Spartak Dynamo FC

19.10.13
Blackrock College 3, Spartak 4.

Things looked pretty bleak after 59 minutes of this contest in Rockfield Park as Blackrock fired in to make it 3-0 for the home side, with Spartak reduced to ten men after Jonathan Lane’s two petulant first half yellow cards.

However the Sky Blues team spirit came to the fore to forge an unlikely victory.

The story of the first half was a bleak one; poor distribution, lack of support for attack, low energy in midfield. It was no surprise when Blackrock took the lead on 29 minutes with a shot from the edge of the box. On 39 minutes Jonathan Lane received his second yellow.

Blackrock got their second on 50 minutes, after Conor Callis’ misplaced pass; Conor raced back to try to recover his error and was fouled before the cross came in for the goal; the goal stood however. Their third came minutes later as sub Chris Hogan erred and David Marlow was slow to get down to the resulting shot. It seemed to be the final nail in the Sky Blues’ coffin.

After a formation change Sean Doyle fed Jeff Gamble who passed to Shane McInerney; Shane popped the ball in from 12 yards to reduce arrears. Three minutes later a Sean Doyle pass was touched onto the post by Jeff Gamble. The rebound was expertly driven in left footed by Jervis Mulhall. Game on!

A rejuvenated Sky Blue side drove forward in waves.

Mick Leslie’s shot was almost fumbled over the line by the keeper; then on 74 minutes came the move of the match. A finely weighted pass by Mulhall sent Doyle down the right and his cross was joyously swept home by Niall Lennon for the equaliser.

With eleven minutes left Jervis Mulhall got the winner as he took a pass from Dave O Kelly and drove the ball into the far corner.

As is often the case, the emphasis switched again as the home side realised their predicament. There were a few scary moments for he Sky Blues as Blackrock threw everything into attack and forced a succession of corners. In a clean break Barry Maguire had a chance to kill the game but, with support inside, went for th shot and dragged it wide.

Its rare to come back from three down – even rarer with ten men. To do both – all credit to the boys in Sky Blue!

Form Report
David Marlow 5 Dave O Kelly 6 Jonathan Lane 4 Fintan Grace 6 Sean Doyle 9 Shane McInerney 7 Jervis Mulhall 8 Conor Callis 6 Jeff Gamble 9 Niall Lennon 8 Mick Leslie 7
Subs Derek Gibney 6 Chris Hogan 5 Barry Maguire 5 Kevin Loftus Eoin Kelly.

13.10.13
Spartak 4 Fassaroe 7

Scoring four goals at home is usually enough to win the points; not in this case where all but one of the visitors’ scores were gifted.

An early Neil McGowan follow up header from Steve Walsh’s cross put the Sky Blues ahead and Walsh scored again before half time. However Fassaroe got three easy goals to lead at the break.

The mercurial Steve Walsh equalised before a series of defensive collapses let Fassaroe take command. Steve Walsh completed his hat trick to top a fine performance, but to no avail.

Form Report
Jason Northey 5 Conor Keegan 6 Paul Kinsella 5 Martin Costello 5 Aodhan McCahill 4 Niall Hanratty 5 Mark Brady4 Fergus Burke 6 Steve Walsh 7 Ken Buckley 4 Neil McGowan 5
Subs: Dave Browne 5 Jonathan Lane Shane McInerney

Caragh Celtic 2, Spartak 2 – Caragh win 5-4 on penalties

The home side scored on 20mins but ten minutes later a fine effort by Paddy Hughes from 25 yds brought matters level.
Caragh regain the lead on 35 mins, and the Sky Blues were further set back when Paul McGrath retired injured on 40 mins with
Gav Johnson also retiring injured at half time.
Spartak fought back and Brian Burgess equalised from 25 yds on 77 mins to force penalties; no extra time for the oldies!

Graham Johnston was he fall guy with a weak effort as Caragh converted all 5. Peno scorers for Spartak were Matt Grimes
Brian Farrelly Brian Burgess and Colm Reid

5.10.13
Walkinstown 5 Spartak 3

This was a game which could have gone either way. The sides were evenly matched but a few important events in the game swung the tide in Walkinstown’s favour.

The host took the lead when Dave O Kelly and Jeff Gamble were exposed, not for the first time, down Spartak’s right hand side; but a long ball by Dave Berry was converted by Thomas Gaynor for the equaliser. Gaynor then gave Spartak the lead after good work by Gamble.

Mick Costello saved and Jervis Mulhall got in a good block as the home side sought to level; and they did so on the stroke of half time from the penalty spot after the softest of penalties.

On 62 minutes some poor midfield play allowed a cross which left Chris Hogan in no man’s land as the forward headed in. Minutes later Dave Berry was fouled; the ref gave nothing and Berry lost any semblance of control and unleashed a tirade which saw him get a yellow, then red card.

Stephen Barr then missed an incredible opportunity to equalise after Chris Hogan’s free was fumbled by the keeper and dropped on the line. The usually reliable Barr manged only to prod the ball against a post from less than a yard out.

Walkinstown then gained in confidence and added two more before Gaynor reduced arrears with a deflected shot.

The Sky Blues were left to reflect on the penalty, the miss, and most of all the unnecessary red card.

Form report;
Mick Costello 7 Dave O Kelly 6 Chris Hogan 5 Stephen Barr 7 Fintan Grace 6 Jervis Mulhall 6 Derek Ruxton 5 Jeff Gamble 5 Niall Lennon 5 Thomas Gaynor 7 Dave Berry 4 Conor Callis 5 Mick Leslie 5

Spartak over 35s 3 Dundrum 3

Dyndrum were hot favourites coming into this game and featured former Sky blues Niall Walsh and Paul Murphy in their ranks. However, although they went ahead three times, they were hauled back each time with goals by Kevin O Connell, Eugene Duff and Paul Thormley.

A satisfying result and performance which augurs well for the games ahead.

28.9.13
Enfield 3, Spartak over 35s 3

A last gasp equaliser by Brian Burgess saved Spartak’s blushes and rescued a point. Despite playing well and dominating possession, Spatak found themselves 3-1 down with time running out, having squandered numerous chances. Graham Johnston equalised and early Enfield breakaway score, but it was not until a home defender turned in Gavin Johnson’s cross that Spartak got back in the game. Finally that late equaliser, with seconds left, salvaged the draw.

Following recent encouraging displays, this comeback point will give heart to the seniors not to mention the rediscovery of the scoring touch so sorely absent last season.

29.9.13
Spartak 2 Dundrum 2

A sparkling first half display should have seen the Sky Blues clinch all three points before the interval but a number of missed chances, allied to a drop in intensity in the second half, allowed Dundrum to share the spoils; indeed the visitors had a goal ruled out near the end, while the home side could muster little in the way of threat as players tired.

Spartak began in bright fashion, Neil McGowan squaring for Martin Costello ten yards out, but the keeper blocked with his feet. Seams McCahill forced a save at the back post and just after was put through on goal; his first touch was heavy and the keeper smothered the ball. Dave Browne sent Martin Costello away on a one on one, but he dragged his effort wide. A fine move involving several players saw Martin in a good position on the left but his attempt to find the unmarked Neil McGowan was blocked. Steve Walsh had a fine chance when put through by Neil, and the rebound fell to Martin 20 yards out with the goal open; his shot was off target.
A fine ball by Niall Hanratty sent Steve Walsh in for goal number one on 25 minutes, and two minutes later a long throw by Dave Browne was diverted in by a defender.

The visitors regrouped at half time and forced substitutions through injury, together with a lack of fitness, saw the Spartak side run low on energy. Confusion at the back post saw a hesitant defensive reaction from Spartak , and Dundrum took full advantage to reduce arrears on 64 minutes. They equalised when a gentle header from a long throw bounced into an empty after Jason Northey came out to join central defenders all trying to win the first touch .

Seamus McCahill saved a number of threatening situations with timely interceptions and tackles. Spartak’s only real chance of the second half came when a looping Thom O’Driscoll shot drifted wide.

A third goal, or a repeat of the first half performance, would have clinched the win; by the end Spartak were the more relieved with the point.

Form Report
Jason Northey 5 Conor Keegan 6 Aodhan McCahill 6 Seamus McCahill 8 Dave Browne 6 Ken Buckley 6 Neil McGowan 6 Niall Hanratty 5 Lee Malone 5 Martin Costello 5 Steve Walsh 6

28.9.13
Spartak 6 Knockmitten 0

Knockmitten spurned a great chance to take the lead when a forward, clean through , lobbed over. Spartak huffed and puffed until the 29th minute, when a shot from distance by Dave Berry eluded the keeper.

Dave enjoyed a brief, and productive , purple patch for the early part of the second period; firstly he blasted home a free kick, and was then tripped for a penalty which Fintan Grace converted.

The game was over as a contest and goals from substitutes Jeff Gamble and Stephen Barr, together with a last minute score by the hard working Jervis Mulhall capped a welcome win.

Form Report
Davis Marlow 6 Dave O ‘Kelly 6 Jonathan Lane 5 Fintan Grace 6 Derek Gibney 7 Jervis Mulhall 7 Conor Canavan 5 Conor Callis 5 Niall Lennon 6 Thomas Gaynor 5 Dave Berry 8 Stephen Barr 6 Jeff Gamble 6 Kevin Loftus 6

22.9.13
Spartak 3, Fort Rangers (Kilkenny) 4

A belated start to the season saw Spartak’s first team just pipped by a sharper visiting side in Marlay in a sporting contest well refereed by Michael Dolan.

A stray pass by Paul Kinsella and poor positioning by his back four colleagues saw Fort take the lead in a fast breakaway on 9 minutes, the shot going in off a post. This was just after Niall Hanratty forced the visiting keeper into a fine save. Spartak shot back two minutes later, Eggy finishing after a fine run by Steve Walsh.

Spartak settled and played some decent football, with Fergus Burke and Conor Keegan prominent and with Martin Costello working hard in the lone frontman role. Niall Hanratty was strong in possession while Steve Walsh’s runs caused problems for the visitors. At the back Seamus McCahill and co gradually came to grips with pacy forwards after a shaky start; improvement will arrive as fitness and sharpness return.

A powerful header from a corner on 27 minutes gave Fort the lead again which they held till the interval.

On 49 minutes Steve Walsh was again the provider as Martin Costello equalised at the second attempt, his first effort striking the post. However the lead was short lived as the Sky Blues conceded again from a corner when a forward had time to turn and score on the six yard line.

On 78 minutes a poor pass by sub Jeff Gamble left Conor Keegan in a tussle for possession which led to the fourth goal for the visitors but Conor made amends by starting and finishing a fine move with a neat header. 3-4.

Now the chase was on for the equaliser but despite frantic efforts Fort held out.

Man of the Match: Fergus Burke

21.9.13
Spartak 2 Moorfield 2

Spartak found themselves needing to come back from two down for the second successive home game but did so in fine style with goals from Thomas Gaynor and Conor Callis ensuring a share of the spoils. Indeed a late frantic flurry saw Moorfield make a series of blocks, and one block from a Jonathan Lane effort might have justified a penalty award.

Substitutes Dave Berry and Jeff Gamble sparked the comeback with Berry providing the cross for Gaynor to convert, while a deep cross from Jonathan Lane was met first time by Conor Callis for a spectacular equaliser.

Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Chris Hogan 4 Jonathan Lane 5 Dave O’Kelly 5 Fintan Grace 5 Shane McInerney 6 Niall Lennon 4 Jervis Mulhall 5 Conor Callis 6 Tom Gaynor 6 Michael Leslie 4 Jeff Gamble 6 Dave Berry 8 Barry Maguire 5