McCarthy celebrates as Sunderland clinch title
Relegated from the Premiership two years ago, Mick McCarthy’s side were last night celebrating in east London.
Goals from Julio Arca and substitute Stephen Elliott wiped out Marlon Harewood’s opener and ensured that Sunderland can no longer be caught at the top of the table.
They move onto 91 points, eight clear of Wigan, who play their penultimate game of the season today at Preston.
McCarthy admitted it “sounded great” to hear Sunderland fans in fine voice.
He said: “It sounds great, they came off at half-time with the crowd saying ‘Premiership, you’re having a laugh’, so I mentioned that.
“They played well, West Ham, in the first half. We tried but didn’t pass it particularly well.
“I said at half-time ‘we’re better than that’, and we showed it in the second half.”
Sunderland endured a wretched start to the season but came back strongly, with McCarthy adding: “I’m not bothered about that. We had a fantastic run of games, when you have six points from five games do you think that you would? Probably not.
“It’s absolutely tops, a great bunch of guys.”
Harewood had fired West Ham, whose play-off hopes took a serious dent with this defeat, into a 43rd-minute lead, but Argentinian Arca scrambled home a leveller after 52 minutes.
West Ham, who slide from sixth to seventh, brought on former Tottenham striker Sergei Rebrov as they chased victory, but a Sunderland breakaway saw Elliott fire home the clincher after 87 minutes.
: Walker, Powell, Ferdinand, Ward, Repka, Etherington (Noble 73), Reo-Coker, Mullins, Newton (Rebrov 81), Zamora, Harewood.
: Alnwick, McCartney, Breen (Danny Collins 74), Caldwell, Wright, Lawrence, Whitehead, Robinson, Arca, Brown (Deane 89), Stewart (Elliott 75).
: R Beeby.
Ten-man Sligo Rovers maintained second spot in the eircom first division after a sterile scoreless draw against Athlone Town at Golden Island Park last night.
The only real chance of a drab opening half fell to Brian Tosh on 25 minutes but he dragged his effort narrowly wide.
Iarfhlaith Davern spurned two decent chances for Athlone before Conor O’Grady was shown a straight red card on 63 minutes for a crude challenge on Damien Rushe.
However, neither side created any chances of note in the remaining 25 minutes in what turned out to be a dreadfully disappointing game.
: O’Leary; O’Keeffe, Kelly, Silke, Hope; Flanagan, Rushe, Gavin, Davern; O’Connor, Doyle.
: McCann for Davern 84 mins, Brennan for Doyle 84 mins.
: O’Hara; Gallagher, Low, McNamara, Burns; O’Grady, Cretaro, Foley, Flannery; Tosh, McCartney.
: Kuduzovic for McCartney 58 mins, Feeney for Gallagher 67 mins, McTiernan for Tosh 73 mins.
: N Doyle (Dublin).
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