Spartak Dynamo FC

19.3.2011
Spartak 2 , Terenure College 1

Spartak secured their place in the Tom Watt cup semis – but it was certainly not plain sailing, having to recover from going a goal down to come back and win.

A nervy home team, a bumpy pitch and a referee even below his usual standard all conrtibuted to a fraught contest. Harsh treatment was meted out, on and off the ball by Terenure, who had the tonic of a 7th minute goal. The no.10 headed in unopposed from a free kick.

The Sky blues got lucky to equalise within a few minutes. A Niall Lennon hoof goalwards was dropped by the keeper and the onrushing Mick Costello finished the job.

Spartak pressed and a Steve Browne free from a good position was off target; Terenure scrambled one off the line and Browne’s follow up shot was deflected wide. Terenure had a chance when Jason Northey made a hash of a back pass, but they failed to capitalise, shooting weakly.

Terenure probably deserved a minumum of three red cards, and
a better referee might have added Niall Hanatty to the list when he got involved and raised his hands.

On 72 minutes Dermot Dooley made a vital interception deep in his own half. He switched the ball wide where substitutes Adam Doran and Chris Hogan made rapid progress up the wing before Doran swung in a great cross, met with his head by Dooley, who had made a 70 yard run to make the connection.

Terenure had a couple of chances when errors by Ken Buckley and Adam Doran let them in, but they could not capitalise.

Form Report
Jason Northey 6 Niall Hanratty 6 Mick Greene 5 Martin Costello 6 Dave O’Kelly 6 Derek McGoldrick 5 Dermot Dooley 6 Ken Buckley 5 Niall Lennon 5 Steve Browne 5 Mick Costello 5
Subs : Chris Hogan 6 Adam Doran 6 Dillon Burke 6 Ryan Burke Robbie Hayes Jose Vargas

We have a winner……Its the Gaffer. Spurs let everyone down and Ross never posted a team so he got Newcastle. The Gaffer wisely went for mighty Everton…..They never let anyone down except for Shane!

Please post your team for Last Man Standing week 8. THERE IS NO AUTOMATIC PICK. A full list of fixtures is on the Last Man tab above. If you give a team that you have already chosen (or automatically chosen) you will get the next team available to you alphabetically.

The 2011 SDFC AGM will be held in Taylors Three Rock on Monday 28th March at 9pm.

Order of business:

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

12.3.2011
Leicester 3 Spartak 1

A late comeback from Spartak was insufficient to cause Leicester any undue worries in this pretty one sided encounter in Loreto Park. When Martin Costello gave away a foolish penalty midway through the second half to give Leicester their third goal it effectively extinguished any hopes of a meaningful comeback, despite a late show of energy and defiance from the Sky Blues.

Leicester’s strike force caused endless problems to the Spartak defence and when Martin Costello was too easily turned the striker crossed for a header neatly finished.

Indeed Leicester had two goals disallowed in mysterious circumstances by the eccentric referee and could have led by more than one at the break. The second disallowed goal came from slack marking by Dave O’Kelly and a dropped cross by Robbie Hayes. Martin Costello’s attempted clearance, in attempting to retrieve the situation, although hitting the back of the net , was adjudged not to have crossed the line!

In truth, the referee ruined the game for both sides, as he wanted to be the centre of attention at all times with some interesting interpretations of the rule book.

Some of Spartak’s most experienced players had serious off days. Dave O’Kelly was frequently caught out of position and slow to recover, and gave way a number of opportunities for the home side. Derek McGoldrick ,on the other flank, suffered a torrid time against a good winger, sometimes diving in too early and too often easily beaten by his man.

Further forward, Spartak failed to hold on to the ball or establish any real rythm or pattern. Jose Vargas was profligate with the ball, and while Ross Kelly worked hard, he lacked incisiveness, although going closest with a short range effort. Dermot Dooley was almost anonymous and Mick Costello well short of his best, shooting wide from decent effort in the first half, but fading later.

Leicester’s second after 52 minutes came from a move which looked well offside, and was finished despite Robbie Hayes initial block.

Spartak had chances, with Mick Costello shooting weakly and Jose Vargas having a close range effort saved.

The best move of the game by the Sky Blues saw Niall Lennon , one of the few Spartak players willing to pass the ball on the day, put Steve Browne away on the right; but his perfect cross was fluffed in turn by both Colum O’Sullivan and Martin Costello.

Having made a mess of an earlier free, Shane McInerney rolled an indirect free in the box to Browne, who roofed it to reduce arrears and put a reasonable gloss on an abysmal performance.

With seven goals conceded in two games, and it could have been more against Leicester, defensive frailties need to be remedied.

Form Report
Robbie Hayes 5 Dave O Kelly 4 Derek McGoldrick 4 Martin Costello 5 Paul Kinsella 6 Shane McInerney 5 Dermot Dooley 4 Niall Lennon 6 Jose Vargas 4 Ross Kelly 5 Mick Costello 4
Subs Steve Browne 6 Colum O’Sullivan 4 Dillon Burke 5 Ryan Burke Jason Northey

At the recent 40th celebration, John Delaney presented the club with complimentary tickets for the Macedonia game on 26th March. If you wish to join the lads for a good night at Lansdowne Road, and you have paid your annual sub, please reply to this post.
Applications close on 17th March.

Saturday sees the 35’s play their biggest game of the season to-date.We have drawn a home fixture to Ratoath Harps who play out of Div 1 North. Kick off for 2:30pm and all support is welcome.For those of the 35’s who make the squad we will be meeting for 1:00pm sharp and no later.

The over 35’s made it’s second trip to Lucan this season to take on Esker celtic, this time in the Jim Byrne  cup.After already been beaten out there in the league 2-1 the 35’s had only one thing on their mind. (or at least the manager did,revenge). We started slowly but took the lead with a well worked move which saw Ken Byrne break through the defence and strike well, scoring but also taking a heavy fall for the cause.The 2nd goal came from a sweeping move and break from the back with a good combination between Paul McGrath and Rory Campbell who then pushed a sweet ball to Andy Byrne who in turn slid a super ball across to Paul (Scholsey) Burke who duly obliged from about 15 yards.

Two nil up at the break and nothing but encouragement from the management at half time,still wasn’t enough to stop Spartak from leaking a goal.Now it was 2-1 and it could have gone either way, next goal was crucial.Lucky for us it came from hard work down the left from Andy Byrne and Shea McAfferty which was finally finished off by Stephen Moore.Still enough time for Spartak to leak another goal and for the game to finish 3-2.

Squad: Jimmy Browne (6), Dave Mohan (6), Paul McGrath (7), Greg Callan (7), Barry Crowe (6), Gary Harte (7), Paul Burke (7), Graham Johnston (7), Matt Grimes (6), Andy Byrne (6), Ken Byrne (7), Shea McAfferty (6), Leon Davids (6), Stephen Moore (6), Rory Campbell (9).

Spartak 1 Whitechurch 4

Spartak suffered a heavy defeat and can have no complaints after a weak defensive display.

It was an unhappy return to the Spartak goalmouth for Jason Northey, who was beaten 4 times and looked well below peak form throughout. While he could not be faulted for the first two goals, he was beaten easily at is near post for number three after Cathal Clancy was bypassed, and was slow and cumbersome in dealing with back passes. The first two goals came in the 16th and 17th minutes , the first when Mick Costello allowed his man to get in a clear strike and the second from an angled drive.

With the exception of Paul Kinsella, who made some vital covering tackles and is gradually returning to early season form , the remainder of the defence had a torrid time, with Niall Hanratty lucky not to concede a penalty when the game was scoreless. Cathal Clancy was also lucky to escape the ultimate sanction when blatantly pulling back a forward and Martin Costello was well below his usual standard, both in covering and distribution.

Spartak were not without some spirit, and fought back from three down. Niall Lennon drove in from the edge of the box after Chris Hogan crossed, and Hogan himself narrowly missed reducing arrears further when he hit the side net after Mick Costello had put him clean through.

Spartak, 3-1 down at the break, huffed and puffed to try to get back in the game. It was the visitors who missed a great chance when lobbing wide after going through.

Mick Costello and Dan O’Connell had a couple of half chances, but it was the visitors who made the game safe with a fourth goal when the marking following a long throw was again abysmal.

Form Report
Jason Northey 4 Niall Hanratty 5 Paul Kinsella 6 Martin Costello 4 Cathal Clancy 5 Kevin Mannion 5 Dermot Dooley 5 Chris Hogan 5 Niall Lennon 5 Ross Kelly 4 Mick Costello 4
Subs: Steve Browne 4 Neil McGowan 5 Dan O Connell 5

Spartak 3 Seaford 0

Three goals in the first half hour killed off this game. In protesting at the third goal, the visiting keeper verbally abused the ref and got a red card for his trouble.
Stuart Love opened the scoring in the 2nd minute, steering home from Graam Breen’s cross after a slick move. Breen first and then Love flicked on Dave Browne’s throw for Neil McGowan to finish on 13 minutes, and Will O’Connell drove in after a scramble when Breen’s header hit the bar and McGowan’s back heel into the danger area. The keeper claimed offside, but his protests went way too far.
In truth Spartak should have added to the total in the second half, but a combination of poor finishing and a ref who whistled for offside anytime the ball was played forward didn’t help.
Keith Kelly and Glen Burke both had chances when clear though, but did not unduly trouble the keeper.

Form Report
Peter O’Toole 7 Dave Browne 6 Fintan Grace 6 Steve Grier 6 Tom Flanagan 6 Keith Kelly 5 Neil McGowan 7 Will O Connell 5 Stuart Love 6 Graham Breen 6 Tom O Driscoll 5
Subs Kevin O Toole 6 Ken Buckley 5 Glen Burke 5