Lads,
Cost of flight to Bristol with Ryanair – return -25th/27th May – €38!!!!
25.3.12
Sallynoggin 0, Spartak 2
A belated seasonal awakening has seen the Sunday lads obtain 8 wins from last 13 cup and league games and this form and confidence was evident in a straightforward win over the homesters in balmy conditions. This run of form has seen the team rise from bottom of the division to a somewhat more respectable 8th of 14. Had players put in the work pre season the team could well be talking in terms of promotion; as it is, safety is the prerogative and a tough away cup quarter final against the favourites also awaits.
Despite the many missing men (Ciaran Keogh, Thom O’Driscoll, Graham McEnroe, Glen Burke, Conor Canavan, Ger Byrne Anto Doyle – Anto at least turned up to support ) the win was carved out in a brisk first half which saw Conor Maguire score the second while, somewhat fortunately, winning the penalty from which Keith Kelly gave the Sky Blues the lead.
Peter O’Toole, for once, had a quiet day between the posts and was untroubled with fine protection from the back four. The main threats from the home side came from corners and frees, but in the main these were dealt with adequately. The best opportunity came from an early free needlessly conceded by Ken Buckley which was headed over from close range.
Seamus McCahill featured strongly in the opening half with a high work rate but faded later as lack of recent training drained his legs.
The summer’s day atmosphere and unaccustomed heat meant the second half was played at a more leisurely pace with Spartak conceding ground and relying on breaks. Substitute Dave Thomson (did you know the clocks went forward?) provided energy and application but his crosses let down the good approach play
Form Report
Peter O’Toole 6 Paul Kinsella 7 Dave Browne 7 Steve Grier 8 Alex Kenny 8 Ken Buckley 7 Neil McGowan 6 Conor Maguire 7 Keith Kelly 6 Graham Breen 6 Seamus McCahill 7
Subs: Dave Thomson 6 Ross Kelly 6 Steve O’Hara 6
24.3.12
Spartak 1, Ratoath 5
Spartak offered only token resistance to a rampant Ratoath side who were a class above the Sky Blues.
Midfield was ovewhelmed from the start with the visitors midfield showing harder running, stronger tackling and, most tellingly, superior passing . The Ratoath midfield had time and space to pick their passes, and also to make powerful supporting runs, leaving the home midfield looking slow and static. This quickly translated into a two goal lead on 18 minutes, aided by the Sky Blues defence testing out a faulty offside trap. Jason Northey blocked when Mick Greene’s blind back pass created danger and Jason then touched another effort onto the woodwork.
Conor Maguire won and converted a penalty to leave a somewhat flattering half time score of 1-2. Indeed a brief spell at the start of the second period saw Spartak create two chances to equalise, which might have raised spirits, but Conor Maguire’s effort from Niall Lennon’s pass was saved while Dermot Dooley could only direct Chris Hogan’s cross straight at the keeper. The only other chance of note fell to sub Martin Costello but that close range effort was scrambled away.
Ratoath then resumed their rampage with 3 goals between the 52nd and 58th minutes.
5-1 down with over half an hour remaining, it is credit to character that the Sky Blues kept at it doggedly, on a day they seriously underperformed and consequently were so clearly outclassed.
A sobering day and a wake up call.
Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Chris Hogan 5 Mick Greene 5 Paul Kinsella 5 Cathal Clancy 5 Dermot Dooley 5 Niall Lennon 5 Niall Hanratty 5 Steve Walsh 5 Conor Maguire 5 Shane McInerney 5
Subs: Steve O’Hara 5 Martin Costello 5 Colum O’Sullivan 5 Derek McGoldrick
Lads,
At present, by my count, and according to the Red C poll, we have the following definites:
Anto Doyle, Dan O’Connell, Steve Grier, Peter Redmond, Martin Costello, Ross Kelly, Edo Maino and Jason Doyle.
There are a number of maybes :
Shea McClafferty, Brian Stafford, Graham Breen , Neil McGowan, Neill Bolger, Keith Kelly, Paul Kinsella, Seamus McCahill, Jason Northey, Colum O’Sulliivan, Leon David, Cathal Clancy, Dave Browne, Fintan Grace
I may have missed one or two, so feel free to comment and add your name.
So at present we cannnot go ahead and book flights or finalise arrangements until sufficient “maybes” commit to “definite” status. To make the trip feasible we need around 15 travelling.
Feel free to add your name to the maybes or definites by commenting on this post.
This weeks winner of the Spartak lotto is Anto Doyle. His number 32 came up in last nights lotto draw.
19.3.12
Spartak 3, Ballyfermot Utd 2
A Bank Holiday friendly with Phil Nolan’s outfit gave a good run out for a Bank Holiday Monday.
Spartak created a load of first half chances before tiring significantly in the second period as the visitors fought back with two goals from the spot.
Spartak’s goals arose from some good movement, and finishing, from midfield where Seamus McCahill scored two and won the penalty which Mick Greene converted. Mick also supplied the assist for the first, when Seamus took his chance adroitly to turn in a free kick . Ross Kelly and Derek McGoldrick both spurned decent chances, however Adam Doran somehow contrived to stay off the score sheet despite a host of opportunities and some fine approach work.
A useful work out.
Form Report
Peter O’Toole 7 Chris Hogan 6 Mick Greene 7 Paul Kinsella 7 Dave O’Kelly 7 Seamus McCahill 8 Niall Lennon 5 Dermot Dooley 7 Derek McGoldrick 5 Ross Kelly 5 Graham McEnroe 6
Subs: Neill Bolger 5 Adam Doran 5 Ken Buckley 6
Apologies for the delay – Jason Doyle is the Week 2 winner in the Spartak Lotto. The winning number in last Wednesdays draw was 2. €110 on the way to you Jay.
End of season trip is pencilled in for Swindon on 25th – 27th May. Our man Rob Smith in Swindon is working on the details.
Expected costs are about €60 for flight plus £25 per night for hotel and maybe £10 for bus transfer.
Extra costs might include insurance for Ross’ shoe and there may be some expenditure on refreshments and a low fibre (or kebab based) diet.
Comment if interested. We will finalise details over coming weeks.
111.2.12
Spartak 2, Alpine Express 2
Peter O’Toole cried off with the vomiting bug on Saturday; but on learning that all 3 other keepers were unavailable, he rose from his sick bed to help out his team mates, and made a telling contribution with a vital second half stop.
The Sky Blues started the game a little shakily; with Peter arriving late, Steve Grier played in goal for the first ten minutes and it took Spartak a long time to settle. Alpine took full advantage and scored after 11 minutes from a suspiciously offside position after some poor Spartak defending. On 24 minutes Seamus McCahill was dispossessed and the ball played past Anto Doyle into the winger who took his chance well to double the advantage. A lack of central defensive cover was apparent.
On 41 minutes the sky Blues at last put together a fine move; Seamus McCahill’s pass sent Graham McEnroe away down the left and his cross found Graham Breen. However the first touch was heavy and the defender lashed it out for a throw. From the throw, Breen flicked it on and the no.6 finished the job! 1-2.
Spartak huffed and puffed in the second half without creating any clear chances; a few decent frees and corners were wasted due to the static nature of the Sky Blue attackers.
Just when it looked as if Alpine would hold out, that man Breen popped up on 82 minutes. Picking up a loose ball 30 yards out, Breener thought of flicking it up on to his head, but instead pushed it out of his feet and fired a low drive to the corner past the diving keeper; his joyous yelps were heard for miles around.
Not a great performance but another point gained in the fight for survival.
Form Report
Peter O’Toole 7 Anto Doyle 5 Dave Browne 6 Alex Kenny 6 Steve Grier 6 Graham McEnroe 6
Neil McGowan 6 Seamus McCahill 6 Dave Thomson 6 Graham Breen 7 Thom O’Driscoll 6
Subs: Paul Kinsella 6 Ken Buckley 5 Conor Canavan 5
10.3.12
Booth Road 0, Spartak 0.
Spartak came away from the visit to the league leaders with a sense of regret at not taking all three points. Spartak started (and indeed ended) the game having dropped just 5 points more than the leaders.
No scoreless games for ages and then two in a row come along. While Spartak will take credit for another clean sheet the season’s long tale of lack of finishing power was again to the fore; just 18 goals scored in 14 league games tells its own story. At the back Paul Kinsella, recovering form and fitness, marshalled the defence and covered excellently while also finding time for a few surging runs.
The Sky Blues, on balance, had the best chances to win the game, although Booth missed a couple of good chances and were denied in injury time by an athletic save by Jason Northey.
The big opportunity for the Sky Blues came on 63 minutes when Conor Maguire’s run into the box was interrupted by a foul. Mick Greene stepped up for the spot kick and struck it low but too close to the keeper, who parried. Mick ran in for the rebound, but to his chagrin, fired the ball wide.
Spartak had quite a few chances apart from the spot kick. Niall Lennon supplied a couple of through balls to Ross Kelly and then to Conor Maguire. Ross’s attempt on the turn was wide; Conor’s was the better chance but the keeper smothered the ball. Mick Greene’s corner found Niall Lennon alone and unmarked at the back post, but his header lacked conviction and flew harmlessly wide.
There were a few half chances which fell to Fintan Grace and Steve Walsh but to no avail.
Booth had their chances and the striker blazed over from a right wing cross in the first period; then at the start of the second he winger evaded Mick Greene but blazed wide. A more remarkable miss occurred when a header by a Booth player seemed goalward bound until another Booth player effectively cleared it off the line.
Late substitutes Chris Hogan and Derek McGoldrick combined to set up Steve Walsh who fired wide. Then as the clock ticked down Conor Maguire made a run on the left; with Sky Blue jerseys filling the box the ball fell to Chris Hogan, but his shot was directly at the keeper.
A decent performance in all but the final third of the pitch.
Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Conor Canavan 7 Mick Greene 6 Fintan Grace 7 Paul Kinsella 9 Mick Costello 6 Niall Lennon 6 Conor Maguire 7 Steve Walsh 6 Ross Kelly 7 Derek Ruxton 6
Subs: Shane McInerney 6 Chris Hogan 6 Derek McGoldrick 6 Martin Costello Steve O’Hara.
