Nobody knocked out so Glen , Mick G, Martin, Thom, Neil, Hano, Ross, Jason D, Graham B all live to fight another week for the €130 pot.
Well……. what can I say, there is a few fools in the club. Of course Paul is not leaving, the committee would never let him go (at least not until the end of the season!). Well done to those who knew it was a spoof, as for the rest of you….HA HA!
It is with great regret that the Spartak Dynamo committee accepted the resignation of Paul McGowan as manager of the Saturday and Sunday LSL teams effective immediately. Dave Mohan will now manage the Saturday team, with Andy Dunne returning to manage the Sunday team. Frank McNamee and Barry Crowe will continue to work with the over 35’s. Paul is now going to take over Carla’s (his daughter) hockey team. This will be a full time paid position for Paul who can now dedicate himself to coaching hockey since his retirement in November 2009. Spartak Dynamo wish Paul every success in the future.
Dont forget the club AGM takes place tonight at 8pm in the Three Rock Pub. All members are welcome.
Match is off due to some dark rain clouds hanging over the Phoenix pitch, which if they burst the council deemed the pitch might get too wet to play on!
Dun Laoghaire 1, Spartak 3.
Tom O’Driscoll capped a man of the match performance with two goals, the second of which, a right footed volley from 22 yards, is a contender for goal of the season.
While Spartak got a tonic start when O’Driscoll headed in Anto Doyle’s long throw, they quickly lapsed into a torpor which handed the initiative to the home side. This might refect the loss of continuity derived from the fact that only 6 of the staring eleven started last weeks game.
Sloppy defensive play after Martin Costello dallied on the ball allowed Dun Laoghaire to stroll unchallenged through a static Spartak defence to equalise on 16 minutes.
While Spartak threatened sporadically in the remainder of the half, they could not string moves together.
The second half produced a much better performance, exemplified by Dave O’Kelly, producing a contrastingly strong effort after an insipid opening half. O’Driscoll’s second restored the advantage.
However at the other end Hanratty was beaten all too easily and the cross eluded Northey before being cleared at the expense of a corner. Northey then pulled off a fine save in a one on one situation.
Mark Bolger was finding the going tough at the back while in midfield Mick Costello Rob Deering and Hanratty were struggling to impose their will on the game and were grateful for the steadying influence of captain Shane McInerney.
Spartak got a break on 68 minutes when a catastrophic mix up in the home defence gave the hitherto off form Steve Browne the chance to extend the lead, and he tapped in from close range for his 15th goal of the season.
Hanratty then cleared off the line when Northey’s punched clearance was fired back in. Mark Bolger found the strength for a long run but could only produce a weak finish.
Spartak had to rely on key contributions to overcome an untidy performance and may rue the Swords result, when so many of the players were missing.
Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Anto Doyle 7 Dave O’Kelly 7 Martin Costello 6 Mark Bolger 5 Shane McInerney 7 Niall Hanratty 5 Rob Deering 5 Steve Browne 5 Tom O’Driscoll 8 Mick Costello 5.
Subs Derek McGoldrick 6 Mike Hull 6 Cathal Clancy 6 Chris Hogan Dave Williams Mick Greene
Saturday Team – AWAY to Phoenix
Sunday Team – AWAY to Orwell (2pm kick off)
Over 35’s fixture TBA
Please post your team for this weekends matches. REMEMBER there is no automatic pick. If you dont give a team you are out. Full list of fixtures are available on the Last Man Standing tab above.
After Villa and Chelsea both drew, just 9 survive this round. Aston Villa’s failure saw off quite a few contenders. No automatic picks from now on.
Swords Celtic 2, Spartak 0.
Following their recent good run, Spartak viewed this fixture as a springboard towards the top of the table. However numerous absentees from the regular squad caused disruption and Spartak could only field 11 with the aid of Steve Mongey’s seasonal debut and with Anto Doyle, Fintan Grace and Neil McGowan volunteering to double up. So Spartak were forced to reshape and while the effort was spirited, guile and finishing power were lacking.
The 2-0 scoreline somewhat flattered the home side, as the second goal came in injury time as Spartak searched in vain for an equaliser.
The home side threatened from a corner early on which Jason Northey got a touch and Fintan Grace tidied up at the back post.
Spartak’s set pieces were foiled by pushing by attackers which repeatedly let the home side off the hook.
On 32 minutes Swords put a flowing move together down the Spartak left flank and a fine shot put them one up. Jason Northey then had a couple of lucky escapes when he puched and missed, and also when he raced outside his box but instead of finding touch he cleared straight to an opposition player who could not convert with the goal open.
Spartak began the second half in determined fashion. Martin Costello went close with headers from Neil McGowan’s frees. One of the best opportunities came to Niall Hanratty who blazed over from seven yards. At the other end Grace and Martin Costello put in saving tackles and then when Northey mispunched the home side shot over. Mark Bolger, moved into atack, was wide with ahalf chance from a Hanratty cross. The second fine opportunity arose when Doyle and Hanratty combined to send Bolger down the right. He pulled back his cross to McGowan who shot wide. Swords were happy to scramble clear on occasion and Mick Greene, normally reliable, put a couple of corners wide to add to the frustration and Neil McGowan also put one wide. McGowan’s header from Hanratty’s cross was well saved.
In injury time Swords broke and while Northey got a hand to the chipped effort, he could not prevent it crossing the line.
Form Report
Jason Northey 5 Anto Doyle 6 Mark Bolger 5 Martin Costello 6 Fintan Grace 6 Neil McGowan 6 Niall Hanratty 6 Chris Hogan 5 Ross Kelly 5 Steve Mongey 5 Mick Costello 5. Sub Mick Greene 5 Thomas Gaynor no show.
