11.2.17
Spartak 1, Corduff 4
In atrocious conditions in Marlay, Spartak missed many scoring chances to have this game sealed in the first half.
A first half header from Mick Young gave the Sky Blues the lead, but the visitors equalised when the ball was pulled back from an out-of-play position just before half time. The referee, unfortunately, was on the half way line, and allowed the score to stand.
Even allowing for this setback, Spartak should have been out of sight by then, after taking the lead, with good chances missed by Ciaran Keane, Owen McCormack and Dave Haczynskyj. Mick Greene, deputising in goal for the injured Greg Byrne, made a couple of decent stops.
Corduff, emboldened by the equaliser, took the lead early in the second period with a breakaway goal.
The Sky Blues then laid siege to the visitors goal, Dave HAczynskyj firing wide of an unguarded goal, Owen MCCormack too slow to pass to an unmarked Conor Callis, Conor Brady firing over from a rebound, and OWen McCormack fireing a few efforts too close to the keeper.
As conditions deteriorated, Corduff scored a third as Spartak pushed on; Mick Greene made a fine save from another attack. Corduff added a fourth in injury time.
Failure to take straightforward chances at key stages of the game proved to be Spartak’s undoing.
Form Report
Mick Greene 7 Chris Hogan 5 Cian Stenson 8 Mick Young 6 Darren Ritchie 6 Shane McInerney 7 Sean Molloy 6 Conor Canavan 5 Ciaran Keane 5 Dave Haczynskyj 5 Owen McCormack 5
Subs: Conor Callis 5 Geoff Abraham 5 Conor Brady 5 Leo Bradley 5
