Spartak Dynamo FC

24.3.12
Spartak 1, Ratoath 5

Spartak offered only token resistance to a rampant Ratoath side who were a class above the Sky Blues.

Midfield was ovewhelmed from the start with the visitors midfield showing harder running, stronger tackling and, most tellingly, superior passing . The Ratoath midfield had time and space to pick their passes, and also to make powerful supporting runs, leaving the home midfield looking slow and static. This quickly translated into a two goal lead on 18 minutes, aided by the Sky Blues defence testing out a faulty offside trap. Jason Northey blocked when Mick Greene’s blind back pass created danger and Jason then touched another effort onto the woodwork.

Conor Maguire won and converted a penalty to leave a somewhat flattering half time score of 1-2. Indeed a brief spell at the start of the second period saw Spartak create two chances to equalise, which might have raised spirits, but Conor Maguire’s effort from Niall Lennon’s pass was saved while Dermot Dooley could only direct Chris Hogan’s cross straight at the keeper. The only other chance of note fell to sub Martin Costello but that close range effort was scrambled away.

Ratoath then resumed their rampage with 3 goals between the 52nd and 58th minutes.

5-1 down with over half an hour remaining, it is credit to character that the Sky Blues kept at it doggedly, on a day they seriously underperformed and consequently were so clearly outclassed.

A sobering day and a wake up call.

Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Chris Hogan 5 Mick Greene 5 Paul Kinsella 5 Cathal Clancy 5 Dermot Dooley 5 Niall Lennon 5 Niall Hanratty 5 Steve Walsh 5 Conor Maguire 5 Shane McInerney 5
Subs: Steve O’Hara 5 Martin Costello 5 Colum O’Sullivan 5 Derek McGoldrick

Lads,

At present, by my count, and according to the Red C poll, we have the following definites:

Anto Doyle, Dan O’Connell, Steve Grier, Peter Redmond, Martin Costello, Ross Kelly, Edo Maino and Jason Doyle.

There are a number of maybes :
Shea McClafferty, Brian Stafford, Graham Breen , Neil McGowan, Neill Bolger, Keith Kelly, Paul Kinsella, Seamus McCahill, Jason Northey, Colum O’Sulliivan, Leon David, Cathal Clancy, Dave Browne, Fintan Grace

I may have missed one or two, so feel free to comment and add your name.

So at present we cannnot go ahead and book flights or finalise arrangements until sufficient “maybes” commit to “definite” status. To make the trip feasible we need around 15 travelling.

Feel free to add your name to the maybes or definites by commenting on this post.

This weeks winner of the Spartak lotto is Anto Doyle. His number 32 came up in last nights lotto draw.

19.3.12
Spartak 3, Ballyfermot Utd 2

A Bank Holiday friendly with Phil Nolan’s outfit gave a good run out for a Bank Holiday Monday.

Spartak created a load of first half chances before tiring significantly in the second period as the visitors fought back with two goals from the spot.

Spartak’s goals arose from some good movement, and finishing, from midfield where Seamus McCahill scored two and won the penalty which Mick Greene converted. Mick also supplied the assist for the first, when Seamus took his chance adroitly to turn in a free kick . Ross Kelly and Derek McGoldrick both spurned decent chances, however Adam Doran somehow contrived to stay off the score sheet despite a host of opportunities and some fine approach work.

A useful work out.

Form Report
Peter O’Toole 7 Chris Hogan 6 Mick Greene 7 Paul Kinsella 7 Dave O’Kelly 7 Seamus McCahill 8 Niall Lennon 5 Dermot Dooley 7 Derek McGoldrick 5 Ross Kelly 5 Graham McEnroe 6
Subs: Neill Bolger 5 Adam Doran 5 Ken Buckley 6

Apologies for the delay – Jason Doyle is the Week 2 winner in the Spartak Lotto. The winning number in last Wednesdays draw was 2. €110 on the way to you Jay.

End of season trip is pencilled in for Swindon on 25th – 27th May. Our man Rob Smith in Swindon is working on the details.

Expected costs are about €60 for flight plus £25 per night for hotel and maybe £10 for bus transfer.

Extra costs might include insurance for Ross’ shoe and there may be some expenditure on refreshments and a low fibre (or kebab based) diet.

Comment if interested. We will finalise details over coming weeks.

10.3.12
Booth Road 0, Spartak 0.

Spartak came away from the visit to the league leaders with a sense of regret at not taking all three points. Spartak started (and indeed ended) the game having dropped just 5 points more than the leaders.

No scoreless games for ages and then two in a row come along. While Spartak will take credit for another clean sheet the season’s long tale of lack of finishing power was again to the fore; just 18 goals scored in 14 league games tells its own story. At the back Paul Kinsella, recovering form and fitness, marshalled the defence and covered excellently while also finding time for a few surging runs.

The Sky Blues, on balance, had the best chances to win the game, although Booth missed a couple of good chances and were denied in injury time by an athletic save by Jason Northey.

The big opportunity for the Sky Blues came on 63 minutes when Conor Maguire’s run into the box was interrupted by a foul. Mick Greene stepped up for the spot kick and struck it low but too close to the keeper, who parried. Mick ran in for the rebound, but to his chagrin, fired the ball wide.

Spartak had quite a few chances apart from the spot kick. Niall Lennon supplied a couple of through balls to Ross Kelly and then to Conor Maguire. Ross’s attempt on the turn was wide; Conor’s was the better chance but the keeper smothered the ball. Mick Greene’s corner found Niall Lennon alone and unmarked at the back post, but his header lacked conviction and flew harmlessly wide.

There were a few half chances which fell to Fintan Grace and Steve Walsh but to no avail.

Booth had their chances and the striker blazed over from a right wing cross in the first period; then at the start of the second he winger evaded Mick Greene but blazed wide. A more remarkable miss occurred when a header by a Booth player seemed goalward bound until another Booth player effectively cleared it off the line.

Late substitutes Chris Hogan and Derek McGoldrick combined to set up Steve Walsh who fired wide. Then as the clock ticked down Conor Maguire made a run on the left; with Sky Blue jerseys filling the box the ball fell to Chris Hogan, but his shot was directly at the keeper.

A decent performance in all but the final third of the pitch.

Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Conor Canavan 7 Mick Greene 6 Fintan Grace 7 Paul Kinsella 9 Mick Costello 6 Niall Lennon 6 Conor Maguire 7 Steve Walsh 6 Ross Kelly 7 Derek Ruxton 6
Subs: Shane McInerney 6 Chris Hogan 6 Derek McGoldrick 6 Martin Costello Steve O’Hara.

The Annual General Meeting of the CLub will take place on Monday 26th March in the Eden.

The meeting will commence at 9 pm and is open to members who have paid annuals by Dec 31st last, committee members and life members.

The business of the meeting shall be as follows:

1. Ascertainment that a quorum is present
2. Reading and approval of the minutes of the last AGM.
3. Report of the Chairman
4. Financial Report
5. Elections and balloting
6. Any other business.

This weeks lotto bonus ball winner is Mick Greene (me) The winning ball 5, came up in the Wednesday lotto draw and as a result I’m €110 better off. Not bad for €5. Get in!

There are still some balls available for next weeks draw. Check out the Lotto tab for available numbers.

3.3.12
Leicester 0, Spartak 0

Spartak faced into this match after an unlucky exit from an impressive Shield run and a less glorious exit from the Vere Deane Cup.

On this occasion the performance, energy and concentration levels were back to normal in a good performance against a Leicester side who had recovered form poor early season form and who had a seven game unbeaten run prior to this match.

A hard earned point in a tight match could have been bettered if an early penalty shout had gone Spartak’s way. It looked a clear spot kick when Conor Maguire was hauled down, however the referee, otherwise excellent, was unsighted.

In a game of relatively few chances, Leicester struck the post with a shot from distance and fell foul of the offside trap a few too many times. Spartak’s finishing and decision making in the final third were not quite good enough to breach the home defence.

Spartak had slightly the better of the opening half without creating clear cut chances. Mick Greene’s effort from a long range free tested the keeper; Derek Ruxton overlapped in the best move of the first half involving a build up by Seamus McCahill, Steve Walsh and Mick Greene, but Derek fired wide.

The third quarter saw Leicester push on; in this period they struck the post and forced a number of corners. Paul Kinsella displayed a welcome return to fitness and form and marshalled the troops at the back to a deserved clean sheet.

Spartak broke in a sweeping move by Conor Maguire and Steve Walsh but Seamus McCahill volleyed wide. Conor Maguire in a solo effort was forced too wide and in the very last minute Steve Walsh’s shot was too close to the keeper.

Overall a decent performance, lacking only the final flourish which might have killed off the home challenge.

Form Report
Stephen Harris 8 Conor Canavan 7 Mick Greene 7 Fintan Grace 7 Paul Kinsella 8 Derek Ruxton 7 Niall Lennon 7 Seamus McCahill 7 Ross Kelly 7 Stephen Walsh 7 Conor Maguire 7
Subs : Derek McGoldrick 5 Dave O Kelly 5 Chris Hogan 5 Mick Costello