Spartak Dynamo FC

The seniors had a home fixture against Greystones on Saturday and gained 3 points for the cause.It would have been very easy for the team to put their heads down after last week but we showed some grit and determination to get a one nil victory.There were some changes to the squad  due to some players being unavailable for one reason or another which meant we were missing 8 squad members,and the team was changed around to reflect.We had to ask some players to play out of postion but overall it seemed to work with good displays from Greg Callan (nets) and Tony Kavanagh (centre half)  and debuton David Kavanagh (right midfield).We started off well and created a few decent chances, Greystones had their chances also, but failed to convert. Our goal came in the first half when a through ball fell to Brendan the Rooney Mooney who calmy adjusted and placed the ball passed the opposition keeper.One nil up at half time we settled down a bit better in the second half when we realised that the shape was the key to a victory.We also started taking the ball down and playing a bit more which meant we had a lot of possesion. Overall a good day in Marlay Park for us and this keeps things ticking along nicely….just a bit more committment from some squad members and things could start going well for us….

PS: Training now back to Tuesday nights starting this week the 11th at 8:45pm.

Squad: Greg Callan (7), Paul Burke (6), Paul McGrath (7), Tony Kavanagh (7), Tom Maher (6), Ken Byrne (6), Frank McNamee (6), Shea McCafferty (6), Leon Davids (6), Paddy Hughes (6), Brendan Mooney (6),  David Kavanagh (7), Gerry Doran (6), and Rory Campbell (8.5)

Lads,

The financial news is poor at the moment.

The clubs main source of income arises from weekly subs, annual subs, and the two or three fundraisers during the season. As you know, the recent quiz was extremely poorly attended and the returns were well below expectations.

It costs about €12,000 to run the club for a season, more than half of which will go on Astro facilities.

Annual subs of €50 euro per head are due by end October. Thanks to those who have paid to date. The rest, please start to pay now, even in instalments, this weekend.

To help the situation, the club is now running a lottery , based on the bonus number of the main Lotto draw. First draw is Wednesday 12th October. You can pick your own number by contacting Shane McInerney/Dave Mohan. €5 per number per week; prize is €110 each week, and club retains €115 if all 45 numbers sold. You must, of course, be paid up ahead of time. See the tab for detailed rules.

Bring your €5 to training Thursday, or to the weekend games. Better still , €20 gets you in for next 4 draws and saves time. Don’t forget – its your club, so you need to support it.

Hey, you might even win!

The Seniors went to Bray Park to play Garden County on Saturday with a skip in their step after a good performance the previous week.We might aswell have brought a picnic with us as we werent skipping for very long. A very poor performance all round from start to finish from our keeper to our full backs, the midfield and our forwards, even the line didnt help.It is safe to say there was a no show from absolutely everyone.Before we knew it we were 3 down then 4 down and by the time half time came we were 5 down.We changed things around at half time but to be honest although we picked up slightly we still lost the second half to.We did miss a few decent and easy chances up front in the second half but this wouldnt have plugged the gaps shown around the rest of the park either.Overall a very dissapointing day and maybe we need to reflect on what we want to achieve this year.

Squad: Jimmy Browne (3) Dave Mohan (3) Paul McGrath (3) Tom Maher (3)  Matt Grimes (3) Graham Johnston (3) Frank McNamee (3) Brian Stafford (3) Ken Byrne (3) Paddy Hughes (3) Brendan Mooney (3) Rory Campbell (2) Leon Davids (3) Paul Burke (3) Paul Cullen (Injured)

Big game this week against Garden county (league leaders), down for a 3:00pm kick off in Bray park. Squad will be notified on Friday morning, please dont forget we are training Thursday night at 8:45pm in Blackrock, please try to get there to give yourself every chance of making the squad for the weekend.

 The Seniors started with a home fixture against Larkview boys last Saturday.Not only was there confusion before the game as to who we were playing as both Dundrum and Larkview turned up to play us but this confusion seemed to spread to our game for the first 45 mins.Although we opened up the scoring early on with a well worked move down the right which seen Frank cross over for Rory who eventually put the ball in the net from two yards after first playing ping pong with their keeper.Their equaliser came from a very good shot which seen Jimmy beaten.This seemed to have spurned us on when Frank again burst from the middle to set Bren (Rooney Mooney) up with a through ball to slot home from a tough angle.Next came the decision that might have cost us on another day,the referee decided to give Larkview a peno after accusing Paul McGrath of shirt pulling, to this day Paul denies it and I tend to believe him. 2-2 at half time and a tatical change from the management team meant Paul the Scholsey Burke on for Dave Mohan at right full as it was time to start pressing for the win.This worked a treat and Spartak made other changes as the game went on which seen us bring on fresh legs in Tom and Leon and the rotation seems to have worked.Brendan (the Rooney Mooney) got in for another brace which gave him a very deserving hat trick,Frank McNamee also got in for a brace and Shea also got his name on one. Everyone worked together well and also worked hard for the team which meant we came out of the game with a 7-2 victory to kick start our season.The only negative to come out of the game was the fact that we still find it hard to start a game well…but hey we will keep working on that.

Great result all round and although there were 2 or 3 players in contention for Man of the Match this weeks Motm goes to Frank McNamee who put in a super 75 mins (needs to get there on time) for the cause.

Squad: Jimmy Brown (6) Dave Mohan (6) Greg Callan (7) Paul McGrath (7) Tony Kavanagh (6) Ken Byrne (6) Shea McCafferty (6) Matt Grimes (6) Frank McNamee (8) Paddy Hughes (7) Brendan Mooney (8)  Paul Burke (6)Tom Maher (6) Leon Davids (6) Rory Campbell (9).

 35’s back training tonight at 8:45pm in Blackrock.First game of the season at home on Saturday at 3:00pm against Dundrum , so a big turn out expected tonight.

Cancel all other social arrangements and get along to the Spartak quiz night, to answer Mick Greene’s fiendish questions under the watchful eye of Niall Hanratty as moderator/referee/general factotum.

All who can donate spot prizes are asked to do so. Thanks in advance.

Should be a good evening.

Be there for 9pm

15.9.11
Ratoath 5, Spartak 0

Spartak’s miserable run of results in Ratoath continued. There were few, if any, excuses. The pitch was perfect, the ref excellent, the weather balmy on this floodlit Thursday fixture.

The stark facts are that the locals ran harder and passed the ball quicker.

The first half saw Ratoath mainly in the ascendancy. Spartak found it difficult to keep the ball on the ground even when under no pressure. The local wingers gave the Sky Blues rearguard a tough time and Fintan Grace cleared off the line after one burst.

Spartak had their own chances with Ross Kelly hitting the bar, Mick Costello’s shot cleared off the line, and Ross Kelly lobbing just wide.

At 2-0 down Spartak were still in this game and very much alive, thanks in no small part to the fine form of Peter O’Toole. The introduction of 3 subs, who all added energy to the mix, indicated Spartak’s gamble to recover and close the two goal gap but unfortunately in throwing everything forward the Sky Blues were caught on the break for goal number 3. This effectively ended the game as a contest. To rub salt in the wound the locals added two more in the dying minutes, neither of which they had to work particularly hard for.

First defeat of the season, and the reaction will be important to regain ground in the league.

Form Report
Peter O’Toole 8 Dave O’Kelly 5 Mick Greene 5 Fintan Grace 6 Cathal Clancy 6 Mick Costello 5 Seamus McCahill 5 Mick Young 5 Steve Walsh 6 Ross Kelly 6 Graham McEnroe 5
Substitutes: Martin Costello 5 Colum O’Sullivan 5 Anto Doyle 5 Chris Hogan Shane Corrigan Dillon Burke

10.9.11
Spartak 1, Esker Celtic 0

The Sky Blues had to work hard for this victory, due in no small part to a fine goalkeeping display by Bobby Hayes and a very reasonable slice of good fortune. The visitors, who struck the woodwork three times as well as giving Hayes a testing work out and who also had a late penalty claim denied, will feel very hard done by.

Spartak opened brightly, and a neat 1-2 with Martin Costello set Colum O’Sullivan free but his attempt was weak and close to the keeper. Steve Walsh’s good run and cross gave Martin Costello an opportunity but his header was off target.

Esker then had a long range effort which smacked off the bar before being cleared. Spartak then had a blow when Niall Lennon, who had started creatively in midfield, had to go off with a hamstring injury. Esker gradually asssumed midfield control and had a few chances. They hit the post and Hayes recovered the situation for the home side. When Mick Greene was caught on the turn the no 7, luckily for Spartak, fatally delayed his shot as the angle worsened.

Just on half time a great break saw Dave O’Kelly send Martin Costello away down the left, and when he rolled the ball invitingly across the six yard box, Colum O’Sullivan could only steer the ball back to the grateful keeper.

Esker pressure continued at the start of the second half when Hayes conceded an unnecessary corner, but Spartak gained the vital advantage when Colum O’Sullivan was fouled on the left corner of the box. Mick Greene’s free may not have been the most powerful, but lacked nothing in accuracy. 1-0.

Spartak were now more or less overrun in the middle of the park and relying on break outs. Niall Hanratty was yellow carded after stopping a dangerous break.

The home side did have a few chances to add to the lead. O’Sullivan shot wide coming in from the left and Shane McInerney spurned a good shooting opportunity from 18 yards, blazing well over. Fidel Benson, through on goal, was muscled out without getting a shot in.

Mostly, however, play was concentrated at the other end. A McInerney miskick at the edge of the box saw Hayes come to the rescue with a tip over save. He also pushed a good effort on to the post and raced out of his goal to clear the danger on a few occasions.

With 98 minutes on the clock(!), there was a clash in the box between Dave O’Kelly and a visiting forward, who went to ground. To the relief of the home side, the ref awarded an indirect free , which was twice taken. Hayes gratefully grasped the second effort and Spartak were home and hosed.

Spartak were grateful for a day when most things went their way.

Form Report:
Robbie Hayes 8 Niall Hanratty 7 Mick Greene 7 Dave O’Kelly 7 Cathal Clancy 7 Mick Costello 6 Niall Lennon 6 Chris Hogan 5 Steve Walsh 5 Colum O’Sullivan 5 Martin Costello 6
Subs: Shane McInerney 5 Ross Kelly 5 Fidel Benson 5 Shane Corrigan Ryan Burke

31.8.11
Dundrum 3 Spartak over 35s 3

Ken Byrne writes…..

The first 20 mins saw Spartak get some extra training as all they could do was chase the ball from a well-organized Dundrum side. Although missing some players Spartak drafted in some recruits from the 2nd and 3rd team J Shane and Mick. The Gaffer did a good job in mixing and trying new formations. Dundrum took the lead from a set piece, but it really should have been cleared from the Spartak defense. It seemed to wake Spartak up to drive forward with a Spectacular goal J from 25 yards from Ken to make it 1-1. But still Spartak chased the game , Dundrum had a lot of possession and Spartak worked hard to keep them at bay, Graham and Shay battling well in midfield. Spartak took the lead with some excellent running from Paddy to beat two defenders to slot the ball home, and within 5 mins Spartak had taken the lead to 3-1, again Paddy and Ken working well for Ken to slot the ball home. Dundrum pressed hard and again from a set piece they scored, Greg beaten in the air for the ball to go over Jimmy’s out stretched hands. Spartak had another chance when a well-placed cross from Shay was aimed for the galloping Leon who just missed in connecting . Dundrum came at Spartak again and due to some poor defense work from Spartak , they were level with a well-placed shot just inside the box . Following that Dundrum had another chance but Tom was there to clear of the line. Dave Mohan had to replace Jimmy who went off Injured, but before Dave could display any heroics , the Ref blew the Final whistle. In Summary it was a good work out for the Spartak team and it gave an idea of what is ahead in the coming season. Thanks to Shane and Mick for helping out the 1st Team!

Paul feel free to add your comments J and ratings!!

Paul adds: In case it escaped your attention, Ken scored two goals…..

Team:- Jimmy, Leon, Greg, Paul, Tom, Con, Graham, Shay, Tony, Paddy, Ken, Mick, Shane, Dave(gaffer)