31/1/15
Spartak 6, Peamount 1
It was with some level of trepidation that Spartak faced this fixture against an in form Peamount side. With five enforced changes from the previous game risking an unwanted level of disruption and might have justified some fall off in performance. However the visitors, apparently , were in the same boat, with players missing, and Spartak saw them off after a solid first half followed by some flamboyant attacking play in the second period.
Mick Greene, with some fine interceptions and passing, played really well in the first half; Niall Lennon, later to make a goal for Jeff Gamble with a sumptuous pass, took responsibility in the centre and tested the keeper early on with a long range effort. Conor Canavan showed good game intelligence with drilled passes to release the speedy Conor Callis on the right, who hit the post and also supplied a series of crosses. Ciaran Keane had the best of the first half chances, but did not take advantage.
Nil all at half time, and a satisfactory show so far. But nothing on what was to come!
Conor Callis, having lost the ball to the full back, won it back , closed in on goal and blasted the ball past the keeper from a narrow angle to give Spartak the lead; after Ciaran Keane had wasted a good chance made by Mick Greene, Peamount broke quickly to equalise.
Their joy was short lived. The Sky Blues then went on a spree, scoring four in a ten minute spell.
Ciaran Keane went on one of his mazy runs, this time opting to take the ball with him, and drilled a great low cross which went across the six yard box; Conor Callis passed the ball back inside to enable Shane McInerney to finish neatly from close range; Shane had only just come on as sub, having taken more time than a debutante to get ready!
Dave O’Kelly’s pass was then deflected into the path of Jeff Gamble, who lashed the ball inside the far post. McInerney and Lennon then combined to allow the latter to produce the pass of the game for Gamble to beat the keeper.
A Chris Hogan cross, which looked goalbound, was deflected to the net by Ciaran Keane’s chest, from all of half a yard out to make it 5-1.
Ross Kelly came on for his seasonal debut but lacked the sharpness to finish some promising opportunities.
As the game moved towards its inevitable conclusion, McInerney released Gamble down the right and he unselfishly laid on the easiest of finishes for Keane.
A highly satisfying second half.
Form Report:
Bobby Hayes 6 Chris Hogan 6 Mick Greene 7 Daniel Sage 7 Dave O’Kelly 6 Ciaran Keane 6 Conor Canavan 7 Jeff Gamble 8 Niall Lennon 8 Lee Malone 6 Conor Callis 8
Subs: Shane McInerney 7 Ross Kelly 5
