Please post your team for Last Man Standing week 7. THERE IS NO AUTOMATIC PICK. A full list of fixtures is on the Last Man tab above. If you give a team that you have already chosen (or automatically chosen) you will get the next team available to you alphabetically.
Spartak 3 Laytown 2
Spartak overcame a poor start to win despite being reduced to ten men on the hour mark.
The opening twenty minutes saw poor distribution and little in the way of aggression from the home side with touches and passes betraying the long lay off. A stray ball by Niall Hanratty put Laytown on the attack and from the resulting corner the Spartak defence was flat footed as Laytown hit the post and netted the rebound.
A good cross by Derek McGoldrick gave Jose Vargas a chance close in but he failed to beat the keeper, and when Chris Hogan’s attempted shot was deflected into Jose’s path, again the keeper came out on top.
It was Chris Hogan who displayed calmness on the ball to start the move for the equaliser by feeding Niall Lennon down the right. The cross was touched by Jose to Derek, and when Derek’s effort was half stopped by the keeper, Jose was on hand to finish to break his scoring duck.
Niall Lennon had a good header saved but Laytown showed their intent with a free header from a corner, just wide, and when Dillon Burke tried to play offside when twenty yards ahead of his fellow defenders, it was time for another near miss by the visitors.
The second half began with a poor Cathal Clancy clearance and then with Hanratty caught in possession from which the Sky Blues had a lucky escape. Shane McInerney had a snap shot just wide at the other end. Spartak settled and began to get on top and on 57 minues Martin Costello scored his first goal for the club, nodding home Hanratty’s looped free kick.
Laytown responded and immediately had a big miss, blazing over after a series of missed tackles by the sky blues.
Dillon Burke was then red carded, at the edge of the box, despite winning the ball, on the hour and Spartak faced an uphill battle, particularly as Derek McGoldrick’s first action as replacement left back was to divert a through ball past Robbie Hayes into the path of a Laytown forward to equalise.
Spartak then got a deserved but fortuitous winner when an attempted clearance rebounded to the net off a startled Niall Lennon.
A prolonged rearguard action by the ten men then ensued which saw some desperate defending and some determined attacks by Laytown, who fell just short of equalising. At times Spartak were reduced to nine by injuries. Keith Kelly relieved the pressure with a couple of blinding runs and missed a chance at the end of one run. Niall Lennon, unused to the pace, went down several times with cramp, as did Derek McGoldrick, while Dave O’Kelly failed to last the second period with groin trouble.
A great three points and a hard fought win, but fitness issues persist.
Form Report
Robbie Hayes 6 Dave O’Kelly 6 Dillon Burke 5 Martin Costello 7 Cathal Clancy 7 Shane McInerney 7 Niall Hanratty 6 Chris Hogan 5 Derek McGoldrick 5 Niall Lennon 6 Jose Vargas 6.
Subs Glen Burke 6 Keith Kelly 7 Jason Northey no show.
Iveagh Celtic 0, Spartak 1.
A spectacular long range volley from Ger Byrne after just 14 minutes settled this match. Fintan Grace’s header found Stuart Love , whose fine through ball was hit first time, right footed (!) by Ger to the top corner from outside the box.
Spartak, in truth, were well below par, and were reliant on some last ditch defending to stay in the cup. Peter O’Toole was equal to everything thrown at him, with one really great second half save. Steve Grier headed and tackled troughout to repel attacks and the rest of the back four worked hard , after a shaky start, with Fintan Grace pulling off a great goal line clearance on the stroke of half time, after a series of blocks and just when an Iveagh goal seemed inevitable.
Iveagh announced their intentions with a terrific shot just over in the early minutes, and Spartak replied when good work by Thom O’Driscoll, Anto Doyle and Glen Burke led to Steve Grier’s shot being well parried.
After Ger’s goal, Spartak had a poor half hour spell. The front men could not hold the ball up, with Thom off the pace and Ger’s touch erratic. In fairness the front men got less support than ex President Mubarak in Cairo. At the back, errors and sloppiness led to Iveagh lobbing wide and striking the inside of the post. A couple of free kicks in dangerous areas were conceded and some desperate defending was needed.
While the Sky Blues improved slightly in the second half, it was still mostly Iveagh who owned the ball.
Neither Neil McGowan nor Keith Kelly could impose themselves in the centre, and while Stu worked really hard up and down the flank, his distribution wasn’t of the best at times. Anto Doyle struggled to get to the pace of the game, and he and Glen were a weak link down the right flank in the first half. So mostly it was a case of trying to stem the tide of opposition possession.
Two chances were created by Spartak in the second half, when Neil McGowan’s shot was saved and then the chance to clinch the game was missed on 80 minutes when from Seamus McCahill’s flick on neither Thom O’Driscoll or Stuart Love could apply the finish in a scramble close to the line.
A much relieved Spartak heard the final whistle which announced entry to the semi finals. Plenty of fitness work required.
Form Report
Peter O’Toole 8 Glen Burke 5 Fintan Grace 7 Steve Grier 8 Dave Browne 7 Keith Kelly 6 Neil McGowan 6 Anto Doyle 5 Stuart Love 7 Thom O’Driscoll 5 Ger Byrne 7.
Subs Seamus McCahill 6 Niall Tilley Paul Kinsella Martin Costello Will O Connell
Please post your team for Last Man Standing week 6. THERE IS NO AUTOMATIC PICK. A full list of fixtures is on the Last Man tab above. If you give a team that you have already chosen (or automatically chosen) you will get the next team available to you alphabetically.
COME ON LADS GET YOUR TICKETS SORTED – DON’T MISS A GREAT NIGHT
DRESS CODE IS SMART CASUAL (You should know to ignore Shane & Mick at this stage)
Saturday team: Shane McInerney
Sunday team: Paul McGowan
Over 35’s: Frank McNamee and Brian Stafford
Former players, managers etc can get tickets from Andy Dunne and a few others, see page tab above.
You can continue to reserve tickets below.
Please post your team for Last Man Standing week 5. THERE IS NO AUTOMATIC PICK. A full list of fixtures is on the Last Man tab above. If you give a team that you have already chosen (or automatically chosen) you will get the next team available to you alphabetically. 4 people did not post a team last week so they got the next available team. Only €130 collected so far, there should be €210. Anyone who has not paid by 14th Feb will be out. You can pay at training this week or at the matches next weekend.
The over 35’s are away this week and not at home as per the fixture in the paper.We are now down to play Garden County in the peoples park Bray for a 2:oopm kick off.Training on Wednesday as usual in Blackrock at 8:45pm sharp so if anyone is talking to Burky or Ken please let them know we have moved to 8:45pm. Lads just another mention that if you have not got your tickets for the 40th Celebration on the 19th Feb please do so as everyone welcome.The club is expecting a big turnout from the over 35’s………….you can get your tickets off Frank, Jay or Brian Stafford………
In a weekend where all would be expected to turn out for matches, a hardy few braved the astro at the postal club in two sessions over the weekend. Too few interested in trying for honours this year? A poor reflection on many, and an attitude which needs to be improved.
Please post your team for Last Man Standing week 4. THERE IS NO AUTOMATIC PICK. Anyone who has not posted a team can still do so as they are still in the competition with 2 lives due to automatic picks from the last 3 weeks. A full list of fixtures is on the Last Man tab above. If you give a team that you have already chosen (or automatically chosen) you will get the next team available to you alphabetically.
On Sunday the over 35,s travelled to Sevitt Fc from Gormanstown where
a place in the 1/4 finals of the Clifford cup was up for grabs.We played a 4-5-1 formation which has been good to us in the Cup but probably wasn’t the wisest decision by management on the day due to it being a narrow pitch.The pitch itself left a lot to be desired and was played on the day before.We packed the midfield which confused the opposition and ourselves at times.We took an early lead with a great set piece from a corner. Dave Mohan called for the short corner which distracted the full backs who tried to close him down, Frank McNamee spotted this and timed a super run to the near post and with pinpoint accuracy Paul (Scholsey) Burke obliged with a super corner for Frank to head home.
One up and the home team stunned,we started to make a few mistakes at the back. The opposition pressed , our back line were a bit confused ,balls over the top, Jimmy slow getting off his line,Barry Crowe getting involved for all the wrong reasons with whoever wanted a row and with all this plotting against us no-one was prepared for what came next .A defensive clearance from Matt Grimes reached the half way line and Paddy Hughes came to collect. Paddy went on a run and was forced into the corner.Under pressure Paddy made some space for himself and about a yard off their back line and about twenty yards from the goal, Paddy looked up spotted the keeper at his near post, Paddy somehow managed to loop a ball with precision over the keeper into the net.Now were all stunned and with great admiration and a slight nod of the head in disbelief from the opposition Manager were two up and game on.We went in at half time 2 up and a bit mesmerised that we werent 3-2 down.
Second half started with a lot of pressure from the opposition and they were starting to get on top.Then they got their first, a bit of confusion in our back line let there forward in to score from down the left side. Second goal came with about ten mins left and it was very fortunate for them..Tony Kavanagh hit the deck after a very hefty challenge and follow through in our own box, so all the Spartak players stopped and waited for the referee to blow his whistle for a free out and much to everyones amazement, he didn’t. A twenty yard shot defelected in past Jimmy and were heading to penos.Credit to Spartak who didn’t flinch and scored all five penos after Sevitt missed their 5th one.
Peno 1:Paddy Hughes Peno 2:Paul Burke Peno 3:Graham Johnston Peno 4:Barry Crowe Peno 5:Matt Grimes.
Over 35’s squad:
Jimmy Brown 6, Dave Mohan 7, Greg Callan 7, Tony Kavanagh 7, Barry Crowe 6, Ken Byrne 6, Frank McNamee 8, Brian Stafford 8, Paul Burke 4, Matt Grimes 7, Paddy Hughes 8.
Subs: Tom Maher 6, Shea Mcafferty 6,Gary Harte 6, Graham Johnston 6 and Rory Campbell 9.
