After chasing Preston's Player of The Year goalkeeper Andy Lonergan all summer Simon Grayson has finally captured his man on a three year contract. He will be the Leeds No 1 for the coming seasion and is a former England U21 international.With Paul Rachubka recently signed from Hull City, United have now two experienced keepers fighting for the goalkeepers shirt.

It will be interesting to see if their signings will help our goal against total as in my opinion Casper has come in for unfair criticism as his back four last season were a very porous lot. Now lets hope Grayson goes out and buys another mid fielder's to augment Michael Brown's signing and a decent centre half while holding on to prize assets Max Gradel and Robert Snodgrass.

On Friday last I had the pleasure ( if that’s what you call it) of climb Carrauntoohil ( Ireland’s highest mountain @ 3414 ft or 1041 m above sea level) with three of my work colleagues Brian Vaughan, Pat Quinlan and Helen Fitzheral -Lillis for the second time within a year. The day was wonderful with clear sky's which is very unusual for the area and most important for climbing no wind. We set out from Cronin’s Yard which is the starting point for most climbing the mountain and headed for Heaven's Gate which is one of the more difficult way’s up and not for those who suffer from vertigo . However the views are spectacular and well worth the effort.

Of course once I got to the top I had only one thing in mind and that was to unfurl the Ennislusc club flag and also the tri colour with… Read more

Our esteemed secretary Paul Nuggy Nihill text all our members recently with some probable trip options for the new season. Looking at the fixture list the quality on offer before Christmas wasn't awe inspiring so tentatively at this stage the Portsmouth game on October 1st is penciled in as a probable option.

To date the response back to the trip is poor due to a variety of reasons with members citing weddings, traveling abroad and work commitments the main problems encountered. As of now we have 10 members signed up with only 5/6 replies not yet received. It is hoped that the committee will meet before the club AGM in August to discuss other options and how best to progress the club going forward. Wishing one and all a enjoyable summer.

Tonight Moroney's will close it's door for the last time as Brian John reluctantly has to retire for health reasons. Since BJ took over the pub in June 2005 it has been our home for all televised matches and if the walls could talk some tales would be told. Not least our despair at relegation and play off finals, our ecstasy at gaining promotion to The Championship, the visit of the Leeds United coaching staff,the mighty sing songs we had and of course all the friends we made over the years in Moroneys.

On a sad note we also remember those true friends who enjoyed those night in our company and are sadly gone to their eternal rest and will in our eyes never be forgotten. Brian John has asked me to convey his sincere thanks to all the Ennislusc supporters for the custom, generosity, wit, songs and friendship over the… Read more

The fixtures for the 2011/12 season were released at 9am this morning and Leeds face a tough opening couple of games. We kick off away to newly promoted Southampton on 6th Aug with Middlesboro our first home fixture on Saturday 13th August. The full list of fixtures are attached and I'm sure my will be anticipating what games will be chosen for our club trips. This will be decided at our club AGM in early August.

Until then enjoy the summer break and look forward to seeing you all for the beginning of the season. Marching On Together

Season 2011-12 Leeds United Fixtures

August 2011

Sat 6 15:00 Southampton A

Sat 13 15:00 Middlesbrough H

Tue 16 19:45 Hull City H

Sat 20 15:00 West Ham United A

Sat 27 15:00 Ipswich Town A

September 2011
Sat 10 15:00 Crystal Palace H

Sat 17 15:00 Bristol City H

Sat 24 15:00 Brighton and Hove Albion A

Tue 27 19:45 Birmingham City A

October 2011
Sat 1 15:00 Portsmouth H

Sat 15 15:00 Doncaster Rovers A

Tue 18 19:45 Coventry City H

Sat… Read more

On Sunday next Ennislusc member Pat Morrissey will retire from the Gardai after over 33 years service. Pat has been based in Shannon Town for the last number of years and indeed only last year was transfered to the Irish Immigration Department in the Shannon Airport.

All Pat's friends at Ennislusc wish him well in his retirement and look forward to seeing him on next seasons trips. Marching On Together

Queens Park Rangers 1 Leeds United 2

QPR celebrated confirmation of their status as Championship winners despite a final day defeat by Leeds. The promotion party began before kick-off when QPR were told they had escaped a points deduction for charges relating to the signing of Alejandro Faurlin.

The result will be of scant consolation for the Leeds, who missed out a play-off place after Nottingham Forest beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. The west Londoners began well, scoring inside 26 seconds when Helguson found the back of the net from about a yard after Schmeichel failed to hold on to Tommy Smith's shot. Leeds were always a threat on the break with Gradel's pace and the Ivory Coast-born player was fractions from scoring when his intended cross from the right had to be pushed over the bar by Cerny.

United finally made the breakthrough seven minutes before the break when Richard Naylor's… Read more

Leeds United 1 Burnley 0

Leeds kept their Championship play-off hopes alive with a victory over Burnley, whose own chances of a top-six finish were damaged as a result.It however is only a slim hope as we need to beat Champions QPR by three goals at Loftus Road on Saturday and hope Crystal Palace do us a favour and hit Forest for three to get us through.

United led at half-time thanks to Ross McCormack's neat finish - his first for the club since joining in the summer. He has however being starring for the reserves and it is very surprising that he has got few opportunities with the first team. He gave a Man Of The Match performance on Saturday and his work rate was outstanding.

Burnley keeper Brian Jensen produced a string of saves to deny Leeds, who also hit the post through McCormack in the second half.The win completes… Read more

It's hard to believe that the season is coming to a end and Ennislusc are off to the last home game of the season vs Burnley. While we had hoped we would be looking at a top six finish ( it's still possible but out of our hands) we intend to enjoy the day and hopefully celebrate a win to put pressure on Nottingham Forest. This time out we are flying from Shannon to Liverpool and we will have our customary bus trip to Leeds with perhaps a pit stop along the way.

It will be nice to go to Elland Road with the sun shining and a full house, something we haven't seen since our Premiership days. We will be staying in The Marriott and no doubt we'll have the odd sing song or two and visit some of our old haunts in the city center. As they say it… Read more

Crystal Palace 1 Leeds United 0

The Eagles took a huge stride toward securing their Championship status with a win against play-off hopefuls Leeds at Selhurst Park. The home side made the perfect start when Neil Danns shot deflected in off Andy O'Brien of Leeds after 80 seconds. From the only other chance of a drab first half, Palace's Jermaine Easter headed a Nathaniel Clyne cross wide. Palace survived heavy Leeds pressure in the second half and ended with 10 men after Danns was sent off.

This has to have been one of United worst displays of the season and was some way to salute the 6,000 Leeds supporters who traveled south for the Bank Holiday Monday fixture. After a tremendous display on Friday night vs Reading it looked like the team was on the beer for the weekend as they all but kissed goodbye to their play off hopes. One… Read more

Leeds United 0 Reading 0

Simon Grayson men endured another stutter in their promotion campaign as they halted Reading's eight-game winning streak but failed to hit the target themselves. Keeper Alex McCarthy kept Reading in the game in the first half, saving well from Robert Snodgrass and Max Gradel.

After the break, Leeds Bradley Johnson rattled the crossbar from twelve yards when through on goal and it just summed up United's day.

Gradel and Snodgrass tested McCarthy late on and Leeds Sanchez Watt missed a great chance to win it at the death but somehow got his feet in a tangle and the chance went a begging.Leeds had begun Good Friday in sixth place, the last of the play-off spots but they ended the day seventh, below play-off rivals Nottingham Forest -who beat Leicester 3-2 earlier in the day - on goal difference ( one goal, yes).

Simply United have to win their last… Read more

Leeds United 2 Watford 2

Simon Grayson's side got out of jail thanks to an 88th-minute own goal by Watford forward Troy Deeney. Luciano Becchio nodded Leeds in front with 18 minutes left but an unmarked Lee Hodson equalised with a header five minutes later. Then disaster struck as Danny Graham shrugged off Andy O'Brien and played in Andreas Weimann for what looked to be an 86th-minute winner.

But Deeney then bundled a corner from Barry Bannan into his own net, leaving sixth-placed Leeds two points clear of Nottingham Forest in seventh. Leeds have only won one of their last six fixtures, but with Forest losing on Friday and Millwall defeated by Coventry on Saturday, this point against the Hornets may prove crucial.We have now conceded 67 goals this season compared to champions elect QPR who have the paltry sum of 27. It's easy to see where our problems lie… Read more

Mac Would Have Loved It (Script-Paul Nuggy Nihill)

On Saturday April 9th last, the greatest day in the short history of Ennis LUSC took place at Ennis Golf Club. Some months ago The Ennis Leeds United Supporters Club (www.ennislusc.com) announced that “The Mike Mac Memorial Golf Classic” would be held this year in memory of our much loved former President Mike Mac. Mike sadly passed away last summer and has been missed by all his friends and family since. Originally from Newmarket-on-Fergus, Mike spent most of his working life in Ennis where he worked with Tool and Mould in Beech Park, and became widely known and very popular amongst friends and colleagues alike over a long number of years. Mike played soccer for Newmarket Celtic and Lifford among others, and also starred for Ennis RFC on many occasions. He was a keen sportsman and a lifelong follower of all things Leeds… Read more

Derby County 2 Leeds United 1

Derby County scored twice in as many minutes as they came from behind to beat Leeds United at Pride Park and thus complete the double over them this season. Max Gradel gave United the lead on 58 minutes with a strike from the edge of the box. However, within five minutes Derby were in front.

Jamie Ward equalised for the home side before Ben Davies gave the Rams the lead with a stunning shot low into the right corner of the goal.
The three points keep Derby out of the relegation battle. Leeds stay sixth. It was United's third defeat in four games, leaving Simon Grayson's team just a point above Forest in seventh.

Leeds
01 Schmeichel
02 Connolly
20 Lichaj
26 Bromby
40 O'Brien
07 Gradel
08 Kilkenny (Yellow card)
14 Howson
17 Livermore (Johnson 64 Yellow card)
25 Bannan (McCormack 72)
10 Becchio Yellow card (Somma 64)

Substitutes
12 Higgs, 04 Bruce, 06 Naylor, 11 Sam, 16 Johnson, 27… Read more

Millwall 3 Leeds United 1

Millwall continued their pursuit of the Championship play-off spots with a win over fellow promotion chasers Leeds. The New Den has not been a happy hunting ground for United and so the unhappy saga continued on Saturday. Both of these sides have had superb first seasons back in the Championship after gaining promotion from League One last year. It is highly possible that both teams could be heading for another meeting in the play-offs as Leeds hopes of earning automatic promotion are fading fast.

The opening stages of the match were typically scrappy until Henry lit up the encounter by curling in an excellent free-kick for his fourth goal of the season. The shell-shocked visitors found themselves two down six minutes later when keeper Kasper Schmeichel failed to deal with Andros Townsend's corner and Trotter was able to flick the ball over the line from a couple… Read more

Leeds United 4 Nottingham Forest 1

Leeds scored four second-half goals to defeat 10-man Nottingham Forest after a feisty contest at Elland Road. Forest dominated the first half but had Chris Cohen sent off for a two footed challenge on George McCartney which changed the game completely.

Jonny Howson put Leeds in front from close range after the restart before Luciano Becchio headed a second goal. Garath McCleary pulled one back with a superb curling effort but Max Gradel then struck with an 18-yard shot and fired home a rebound close to the end.

Lee Camp saved at the feet of Bradley Johnson in the second minute after referee Mark Halsey played an advantage following a crude lunge on Gradel by Wes Morgan. The visitors had collected just four points from their previous seven games but, after weathering the early storm, Billy Davies's side took a definite grip on the contest.… Read more

Our good friend and long time Ennislusc member Paul Phelan is recuperating at home following a serious back operation. Paul is facing up to three months off work and literally can't do any lifting or exercise of any kind while on the road to recover.

All Paul's friends at Ennislusc wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him for the play offs ( hopefully we'll be there ):-)

We are now less that three weeks away from the tee off to the Mike Mac Golf Classic at the Ennis Golf Club and thankfully things are moving along nicely. Presently we have 33 teams on the team sheet and have confirmation from the great man himself John Giles that he'll be playing on the day and staying on that evening for the festivities. We have also secures a signed Leeds shirt, a Republic Of Ireland shirt and a John Giles signed shirt from the 1972 Cup Final for our auction on the night.

The prize giving will take place at the golf club at 9pm on Saturday 9th April and all are welcome to enjoy the occassion. There will be live music on the night followed by a disco and it promises to be a great event with all funds going to Cahercalla Hospice and The Johnny Giles Foundation.… Read more

Sheffield United 2 Leeds United 0

Leeds suffered a humiliating defeat at Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United who themselves are fighting relegation. Mickey Adams had his side up for the battle and indeed Leeds could have been three down at half time only for the heroics of Casper Schmeichel. It was a welcome and hugely deserved three points for The Blades against the Championship's top scorers, who have now gone two games without a goal as their quest for the second automatic promotion spot shows further signs of wobbling.

Leeds looked dangerous on the break and Max Gradel was wasteful when he drifted into the box to nod Lichaj's cross wide of the with a open goal at his mercy. However that was as near as Leeds came to scoring over the 90 plus minutes and just like the Swansea game they were totally outplayed on their travels much to the disappointment of… Read more

Leeds United 0 Ipswich Town 0

Leeds missed the chance to close in on the automatic promotion spots as they were held to a scoreless draw by a stubborn Ipswich Town who had Man of The Match in goalkeeper Martin Fullop.
Swansea's defeat at Derby meant Leeds could have moved up to joint second in the table with a win but Graysons men were frustrated by a host of wasted chances. Billy Paynter in particular, missed a host of opportunities and Town keeper Marton Fulop twice denied Max Gradel.

Leeds were to be frustrated, though - just as they were the last time Ipswich visited Elland Road when they came away with a draw that all but relegated Leeds to League One in April 2007. This time the shoe was on the other foot and Ipswich returned to Yorkshire looking over their shoulder at the drop zone against a Leeds side… Read more