Please post your team for this weekends matches. REMEMBER there is no automatic pick. If you dont give a team you are out. Full list of fixtures are available on the Last Man Standing tab above.
After Villa and Chelsea both drew, just 9 survive this round. Aston Villa’s failure saw off quite a few contenders. No automatic picks from now on.
We are down to 18 survivors, the forgetful or passive entrants falling with Hull’s loss to Arsenal. Of the 18, a very nervous 8 are relying on Rafa’s low scoring Reds to overcome Portsmouth tonight.
Pot is €260, half to club and half to winner.
No more automatic choices made; failure to select a team means you are out, so get your choices in early from now on!
Knocklyon1, Spartak 2.
A memorable win for a battling Spartak side closed the gap at the top of Division 2 Sunday.
The victory was the fruit of fine defending and hard work all around as Knocklyon had the lion’s share of possession. Spartak made the most of their few chances and defended bravely and vigorously.
The final ten minutes when the home side threw everything into the onslaught for an equaliser featured great tackling, blocks, headers, clearances and saves from the sky blues to thwart all attempts.
Knocklyon had much the best of the first half with Spartak struggling to string passes together. They hit the bar from a corner and Alex Kenny had to clear off he line with Peter O’Toole beaten. On several ocaasions Spartak were hapy to clear at the expense of corners and throws. On one Spartak break Neil McGowan and Gintaras Cibirka combined but Stuart Love’s pass was intercepted.
On 41 minutes, Spartak got the break through against the run of play and just as Knocklyon were starting to dominate possession. A throw in was flicked on and Cibirka showed strength and composure to hold off a defender, draw the keeper and lay on a simple tap in for Will O’Connell.
Steve Grier made a fine saving tackle early in the second half as Knocklyon tried to get level. Spartak broke well at times and when Tom Flanagan was clear and fouled it was surprising that no card was produced. Spartak had opportunities from corners when first WillO’Connell mistimed his run and then when Steve Grier shot tamely wide.
Kenny and Grier were dominant in the aerial duels and the Spartak defence tackled and blocked like fury while O’Toole made a couple of fine saves as the siege started to build again.
On 71 minutes Spartak got number two direct from a Steve Grier long throw which Graham Breen’s header adroitly guided past the keeper.
The two goal lead did not last long as the home number six powered home a header from a corner at the post abandoned by Burke.
Spartak’s best breakout should have yielded a penalty when Burke was fouled; instead the ref, a long way behind the play, chose the easier option of a free on the edge of the box. Cibirka’s effort was deflected over.
Overall a resolute performance which continues Spartak’s resurgence.
Form Report
Peter O’Toole 7 Glen Burke 7 Rob Mahon 7 Steve Grier 9 Alex Kenny 9 Tom Flanagan 7 Neil McGowan 7 Gintaras Cibirka 7 Will O’Connell 8 Graham Breen 7 Stuart Love 7
Subs Tom Kowal 6 Tom O’Driscoll 5 Dave Browne Fintan Grace Kevin O’Toole Mick Greene.
Saturday Team – AWAY to Dun Laoghaire
Sunday Team – HOME to Everton
Over 35’s – AWAY to Peamount
Saturday Team – AWAY to Swords
Sunday Team – AWAY to Knocklyon (2pm kick off)
Over 35’s fixture TBA
Fixtures Week 4 – Starting 13 March
Spartak 4 Cabinteely 3
Spartak defeated a strong Cabinteely side thanks to a late winner from Graham Breen, which capped a fine comeback from a 1-3 deficit.
The dry and bumpy pitch had quite a bearing on preceedings, with control difficult.
Spartak took an early lead after a superb Will O’Conell run and pass set up Graham Breen who shot home from just inside the box.
Alarm bells clanged when Peter O’Toole allowed a through ball to slip from his grasp and Steve Grier had to tidy up. Breen had a half chance but was off target.
On 15 minutes an attempted clarance by Rob Mahon succeeded only in deflecting the ball to an offside visiting forward and he equalised. Worse was to follow on 25 minutes when O’Toole spilled a low cross and Cabinteely took the lead.
Spartak struck back and Stuart Love’s deflected effort brought a fine save from the visiting keeper.
On 37 minutes Cabinteely took full advantage when Mahon and O’Connell lost possession rather too easily and then Dave Browne failed to clear. 1-3.
The home side urgently needed a response before half time and following a long throw by Grier, Loves’ shot was parried but Breen headed in from close range.
Spartak took the game to the visitors in the early part of the second half. Breen was off target when trying to lob the out of position keeper; McGowan shot wide when teed up by Cibirka and there was a goal line scramble after a Grier shot was blocked. Burke was pushed in the box and McGowan also had a credible claim for a penaly when tackled. At the other end Browne made a tremendous tackle to avert danger.
A mistake by Grier allowed a visiting forward a clear run at goal and when Rob Mahon tripped the forward Spartak were very relieved when play was allowed to continue.
Burke, finding energy belatedly, went on a mazy run and when he squared the ball Cibirka found the net left footed with a first time effort.
With the game opening up as both sides sought to win some big chances were missed. McGowan’s free kick was touched on by Cibirka and McEnroe blazed over from six yards.
At the other end O’Toole spilled a shot on to the post and was thankful Love was on hand to clear. A cross shot also struck the butt of the Spartak upright. Grier made a last ditch intervention just as the opposing forward was about to pull the trigger from close range.
On 88 minutes, Love played the ball down the left and McEnroe’s cross was finished by Breen, with the aid of a deflection, to seal the three points.
Spartak’s delight will be matched by the vistors dismay at losing a game where they appeared in command at 3-1.
Form Report
Peter O’Toole 4 Glen Burke 6 Dave Browne 6 Steve Grier 7 Alex Kenny 7 Stuart Love 7 Neil McGowan 6 Kevin O’Toole 6 Graham Breen 9 Will O’Connell 7 Rob Mahon 6.
Subs Gintaras Cibirka 7 Graham McEnroe 6 Fintan Grace 5 Thomas Gaynor no show.
Fixtures are posted for Last Man Standing week 3. Automatic choice this week is Everton. Only 2 elimanated so far….Cathal and Shane.
Please post your team or you automatically get Everton.
Saturday Team – AWAY to Everton in Leinster Junior Shield – Lost 4-0
Sunday Team – HOME to Cabinteely – Won 4-3
Over 35’s AWAY to Bacchus – Drew 2-2 (Lost on pens)
