SOCCER SHORTS:Derry City made it through to their first final winning 3-2 on aggregate, but made it a very nervous finish for their supporters having conceded a second Shamrock Rovers goal five minutes from the end at the Brandywell last night.
And while Rovers certainly deserved to win last night’s semi-final second leg, Derry had just done enough in Tallaght the previous Monday night when winning the first leg 3-0.
Derry’s Patrick McEleney was presented the first scoring chance and he really should have done better after 16 minutes but flashed his shot wide. Rovers caught Derry cold six minutes after the break. Daryl Kavanagh gained possession on the right and his centre saw Gary Twigg head home from eight yards. Twigg added a second with five minutes to go but it proved to be too late.
Derry will now face Crusaders in the final after they overcame Sigo Rovers at the Sportsground. Sligo were trailing 2-0 after the first leg but rallied to level the tie and bring the game to extra-time. Crusaders held on to seal victory after a Colin Coates penalty in the 105th minute.
West Ham keep slim hopes alive after 2-1 win
West Ham took their Championship automatic promotion challenge to the final day of the season as they came from behind to beat Leicester at the King Power Stadium last night. Anything but victory would have handed Southampton their return to the Premier League behind champions Reading and left the Hammers in the play-offs. Southampton remain favourites to take the second spot but at least Sam Allardyce’s men have made the south coast club earn their reward on the pitch against already-relegated Coventry. Jermaine Beckford headed Leicester in front against the run of play but West Ham responded quickly through Winston Reid before Jack Collison smashed home the winning goal in the second half.
Ferdinand, Terry to shake hands?
John Terry and Anton Ferdinand face an awkward meeting on Sunday after it emerged the Premier League has no intention of scrapping the pre-match handshakes between the Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers players at Stamford Bridge, reports David Hytner.
Terry, the Chelsea captain, is alleged to have insulted Ferdinand using racist language during the league fixture between the sides at Loftus Road in October. He was charged with a “racially aggravated public order offence” and will defend himself at Westminster magistrates’ court on July 9th. He was also stripped of the England captaincy by the English FA on February 3rd after the adjournment of his trial until after the Euro 2012 finals, a decision that led Fabio Capello to quit as the manager.
When Chelsea played QPR in the FA Cup fourth-round on January 28th at Loftus Road, the FA cancelled the handshakes in an attempt to “defuse further tensions” but the Premier Leaguehas now concluded that it would be wrong to remove the entire pre-match process. Guardian Service
PFA defends decision to name Evans in team of the year
The Professional Footballers Association has defended the decision to name Ched Evans in the League One team of the year, despite his conviction for rape, insisting that barring him would have created more of a storm, r eports David Hytner.
The Wales and Sheffield United striker was jailed for five years last Friday for the rape of a 19-year-old girl. By the time of the verdict at Caernarfon Crown Court, the PFA’s ballot papers for the annual awards ceremony on Sunday night had been returned and Evans, who has 35 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions for his automatic promotion-chasing club, was voted into the League One XI.
The PFA decided that as his selection was based solely on his performances for Sheffield United and was voted for by players who were unaware of pending convictions, he ought to be granted the recognition. The 23-year-old wants to appeal against the conviction.
“It would have drawn more attention to it had we pulled him out of the team,” said Bobby Barnes, the PFA’s deputy chief executive.
Guardian Service
Genoa to play next two home games behind closed doors
GENOA WILL have to play their next two home games behind closed doors after players bowed to the demands of rioting fans who halted play and ordered them to take off their shirts as the Serie A team lost 4-1 at home to Siena on Sunday.
“Madness in Genoa”, was yesterday’s headline in sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport, while all newspapers carried articles on the “shame” of Genoa for letting their hardcore “ultras” fans dictate terms to the players.
The referee stopped play as smoke bombs and firecrackers were hurled onto the pitch by some Genoa’s fans, some of whom climbed over the perspex barriers.
The supporters demanded the players remove their shirts after chanting they were not worthy of wearing them. While Siena retired to their dressingroom, most Genoa players handed their shirts to captain Marco Rossi although striker Giuseppe Sculli refused and tried to negotiate with the supporters.
“These things must end quickly, putting up with this causes too much damage to Italian soccer,” said Paris St Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti.
