Spartak Dynamo FC

Everton 4, Spartak 0.

A somewhat depleted Spartak side exited the Shield tamely.

Spartak had a great start to this fourth round Shield tie and early on a couple of clear  chances to go ahead. Thomas Gaynor released Tom O’Driscoll on a one on one and his chip was well saved. From the corner Cathal Clancy had an opportunity from close in but shot at the keeper. Derek McGoldrick made a number of foraging runs and was taken down on the 18 yard line. Gaynor’s free was wildly over the bar.

At the other end Everton headed against the bar and Jason Northey saved well from another effort. Martin Costello Kevin O’Toole and Cathal Clancy were struggling to assert their authority on the home attackers.

On 36 minutes a rash challenge by Shane McInerney gave Everton a soft penalty and the breakthrough they needed.

At the other end Costello and Clancy fell into the offside trap after Steve Browne touched on an O’Driscoll free.

Northey’s reluctance to leave his line to command the area forced the defence deeper and caused considerable difficulty, along with some poor distribution, paricularly from throws. 

Everton began the second half well and hit the bar with a early effort. Niall Hanratty, always reluctant to deliver the simple pass, was caught in possession twice in the same passage of play and Everton broke to score . 0-2.

Clancy picked up a booking following an aerial challenge.

Tom O’Driscoll’s shot was touched over as Spartak tried to get back, but when Costello was caught in possession Everton went on for number three. Hanratty cleared after Northey was rounded and in the last minute Dave Williams had a good chance when Mike Hull’s cross caused panic. From the clearance Everton scored number four on the whistle.   

Spartak will rue the fact that the occasion got to some players and that the game came on a weekend when so many were missing. Top scorer Browne’s form has dipped and some key performers in previous games such as Hanratty Costello and O’Driscoll were well below their best.

Form Report

Jason Northey 5 Niall Hanratty 5 Derek McGoldrick 6 Martin Costello 5 Cathal Clancy 6 Shane McInerney 6 Thomas Gaynor 5 Colm O’Sullivan 4 Steve Browne 4 Tom O’Driscoll 5 Kevin O’Toole 5

Subs Mike Hull 5 Dave Browne 6 Dave Williams 5

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)

St Pats CY 3 Spartak 3

Spartak began the day 9 points behind the league leaders, whom they had eliminated from the cup a few weeks previously. A big opportunity to close the gap was missed as Pats equalised, with 10 men, late on and Spartak missed some gilt edged chances. Indeed Pats missed a glorious opportunity near the end to take all 3 points. A game we should have won and could have lost. Spartak were without Glen Burke (at rugby!) Tom Kowal on holidays and Graham McEnroe (man flu) – all strikers and as a result a partially fit Cibirka had to be pressed into action still nursing a groin strain.

In a game of fluctuating fortunes the pivotal moment came in the 76th minute when Gintaras Cibirka was through in a one on one from a lovely Stuart Love pass. He tried to round the keeper and was foiled, only for play to switch immediately to the other end where Pats were awarded a soft penalty when Grace pushed the winger.

The hangover from the previous game’s heavy defeat seemed to affect confidence, and Pats sailed into an early lead on 2 minutes when the ball was played behind Rob Mahon and crossed too far. The opposing winger retrieved the ball and eluded Fintan Grace and crossed where Stuart Love was easily beaten in the air for the opener.

Spartak struggled to get into the game and Dan O Connell and Stuart Love were being brushed off the ball. Gradually Tom Flanagan and Neil McGowan began to exert midfield control with Graham Breen a great target for hold up play and Pats had to resort to desperate tactics at times. On 22 minutes a long throw from Steve Grier was flicked on by Graham Breen and Rob Mahon’s persistence took advantage of a goalkeepeing error to give Cibirka the easiest of tap ins.

On 40 minutes Tom Flanagan’s free from a dangerous position sailed harmlessly over the bar but a minute later Grace’s foul gave a similar opportunity to the home side and they demonstrated how to keep a free on target. 1-2.

Cibirka and McGowan had headed efforts just over and Dan O Connell was just wide of an unguarded goal from 40 yards after Cibirka forced the keeper into an error. 

The ealy second half saw Spartak have their best spell. Dan O Connell was upended and McGowan sent the keeper the wrong way for a 47th minute equaliser.

A couple of errors by Tom Flanagan and Alex Kenny saw Pats have chances before another Grier long throw was flicked on by Breen for McGowan to head in from close range on 65 minutes.

Spartak now assumed control and Breen was through for a one on one. A heavy touch took him wide and when he crossed, Will O Connell was foiled at the back post.

Cibirka was taken down by the last man when through and a red card reduced the home side to 10.  A nice move by Love and Cibirka put Will O Connell into the box for a decent opportunity but his touch failed him as he was nudged by an opponent.

Spartak seemed to relax with the lead against ten men, and then came the miss by Cibirka followed by the penalty score for Pats. Instead of 4-2 it was 3-3.

Both sides tried to win the game with Pats failing to score after a mad scramble and McGowan’s cracking long range effort well saved in the last minute.

A better display than last time out but a missed opportunity. 

Form Report

Peter O’Toole 6 Fintan Grace 4 Rob Mahon 6 Steve Grier 7 Alex Kenny 7 Tom Flanagan 7 Neil McGowan 8 Gntaras Cibirka 7 Graham Breen 8 Dan O Connell 6 Stuart Love 6

Subs Will O Connell 6 Dave Browne 6 Niall Hanratty 4 Tom Gaynor no show.

Those who did not make choices have been alloted Arsenal wk1 and Birmingham for wk 2, and thus remain in.

More diligent (?)  folk like Shane and Cathal went for Chelsea and Fulham and are eliminated.

Wk 3 automatic pick is Everton. €180 in the pot so far with some still to pay.

Spartak 2 Schalke 1

Spartak enjoyed a victory after a poor performance on the previous week, despite missing a few regulars and overcoming the drag of a few players clearly lacking fitness.  However a few key men rolled back the years to claim victory.

The first half was dominated territorially by the home side initially but the strike force did not hold up play successfully and were also starved of support. The advantage of the possession was therefore wasted and few clear chances were created. Ray Grady and Paul Tormey fell foul of a simple offside ploy on a number of occasions.

Jimmy Browne was a virtual spectator for most of the half with Paul Burke and Gerry Doran  in command at the back and on the one occasion Jimmy was beaten Leon David was able to lend a helping hand a la his Gallic cousin Thierry Henry. Luckily the ref did not spot the infringement.

Spartak had some opportunities when Shay McClafferty clipped the top of the bar and also when Ray Grady checked back when through with his shot comfortably saved.

On 54 minutes a slick  move by the vistors outfoxed the home defence and a neat finish put Schalke one up.

The home side responded in positive fashion, showing good team work,  and should have been awarded an equaliser when Rory Campbell’s header hit the underside of the bar and bounced over the line before being cleared.  Rory, off form on the day, had earlier missed a one on one when running on to Gerry Doran’s through ball.

Paul Burke, moving to midfield to add his customary guile,  then curled a shot against the bar.  

Spartak’s equaliser came when Barry Crowe beat the offside trap  from left back with a fine run and when the keeper parried his effort, Paul Tormey finished to the net.

Spartak then pressed on taking command in midfield with good work from Paul Tormey, Frank McNamee  and Ken Byrne and the winner came after some fine work by McNamee when a neat move was finished in fine fashion by a galvanised  Ray Grady showing his true ability with a strong burst and finish. 

There was still time for McNamee to miss a one on one and Paul Tormey it the post after good work by Shay McClafferty.

A satisfactory turn around from a goal deficit and a confidence booster after recent results.

Form Report

Jimmy Browne 6 Leon David 6 Gerry Doran 7 Paul Burke 7 Dave Mohan 6 Shay McClafferty 6 Paul Tormey 7 Ken Byrne 6 Ray Grady 6 Frank McNamee 6 Barry Crowe 7 Rory Campbell 4 Mark Byrne 5 Jason Doyle 4.

The Saturday team are going for pints this Saturday night. We are going to start in the Barge about 8ish……Full Saturday attendance expected except for players called out to play Sunday! In that case you will have to be in bed by 3a.m.

Tonights match in Rathoath is OFF. Training in St.Killians at 9pm as normal.

Please post your selection for week 2 of Last Man Standing. If you dont give a team you will be given the next team alphabetically

A full list of fixtures is on the Last Man Standing tab above.