Reports
MAJOR
1 Sunday 4TH OF January 2008
TULLAMORE 2-2 LUCAN UNITED
GK - PAT DOLAN
RF - STEPHEN HANNON
LF - DONAL DONOHUE
CH - SEAN MURRAY
CH - ROY SHANAHAN
LM - SIMON CARROLL
RM - PARAIC BYRNE ( 75 MINS MAL LIANNE)
CM - GARY KAVANAGH ©
CM - ADAM BAILEY ( 38 MINS GAVIN NOLAN)
CF - COLM CAREY ( 70 MINS PATRICK MAHER)
CF - JOHN MARKEY
SUB - MICK CLARKE
SUB EOGHAN MURPHY
LUCAN TRAVELED TO TULLAMORE ON A COLD Friday NIGHT TO TAKE ON CURRENT LEAGUE
LEADERS TULLAMORE. GAME STARTED BRIGHTLY WITH BOTH TEAMS TRYING TO GET A FOOTHOLD
ON THE GAME IM MIDFIELD WITHOUT ANY REAL CHANCES BEING CREATED. WITH ONLY 10
MINUTES GONE TULLAMORE BROKE DOWN THE LEFT SIDE OF MIDFIELD WHEN SOME GOOD WORK
BY THE WINGER HAD IN THE BOX AND BARRING DOWN ON GOAL. LUCAN'S ROY SHANAHAN
BUT IN A TACKLE TRYING TO NICK THE BALL BUT GOT THE TULLAMORE PLAYER AS WELL
AND THE REFEREE REWARD A PENALTY.
THE PENALTY WAS SLOTTED HOME BUT THE LUCAN KEEPER WAS UNLUCKY AS HE GOT HIS
HANDS TO THE BALL BUT JUST COULD NOT PUSH IT OUT. HOWEVER THE PENALTY HAD TO
BE RE-TAKEN WHEN THE REFEREE JUDGED THE PLAYERS ON THE EDGE OF THE BOX TO BE
IN ILLEGAL POSITION. ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT THE PLAYER SLOTTED THE BALL HOME
WITH COOL CALM ACCURACY.
AFTER THIS LUCAN START TO PUSH FOR AN EQUALIZER COMING CLOSE WITH AN EFFORT
FROM JOHN MARKEY FROM A SHOT ON THE EDGE OF THE BOX THAT WAS WELL SAVED BY THE
TULLAMORE KEEPER. MOST OF THIS GAME WAS IN MIDFIELD WITH NO CLEAR CUT CHANCES
UP TO NOW. ON 35 MINUTES LUCAN STARTED TO BUILD MOMENTUM APPLYING PRESSURE WITH
A COUPLE OF HALF CHANCES AROUND THE BOX. FINALLY THE CHANCES GAME ON 42 MINS
AND WAS TAKEN WITH PRECISE FINISHING PASS THE KEEPER WHEN SIMON CAROL RECEIVED
A CLEARED BALL ON THE EDGE OF THE TULLAMORE BOX.
THE SECOND HALF LUCAN STARTED VERY BRIGHTLY AND IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE THEY
TOOK THE LEAD WHEN THE IMPRESSIVE GAVIN NOLAN WHO HAD COME ON IN THE 38 MINUTE
OF THE 1ST HALF PLAYED A DEFENSE SPLITTING PASS TO COLM CAREY WHO COOLY ROUNDED
THE KEEPER AND SLOTTED THE BALL HOME INTO AN EMPTY NET.
TULLAMORE AS THE HALF CONTINUED COMMITTED MORE AND MORE MEN FOWRD TO TRY GET
THE EQUALIZER. LUCAN REALLY SHOULD HAVE RAPPED THE GAME ON 4 OCCASIONS ONLY
FOR GOOD GOAL KEEPING AND POOR FINISHING FROM THE LUCAN LADS. THIS COULD AND
WOULD COME BACK TO HAUNT THEM.
IN THE LAST 5 MINUTES OF THE GAME TULLAMORE RECEIVED WHAT CAN ONLY BE CONSIDERED
AS A CHARITY FREE KICK ON THE EDGE OF THE BOX THAT WAS CLEARED FOR A CORNER
BY THE LUCAN RIGHT FULL STEPHEN HANNON. GOOD DELIVERY FROM THE TULLAMORE CENTER
FORWARD SAW THE BALL BE BUNDLE OVER THE LINE TO GIVE TULLAMORE AN EQUALIZERS
THAT REALLY WAS NOT DESERVED ON THE DAY.
LUCAN WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED AS THEY FELT THEY HAD DONE ENOUGH TO TAKE ALL 3
POINTS. HOWEVER THE POOR FINISHING IN FRONT OF GOAL WAS REALLY THEIR UNDOING.
ALTHOUGH TULLAMORE PROBABLY DID NOT DESERVE A DRAW THEY KEPT GOING AND MAY FEEL
THEIR NAME COULD BE ON THE TITLE THIS SEASON.
Lucan
United Fc 2-3 Belgrave
Team
Paul O'Neil GK
Mark Gerathy RF
Liam Brady LF
Barry Aherne CH
Anthony Maher CH
Keith Doherty CM
Eoghan Murphy CM
Martin Rankin RM
John Green LM
John Boyle CF
Stephen McCann CF
Subs
Mark Wrynn for Martin Rankin on 40 mins
Sean Murray for Mark Gerathy on 70 mins
Gavin Nolan for John Green on 65 mins
Lucan welcomed the League Leaders Belgrave to Airlie Heights on Saturday. A
good start by Lucan saw Stephen McCann come close with a shot just past the
post after a good build up down the right hand side involving Martin Rankin.
The 1st goal came against the run of play for Belgrave on 15 minutes in when
a ball played between the Lucan CH and LF was ran onto by the Belgrave number
9 and slotted ball by the Lucan Goalkeeper giving him no chance. Lucan immediately
pushed for an equalizer only to be caught on break again by the number nine
who with tricky foot work passed two players and shot from the edge of the box
narrowly wide.
Lucan equalizer finely came when Keith Doherty broke the off side trap from
midfield and rounded the keeper only to see his shot then hit the post. With
nerves of steal he got on the rebound crossed the ball back into Stephen McCann
who slotted the ball home past the helpless keeper.
The game took a turn for the worse for Martin Rankin on 40 minutes when a 50-50
ball left him hurt on the ground. Martin was unable to continue as it looked
like the foot had been broken.
Just before half time a good break down the left from Belgrave number 7 who
passed the ball into the number nine on the edge of the box who again cased
Lucan big problem cutting in side the CH to hit a powerful shot by the Lucan
keeper.
Lucan Came out in the 2nd half all fired up and quickly equalized when again
Keith Doherty received the ball on the edge of the Belgrave box after some good
work outwide from Substitute Mark Wrynn and slotted the ball to the keeper left
giving him no chance.
Lucan then had another chance to take the lead when Lucan broke down the right
with a serious of one twos some great one touch football that Keith Doherty
was only denied due to some good goal keeping from Belgrave number 1.
Again Lucan paid the price for some sloppy defending when again the Belgrave
number got between CH and LF to hit a shot that could only be blocked by the
Lucan keeper back into his path this time he made no mistake and scored his
third of the game.
Lucan applied most of the pressure from here on coming close on several occasions.
In the last 5 minutes Lucan had two great chances to get a well deserved equalizer
when again Keith Doherty broke the offside trap to be one on one with the keeper
only to see the ball take a wicked bobble on the pitch as he was about to shoot
and hit shin and go over the bar. With 4 minutes left ping pong in the Belgrave
box saw the ball cleared off the line twice in a matter of seconds. Belgrave
held out for all 3 points and again Lucan can feel unlucky not to get something
from the game.
Clonee
2-0 Lucan United Fc
Team
Johnny Boyle GK
Mark Gerathy RF
Liam Brady LF (John Green 75 mins)
Barry Aherne CH
Roy Shanahan CH
Padraic Byrne CM
Davey Byrne CM (Anthony Maher 65 Mins)
Martin Rankin RM (Ryan Bonass 70 mins)
Eoghan Murphy LM
Mick Clarke CF
Stephen McCann CF
Not Used Patrick Maher
Lucan Travelled to Clonee on the back of a good 3pts against Dundrum the previous
week. Clonee started the game the quicker winning tackles and closing down the
Lucan Players very quickly. 10 minutes into the game a break down the right
from Clonee caused problems for Lucan when a ball was played into the on rushing
midfielders who were not being tracked by the Lucan center pairing. With loads
of time and space to attack the goal the ball was slotted home passed the outcoming
Lucan Keeper giving him no chance.
Lucan did not learn from this mistake when 5 minutes later again a break down
the right was filtered across the box onto the left winger who was arriving
in the box late who slotted the ball home by the Lucan Goal Keeper again caused
by a big gap in Lucan midfield.
This seem to spark Lucan into Life hitting the post just before half time from
a Stephen McCann free kick. Again the second half Lucan started where they left
off in the 1st half applying pressure on the Clonee goal trying to get back
in the game. Mick Clarke came close when a low struck shot just inside the box
after some good build up play was well saved by the Clonee keeper. Mick Clarke
again went close 15 minutes into 2nd half when he broke down the right into
the box striking a shot narrowly wide. 35 Minutes in again Lucan came close
when some last ditch defending on the line stopped Padraic Byrne shot from crosssing
the line.
Clonee also came close on the break when it looked liked the Center foward had
broken through the Lucan defence to slot the ball by the keeper only to be given
on side.
Lucan continued to apply pressure but could not find away past the dogged Clonee
defence.
The game fizzled out in the last 10 minutes and Clonee pick up 3 point that
were probably derserved on their overall display and the performance of their
back four.
Shamrock Rover 2-2 Lucan United Fc
Team
Colm Carey GK
Davey Byrne RF
Liam Brady LF
Mick Clarke CH
Eddie Clarke CH
Mark Wrynn CM
Eoghan Murphy CM
Stephen Rogers RM
John Green LM
John Boyle CF
Dave Clarke CF
Subs
John Markey for Stephen Rogers on 65 mins
Donal Donohue for Eoghan Murphy on 70 mins
Shamrock Rovers started brightly in terrible conditions, having plenty of
possession and a strong wind behind them. Their 1st chance came on 20 minutes
when a low shot was after some good work down the left saw Colm Carey make
a comfortable save. Although Shamrock Rovers had most of the ball it was Lucan
who looked dangerous on the break. Lucan came close on 30 minutes when John
Boyle Broke down the right and hit low shot which was well saved by the keeper.
Lucan finally broke the deadlock on 35 minutes when again on the counter attack
Eddie Clarke broke out of Defence passing to his brother Mick who played a
long ball up field to the 3rd Clarke brother in the team who beat the last
defender and slotted the ball home by the keeper. (A Family Affair).
Shamrock rovers again with a strong wind on their back pushed for an equalizer
only to see most of the attacks fizzle out or dealt with by the experience
Clarke brothers in defence. Again Lucan should have gone 2 up when John Boyle
was through on goal on the counter attack only to see his shot well saved
again by the Shamrock rovers keeper. Shamrock rovers should have equalized
on 42 minutes when their center forward was played through only to hit his
shot wide of the post.
Lucan Started the second half brightly and went 2- 0 up on 15 minutes when
Colm Carey who had now been taken out of goal chased down the Shamrock Rovers
defender at the corner flag disposed him and ran along the bi line to score
at an acute angle. Lucan thought they had went 3 up when Colm Carey broke
into the box and squared to substitute John Markey who slotted the ball home
only to be blown off side by the referee. Very close call indeed. This was
to be the story of the second half for Lucan who on 5 occasions Lucan were
through on Goal and actually had the ball in the net twice only to be blown
off side. Let just say all these calls were borderline. Shamrock Rovers came
back into the game with 15 minutes left on the clock when a poor back pass
from Davey Byrne was latched onto by the Shamrocks Rover number Center Forward
and slotted the ball pass the helpless keeper. Rover managed to get an equalised
when a good move down the right was finished off with a cross into the box
by Rovers right winger, this was another borderline off side decision that
this time went in Favor of the winger. The game fizzled out at this stage.
On the hole 2-2 was probably a fair result after Shamrock Rovers 1st half
performance. Lucan will probably feel hard done by after so many offside close
calls.
A very entertaining game in very poor wintery conditions. Congratulations
to both teams for putting on a good show.