Spartak Dynamo FC

Spartak 7, Dun Laoghaire 2

A splendid performance by Ger Byrne who scored four times as well as earning a penalty and generally being a total nuisance to the visiing defence, was the key ingredient to this win.

Ger won the penaly after four minutes when he was impeded running onto a ball by Niall Hanratty. Mick Greene converted.

Hanratty then missed a simple chance when James Finn flicked on Dave O’Kelly’s throw, and Martin Costello was wide after Tom O’Driscoll’s clever corner found him free ten yards out.

Spartak’s defence was uneasy and after Hanratty lost possession had to scamble the ball out for a corner. Mark Bolger and Dave OKelly were too easily beaten in one attack which fizzled out.  There were legitinate claims for a penalty when Bolger handled. The visitors had a free header from a corner. Jason Northey was then penalised for carrying the ball outside his area and Dun Laoghaire equalised after some sloppy defensive efforts by Spartak.

Byrne was again impeded in the area but the ref chose not  to award a second spot kick and then Hanratty was wide with his cross after a good move. On 26 minutes O’Driscoll set Byrne free and he scored with a measured lob from an angle as the keeper advanced.

While the work rate of Finn and Shane McInerney kept the midfield busy, full backs  Dave O’Kelly and Mick Greene struggled to move the ball constructively and the wide men, Hanratty and Chris Hogan, were unable to deliver telling crosses. Byrne added number 3 on 29 minutes when his intended cross floated in.

The second half began withe the visitors enjoying a considerable amount of possesion as Spartak, perhaps showing weariness from Saturday’s match, stood off. Chris Hogan was pulled back when clear but the offence was not penalised.

Spartak became more fragmented and McInerney picked up a yellow card in an altercation, while Hanratty was lucky when he let his man run into the 6 yard box but missed contact with the cross. Dave O’Kelly had to make a great saving tackle to prevent a clear chance.

On 62 minutes Hanratty thundered a shot off the bar, but on 64 minutes the visitors were right back as they scored after a run from an offside position. Martin Costello, running back, missed the tackle. 3-2.

Substitutes Steve Browne and Colm O’Sullivan brought an immediate injection of much needed energy and when the keeper spilled Browne’s shot, Byrne had a simple task to finish.

Hanratty, doing better when switched to full back, put Browne through to finish on 75 minutes, and also crossed for Byrnes 85th minute goal.

In between Browne had a remarkable cameo. When Tom O’Driscoll was taken doen in the box, and the offender red carded, Steve was nominated to take the penalty, as Mick Greene was off the pitch at this stage. His weak effort was blocked by the keeper but the rebound sat up invitingly 5 yards out. With the choice of walking the ball in or blasting to the net, his overly  casual approach led to him somehow managing to scuff it back into the prostrate keeper’s arms, for the miss of this, or any other, season.

Just a minute later he scored from play when Martin Costello put him through

For 70 minutes this was a close game, and the gap widened only as the visitiors lost composure and shape, with Spartak’s substitutes making a telling contribution.  Nonetheless, three good points and a boost to the goal difference.

Form Report

Jason Northey 6 Dave O’Kelly 6 Mick Greene 5 Mark Bolger 6 Martin Costello 6 Shane McInerney 7 Niall Hanratty 6 Chris Hogan 5 Ger Byrne 9 Tom O’Driscoll 6 James Finn 7

Subs Colm O’Sullivan 7 Steve Browne 7 Cathal Clancy 7 Ross Kelly Mike Hull Rob Deering Neill Bolger

12 Responses to “Belated goalfest”