday to take part in a friendly match for children's hospitals.

Linfield claimed a 1-0 victory over St Patrick's Athletic in their final Group 3 game of the Setanta Sports Cup, which sends them through to the semi-finals as group leaders.

Peter Thompson scored in the final minute to seal the win for The Blues, who will now face Bohemians in the last four of the All-Ireland competition.

The first chance of the game came on 12 minutes when Jamie Tomelty tricked his way past his marker on the left before delivering a low cross which was nervously deflected over the bar by a St Pat’s defender.

On 16 minutes, Mark McAllister worked his way into a bit of room on the right before cutting the ball back for Damien Curran who was lurking on the edge of the box and the Linfield midfielder’s powerful left foot shot was deflected just wide of Gary Rogers’ goal.

After 23 minutes, Alan Blayney had to be on his toes after St Pats forward Vinny Faherty hit a snap shot from the left hand corner of the box. The big Linfield shot stopper got down well to turn the ball round the post for a corner kick.

Jamie Tomelty almost created the opening goal of the game on 26 minutes when he evaded the challenge of Ian Bermingham on the right before delivering a delicious right foot cross towards Marcus Kane. The young Linfield midfielder who was lurking at the back post, flashed a left footed shot from a tight angle across the face of goal only for Mark McAllister to prod the ball agonisingly over the cross bar from 2 yards out – an astonishing miss from the Linfield striker.

St Pat's almost snatched the lead a minute later. Ryan Guy delivered a great cross from the left which beat the head of Aidan O’Kane and fell to Vincent Faherty, but the striker could only blaze over Alan Blayney’s cross bar from 12 yards out.

Just when the game looked to be heading for a drab scoreless draw, it sparked to life on 90 minutes when Aidan O’Kane whipped in a menacing ball from the left. Shane Guthrie attempted to head the ball clear but instead handed it on a plate to Peter Thompson who kept his cool and slid the ball home, left footed, from 12 yards. It was no more than both sets of supporters deserved given how dull the game had been up to that point.

Linfield: Blayney, Douglas, Gault, Curran, Thompson, O’Kane, Tomelty (Miskimmin '70), Ervin, McAllister (Munster '70), Casement, Kane (Garrett '70).

Substitutes Not Used: Murphy, Bailie, BJ Burns, Addis, Munster.

St. Patrick's Athletic: Rogers, Lynch, Bermingham (Pender '78), Kenna, Guthrie, Byrne, Guy, Mulcahy, McAllister (Coughlan '85), Williams (Byrne '74), Faherty.


Substitutes Not Used: Connor, Sinnott, Doyle, Harney.

Bohemians played out a 1-1 draw with Glentoran at Dalymount Park on Saturday afternoon as they booked their place in the semi-finals of the Setanta Sports Cup.

The Gypsies made six changes from the team that beat Sporting Fingal in the first Airtricity League game of the season. But they still controlled the majority of possession and created the best chances on goal.

Glenn Cronin, who was wearing the captain's armband, led by example throughout and unleashed the first shot in anger. However, the home side were soon to discover that all of the first-half efforts would fail to break the deadlock.

The visitors took the lead on 51 minutes when experienced frontman Gary Hamilton guided a header into the back of the net after former Northern Ireland international Keith Gillespie picked him out with a perfect cross.

Bohemians got back on level terms 10 minutes later when Raffaele Cretaro blasted in from just outside the penalty area. The former Sligo Rovers player was a constant threat and full deserved his goal.

Killian Brennan and Aaron Greene both should have scored although they failed to follow Creatro's example and hit the back of the net with their respective efforts.

Greene thought that he had won a penalty in the dying minutes when he was flatted inside the box, but referee Anthony Buttimer dismissed the protests.

Pat Fenlon's team are through to the knock-out stages with an unbeaten record and should now be favourites to win the tournament outright.

Bohemians: O’Connor; Shelley, Oman, McGuinness, Powell; A Murphy (Brennan 63), Cronin, Rossiter (Keegan 67), Quigley (Madden 78); Greene, Cretaro.

Substitutes Not Used: B Murphy, Heary, Burke

Booked: Shelley, Brennan

Glentoran: Taylor; McGovern (Ward 77), Nixon, Leeman, Hill; Gillespie, Fordyce, Clarke, Neill (Burrows 82); Hamilton, Halliday (Waterworth 67).

Substitutes Not Used: Gibbons, Black, Gardiner, Fitzgerald.

Referee: Anthony Buttimer (Cork)

The Disputes Resolution Chamber (DRC) today (March 11th) issued its judgement on a case involving Sligo Rovers, Shamrock Rovers and Chris Turner.

The official Airtricity League website will shortly launch a new Statistics Portal, which will give fans all the latest statistics from across the league.

While the finishing touches are being put to the new Statistics Portal, please find below the temporary Airticity League First Division table.