Saturday team HOME to EID
Sunday team AWAY to Dunboyne – Thursday 6th – AWAY to Liffey Valley
Over 35s home to Greenhills on Sat in the cup
Meath Rangers 4, Spartak 4
Spartak won 4-2 on penalties
If Carlsberg did comebacks, they wouldn’t dream of scripting this many in one game.
An incredible cup semi final in which Spartak were never ahead until the shoot out. Two nil down at half time, 3-2 down with 5 minutes of extra time left, 4-3 down until the last kick of the game, and then behind in the shoot out. All part of a days work for this squad!
The first half was not a happy period for the baby blues. After two minutes, a Meath forward rounded Peter OToole , who forced him wide, and shot against the frame of the goal. On 7 minutes, Glen Burke wandered infield and lost possession, the centre backs stood off to allow a shot and Spartak were one down.
Spartak had not woken up and Meath looked the likelier to add to their total.
Graham Breen put a header over from a corner and then Spartak finally put a move together with Graham McEnroe crossing for Graham Breen to slam against the post; Ger Byrne’s effort from the rebound was blocked. McEnroe then had a shot blocked by the advancing keeper.
On 36 minutes Spartak went two behnd when an overlap on the left evaded Burke and Anto Doyle and the cross was converted.
Just before half time Glen Burke had a big chance running in from the right but dragged his shot wide.
Possibly the game’s turning point came right on 45 minutes when a fine Meath move tore the Spartak defence apart but O’Toole made an astonishing save.
The solid defensive skills of Kevin O’Toole were sacrificed at half time in favour of the more attack minded Will O’Connell who added passing and energy to the mix. Spartak responded immediately and Breen’s header was just over. Meath were far from subdued and struck the woodwork again before, on 56 minutes, Burke volleyed home after good work by O’Connell to reduce arrears.
On 61 minutes Burke equalised from the penalty spot after Steve Grier was fouled following an amazing passage of play where somehow Meath had scambled clear a number of efforts.
Meath then had a goal disallowed which brought relief to the Spartak defence. Breen was fouled when through by the keeper but the ref chose not to award anything. A tiring Anto Doyle was replaced by Stuart Love.
On to extra time and the first half was relatively quiet – but the second period more than made up and yielded four goals. Fintan Grace came on at the start of the second period for Rob Mahon who had taken a knock. At this point both Tom Flanagan and Graham Breen were virtual passengers due to knocks.
Will O’Connell lost possession and Dave Browne rashly dived in but was beaten and the Meath player drilled home.
Not to be denied Fintan Grace headed down for fellow sub Stuart Love to force the ball home. 3-3.
The drama was not over yet, as with just a minute left Glen Burke, lagging behind , played on a host of Meath players and Spartak were 3-4 down.
Spartak pressed on desperately and were awarded an indirect free kick in the box in injury time in extra time and Grier drilled home to equalise again.
And so to penalties. Stand in skipper Fintan Grace crowned an impressive cameo by firmly converting, then the power of Steve Grier’s effort eluded the keeper’s fingers. When Graham McEnroe’s penalty was saved, Spartak were in trouble again.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man – Peter O’Toole saved the next two Meath penalties; meanwhile Tom Flanagan slotted home so it fell to Glen Burke to drill home the winning penalty.
So many villains, so many heroes! (and some were both!!) Spartak have reached their first final since 1991 when both first and second teams won cups on successive nights.
The final is against Dunboyne and will be played midweek of 17th May, probably Wednesday.
Form Report
Peter O’Toole 8 Glen Burke 7 Rob Mahon 6 Steve Grier 7 Dave Browne 6 Graham McEnroe 7 Tom Flanagan 6 Anthony Doyle 6 Ger Byrne 7 Graham Breen 7 Kevin O’Toole 6
Subs Will O’Connell 7 Stuat Love 7 Fintan Grace 7.
Liffey Valley Rangers 1 Spartak 2
Some standout performances got the baby blues through to the Tom Cullen cup semi final, not least from Peter O’Toole who capped a fine performance by producing a really top class save in injury time from an intended back pass by Anto Doyle. Anto, not a renowned header of the ball, placed the firm header low to Peter’s left and the keeper’s reactions were sharp – Anto must owe him a few pints!
Alex Kenny starred at the back as the second half onslaught was repelled time and again; and Neil McGowan provided the coolness and accuracy to score and assist for the goals. All around the pitch there was evidence of a determination and resolve which ultimately won this particular battle.
Two players who have not always been first choices did extremely well and gave evidence of the depth of the squad. Kevin O’Toole was given the task of marking the best opposition player and stuck to his task. Dave Browne won his numerous aerial battles.
Spartak made the breakthrough on 16 minutes when a Liffey clearance was returned first time into the box by Alex Kenny. Neil McGowan showed coolness in beating the offside trap, controlling and slotting past the home keeper. Two minutes later Neil had a header saved and a good move ended when Graham Breen’s header from Ger Byrne’s cross was saved. Spartak survived a couple of hairy moments when Dave Browne let the centre forward turn and on another occasion a mix up was finally calmed by Peter O’Toole.
Spartak got their second on 47 minutes, when an attack by Graham McEnroe was half cleared. Neil McGowan fastened on to the lose ball and crossed for Graham Breen to head his 20th of the season. Neil had to go off with cartilage trouble just minutes later, and will be out of action for a while.
Spartak had some good opportunities in the second half, with good approach work by Graham McEnroe, Breen and Byrne. Substitute James Finn had two efforts saved.
But mostly the second half was a case of defending diligently and the back four of Rob Mahon, Glen Burke , Browne and Kenny were on top form – they had to be given the pressure.
Behind them Peter had to deal with some horrible bouncy efforts on a hard and bumpy pitch and took off a couple of fine saves as Spartak struggled to hold possession as distribution from the back was ofen of the urgent variety. Dave Browne headed clear at the back post to clear danger and finally Liffey got a breakthrough on 68 minutes when Ger Byrne lost possession and the ball was switched to the back post where the winger got the better of Glen Burke to touch past Peter O’Toole.
The Spartak defence held out much to the delight of the travelling support (Shane , Mick, Chopper and Peter’s father in law)
Form Report
Peter O’Toole 9 Glen Burke 8 Rob Mahon 8 Dave Browne 8 Alex Kenny 9 Graham McEnroe 8 Neil McGowan 9 Anto Doyle 7 Ger Byrne 7 Graham Breen 7 Kevin O’Toole 7.
Subs James Finn 7 Fintan Grace, Stuart Love, Niall Hanratty.
Saturday Team- AWAY to Phoenix – Monday 26 April AWAY to Everton
Sunday Team – AWAY to Meath Rangers in the Cup Semi-Final
Over 35’s – AWAY to Greenhills
Spartak 3 Mourne 2
When Mourne equalised on 88 minutes it looked very much as if Spartak’s promotion challenge was over. However, digging into reserves of resilience, Spartak found a way to win the game with Ger Byrne heading in on 90 + 4 minutes.
Mourne started the better and settled into a passing pattern which Spartak struggled to replicate, and Spartak endured a couple of hairy moments when they were lucky not to concede.
Spartak created some chances and Ger Byrne shot over from close in, while Glen Burke had an effort cleared off the line. Spartak were grateful to Dave Browne’s great block when a score looked imminent.
On 35 minutes a Graham Breen flick on was touched home by Stuart Love. The lead did not last long and the vistors equalised on 41 minutes when Dave Browne fluffed a clearance and the ball ran through to a clearly offside Mourne player to equalise. With the referee displaying a somewhat eccentric interpretation of the offside law, Spartak were forced to play deep and a lot of pressure was placed on the midfield.
Spartak needed a boost and the introduction of substitutes Anto Doyle and Neil McGowan coincided with some improved passing and Breen had a header cleared off the line from Burke’s corner. Burke then shot over when well placed after good work by Byrne.
On 64 minutes, a towering header from Breen went in off the post to give the home side a deserved lead. Some bad fouls by the visitors went unpunished and a blatant stamp on Byrne attracted only a yellow card. Breen had to be replaced after taking a battering and Dave O’Kelly, making his first team debut, lent a lot of energy to the cause.
As Mourne pressed Peter O’Toole made a good save and Rob Mahon kicked off the line. But on 88 minutes a half cleared corner was met by a visiting defender who cracked a shot that O’Toole tipped brilliantly onto the bar. Alex Kenny blocked the second effort from the rebound but the no 2 then drilled in.
Spartak rallied, however, and were rewarded when Byrne scored with a rare header to keep the race alive.
Form Report
Peter O’Toole 7 Dave Browne 6 Rob Mahon 6 Steve Grier 7 Alex Kenny 7 Kevin O’Toole 6 Will O’Connell 6 Glen Burke 6 Ger Byrne 7 Graham Breen 7 Stuart Love 5.
Subs Anto Doyle 7 Neil McGowan 7 Dave O’Kelly 7 Mick Greene. Graham Mc Enroe no show.
Spartak 2 St Pats Cy 2
Spartak had to be satisfied with a point from this tough encounter with the Ringsend outfit. Without no fewer than five of the previous game’s squad for a variety of reasons and with a number of players carrying knocks into the game it did not make the ideal preparation, however Steve Grier’s overnight trip from Sligo to play was a boost.
On a poor pitch, quality football was at a premium but Spartak made the early running and shots from Gintaras Cibirka tested the keeper, while Glen Burke and Neil McGowan, from a 30 yard free, were just off target.
Cibirka shot over from a narrow angle when a cross might have paid dividends.
A stray square pass from Burke allowed Pats to get a shot in – just over. Spartak made the breakthrough on 24 minutes whe a Steve Grier throw was headed powerfully in by Graham Breen.
Spartak seemed to ease off and poor marking from a throw resulted in a free conceded by Grier and which Pats smacked off the bar. Disaster struck on 32 minutes when Cibirka passed back to Peter O’Toole, whose kick was short and skied. The Pats winger tussled with Anto Doyle for possession, and fouled him, but when Anto put his hands on the winger in the box, the ref pointed to the spot. 1-1. Dave Browne was yellow carded for his protest. Worse was to follow on 44 minutes when a goal kick was flicked on to a clearly offside visiting player who went on to score. The ref maintained he got the ball direct from the goal kick, a version that was hotly disputed by the home players.
Spartak found it difficult to pass the ball and were being bullied off the ball in the middle of the park, where St Pat’s displayed more aggression and control. On the attacking side Neil McGowan had a good volley saved and Stuart Love’s header from a corner was too close to the keeper. Glen Burke had a great solo run but just failed to find the final cross. Glen also was over with a snap shot from 15 yards. At the other end Pats had a drive just wide.
Spartak got the equaliser from another set piece when Burke’s corner was headed in Breen. Kevin O’Toole had come on earlier and made a good impresson as he set about winning the ball but was soon in the ref’s notebook. He also had a powerful goalbound drive blocked by a Pats player, who took some time to recover.
Neill Bolger reacted to a foul off the ball and when a Pats player tried to extract revenge he was red carded.
There were still chances to break the deadlock. On 86 minutes Spartak were grateful to Rob Mahon’s saving tackle and in injury time Breen’s flick on was volleyed over by Bolger with the keeper stranded.
Not a night of classic football but Spartak showed resilience and mental strength in adversity to claw their way back into a tough game which had turned against them for a while.
Form report
Peter O’Toole 6 Anto Doyle 5 Rob Mahon 7 Steve Grier 8 Dave Browne 7 Glen Burke 7 Neil McGowan 6 Gintaras Cibirka 6 Will O’Connell 5 Graham Breen 7 Stuart Love 5.
Subs Kevin O’Toole 6 Neill Bolger 6 Fintan Grace 6 Mick Greene. Mark Bolger no show Tom Kowal no show.
Because of glut of midweek games the next training session will be Thursday 22nd April at 9 in Kilians
Saturday team – AWAY to Rathoath THURSDAY night.
Sunday team – HOME to Mourne Celtic – TUESDAY 20th – AWAY to Liffey Valley in 1/4 final of the cup.
Over 35’s – AWAY to Lusk in the Cup
Spartak 5 Dunboyne 1
A scintillating opening half hour sealed the win for Spartak.
Spartak started very brightly and a couple of early moves broke down as Graham McEnroe struggled to find his touch while Graham Breen and Steve Grier went close with headers.
On 10 minutes a Grier throw was touched on by Breen and Neil McGowan, fresh form his stag party, dived to head in.
On 13 minutes a flowing move threatened to go astray until Gintaras Cibirka, with a flamboyant flick, put Breen in to score.
Spartak owned the ball at this stage and the passing was crisp and neat with Dunboyne unable to get out of their half. Cibirka, back to something approaching form as he nurses a groin injury, was in irrespressible form on the right and Breen was a rumbustious presence up top. McGowan and Flanagan passed smoothly and both full backs, Burke and Mahon, joined the attack regularly. Stuart Love was a driving force in recovering possession and with good covering work. Kenny and Grier formed a formidable barrier at the back. Graham McEnroe improved as the game wore on.
Grier’s throws were causing havoc in the vistors defence with the hapless keeper unable to deal with the delivery and goals from Breen and Flanagan on 32 and 34 minutes added to the total.
Spartak then became somewhat complacent and relied on a saving tackle from Burke before the visitors struck the bar and then scored from a free following hesitancy from Rob Mahon and sloppy play from Grier.
The second half began at a good tempo and the tireless Stuart Love won the ball and passed to Breen who put McEnroe in to score from a narrow angle.
Breen missed a glorious opportunity to complete his hat trick when he turned McEnroe’s cross back into the path of the keeper from close range.
A fine flick by Mc Enroe was finished well by McGowan but the ref mysteriously disallowed the goal.
Cibirka, Breen and Flanagan departed the scene nursing a myriad of injuries and with Tom Kowal having an undistinguished spell as substitute striker, Spartak’s moves lost their fluency, clearly impacted by the loss of key personnel.
Dunboyne’s best chance arrived when Grace did not attack the ball; luckily Peter O’Toole, competent throughout, was able to save comfortably.
Spartak might have added the total but Stuart Love and Rob Mahon’s final efforts were weak, and Graham McEnroe shot wide when through. Spartak finished with ten men as Burke succumbed to cramp.
A fine opening half hour clinched this win.
Form Report
Peter O’Toole 7 Glen Burke 7 Rob Mahon 7 Steve Grier 8 Alex Kenny 7 Tom Flanagan 7 Neil McGowan 7 Gintaras Cibirka 8 Graham McEnroe 7 Graham Breen 8 Stuart Love 8.
Subs Kevin O’Toole 6 Fintan Grace 5 Tom Kowal 4 Will O’Connell Dan O’Connell
I know this is months early but if anyone is interested in paintball please post a reply here. Shane got an offer on the tickets of €7 per person and €8.50 for additional 100 paint balls. The date is Saturday 12th June and it down near Bray. He has to confirm by the weekend, so please post by Saturday night.
