Spartak Dynamo FC

The refixed match , postponed from Thursday night, saw Spartak somewhat short of options. However some of the first team panel doubled up to help out and a decent side was fielded against a Ratoath team who were stronger than either of the opponents met so far.

Ratoath’s approach play was better generally and Spartak, particularly down the left, struggled to create. Distribution and combination by O’Kelly and Agnew was never effective and little threat was mounted. On the other side, some good work early on by Love, Doyle and Hanratty led to a couple of chances falling to Mick Hull, both of which were off target. Hull then turned provider, chasing a clearance and putting in a cross that proved just too high for Byrne.

The decisive goal came on 35 minutes when Ratoath attacked down our left and, after Mark Bolger had initially punched clear, the Ratoath player drilled home a crisp first time shot from the edge of the box.

 Mark Bolger pulled off a brilliant save early in the second half and Ratoath were also guilty of a glaring miss from close in.  

Spartak pushed on and the best chance came when Girel Nji chested on to Rob Deering whose shot thudded against the poast from 10 yards.

Ratoath were facing mounting pressure and had to clear off the line following a scramble from a Hanratty cross in the last minute to deny the home side a point, which on the balance of play would have been deserved.

Mark Bolger 7; Anto Doyle 6 Dave O Kelly 5 Martin Costello 7 Dave Browne 7 Ken Ward 7 Niall Hanratty 6 Stuart Love 6 Mick Hull 5 Ger Byrne 5 David Agnew 5

subs – Rob Deering 5 Girel Nji 5 Chris Hogan 5 Hafid Mouhad not used. Dave Thomson no show.

Spartak over 35’s suffered a 5-2 defeat to Dundrum in the final warm-up match before the league starts next week. The team started well and controlled the game for the first 20 minutes. Rory Campbell opened the scoring for Spartak with a well taken goal. Thereafter Dundrum gradually got on top and scored 4 times before Ray Grady pulled one back for Spartak. Dundrum killed the game off with a well taken header late in the game. Despite the defeat it was a good workout and gives the team plenty to focus on before the first competitive game on Saturday. As luck would have it Dundrum also provide the opposition.  The star of the show for Dundrum was their centre forward who notched a hat-trick and could have had a few more. He declined a lift home afterwards saying he preferred to make use of his free travel. The spartak panel was Jimmy Browne , Tony Kavanagh, Dave Mohan, Leon David, Greg Callan, Tom Maher, Gerry Doran; Ken Byrne, Steve Carr, Brian Stafford, Glen Carr, Frank McNamee, Rory Campbell, Ray Grady, Paul Burke, Mark Byrne, Jason Bush.

I hope you have had good practice to date on the Fantasy Football and I know the score predictions.

For the month of September, the club will be awarding a prize of €50 each  for the winners for the month of both I Know the score and Fantasy Football.

To be eligible to win you must be up to date with weekly subs and have paid at least half annual sub (its all due by October).  Best of luck!!!!

Links on the right

Fantasy football league code is 1062863-210098

I know the score league is FC7E5-BKQ

Some lads have enquired as to the cost of running the club and where do subs go.

Here is a summary.

Costs

Training – Astro/Indoor etc   €4800; League Fees and registrations €1500 Marlay €980 Footballs €300 Medical €200 Kit/training equip €500 Player of the year trophies €300

That’s a total cost of €8580 to run the club for a season.

Income:

Weekly subs (net of laundry and ref) for 3 teams for 20 games each should bring in around €4000 and annual subs around another €2000.

That leaves a shortfall of about €2580. This has to be met by sponsorship, Christmas draw, Quiz nights etc.

So we need a good attendance and effort for the quiz night on 8th October for a start……

A scintillating attacking display by Spartak secured a good away victory at Brickfields. An on form strike force, prompted by some sharp midfield movement cut through the Mourne defence and could have yielded even more goals.

Spartak fielded only 8 of the 20 man squad which won Division 3 last year due to a combination of holidays, injuries etc. The three new lads, Robert Mahon, Graham Breen and Dave Thomson all gave a good account of themselves.

The referee, James Keating, had a very good match and there were no bookings or any serious fouls as he controlled the game tightly.

After 15 minutes a long throw by Grier was cleared to the waiting Cibirka , who flashed the ball home from 20 metres.  A couple of minues later Breen was through and after his attempt came back off the keeper, laid off to McEnroe, who finished neatly.

The front two of Breen and McEnroe were causing Mourne endless trouble aided by the promptings of McGowan and Cibirka. The two goal lead looked comfortable and the rate at which chances were being created looked certain to lead to more goals.

At this point the concentration dropped completely. The ball sailed over Grier and Browne was unable to catch the local no 9, but Northey saved. Then Northey inexplicably failed to deal with a ball that was going harmlessly wide, and spilled it across the goal to a waiting Mourne player to easily reduce arrears. A further scare occurred when, following a clash of heads, the back four failed to get organised for the hop ball and the number 9 ran free to hit the post with a cross shot.  

Just two minutes into the second half, Spartak lost the influential Breen to injury, but not before his last act was to beat the pain barrier and collect a pass from Grier and cross for Thomson to open his Spartak account from close range. Will O Connell came on to good effect in a reshaped 4-5-1.  In the 48th minute a great surging run down the right by McEnroe and his cross was drilled in by Thomson. 

Spartak seemed to be comfortable until a Morne free kick from 25 yards was allowed to drift in for a soft goal to re energise Mourne. 4-5-1 gave way to 4-4-2 with Cibirka moving up front and O’Driscoll replaced the tiring Thomson and, follwoing a move by McGowan and Cibirka, sent in a tempting low cross which the stretching McEnroe converted with a text book finish.

A good win , but 5 goals, most of them easily preventable, conceded in two games is not very satisfactory.

Northey 4 D O Connell 7 Mahon 7 Grier 7 D Browne 7 Love 7 McGowan 8 Cibirka 8 McEnroe 9 Breen 8 Thomson 8 sub W OConnell 7 O’Driscoll 7.

Spartak failed to take advantage of early supremacy and missed gilt edged chances early on , only to pay the ultimate penalty.

Steve Browne failed to use a two on one situation to Spartak’s advantage and was forced wide by the defender and shot weakly. Agnew, slipped through by Browne, sidefooted  a timid effort straight to the keeper and then headed over from Bolger’s cross.

Swords were given hope when a cross drifted in at the far post to give them the lead against the run of play. A fortuitous goal by Browne, after a mix up by the visting defence, got Spartak back into the game, but  a lapse in concentration and filure to close out tackles led to Swords finishing rather too easily in a one on one with  Mick Costello.

Early in the second half a bizarre incident involving a lapse of concentration by captain for the day Bolger when first he stopped and then  recovered but sent Swords on the attack with an off target back pass. They duly capitalised. 1-3. Mick Costello then saved a one on one with his feet.

A raft of substitutions gave Spartak some impetus and they forced at least ten second half corners. All of these were well delivered by O’Driscoll but Spartak lacked the necessary ability in the air to capitalise. Only Kelly , who headed over, and Costello who headed wide, were able to connect.

With Swords repeatedly fouling to stem the tide, the ref let things slightly out of hand, choosing to lecture rather than show cards.  Indeed one yellow card lecture to Swords lasted all of three minutes! Swords were reduced to ten men with 20 minutes to go, and O’Driscoll reduced arrears with a crisp shot.

In the 95th minute, an effort by Hull, who gathered and ran through but thundred against the bar, was the last chance of salvaging a point.

Comments by Browne to the referee after the final whistle saw him see red for the second time this season. 

Mick costello 5 Dave O Kelly 6 Martin Costello 7 Cathal Clancy 7 Rob Deering 4 Hafid Mouhad 4 Neill Bolger 4 Tom O Driscoll 6 Dave Thomson 7 David Agnew 4 Steve Browne 4.  Subs Mick Hull 5 Ross Kelly 5 Niall Hanratty 5.

Spartak Dynamo will be holding a table quiz in the bar in Firhouse Community Centre on Thursday 8th October 2009. There will be no training on the night and full attendence from all players is expected. Cash prises and spot prizes on the night. Please support this quiz as it helps provide much needed funds to pay for our excellent training facilities, the pitches and our gear. Put the date in your diary THURSDAY 8TH OCTOBER 2009.

From Tuedsay next, 1st September, training on tuesday and thursday at St Enda’s , Grange Road at 7pm.

Astro training will commence mid September.