One Step Beyond: Weekend Round-Up

A brief weekend round-up of former Blues playing outside the jurisdiction.

Darragh Power (pictured above) started in Cheltenham Town’s impressive 3-0 win away to Newport County in League Two on Saturday. He faced his Blues teammate from 2021, Cameron Evans, who started for Newport. Darragh’s path to the starting eleven has been slightly blocked by the club’s other right back, Arkell Jude-Boyd, who has been one of their best performers of late. However, manager Michael Flynn moved the Saint Lucia international further forward to the wing, opening up a spot for the Kilmac Cafu. Power will be happy with the clean sheet and 89 minutes on the pitch before being replaced at the end. 

In the Championship, Lawrence Vigouroux kept another clean sheet for Swansea City in an excellent 3-0 win against Blackburn Rovers. The former Waterford loanee has had an outstanding season for the Welshmen. Also in the Championship, Scott Twine started in Bristol City’s 2-1 win over Middlesbrough on Friday night which moves the Robins up to eighth in the table.

 

"Enjoy him while we've got him"

 

Maybe the biggest shock of the weekend was St Mirren’s historic 2-0 win over Rangers in Ibrox. Richard Taylor played the full ninety minutes as usual while Owen Oseni and Roland Idowu were unused substitutes. After having mixed fortunes in Waterford, Richard has been outstanding since his move to the Scottish Premier League. The commentators on St Mirren TV worry he’ll be snapped up by a bigger club, saying on Saturday that “there aren’t many defenders like him” and “enjoy him while we’ve got him.”

In League One, Noel Hunt continued his successful start to his managerial career as his Reading side held the leaders Birmingham City to a 0-0 draw. Reading are ninth in the table and in a strong position to make the play-offs. Meanwhile in the same division, the Blues trio of Junior Quitirna, Gavan Holohan and Rory Feely all came off the bench in Crawley Town’s 3-1 defeat in Blackpool.

Back in League Two, Phoenix Patterson played ninety minutes in Fleetwood Town’s 2-1 loss away to Grimsby Town. Yet another Town, Swindon, beat Chesterfield 1-0, but Tunmise Sobowale was an unused substitute and Aaron Drinan missed out with a knee injury. 

 

A pair of Blues up front

 

North of the border in the Irish League, Glenavon started on Saturday with a pair of Blues up front in David McDaid and Michael O’Connor with Tadhg Ryan, also, in goal. They lost 1-0 at home to Crusaders, for whom 36 year old Robbie Weir played 88 minutes in midfield.

Shane Flynn came on as a substitute for Ballymena United with Success Edogun starting up top as they beat Portadown 2-0. On Friday night, Christie Pattisson started in Glentoran’s 2-0 defeat to Cliftonville, but his teammate Patrick McClean was absent.