18.2.12
Spartak 2 Leicester 3
With so many of the squad out for one reason or another, Spartak had to field somewhat of a patched up side with Shane McInerney playing despite a dead leg and Mick Greene fielded in an unaccustomed midfield role.
The game featured a few goals of the freakish variety and Stephen Harris had an eventful outing which called to mind the quote re Longfellow’s little girl – When she was good she was very very good, but when she was bad she was horrid. Stephen made some really fine one on one saves, but slipped up to gift a goal to Leicester, and later was lucky to escape when losing the ball at the edge of the box.
The goals first, all of which came in the first half. Leicester took an early lead which was quickly cancelled by Steve Walsh’s free kick, after a foul on Paul Kinsella, who was a driving force in the middle. Steve Walsh’s shot was on target and visiting goalkeeper made a hash of attempting to save.
Then Leicester again took the lead when Stephen Harris tried to field a back pass and beat the first forward, he succeeded only in knocking the ball into the path of another forward who had an easy task.
The series of errors continued when the visiting number 5 played a square pass which put Conor Maguire in for a well taken equaliser.
What proved to be the winning goal came in first half injury time; with Spartak on the offensive Shane McInerney dithered in possession and his opponent ran 80 yards to score. As to how he was not intercepted by the Spartak defence – well that’s another matter.
In the second half a run by Conor Maguire was halted at the cost of a yellow card; Miick Greene’s free was perfect: but no one made a run to the back post for what would have been the simplest of scores.
Leicester fired a great chance over and were foiled on other occasions by good work from Fintan Grace , Cathal Clancy and Stephen Harris. The Sky Blues had a few chances. A Mick Greene corner was flicked goalwards by Paul Kinsella, but the full back cleared off the line. Conor Maguire and Chris Hogan combined and the latter’s nice low cross was just too far for Derek McGoldrick to reach.
The form report? No, just a list of those unable to play for one reason or another: Bobby Hayes, Dave O’Kelly, Niall Hanratty, Martin and Mick Costello, Niall Lennon, Derek Ruxton, Neill Bolger,Colum O’Sullivan.
A full squad is needed to get the league campaign back on track ad a challenging Vere Deane cup match away to Malahide is next on the agenda.
Form Report
Stephen Harris 6 Chris Hogan 5 Conor Canavan 5 Fintan Grace 7 Cathal Clancy 7 Paul Kinsella 7 Mick Greene 6
Conor Maguire 7 Steve Walsh 6 Ross Kelly 6 Shane McInerney 6
Subs: Derek McGoldrick 5 Dan O’Connell 5 Eduardo Maino 5
