Spartak Dynamo FC

Steve Grier topped the January Fantasy football standings, just when we stopped handing out €50 monthly prizes. On a technical note, as he has not fully paid his annuals, he would have lost out anyway, and Rob Mahon (Moe) would have prevailed. Steve Browne is in the Portsmouth spot for January with a miserable performance amd has slumped to last place in overall standings.

The overall race is being led by “lucky” Graham Breen , who, it is rumoured,  spends all his time in Goodbody’s on spreadsheets working out potential points!

In hot pursuit are Mick Costello, Moe, Neil, Anto, Alex and with Steve Grier timing a late run (or so he says – he’s late with everything

Stuart Love has slipped down the rankings due to Palace going into administration, no doubt.

Spartak 3 St Pats CY 2

After recent travails Spartak served up a sparkling display to outclass the league leaders and cup holders. Spartak created many more chances and in truth could have won by a handsome margin, despite the absence through injury of the talismanic Cibirka.

Spartak seized an early advantage on 9 minutes when Graham Breen slotted home after a mistake by the visiting keeper. The lead was doubled on 15 minutes when a superb Neil McGowan pass released Graham McEnroe. He still had plenty to do and did it with style outpacing the chasing defender and stylishly burying the ball with his right foot.

McEnroe and Breen were causing endless problems to the visitors, prompted by Tom Flanagan , McGowan and Glen Burke at right back who made a number of marauding runs.

Referee Denis Kavanagh served up a number of strange decisions, and in a rumbustious contest did not show any cards. Quite a number of players on both sides should be grateful for his forbearance.

Spartak had a number of opportunities to add to their total; Stuart Love’s shot lacked venom, Breen’s effort was saved and McEnroe was wide.

Pat’s pulled one back on 43 minutes when a long range free kick was deflected by the wall fortuitously into the path of the striker who made no mistake.

The second half began with Pats taking the intiative and some untidy handling from Peter O’Toole. Gradually Spartak beganto play intelligently on the break and McEnroe had many chances to add to his total after some fine approach work by Flanagan McGowan and Breen. On one occasion his shot was deflected onto the bar; he shot wide following a ong throw; and blazed over after a long run.

The clinching goal came on 85 minutes when Flanagan, strangely unmarked,  converted McGowan’s free kick.

Pats reduced arrears in the 91st minute when a stray McGowan pass was met by the full back who scored with a dipping shot from fully forty yards past a startled O’Toole.

However the home side had done more than enough to progress in what was a very satisfying performance.

 Form Report

Peter O’Toole 6 Glen Burke 8 Fintan Grace 6 Steve Grier 8 Alex Kenny 8 Tom Flanagan 8 Neil McGowan 8 Stuart Love 7 Graham McEnroe 8 Graham Breen 8 Tomasz Kowal 6 

Sub Dan O’Connell 6 Rob Mahon Dave Browne

LMS starts next week – premier league fixtures for 20th/21st will be posted.

Rules

Entry fee €10 proceeds 50% to winner and 50% to club.

Each week nominate a premier league side to win by posting on the site; if your team draws or loses you are out; you can select each team only once in each competition. Last man standing scoops the prize.

First nominations to be in by Thursday 18th Feb.

Good luck!

Spartak 1 Drimnagh Celtic 0

In a tightly fought contest, Spartak made it through to round 4 of the Leinster Junior Shield with a resolute performance in a game where Drimnagh had superior possession.

Pinned back in the first half, Spartak relied on the occasional break as Browne, Gaynor and O’Driscoll were unable to hold the ball up and frequently had the ball nicked from them by alert visiting defenders. 

With Shane McInerney caught in possession on a couple of occasions and Mick Costello losing heading contests the midfield struggled to support the front men and were kept busy defensively as a consequence. Chris Hogan tried hard to start passing moves and was composed on the ball.

Spartak’s defenders found it difficult to clear their lines or pass their way out and were relieved at Drimnagh’s profligacy in missing a couple of gilt edged chances. Jason Northey’s handling was assured and his confidence is returning.

One lighting break on 35 minute saw Hanratty and Gaynor combine to put Browne clear on the right but his effort was just wide. The best chance of the half for Spartak fell to Dave O’Kelly but he pulled his effort wide. Tom Gaynor blazed over after Browne’s shot was blocked.

 The second half was a more even contest as Spartak worked hard. Distribution from the back was better with Hanratty giving a few incisive passes down the line and Martin Costello’s great through ball being  miscontrolled by Browne and McInerney was adjudged offside after converting a good cross by Browne.

The winning goal arrived on 75 minutes when Tom Gaynor’s low inswinging corner was touched home by Dave O Kelly, who is on a rich vein of scoring form.

Drimnagh threw men forward in search of an equaliser and when Martin Costello, surging forward on a breakout, gave the ball away the break was swift and a one on one chance was struck too close to Northey, who held on safely.   

As gaps appeared at the back for Drimnagh, Spartak then began to break out but Gaynor missed two one on one chances in injury time to seal the win.  

 Five wins in a row achieved by dint of confidence arising from solid teamwork .

Form Report

Jason Northey 7 Niall Hanratty 8 Mick Greene 6 Martin Costello 8 Dave O Kelly 8 Shane McInerney 7 Tom Gaynor 6 Chris Hogan 6 Steve Browne 6 Tom O Driscoll 6 Mick Costello 6

Subs Lee Malone 4 Dave Williams 5 Mike Hull 5Ross Kelly Neill Bolger

Saturday Team – AWAY to Drimnagh Celtic – Junior Shield – Won 1-0

Sunday Team – HOME to St. Pats – Tom Cullen Cup – Won 3-2

Over 35’s – HOME to Knockmitten – Clifford Cup – Won 5-4

Form Report rankings

4 a poor game

5 below average

6 average

7 a good game

8 a very good game

9 excellent

10 out of this world

Meath Rangers 2 Spartak 1

A weak approach in the final third, particularly in the first half, let Spartak down and they slipped to an unexpected and unwelcome defeat in what was a lack lustre performance.

Early domination was not converted to goals due to poor crosses and timid finishing. Grier volleyed over from Cibirka’s corner, Burke headed wide from a Grier long throw; Spartak’s best move of the game saw passes from O’Connell, Cibirka and Love set up Burke 12 yards out but he shot straight at the keeper. Cibirka’s header from Burke’s cross was too weak to trouble the keeper.

On 24 minutes Burke came in along the bye line to appeals from Meath that the ball was out. The ref called “play on” so he then crossed and Love converted to the net – whereupon the ref promptly disallowed the goal and gave a goal kick!

Meath’s first attack brought a great headed clearance by Kenny and then on 38 minutes O’Toole failed to deal with a cross and the loose ball was headed home for a lead totally against the run of play.

This gave Meath something to hold on to and made Spartak’s task more difficult.

Burke chipped over from a  good position and then a superb ball by Cibirka released Kowal, but he shot on the run straight at the  keeper.

Early second half Burke shot wide of the near post after being released by Cibirka and O’Toole saved after Kenny was caught in possession. Disaster struck on 58 minutes when a long cross from Spartak’s left flank was spectacularly volleyed past O’Toole.

Spartak’s response was immediate and Flanagan’s pass released Breen whose scuffed shot beat the home keeper to reduce arrears.

While Spartak had plenty of possession the quality of crosses was poor generally and quite a number of players fluffed their lines in this aspect of the game. Passing was slow and cumbersome at times and many attacks petered out due  to the use of a long ball. Failure to progress with overlapping play against a deep lying defence was costly and there was also a tendency to over carry the ball and get caught in possession.

Spartak sought to equalise and a  good run and cross from McEnroe saw Flanagan get under the ball to shoot over and a late header by McEnroe was straight at the keeper.

Despite having the lion’s share of possession Spartak slipped to a costly defeat.

Form Report

Peter O ‘Toole 5 Fintan Grace 5 Rob Mahon 5 Steve Grier 6 Alex Kenny 7 Stuart Love 5 Will O Connell 6 Gintaras Cibirka 6 Glen Burke 5 Graham Breen 5 Tom Kowal 5.

Subs Tom Flanagan 6 Graham McEnroe 6 Dave Browne 6 Kevin O’Toole Jason Northey

Peamount 0, Spartak 1

Spartak continued their good run on the unnacustomed astro surface and despite 5 enforced changes from the win against leaders Everton FA last week.

The success was built upon the imperious defensive pairing of Finn and Costello  who restricted Peamount to a minimal number of chances and also the versatility of Mick Greene, who went in goal after 20 minutes when Peter O’Toole was injured following a clash where he bravely punched a cross clear under pressure.  McInerney and McEnroe formed a very effective central midfield combination, and protected the back four as well as setting  up a number of attacks.

The work rate was high throughout the side and in freezing conditions Spartak played the more composed football.

The winning goal was a marvellous affair on 15 minutes and a candidate for team goal of the season. The ball never left the deck after Graham McEnroe, picking up the ball from a Costello header, made a scintillating run from deep in his own half.  He played a slick one-two with Mark Bolger and supplied a cross to Tom O’Driscoll at the far post. Tom in turn laid it off beautifully into the path of Mark, who slotted home past the helpless Peamount keeper. A goal  and a move to savour.

A header from Martin Costello bounced off the top of the bar and Mark Bolger shot weakly as Spartak tried to add to their tally. Rob Deering, slotting in at left back,  made a number of strong runs and his delivery is improving by the week. Chris Hogan worked overtime on the right hand side to contain the Peamount attack and is becoming more composed on the ball.

The second half was tough going as Peamount sought to get back into the match, but were repelled by a resolute Spartak defence. Dave O Kelly, defensively solid but sometimes profligate with his distribution,  was caught in possession but the danger was averted.

Mark Bolger , playing up front in the absence of some regulars, was eventually let down by lack of fitness and had much less impact in the second half before going off with a strain. Mike Hull, working hard as an early sub at left mid, had the most spectacular effort when at the end of a good move he saw glory and shot first time from the edge of the boxbut his shot almost went into orbit.

 Late substitutes Malone and Williams got into the swing of things by getting in good tackles. The former was booked – initially it was thought for his haircut – but it transpired he had lectured the ref on the rules of the game. Williams arrived to a night match in freezing conditions attired in shorts. Rob Deering may be called upon to give his pal some advice on appropriate kit to bring!

 Form Report

Peter O’Toole 7 Dave O Kelly 7 Mick Greene 8 Martin Costello 8 James Finn 8 Shane McInerney 8 Graham McEnroe 8 Chris Hogan 7 Mark Bolger 7 Tim O Driscoll 8 Rob Deering 8.

Subs Mike Hull 6 Lee Malone 6 Dave Williams 6 Ross Kelly.

SDFC Over 35’s 3 Portmarnock 6

Spartak over 35’s suffered a second home defeat in as many weeks as a very poor first half performance cost the team dearly.

Starting with 3 at the back the home side were exposed straight from the kick-off.  The right winger found himself in acres of space to provide a good cross that was half cleared to an umarked player whose shot was parried by Jimmy Browne resulting in a tap in for their striker. This put Portmarnock 1 nil up without any outfield Spartak player having touched the ball or made a tackle. This dismal start did not get any better when 3 minutes later a mis-kick from Jimmy Browne found an unmarked midfielder on the edge of the box who easily lobbed the ball over Jimmy’s head to put the away side 2 up.

The Spartak team finally started to compete and started to get a grip around the middle. Good attacking play forced a free kick which John Hallihan headed towards goal and the inrushing Gerry Doran provided a skillful touch to pull a goal back for Spartak. There followed a good period for Spartak with sustained pressure on the Portmarnock goal resulting in Frank McNamee having a shot that was parried away by the keeper and half chances for Rory Campbell and Barry Crowe. A good chance also fell to Dave Mohan who volleyed over.

Against the run of play Portmarnock broke up the left hand side a ball was played through and finished to go 3-1 up. This goal seemed to stun the home side as Portmarnock proceeded to score two further goals to go 5-1 up at the break. Both were excellent long range efforts but on neither occasion was there a challenge on the shot.

In fairness the team responded to the call from Barry Crowe to raise its game in the second half and started to compete well in every position. Gerry Doran, Barry Crowe and Paul Burke were setting up movements with some good passing and the workrate seemed to improve throughout the whole team.   With Spartak again applying a lot of pressure half chances fell to Ray Grady and Rory Campbell. Spartak finally pulled a goal back when excellent play by Ray Grady set up Frank McNamee who’s shot was expertly tipped over the bar by the hand of their centre half (thanks).  A straight red card was issued and Paul Burke made no mistake from the spot kick to make it 5-2.

With the opposition down to 10 men Spartak did press forward and seek another goal. On a rare break down the field the Portmarnock right full mishit a cross from the sideline that deceived Jimmy Browne and looped under the bar to give them their sixth goal. To its credit the home side continued to press forward right to the end and the final action of the match was a Frank McNamee headed goal from a good corner by Ray Grady.

Overall a very disappointing defeat which I am sure all would agree was the result of a dismal first half where the competitiveness and workrate was a long way from what the team is capable of.

Requesting a better turnout at training this week please.

The spartak panel was Jimmy Browne, Tony Kavanagh, Dave Mohan, Paul Burke, Shay Carr, Jason Doyle, Ken Byrne, John Hallihan, Rory Campbell, Ray Grady, Frank McNamee, Barry Crowe, Gerry Doran

Full size picture on the GALLERY page