16.4.12
Spartak 1 Peamount 0
A bright enough opening saw Spartak briefly on top and go close when Colum O’Sullivan headed wide from a Conor Maguire cross. Gradually the Sky Blues lost control of the midfield and Niall Lennon picked up a yellow card for a mistimed tackle. At the back there was some confusion as Chris Hogan was struggling with the aerial ball, and the back four were caught as they pushed up.
Jason Northey made a good save as Peamount beat the offside trap and then Niall Lennon made a fine interception as the visitors threatened. Conor Maguire’s effort was blocked as Spartak tried to regain supremacy, but Northey then pulled off a super double save as a Peamount forward broke one on one.
Spartak’s best opportunities of the first half fell to Colum O’Sullivan. First Derek Ruxton played in Conor Maguire whose shot was blocked by the keeper; Conor then squared across the goal to Colum, who shot against the post from a couple of yards. Shortly after he broke through again on the left, but his effort lacked conviction and was easily dealt with by the keeper.
Ruxton and Maguire combined well at the start of the second period to feed Lennon, who blazed over. Ross Kelly , on as a sub, miscued Steve Walsh’s cross, and was relieved to be given offside. But on 69 minutes, a Walsh cross evaded all and ran across goal left to right; fellow sub Dave O’Kelly fastened on to the ball and delivered a neat cross which Kelly nodded in from six yards for the vital score.
Maguire had a header saved, while Walsh’s shot was deflected wide as the revised midfield pairing of Ruxton and Steve O’Hara gained a modicum of superiority and made some positive attacking thrusts.
The game petered out to a conclusion, two tired teams having played twice in three days. Nonetheless, a very welcome three points.
Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Chris Hogan 6 Steve O’Hara 6 Fintan Grace 7 Cathal Clancy 7 Mick Costello 5 Derek Ruxton 6 Colum O’Sullivan 5 Steve Walsh 6 Conor Maguire 7 Niall Lennon 5
Subs: Ross Kelly 7 Dave O’Kelly 7 Mick Greene 6 Shane McInerney
