Thanks to the efforts of Jason and Frank we now have the use of Pitch 3 for Saturdays, replacing Bearna Park which we used last season. We are exploring possibility of using same Sunday also.
1. Medals presentation for victorious LSL Sunday squad to be held in 3-Rock pub Friday August 28th.
2. Training returns to 3-Rock astro Tuesdays 10-11pm from Sept 15th. Training in St Endas for first 2 weeks in Sept.
3. I know the score competition will continue to end of August. For Sept/Oct a new competition will start with overall winner and weekly prize for leader.
4. The club needs €3700 in addition to annuals and subs just to breakeven. Investing in good training facilities etc very costly. More member support needed at fundraising events.
Spartak have two home fixtures this weekend.
Saturday 2.30 kick off v Phoenix
Sunday 11am kick off v Portmarnock
Park Celtic 1 Spartak 0
Having won an earlier friendly against Park, Spartak found the going tough in the final pre season friendly.
Forced onto the back foot Spartak had to defend fro thier lives for much of the game and the front men were able to give little respite as they proved unable to hold the ball up to allow attacks to build.
Northey made several good saves and a super goal line clearance by Kevin O Toole was a highlight.
A soft goal from a crossed free kick gave Park the win and Spartak could create only half chances in reply.
Northey 8 D O Connell 7 D Browne 7 K O Toole 8 Grace 7 McGowan 7 W O Connell 7 Love 6 Kowal 4 S Browne 5 N Bolger 5 Agnew 4 Hogan 5 Cummins 4 Mick Costello 6 Deering 5
Spartak 4, Sandyford 3
At VEC, Spartak finished well to come back strongly against Sandyford. Under pressure in the first half, the sky blues went two nil down due to weakness in central defence. Tom Kowal pulled a smartly taken goal back before half time.
In the second half Will O’Connell powered the midfield and Spartak generally controlled the game . Martin Costello scored from a free kick, Mick Hull finished nicely from a Tom Kowal pass and at the death Stuart Love burst from the back to supply the perfect cross for new boy Ben (Hafid) to slot home.
Mick Costello 5 Mick Greene 4 Dave O’Kelly 5 Martin Costello 5 Dave Browne 5 Tom Flanagan 6 Neill Bolger 6 Will O Connell 8 6 Stu Love 6 Tom Kowal 7 David Agnew 5 Chris Hogan Mick Hull 7 Mick Plunkett 5 Kevin O Toole 6 Hafid Mouhada 6 Niall Hanratty 5
After week 1 Paul McGowan is the early leader in the premier league score prediction game with 85 points. The table is shown below, as you can see it is possible to end up with a minus score (sorry Fintan). There is still time to enter this competition and play the game. The more in the better the prize money. There are a possible 300 points every week so missing the first week will not make a huge difference.
Check out this weblink for more information on how the game works. This is the code you need to enter the league FC7E5-BKQ. Come on give it a go! Enter now pay later (€10).
A strong Spartak squad took part in the annual Willie Kissane tournament organised by VEC. Organised in two groups of 4, games lasted 40 minutes, each team playing three games on the Saturday with the top two teams in each group qualifying for the semis on Sunday.
Spartak began well against a tough tackling Terenure side, but suffered an early blow when Mark Bolger had to go off with an ankle injury, ending his participation in the event. A pass by Neill Bolger sent Steve Browne in for the winner. A reshuffled Spartak defence looked comfortable in keeping a clean sheet.
Against VEC , Spartak played well and created numerous chances. However Steve Browne did not have his shooting boots on and missed several chances including two one on ones. A fine second half finish by Gintaras Cibirka, who broke from midfield on to a move started by Stuart Love and Tom O Driscoll, broke the deadlock. A game that should have been put well beyond VEC hung in the balance and Spartak were grateful to Jason Northey for an excellent save in the final minute when VEC looked certain to equalise.
The third game aginst Aston Village finished 0-0, with Spartak topping the group, however an injury to Jason Northey in goal meant a stint between the posts for Martin Costello and then Gintaras uncharacteristically drove a softly awarded penalty kick wide.
For Sunday , Mark Bolger and Neil McGowan were unavailable, however Graham McEnroe and Tom Kowal joined the panel.
A bright start by Spartak against Lower Crumlin (who featured players formerly of Rafters Celtic) led to a good chance falling to Steve Browne but the keeper pushed it away for a corner. The bright start soon dissipated however and Spartak began to concede time and space to the opposition and suddenly were second to every ball. Warning bells rang when Crumlin missed a glorious chance just before the half.
The game swung on two offside decisions, early in the second half, both of which went against us – Dave Thompson was played through but called back and within seconds a Crumlin player was allowed a run at goal from a seemingly offside position, and he duly finished. A vey soft second goal clinched the gaame, although Tom Kowal shot just wide when well placed and Spartak had a strong penalty claim turned down. Steve Browne was sent off for disputing the penalty decision a little too strongly. His Dad Jimmy had earlier been sent from the line by the ref following some vociferous remarks after a stamping incident. Father and son shared the ignominious distinction of being red carded at the same game.
Spartak missed out on the final which was won by Knocklyon, who dealt more efficiently with the physical challenge, and are left to reflect on what might have been. Too many players went missing when a goal down and too many wrong ptions were taken in the attacking third.
Form Report – Sat/Sun
Jason Northey 7.5/6 Dan O Connell 5/7.5 Dave O Kelly 6.5/4 Martin Costello 7/ 6 Shane McInerney 7.5/5 Fintan Grace 7.5/6 Mark Bolger 6/- Neil McGowan 7.5/- Dave Browne 6/4 Tom Flanagan 6.5/ 5 Stuart Love 6 /5 Dave Thompson 6.5/ 5 Neill Bolger 6.5 /- Steve Browne 7 /4 Tom Kowal -/5 Graham McEnroe -/5 Gintraras Cibirka 7.5/5 Tom O Driscoll 6/5
Well done to the over 35 selection that won an over 40 (more appropriate) 6 aside tournament over the weekend. After a hard fought semi final win the team came out on top in the final by a score line of 3-2. Rory Campbell was the match winner in the final with a hat-trick including a first half penalty. Barry Crowe was excellent throughout both games with able support from Tom Maher, Dave Mohan and Greg Hallan. Jimmy Browne kept Spartak in both games with some excellent saves, particularly in the semi-final where he stopped 3 clear goal chances. The panel was Jimmy Browne, Dave Mohan, Greg Hallan, Tom Maher, Barry Crowe, Frank McNamee, Rory Campbell and Tony who guested from Wayside.
Predict the score of premier league games each weekend and compete in a Spartak members league. A mini league has been created in the premier league website game of “I know the score” for Spartak members. We plan to run the league up to Christmas. Simple rule, €10 a team and enter as many teams as you like. Top 3 teams in the league at christmas take 30%, 15% and 5% of the pot respectively. You can also enter after the league starts.
Check out this weblink for more information on how the game works. This is the code you need to enter the league FC7E5-BKQ. Come on give it a go! Enter now pay later.
Three friendlies have taken place so far, with a 1-3 defeat by Cherry field followed by two wins away to Park Celtic (3-2) and Slane Wanderers(2-0).
Line ups and form – Cherryfield :- Jason Northey 4 Dan O Connell 6Dave Browne 5 Alex Kenny 5 Martin Costello 5 Niall Hanratty 4 Stuart Love 4 Tom O Driscoll 4 Dave Thompson 6 Tom Kowal 5 Orlando Verecchia 5. subs Mick Greene 4 and Mick Costello 6. Scorer was Tom Kowal, however only Dan O Connell and Dave Thompson showed anything like normal form and overall the team looked very rusty, particularly defensively where soft goals were conceded.
Park Celtic : Line up: Jason Northey 6 Anto Doyle 7 Dave O Kelly 6 Mark Bolger 7 Martin Costello7 Shane McInerney 8 Tom Kowal 6 Steve Browne 7 Graham McEnroe 7Colm O Sullivan 6 Stuart Love 6. Goalscorers Shane McInerney, Steve Brown and Tom Kowal.
A fine late volleyed winner from Tom Kowal completed a comeback by Spartak when they had been behind twice in the game and looked to be heading for defeat. Decent performaces by Graham Mc Enroe, Steve Brown , and the also the back four of Anto, Mark, Martin and debutant Dave O Kelly held firm for most of the time against a vey good Park side.
Slane – Line up – Jason Northey 6 Dave Browne 6, Martin Costello 6Cathal Clancy 5 Mark Bolger 6.5 Tom Flanagan 5.5 Shane McInerney 6 Dan O Connell 5.5 Stuart Love 6 Neil McGowan 6 Neill Bolger 5. Subs Anto doyle 6and Chris Hogan 5.
The arduous journey deep into teh countryside prodduced a useful work out and a satisfactory result on a poor surface with an idiosyncratic referee. Spartak , and MArk in particular, were grateful to the ref when what seemed a clear penalty (and possible card) was ignored early on.
Spartak took the lead when a Mark Bolger free was fumbled and was finished by Neill Bolger courtesy of his long studs from very close in.
Spartak took better control of the ball in the second half and a five man passing move was finished by Tom Flanagan’s shot. Other chances to Neill Bolger, Chris Hogan and Dan O’Connell went a begging due to a good save and some profligate shooting. Shane and Neill both lost discipline as the game progressed which could have proved costly.
