On Saturday Bray Wanderers striker Jason Byrne scored 4 goals to burst through the 200 goal barrier and now sits on 202. He's only the second League of Ireland player to do so and the feat was universally acknowledged as a terrific achievement.
Well almost universally acknowledged. Former Cork City and Shelbourne striker Pat Morley, who now acts as pundit and commentator for RTE's Airtricity League coverage, didn't join in with the praise. Morley, using his business twitter account, believes that Byrne's goals in the first division shouldn't count.
It all started as a reply to the great LOI journalist Paul Buttner
@pbuttner all in the premier league ??? Just asking 55 in the first division. ??? It should be premier league goals only simple
— Lapel 1865 (@Lapel1865) June 8, 2013
He continued to question another's praise for Byrne;
@mickring83 always ask the ? Premier league goal same as a first division goal ???? Don't think so . Will leave it at that
— Lapel 1865 (@Lapel1865) June 8, 2013
He seemed certain Byrne scored 55 goals in the first division.
@mickring83 55 first division goals. That's 145 premier league goals ?? Premier goals are premier goals. First division bug difference.
— Lapel 1865 (@Lapel1865) June 8, 2013
He also thinks Brendan Bradley's record should have an asterisk.
@mickring83 Bradley a a good few 1st division also . Me myself don't know what that division is :-) do mine are all ??? You guessed it.
— Lapel 1865 (@Lapel1865) June 8, 2013
Bradley scored 4 goals in the First Division for Derry City. He has 231 goals in the top division (every one of them before the league was split into divisions)
@mickring83 pissing myself I have even lost a few followers because of saying the fact . Oooh irish people reality please. ...,
— Lapel 1865 (@Lapel1865) June 8, 2013
He seems big on facts.
Former RTE sports prsenter/producer, and longtime LOI fan, Eamon Donohoe was asked to clarify.
@wodka6 @lapel1865 196 in the Premier and 7 in the First. 203 altogether!
— Eamonn Donohoe (@EamonnDonohoe) June 12, 2013
@vperth @wodka6 @eamonndonohoe amazing . 49 with bray
— Lapel 1865 (@Lapel1865) June 12, 2013
So is it Eamon's 7 or Pat's revised 49 (or even his original 55)?
Eamon has an explanation but Pat thinks he should check with the League office.
@eamonndonohoe @vperth @wodka6 think u need to speak with Michael Hayes in the FAI . Will leave it at that .
— Lapel 1865 (@Lapel1865) June 12, 2013
Did 35 year old Byrne really play for Bray Wanderers 22/23 years ago? Pat thinks so.
@wodka6 explain ???? twitter.com/Lapel1865/stat…
— Lapel 1865 (@Lapel1865) June 12, 2013
Maybe he meant different years.
@lapel1865 @vperth @wodka6 Pat stop it. He has played only 1 season in div1 and he didn't score a quarter of his career goals in that season
— Eamonn Donohoe (@EamonnDonohoe) June 12, 2013
@lapel1865 @vperth @wodka6 He played for Shels in 2003 so how could he have been promoted with Bray the same season???
— Eamonn Donohoe (@EamonnDonohoe) June 12, 2013
@lapel1865 @vperth @wodka6 Exactly. He signed for Shels in January 2003 meaning he played for Shels in the 2003 season.
— Eamonn Donohoe (@EamonnDonohoe) June 12, 2013
And then Byrne himself confirmed it in a text tweeted by former Longford and Bohs defender Paul McNally.
@eamonndonohoe @lapel1865 @vperth this ends it twitter.com/wodka6/status/…
— Paul McNally (@wodka6) June 12, 2013
It appears Pat also confirmed it with the League office, so he finally apologised;
@eamonndonohoe @vperth @wodka6 Eamonn your so right . Sorry I am so wrong . He only got 7 and shels signed him . Chat with michael Hayes bye
— Lapel 1865 (@Lapel1865) June 12, 2013
For the record Byrne has 202 League of Ireland goals made up of 7 in the first division and 195 in the Premier Division. That's 13 more Premier Division goals than Pat Morley's 182.
(Photo credit - Morley; Brendan Moran/SPORTSFILE, Byrne; Barry Cregg / SPORTSFILE)
