Spartak Dynamo FC

111.2.12
Spartak 2, Alpine Express 2

Peter O’Toole cried off with the vomiting bug on Saturday; but on learning that all 3 other keepers were unavailable, he rose from his sick bed to help out his team mates, and made a telling contribution with a vital second half stop.

The Sky Blues started the game a little shakily; with Peter arriving late, Steve Grier played in goal for the first ten minutes and it took Spartak a long time to settle. Alpine took full advantage and scored after 11 minutes from a suspiciously offside position after some poor Spartak defending. On 24 minutes Seamus McCahill was dispossessed and the ball played past Anto Doyle into the winger who took his chance well to double the advantage. A lack of central defensive cover was apparent.

On 41 minutes the sky Blues at last put together a fine move; Seamus McCahill’s pass sent Graham McEnroe away down the left and his cross found Graham Breen. However the first touch was heavy and the defender lashed it out for a throw. From the throw, Breen flicked it on and the no.6 finished the job! 1-2.

Spartak huffed and puffed in the second half without creating any clear chances; a few decent frees and corners were wasted due to the static nature of the Sky Blue attackers.

Just when it looked as if Alpine would hold out, that man Breen popped up on 82 minutes. Picking up a loose ball 30 yards out, Breener thought of flicking it up on to his head, but instead pushed it out of his feet and fired a low drive to the corner past the diving keeper; his joyous yelps were heard for miles around.

Not a great performance but another point gained in the fight for survival.

Form Report
Peter O’Toole 7 Anto Doyle 5 Dave Browne 6 Alex Kenny 6 Steve Grier 6 Graham McEnroe 6
Neil McGowan 6 Seamus McCahill 6 Dave Thomson 6 Graham Breen 7 Thom O’Driscoll 6
Subs: Paul Kinsella 6 Ken Buckley 5 Conor Canavan 5

10.3.12
Booth Road 0, Spartak 0.

Spartak came away from the visit to the league leaders with a sense of regret at not taking all three points. Spartak started (and indeed ended) the game having dropped just 5 points more than the leaders.

No scoreless games for ages and then two in a row come along. While Spartak will take credit for another clean sheet the season’s long tale of lack of finishing power was again to the fore; just 18 goals scored in 14 league games tells its own story. At the back Paul Kinsella, recovering form and fitness, marshalled the defence and covered excellently while also finding time for a few surging runs.

The Sky Blues, on balance, had the best chances to win the game, although Booth missed a couple of good chances and were denied in injury time by an athletic save by Jason Northey.

The big opportunity for the Sky Blues came on 63 minutes when Conor Maguire’s run into the box was interrupted by a foul. Mick Greene stepped up for the spot kick and struck it low but too close to the keeper, who parried. Mick ran in for the rebound, but to his chagrin, fired the ball wide.

Spartak had quite a few chances apart from the spot kick. Niall Lennon supplied a couple of through balls to Ross Kelly and then to Conor Maguire. Ross’s attempt on the turn was wide; Conor’s was the better chance but the keeper smothered the ball. Mick Greene’s corner found Niall Lennon alone and unmarked at the back post, but his header lacked conviction and flew harmlessly wide.

There were a few half chances which fell to Fintan Grace and Steve Walsh but to no avail.

Booth had their chances and the striker blazed over from a right wing cross in the first period; then at the start of the second he winger evaded Mick Greene but blazed wide. A more remarkable miss occurred when a header by a Booth player seemed goalward bound until another Booth player effectively cleared it off the line.

Late substitutes Chris Hogan and Derek McGoldrick combined to set up Steve Walsh who fired wide. Then as the clock ticked down Conor Maguire made a run on the left; with Sky Blue jerseys filling the box the ball fell to Chris Hogan, but his shot was directly at the keeper.

A decent performance in all but the final third of the pitch.

Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Conor Canavan 7 Mick Greene 6 Fintan Grace 7 Paul Kinsella 9 Mick Costello 6 Niall Lennon 6 Conor Maguire 7 Steve Walsh 6 Ross Kelly 7 Derek Ruxton 6
Subs: Shane McInerney 6 Chris Hogan 6 Derek McGoldrick 6 Martin Costello Steve O’Hara.

The Annual General Meeting of the CLub will take place on Monday 26th March in the Eden.

The meeting will commence at 9 pm and is open to members who have paid annuals by Dec 31st last, committee members and life members.

The business of the meeting shall be as follows:

1. Ascertainment that a quorum is present
2. Reading and approval of the minutes of the last AGM.
3. Report of the Chairman
4. Financial Report
5. Elections and balloting
6. Any other business.

This weeks lotto bonus ball winner is Mick Greene (me) The winning ball 5, came up in the Wednesday lotto draw and as a result I’m €110 better off. Not bad for €5. Get in!

There are still some balls available for next weeks draw. Check out the Lotto tab for available numbers.

4.3.12
Spartak 4, Brighton Celtic 0

With resources stretched due to injury, illness and a certain Saturday wedding, Spartak did enough to bag the three points in a comfortable win over Brighton.

A few players clearly felt the impact of a full 90 minutes on a fairly heavy pitch, and the pace in the second half fell considerably as legs became heavy.

The Sky Blues had a few penalty shouts, the clearest of which was when Graham McEnroe was tripped in the box; otherwise early efforts were confined to a weak Glen Burke header and a shot from distance by Dave Browne which was well wide.

Glen Burke won a challenge and set McEnroe away on 24 minutes, and Graham Breen neatly tucked away the cross. Two minutes later Dave Thomson poked home after a Steve Grier throw was deflected into his path.

Grier than made a timely goal line clearance to prevent the visitors getting back in the game before a nice move between Thomson and McEnroe in the 39th gave Burke the crossing opportunity; when Breen’s effort rebounded Neil McGowan nodded home.

The second half was played at a more leisurely pace with Spartak missing a couple of chances; Dave Thomson will regret not adding to his total with a one on one effort which was too tame and another, after dispossessing the defender but shooting weakly wide.

The fourth goal in the 60th minute saw McGowan fire a fine long pass to the right; Breen beat the full back and crossed for McEnroe to finish the scoring.

A satisfactory result; fitness issues persist with some players.

Form Report (per Barry Crowe for a change)

Brian O’Keefe 7 Anto Doyle 7 Dave Browne 6 Steve Grier 8 Keith Kelly 8 Graham McEnroe 7 Neil McGowan 8 Glen Burke 7 Dave Thomson 8 Graham Breen 8 Thom O’Driscoll 7
Subs: Paul Kinsella 6 Conor Canavan 6

3.3.12
Leicester 0, Spartak 0

Spartak faced into this match after an unlucky exit from an impressive Shield run and a less glorious exit from the Vere Deane Cup.

On this occasion the performance, energy and concentration levels were back to normal in a good performance against a Leicester side who had recovered form poor early season form and who had a seven game unbeaten run prior to this match.

A hard earned point in a tight match could have been bettered if an early penalty shout had gone Spartak’s way. It looked a clear spot kick when Conor Maguire was hauled down, however the referee, otherwise excellent, was unsighted.

In a game of relatively few chances, Leicester struck the post with a shot from distance and fell foul of the offside trap a few too many times. Spartak’s finishing and decision making in the final third were not quite good enough to breach the home defence.

Spartak had slightly the better of the opening half without creating clear cut chances. Mick Greene’s effort from a long range free tested the keeper; Derek Ruxton overlapped in the best move of the first half involving a build up by Seamus McCahill, Steve Walsh and Mick Greene, but Derek fired wide.

The third quarter saw Leicester push on; in this period they struck the post and forced a number of corners. Paul Kinsella displayed a welcome return to fitness and form and marshalled the troops at the back to a deserved clean sheet.

Spartak broke in a sweeping move by Conor Maguire and Steve Walsh but Seamus McCahill volleyed wide. Conor Maguire in a solo effort was forced too wide and in the very last minute Steve Walsh’s shot was too close to the keeper.

Overall a decent performance, lacking only the final flourish which might have killed off the home challenge.

Form Report
Stephen Harris 8 Conor Canavan 7 Mick Greene 7 Fintan Grace 7 Paul Kinsella 8 Derek Ruxton 7 Niall Lennon 7 Seamus McCahill 7 Ross Kelly 7 Stephen Walsh 7 Conor Maguire 7
Subs : Derek McGoldrick 5 Dave O Kelly 5 Chris Hogan 5 Mick Costello

26.2.12
Spartak 1 Brendanville 3

Without ever playing well, Spartak created enough chances from set pieces in the first half to be well ahead at half time; instead they finished the half a goal down.

Glen Burke, on another day, night have finished the half with a hat trick, while Seamus McCahill also shot over from close range.

Brendanville created a couple of chances and got the vital goal on 14 minutes when the Sky Blues failed to pick up the thrower and the cross found a gap at the back post which made it easy for the striker.

The home side were bedevilled by poor distribution from the back throughout which frustrated many passing moves. The playing surface was a disgrace to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown – the pitch was bumpy with grass uncut for months despite the warm weather.

A free kick following an eccentric refereeing decision found a visiting player at the back post on 52 minutes and he nudged the ball home. Spartak reduced arrears on 58 minutes when Ciaran Keogh’s corner was deflected in by a defender but in general were reduced to long range efforts, one of which, by Neil McGowan , was spilled by the keeper but retrieved just in time.

A break out goal on 85 minutes sealed the win for a Brendanville side who were solid and rode their first half luck.

Spartak paid dearly for a sleepy start, lack of midfield work rate and poor passing by defenders with time to do better. A disappointing performance.

Form Report
Peter O’Toole 5 Dave Browne 5 Ciaran Keogh 5 Steve Grier 5 Alex Kenny 7 Keith Kelly 5 Neil McGowan 6 Glen Burke 6 Seamus McCahill 5 Graham Breen 6 Ger Byrne 5
Subs: Dave Thomson 6 Graham McEnroe 5 Anto Doyle 5 Conor Canavan

25.2.02
Malahide 6, Spartak 1

The day began badly for Spartak and ended a great deal worse.

The home side opened the scoring in the first minute after hesitation by Fintan Grace allowed the centre forward in to round Stephen Harris and score.
Spartak rallied and Derek Ruxton had a couple of efforts, one well over and another cleared with the keeper beaten. Fintan redeemed himself somewhat with a great clearance after the home side sprung a shaky offside trap.
A shot by Shane McInerney was handled on the line but nothing given by the referee. Spartak pressed and a throw by Mick Greene was controlled by Conor Maguire who passed to Derek Ruxton. Derek’s shot was goal bound and Conor is claiming a touch.
Derek skied a half chance and Malahide showed their intent with a header just over, while Stephen Harris also made a smart save.

At half time the game seemed well within Spartak’s grasp, but that was not how it turned out.

Niall Hanratty lasted just 45 minutes and Neill Bolger substituted. On 53 minutes, a clearly offside no.7 was allowed to go on and score for Malahide. Incensed by the decision Neill incurred a yellow and then a red in foolishly attempting to get the ref to change his mind. A goal and a man down, Spartak did not respond well to the adversity. Its often said that its difficult to play against 10 men, but Malahide found it an easy task, as Spartak folded. The referee was one of the poorest we have encountered, but Spartak fell in to the trap of arguing with each other and with the ref, and both concentration and discipline were lost.

The afternoon got steadily worse for the Sky Blues after that. Malahide got the third following a corner, and the fourth from a break when Niall Lennon was dispossessed. Cathal Clancy allowed the red mist to descend and conceded a penalty and was dismissed. A harsh penalty was awarded against Shane McInerney to complete the rout. Both penalties were duly dispatched.

A humbling experience to lose and exit the cup in such a manner to a team from a lower division who were clearly beatable. By some distance the worst performance of the season.

Form Report:
Stephen Harris 6 Chris Hogan 4 Mick Greene 5 Fintan Grace 5 Cathal Clancy 4 Mick Costello 4 Niall Hanratty 4 Conor Maguire 5 Steve Walsh 4 Derek Ruxton 5 Shane McInerney 5
Subs: Neill Bolger 4 Niall Lennon 4 Martin Costello

25/02/2012

Wicklow FC 3  Spartak Seniors 4

Squad: Jimmy Brown (7), Ken Byrne (7), Dave Mohan (7), Paul McGrath (7), Robbie Downer (7), Shea McCafferty (7), Dave Kavanagh (7), Collie Reid (7), Gragham Johnston (7), Matt Grimmes (7), Stevey Mongy (7), Bren Mooney (7), Con Mooney (7)………..Rory Campbell (9.5)

Scorer: Rory Campbell…… (4) ……(Four)…….(a ceathair)….

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