How the Irish fared: Hourihane on target for red-hot Villa

Conor Hourihane proved the match-winner as Aston Villa continued their charge towards the Championship play-offs with an eighth successive win on Saturday.

Villa were already 1-0 to the good when Hourihane doubled their advantage with a clever finish and, though Bristol City pulled one back, the Championship’s most in-form team held on. “He could have had three or four today,” Villa boss Dean Smith said of the Bandon man.