Spartak Dynamo FC

26.10.13
Spartak 1, Leicester 6

Forced into seven changes from last week’s game due to injury, suspension and absentees for the Bank Holiday, Spartak were no match for an unbeaten Leicester side.

Rain fell heavily from the off and made the game a miserable spectacle for those on the sideline.

Spartak conceded in the first minute when Leicester surged unnopposed and forced a corner. Chris Hogan handled on the lien- penalty, but a lenient ref refrained from a card.

The first half was a procession towards the Sky Blues goal.

Jervis Mulhall and Dave Browne were caught in possession in dangerous areas and goals resulted. Dave O Kelly gave his winger too much space on the turn and he scored. Failure to close down at the edge of the box allowed a high shot to elude stand in keeper Conor Canavan, who was afforded scant protection.

Five down at half time.

As Leicester relaxed in the second period Spartak showed a bit more life and Jeff Gamble, by far Spartak’s best player on the day, had three fine headers, one saved, one just wide and one scored from Tom Gaynor’s corner. Gaynor might have made it two but blazed over when clean through almost immediately after, when a goal might have prompted a mini revival.

Leicester added number six just on the final whistle.

Form Report
Conor Canavan 6 Dave O Kelly 5 Chris Hogan 5 Dave Browne 5 Stephen Barr 5 Mark Brady 5 Jervis Mulhall 5 Kevin Loftus 4 Dermot Dooley 5 Jeff Gamble 7 Mick Leslie 5
Subs: Dave Berry 5 Thomas Gaynor 5 Eoin Kelly 4

19.10.13
Blackrock College 3, Spartak 4.

Things looked pretty bleak after 59 minutes of this contest in Rockfield Park as Blackrock fired in to make it 3-0 for the home side, with Spartak reduced to ten men after Jonathan Lane’s two petulant first half yellow cards.

However the Sky Blues team spirit came to the fore to forge an unlikely victory.

The story of the first half was a bleak one; poor distribution, lack of support for attack, low energy in midfield. It was no surprise when Blackrock took the lead on 29 minutes with a shot from the edge of the box. On 39 minutes Jonathan Lane received his second yellow.

Blackrock got their second on 50 minutes, after Conor Callis’ misplaced pass; Conor raced back to try to recover his error and was fouled before the cross came in for the goal; the goal stood however. Their third came minutes later as sub Chris Hogan erred and David Marlow was slow to get down to the resulting shot. It seemed to be the final nail in the Sky Blues’ coffin.

After a formation change Sean Doyle fed Jeff Gamble who passed to Shane McInerney; Shane popped the ball in from 12 yards to reduce arrears. Three minutes later a Sean Doyle pass was touched onto the post by Jeff Gamble. The rebound was expertly driven in left footed by Jervis Mulhall. Game on!

A rejuvenated Sky Blue side drove forward in waves.

Mick Leslie’s shot was almost fumbled over the line by the keeper; then on 74 minutes came the move of the match. A finely weighted pass by Mulhall sent Doyle down the right and his cross was joyously swept home by Niall Lennon for the equaliser.

With eleven minutes left Jervis Mulhall got the winner as he took a pass from Dave O Kelly and drove the ball into the far corner.

As is often the case, the emphasis switched again as the home side realised their predicament. There were a few scary moments for he Sky Blues as Blackrock threw everything into attack and forced a succession of corners. In a clean break Barry Maguire had a chance to kill the game but, with support inside, went for th shot and dragged it wide.

Its rare to come back from three down – even rarer with ten men. To do both – all credit to the boys in Sky Blue!

Form Report
David Marlow 5 Dave O Kelly 6 Jonathan Lane 4 Fintan Grace 6 Sean Doyle 9 Shane McInerney 7 Jervis Mulhall 8 Conor Callis 6 Jeff Gamble 9 Niall Lennon 8 Mick Leslie 7
Subs Derek Gibney 6 Chris Hogan 5 Barry Maguire 5 Kevin Loftus Eoin Kelly.

5.10.13
Walkinstown 5 Spartak 3

This was a game which could have gone either way. The sides were evenly matched but a few important events in the game swung the tide in Walkinstown’s favour.

The host took the lead when Dave O Kelly and Jeff Gamble were exposed, not for the first time, down Spartak’s right hand side; but a long ball by Dave Berry was converted by Thomas Gaynor for the equaliser. Gaynor then gave Spartak the lead after good work by Gamble.

Mick Costello saved and Jervis Mulhall got in a good block as the home side sought to level; and they did so on the stroke of half time from the penalty spot after the softest of penalties.

On 62 minutes some poor midfield play allowed a cross which left Chris Hogan in no man’s land as the forward headed in. Minutes later Dave Berry was fouled; the ref gave nothing and Berry lost any semblance of control and unleashed a tirade which saw him get a yellow, then red card.

Stephen Barr then missed an incredible opportunity to equalise after Chris Hogan’s free was fumbled by the keeper and dropped on the line. The usually reliable Barr manged only to prod the ball against a post from less than a yard out.

Walkinstown then gained in confidence and added two more before Gaynor reduced arrears with a deflected shot.

The Sky Blues were left to reflect on the penalty, the miss, and most of all the unnecessary red card.

Form report;
Mick Costello 7 Dave O Kelly 6 Chris Hogan 5 Stephen Barr 7 Fintan Grace 6 Jervis Mulhall 6 Derek Ruxton 5 Jeff Gamble 5 Niall Lennon 5 Thomas Gaynor 7 Dave Berry 4 Conor Callis 5 Mick Leslie 5

28.9.13
Spartak 6 Knockmitten 0

Knockmitten spurned a great chance to take the lead when a forward, clean through , lobbed over. Spartak huffed and puffed until the 29th minute, when a shot from distance by Dave Berry eluded the keeper.

Dave enjoyed a brief, and productive , purple patch for the early part of the second period; firstly he blasted home a free kick, and was then tripped for a penalty which Fintan Grace converted.

The game was over as a contest and goals from substitutes Jeff Gamble and Stephen Barr, together with a last minute score by the hard working Jervis Mulhall capped a welcome win.

Form Report
Davis Marlow 6 Dave O ‘Kelly 6 Jonathan Lane 5 Fintan Grace 6 Derek Gibney 7 Jervis Mulhall 7 Conor Canavan 5 Conor Callis 5 Niall Lennon 6 Thomas Gaynor 5 Dave Berry 8 Stephen Barr 6 Jeff Gamble 6 Kevin Loftus 6

21.9.13
Spartak 2 Moorfield 2

Spartak found themselves needing to come back from two down for the second successive home game but did so in fine style with goals from Thomas Gaynor and Conor Callis ensuring a share of the spoils. Indeed a late frantic flurry saw Moorfield make a series of blocks, and one block from a Jonathan Lane effort might have justified a penalty award.

Substitutes Dave Berry and Jeff Gamble sparked the comeback with Berry providing the cross for Gaynor to convert, while a deep cross from Jonathan Lane was met first time by Conor Callis for a spectacular equaliser.

Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Chris Hogan 4 Jonathan Lane 5 Dave O’Kelly 5 Fintan Grace 5 Shane McInerney 6 Niall Lennon 4 Jervis Mulhall 5 Conor Callis 6 Tom Gaynor 6 Michael Leslie 4 Jeff Gamble 6 Dave Berry 8 Barry Maguire 5

Spartak 0, Swords Celtic 10
Terenure Coll 6, Spartak 1
Spartak 1, Esker 3
Knockmitten 1, Spartk 3
Spartak 2, AIB 2
Cloghertown 6 Spartak 0

Spartak endured a torrid start to the season with a trouncing by Swords, who were by far the pacier side. Despite a full squad including experienced men such as Dave Browne and Thom O’Driscoll alongside Stephen Barr, Fintan Grace and Neil Bolger, the Sky Blues were three down in 9 minutes and six down by half time. Swords finished off the second half in much the same style, leaving a shell shocked bunch of Spartak players facing a reality check after an all time record defeat.
The following Monday another heavy defeat to Terenure college; at least in this game there was some parity of play, with Spartak failing to find a cutting edge despite decent approach play.
Perhaps even more disappointing result came against Esker; Spartak took a second half lead through Paul Byrne, but despite Esker being down to ten men after injury, Esker managed to score in breakaways to clinch the win.
A hard fought 3-1 win, courtesy of two Jeff Gamble goals and another from Paul Byrne secured the first win and then a more heartening performance came against a strong AIB side, with two Adam Doran goals forcing a draw, however the rot set in again in Co Meath when numerous chances were squandered before injury and two dismissals reduced the Sky Blues to eight men with all too predictable results.

From Tuesday 10th September training times are as follows:

8.45 Marlay Astro – Tuesday

9.15 St Columba’s College Astro – Thursday

Astro shoes only on Columbas astro; moulded soles also permitted on Marlay Astro. No steel studs or blades.

13.8.13
Seaford 3, Spartak 3

The latest pre season friendly ended in stalemate after a sloppy Sky Blue team conceded three goals, including an own goal, in the first 13 minutes of the game. The defensive unit had a nightmare start and it was some time before a shell shocked Spartak settled down. James Broderick fed the ball to Steve Walsh who jinked away from a defender to score.

The introduction of Dermot Dooley, who gave a typical all action performance, boosted Spartak and he started the move for the second goal, Steve Walsh scoring from Thom O’Driscoll’s slide rule pass.

A hard running display from Neill Bolger discomfited the home defence and it was Neill who set up Glen Burke for the equaliser.

Dermot Dooley had the ball in the net after the home keeper fumbled but the ref disallowed what would have been a winner.

With layers tiring, neither team could muster a final burst to clinch the game.

Form Report:
Man of the Match : Dermot Dooley
David Marlow 5 Paul Kinsella 6 Aodhan McCahill 8 Martin Costello 5 Dave Browne 6 Geoff Gamble 5 James Broderick 5 Glen Burke 5 Steve Walsh 8 Stephen Barr 6 Thom O’Driscoll 7 Sean Doyle 6 Dermot Dooley 8 Chris Hogan 6 Fintan Grace 6 Dave O’Kelly 7 Neill Bolger 7 Jason Northey 6

Tuesday – away to Seaford Rock

Wed – Gym session

Thurs – Training in St Enda’s at seven.

The Eden

Sat 31st August

Player of the year trophy presentations. Also Clubman of the year.

A social night for your diary!