Spartak Dynamo FC

Spartak 1 Courtown Hibernians 2

Spartak were knocked out of the Leinster Junior Cup at the first hurdle by a strong Courtown side, who are top of the Wexford Premier division. As underdogs Spartak had to fight hard to stay in the game as Courtown passed and moved fluently. Courtown struck the bar after just 3 minutes and looked the sharper side.

Spartak’s back four struggled throughout to contain the threat and
could never settle on the ball. Graham McEnroe and Keith Kelly put in some fine tackles in midfield to stem the flow.

On 31 minutes a break and glorious pass by Keith Kelly gave Tom O’Driscoll an opportunity which he took really well to put the home side one up. It was all the more disappointing to concede on 44 minutes from a header following a corner kick.

Courtown took the lead when a long pass put the winger in behind Dave Browne, and when the ball was returned it was nodded in. Almost immediately Ger Byrne broke free, but his shot was blocked and Glen Burke could not force home the rebound.

The visitors enjoyed a long spell of superiority with the Spartak back four enduring a torrid time. They were not helped by poor decision making further forward which all too easily lost possession and impetus.

The Wexford men struck the post and Dave Browne made a fine goal line clearance after Peter O’Toole’s initial save.

With ten minutes left, Keith made another burst and slipped the ball inside to Graham McEnroe , who lifted his shot over.

Form Report
Peter O’Toole 6 Dave Browne 5 Rob Mahon 5 Steve Grier 5 Paul Kinsella 5 Keith Kelly 8 Graham McEnroe 7 Seamus McCahill 5 Tom O’Driscoll 7 Glen Burke 5 Ger Byrne 6
Sub Stuart Love 5

Saturday Team – AWAY to Brookfield in the Cup

Sunday Team – AWAY to Pegasus

Over 35’s – AWAY to Graystones

The season of 1970-71 was memorable for an Arsenal double in England, an Ajax win in Europe and a surprise win for Cork Hibs in the League of Ireland. However the most important event of that season in football was undoubtedly the formation and first competitive appearance of Spartak Dynamo FC.

The club is holding a 40th anniversary celebration night on 19th February 2011 in the Irish Room of the 3 Rock Pub.

There will be food and music on the night.  It is hoped that as many current and former players (plus partners) as possible can attend.  It will be a memorable occasion.

We will create a page on the site dedicated to the event to keep you updated.

Spread the word to your Spartak colleagues of today and yesteryear.

Please post your team for week 2 of Last Man Standing. This weeks automatic pick is Arsenal. A full list of fixtures is on the Last Man tab above. Please pay your €10 ASAP.. The 1st prize is half the pot.

Saturday team – AWAY to Booth Road Celtic

Sunday team – Home to Courtown Hibernian in the cup

Over 35’s – HOME to Wicklow Town

Spartak 2 St Colmcilles 4

An unbelievable result in a game in which Spartak were generally the better side. Critical individual errors and a mentally deranged referee combined to foil the sky blues.

A sparkling opening move involving a Neil McGowan pass, a super run from Glen Burke and a tidy finish by Graham McEnroe put the home side one up after 3 minutes. Another pass by McGowan saw Ger Byrne through but he pulled his shot wide after his first touch took him away from goal. Graham McEnroe was pulled up for offside when at least 15 yards onside and through on goal but then referee really showed his true colours when Ger Byrne, racing through again, was cynically chopped from behind by the no.3. Any sane referee would have given a red card to the last man, but this official waved play on as Ger writhed in agony. A kick to Keith Kelly’s head drew only a yellow card moments later. Spartak were still well on top and Seamus McCahill had one effort cleared off the line.

Then suddenly the game turned on its head with two goals to the visitors. Confusion between Burke and Kelly allowed a break to develop and the cross was miscued by Fintan Grace to allow the striker to lob home. Only minutes later Steve Grier found himself alone behind his fellow defenders but recovered to pass to Fintan, who was dispossessed and punished again as Colmcilles went 2-1 up.

Spartak , shaken by the turn of events nonetheless tried to strike back when Kelly put Byrne in, and when the keeper could only palm his effort across goal, Graham McEnroe, usually such a reliable marksman, and playing brilliantly up to this point, raced in but scuffed wide from 6 yards.

Spartak began the second half in search of an equaliser, when they really should have been three goals up. Efforts by Neil McGowan went close, one cleared off the line after good work by Burke and McCahill, another taken off Neil’s toe after approach work by Graham McEnroe and Burke.

However worse was to follow when Colmcilles scored again when a poor kick out by Peter O’Toole allowed a clear run on goal.

Spartak then redoubled their efforts and Steve Grier failed to capitalise in a goal mouth scramble and then drove wide when well placed. McGowan drove in to reduce arrears with 5 minutes left and then was just over with a first time effort.

The drama mounted and Spartak looked set for an equaliser. A good run by Burke , with seconds remaining, saw him with the option to cross or shoot; choosing the latter the keeper saved at the expense of a corner.

All up for the corner to no avail, the ball was cleared and three Colmcilles players broke free to add a fourth goal.

A tough cup game against Courtown Hibernians next Sunday will test the resilience of the boys in sky blue.

Form Report
Peter O’Toole 5 Martin Costello 6 Fintan Grace 4 Steve Grier 4 Paul Kinsella 5 Keith Kelly 6 Neil McGowan 7 Seamus McCahill 5 Graham McEnroe 6 Glen Burke 6 Ger Byrne 7
Subs Rob Mahon 5 Dave Browne 5 Niall Hanratty Niall Tilley Tom Flanagan

Saturday Team – HOME to St. Ita’s

Sunday Team – HOME to St. Colmcilles

Over 35’s – HOME to Esker Celtic

Seaford Rock 4, Spartak 6

With six goals scored, and the luxury of a early missed penalty, this should have been a straightforward win for Spartak. However in a strange game some defensive lapses and freak goals allowed Seaford some degree of hope.

Spartak were awarded a penalty after 2 minutes, but Seamus McCahill fired well wide. Almost immediately Seaford went ahead when Fintan Grace fluffed a clearance and a lack of cover from Dave O’Kelly and Keith Kelly left their number 10 all alone to finish. All through the match the number 10 was given too much time and space.

Dave O’Kelly then had a chance to equalise but could not make contact with the ball as it drifted across an unguarded net. On 31 minutes Glen Burke nodded in the equaliser from Seamus’ flick on, and a minute later Glen drove home after good work by Ger Byrne. Efforts by Tom O’Driscoll, Seamus McCahill and Glen all went close before the break as Spartak belatedly came to life.

On 51 minutes Tom O’Driscoll finished neatly after good approach work by Neil McGowan and Keith Kelly, but Seaford scrambled a goal back minutes later when Peter O’Toole fumbled a free kick in attempting to catch it under pressure when punching might have been the wiser option.

Ger Byrne punished a poor kick out by racing through and rounding the keeper to score to make it 4-2 and then a great move by O’Driscoll, McGowan, Kelly and McCahill fell just short as Kelly’s cross was too weak.

Dave O’Kelly’s throw in was intercepted and a hopeful punt ended up in the net for another Seaford goal. Peter took a knock in trying to save, and was clearly hampered for the rest of the game. O’Kelly then shipped a silly booking for comments to the ref after he had been fouled.

Spartak scored number 5 when Keith Kelly’s intended cross drifted in, but Peter O’Toole then had a slip up to allow Seaford to score number 4.

A fast turn and pass by Niall Tilley started the move, carried on by Seamus, to put Neil in to finish coolly and complete the scoring. A neat end to an untidy match.

Form Report

Peter O’Toole 4 Dave O’Kelly 6 Fintan Grace 6 Steve Grier 6 Paul Kinsella 6 Keith Kelly 7 Neil McGowan 6 Seamus McCahill 6 Tom O’Driscoll 6 Glen Burke 7 Ger Byrne 8
Subs Niall Hanratty 5 Rob Mahon 5 Niall Tilley 6 Dave Browne

Spartak 1 Iveagh Celtic 3

Spartak will reflect on a game that was in their grasp but was allowed to slip away through an inability to kill it off.

Better decision making and clinical finishing by Iveagh were the keys to the result. Spartak had plenty of chances to put the game beyond the visitors reach but were indecisive, and sometimes indulgent, in the final third. So Spartak will have to deal with the frustration of letting slip a game which could have been won, and seeing three points needlessly lost.

A great run and cross by Ger Byrne gave Niall Hanratty, at the second attempt, the opening to put the sky blues 1-0 up after just 2 minutes. Spartak were playing all the football and a second goal looked likely. Fintan Grace and Stuart Love were combining well and Keith Kelly and Seamus McCahill were winning the ball in midfield.

Glen had an opportunity to capitalise on ropy defending by Iveagh but chose to try and beat another man rather than shoot or cross. Iveagh had a couple of forays and just on half time Peter had a lapse which went unpunished.

Every Spartak corner in the first half was poorly delivered , whether by Glen, or one one occasion, Niall.

Spartak began the second period well and when Seamus’ header struck the bar it looked a simple task for Glen, all alone, to nod into the empty net. Inexplicably he headed over the gaping goal.

From the resultant kick out, Ger Byrne fastened on to the ball and had a clear run at goal, but shot wide.

Stuart Love and Seamus McCahill, after bright starts, began to fade in midfield and Glen never reached the levels of concentration required to perform.

On 70 minutes, Iveagh, having earlier hit the bar, got a messy equaliser when the ball was forced over the line following uncertain defending.

Spartak tried to restore their lead and a good move led to Ger having a chance but straight from the clearance Martin Costello made a critical error when caught in possession and the forward drove past Peter at the near post.

Almost immediately the pattern repeated itself , with a goalmouth scramble in the Iveagh goalmouth being cleared and finished on the break. 1-3

Spartak were temporarily reduced to ten when Keith had to go off after all the subs were made, but he returned to strike the bar with a good effort.

While Iveagh had far fewer chances in the game, they were able to ride out the last ten minutes comfortably.

Form Report:
Peter O’Toole 5 Dave O’Kelly 6 Fintan Grace 6 Martin Costello 6 Paul Kinsella 6 Keith Kelly 7 Seamus McCahill 5 Niall Hanratty 6 Glen Burke 4 Stuart Love 6 Ger Byrne 6
Subs Neil McGowan 6 Tom O’Driscoll 6 Niall Tilley 6 Will O Connell Dan O Connell Rob Mahon . Steve Grier no show.