Facile victories

Back to back victories over the moos in the last two weeks.

Last week 14-11

Last night 16-5

Anything worthy of writing about. No, nothing really!

The season peters out with next weeks game being meaningless to us.

Mid-table mediocrity, stylish, but nonetheless mid-table 

League Over

FC Najduchy 6 - 4 Style over Substance

The league is decided, it is now merely fighting for second place. FC Najduchy deserve praise for their skills, speed and technical ability, and also they have plenty of heart too. Champions for now, but hopefully someday we will have another crack at a league with them in it.

Last nights game was a tough, tight and technical affair.

But FC Najduchy had too much on another night when SoS were caught flatfooted on many occassions.

Scorers - Alan [2], Brian Butler, Brian Carney

__________________________________________________________________

Appended report from neutral observer:

Game 2  :  Fc Nadjuchy v style over substance   6 (4) - 4(2)

The match of the night was played at a high tempo and eagerly contested by both teams who held nothing back during the contest. Nadjuchy took a 2 goal lead,  only for S.O.S to claw their way back into the game and level matters.  Ali was excellent in defence for FC Nadjuchy during the first half. Nadjuchy ended the half strongly taking in a 4-2 lead  into the break. Second half was equally tight and it was dominated by FC Najduchy goalkeeper Arthur, whose Man of the Match performance secured the win. S.O.S  made at least 10 great chances in the second half only to see 2 converted and the rest come to nothing thanks to Arthur in goal. Nadjuchy march on, however S.O.S can take heart from their performance and the knowledge that next week they wont be facing Arthur in goal.

Devastation

Young cissies 8:7 Style over substance
SOS were brought back to earth with a crashing thud. Enough said, Young Cissies handed them a bitch slappin'

Scorers for Cissie Youngs: Ian Raymond, Gavin Milner, Ciaran Dorgan, Martin Donlea [4].
Scorers for Style Over Substance;  Brian Butler [3], Alan Sheehy [3], Neill O Mahony

Epic, heroic, a saga for the ages!

Style over Substance overcame an atrocious start to tonight's game, with almost as much substance as style, and for a team this stylish, one that makes George Clooney and Brad Pitt look like washed up degenerates, that's a lot of substance!!

Starting the game with the bare minimum, the 6 magnificos tried to position themselves to survive the early onslaught but Tim McCarthy was like Madeline McCann at the back and his patch ended up, more often than not, empty as he burst forward which allowed the polish players to swarm all over Jim "Baresi" Butler and Eamonn Kennedy in goals. An inauspicious beginning did not bode well and FC Najduchy romped to a facile 0-4 lead. Eamonn was fuming like Mount Fuji, Jim was angry as a wasp and Alan Sheehy went back to take Tim's position and he was switched up front where his passion for attacking could yield dividends.

Style over Substance then cranked the screw, Jim Butler was tackling at the back like a fisherman baiting a shark, Brian Butler started running around the place like he had been taking "advice" from Maradona before the game and Alan Sheehy was solid at the back and spraying the ball around like an NYPD officer using pepper spray on the Occupy Wall Street protestors.

This formation suited the stylish ones and with Brian Carney raiding from midfield in support of Tim upfront suddenly the game began to turn. Style over Substance started the fight back with a ball from Alan down the right, Tim controlled and jinxed inside to lay a sweet ball to the support run of Brian Carney and he almost took the goals 3 feet off the ground the ball pinged into the net so hard.

The second of the fight back also came from Brian Carney, Brian Butler won the ball at the back and turned on the gears, raced down the left wing and with half of Poland chasing him like greyhounds after a hare he showed them a clean set of heels, racing around and turning his pursuers, a bamboozled defense was left befuddled as the ball was squared and Brian Carney tapped in his second of the night.

This was the passage of the game where Style over Substance's tactics began to pay dividends. FC Najduchy have the two best players in the league. The beast, a man so big he wrestles bears one handed and with the left foot of Rivaldo was taken by Jim Butler and Jim played like two bears with a brace of sore paws. The beast was for the first time this year man handled, and he couldn't handle a possessed Jim. 

Brian Butler took up marking Jameski, the leagues most dangerous player, and stuck to to him like a fat person to a Ryanair airplane seat. This shut down all of FC Najducy's creative options and after that it was a battle of legs as each player had to run hard, run down each ball, run it down again and find the sadomasochist within to enjoy the acid burning in the legs and the tearing of lungs as they were blowing like thoroughbreds after the derby!

The third goal came from Brian Butler, battling hard in defense he was fouled, looked up quickly and from almost his own endline unleashed a curling shot which as it overshot the last defender he petulantly tried to stop it with his arm, but the deflection took it past the goal keeper. 3-4 and a fury began to possess the game.

FC Najduchy are not the top of the league for nothing though and had plenty of character themselves. The beast and Jameski combined for a goal and Luki and Koschielveni worked hard to keep the game in their hands, battling hard and fighting for everything.
Then eventually won a penalty, Eamonn dived, caught a shot but got a boot like Ruby Walsh at Leopardstown, Ruby never attacked the horse though, and the ref gave a penalty due to violent play. 3-6 and 5 minutes to half time. 

Time to step up, and Brian Carney did just that, raiding off the hard work of Tim McCarthy upfront they plundered two goals before the break, which could not come fast enough for the fatiguing Style over Substance operating without any rotations!

The second half began with a well taken goal from FC Najduchy to put them 5-7 ahead, and they could possibly have gone 5-8 ahead but this hack was so wrecked some details of the game are missing from his memory.

But 5 minutes into the second half the style came forth and matched the substance. Alan Sheehy took a pass from Jim Butler and stepping like Fred Astair turned inside and unleashed fury! 6-8.
Brian Butler and Brian Carney were now midfield and working hard to shut down the dangermen, breaking up play and surging forward like waves during a tempest! Alan Sheehy  took a pass from Eamonn Kennedy down the right, danced round a defender and passed across to Brian Butler overlapping like Usain Bolt at the Olympics, and smashed Alan's square ball first time past the stunned keeper!! 7-8

Style over Substance then brought it back level, Jim Butler rose to win a clearance like a phoenix from the ashes and headed the ball clear, Brian Butler rose like a meerkat and managed to get his fringe to knock it onto Alan Sheehy who dived like a duck and won the penalty. Brian Carney stepped up, asked for a gin, smoked a cigar and nonchalantly stroked the ball into the bottom left corner!

8-8 and for the first time in the game the lead had been quashed!

Style over Substance rotated players to conserve energy, even Eamonn Kennedy came off his line like a wandering goose, took off down the field with the ball at his feet, rounded two players and just past the halfway line tried to rifle a shot into the top corner. 

Suddenly the tactics were also changed as Brian Carney was upfront tearing apart the polish defense like a one man German North Army! Eamonn Kennedy lobbing grenades his way and each clearance was supported by surging runs from Brian, Alan and Tim. 

This tactic began to really pay dividends and FC Najduchy were made to work hard and for 5 minutes neither team scored but the ferocity of the game increase, then FC Najduchy nosed in front again and another well worked move down the left and a ball squared across found its way to the feet of the beast, he calmly stoked it home. 8-9 and Eamonn Kennedy not happy!
 

Style over Substance dug deep though and Brian Butler took a pass from Eamonn, turned so swiftly he took the defense and goalie by surprise and with the accuracy of a sniper zipped the ball into the bottom left. 9-9 with 12 minutes left. 

Fatigue began to show and FC Najduchy began to really go for the win. Brian Carney fouled infront of his own goal was not spotted by the ref and resulted in an easy goal for FC Najduchy, their final goal came from some swift play from Jameski and The beast, who was all alone at the back post finished easily as Brian Butler arrived too late to tackle him.

9-11 and there were now 7 minutes remaining.

Style over substance were tired, ratty, behind, and playing against a team much fresher and top of the table. Who could doubt us!

Alan Sheehy and Tim McCarthy were now rotating up front and a ball into the corner was fought for, somehow it found it's way across the goal and spun like Dickie Rock into the corner. 10-11. 5 minutes remaining.

Then Jim Butler and Brian Carney combined down the right and a ball across came to Brian Butler who cut it back across to Brian Carney who finished with aplomb! 11-11 4 minutes remaining.

The game winner came with 3 minutes left, Eamonn Kennedy rolled the ball to Jim Butler who ran up the left wing, turned back and laid it off to Brian Butler who found Brian Carney down the right wing and he quickly cut it inside to Alan Sheehy who shot like Lee harvey Oswald, took out the goalkeeper and like the gunman on the grassy knoll Tim McCarthy arrived in to apply the fatal bullet. Right into the top corner! 12-11 3 minutes left and a furious last 3 minutes eventually resulted in Style over Sutbstance putting to bed a wrong they have been waiting to right for 5 weeks!

The Sweetest Victory of All!!

Scorers - Brian Carney [5] Brian Butler [3] Alan Sheehy [3] Tim McCarthy [1]

The Blast Blitzed!

Style over substance produced a top drawer perfromance to overcome The Blast 6-4 in a tough, intense and manly encouner. Both these teams have played three times now, and a healthy rivalry has grown, where both are willing to go hard, but it doesnt get bitchy nor dirty. It leads to to tiring games with lots of action and plenty of hefty challenges.


Style over Substance opened the scoring half way through the first half with after working a ball through the middle, it was lost in a tackle but fell to the dextruous feet of Tom, who danced through the centre, rounded the last defender and blasted to the bottom corner. 
The Blast were being heavily pressured and Eamonn Kennedy and Jim Butler were immense in defence, blocking shots, getting in last ditch tackles, in general being a wall upon which wave after wave of attack broke and was repelled back to sea, or midfield at least.
Brian Butler put in hard yards in midfield running down the ball carrier and breaking up as much play as possible to feed Tim McCarthy who was dangerous down the right and tom and Brian Carney who were playing in more advanced positions, looking to get those elusive goals. 


The second goal came from Jim Butler breaking out of defence, sprinting down the left wing while using the decoy of Tim outside him, then he cut sharply inside exposing the stretched defence and placed a shot neatly into the bottom right corner.


The third goal came from some sterling work by Tim McCarthy who chased a clearance down the right wing, tussled hard with the polish defender and the ball squirmed up about 10 feet in the air to the on coming Brin Butler who took it in his stride, unleashing a perfectly execued volley on bounce, keeping it low and rifling it into the roof of the net.


The Blast worked a nice goal from the left hand side, shortly before half time, as they tried to expose the left flank for about 5 minutes. ventually it paid dividends and a ball came across nicely into the path of the polish striker who calmly slotted it away past neil in goals.


Half time brought a welcome breather, but shortly after half time things heated up after The Blast got a 2nd goal and cut the deficiet to one. this brought an added spice to the game, but Style over substance responded well, and a sweeping move from the back created a 3 on 2 break with Tom in control of the ball on the left, and both Brian's racing in support, Butler sprinting throught he middle, drawing across the defender and carney staying out wide, tom crossed the ball to the in flight carney who unleashed a furious volly that went right through the goalies legs. 


The Blast were not to be stopped, and pulled it back to 4-3 with another goal that was worked from the back, the big defender shielded the ball from Brian Butler, held him off and squeezed a shot past Neil O'Mahony. 


In response the game picked up intensity, but style over Substance drove much of that. Jim Butler cut out a pass and created a 4 on 2 break, Tom running hard on the left, Brian Butler running hard and off his right shoulder and Brian Carney running down the right flank, this opened up all before him and Jim drove through the heart of the midfield like a Stuka Dive Bomber and unleashed an explosive shot that lifted the goals from the ground as the ball blasted into the net.


This made it 5-3 and with superiority now confirmed, the last 5 minutes were tough but rewarding, Brian Carney got his second goal on a break and The blast scored from a long range effort that took a deflection.


Scorers Jim [2],Brian Carney [2] Brian Butler [1] Tom [1]

Kennedy scores!!

Delayed Report from 28/11/11


A solid 10 - 5 victory over the Moos 
The only worthwhile part of this game was Eamonn's goal of the season! Picking up the ball in the right back position he advanced forward, held off two tacklers, slalomed around an outstretched foot and from just inside the half-way line unleashed a shot into the top corner, which left the diving goalie grabbing fresh air!


Scorers Alan [5] Eamonn [1] Podge [1] Tim [1] Neil [2]

Ugly Ducklig, Beautiful Swan!

They say the sign of champions is the ability to win ugly. While Style over Substance may not be champions this was certainly ugly!!! On a night ducks get a bad name for, this was a hard earned come from behind victory over a decent Boca Seniors side.

The Bosman ruling was again used to the full extent as Style over Substance again fielded without some of their regulars, this was evident early on as their play was disjointed and scrappy resulting in Boca Seniors seizing the initiative and taking the lead through a combination of decent build up play and poor defending, an attack down the right wasn’t dealt with and when the ball was squared across the Boca Senior striker had the simple task side footing past Tim in goal who had little chance.

Tim making his long awaiting come back from “key hole surgery” went on to have a fine outing between the sticks over the course of the evening despite the slippery conditions.

The trend of the game continued with Boca Seniors on top and Style over Substance surprisingly subdued. The changes to the side resulted in a lack of cohesion in defence with opposition runs not being tracked, it seems only a matter of time before before Boca extended their lead and they did so on 15 minutes, again good work in midfield laid the foundations and with an overlap on the left Boca pounced for their second of the night, almost from the kick off the lead grew, a turn over of possession in midfield allowed Boca Seniors to break and they played in their striker who smashed past Tim, 3-0 and things were not looking good.

Eventually Style over Substance started to settle, good work in midfield by Podge and Neil created an opening for Alan but his well struck shot was well saved by the Boca keeper, Style over Substance now started to dominate possession, their shape now much better with everyone working hard to retain and win back possession, building from the back Style over Substance caught Boca napping, a well struck shot from Stuart from pretty much on the half way line flew past the keeper, 3-1 and Style over Substance were now finding their rhythm, A flowing move involving, Alan, Neil and Ed resulted in Podge picking up possession on the edge of the box, he  skillfully lifted the ball over the onrushing defender and volleyed left footed across the keeper into the bottom corner for one of Style over Substance goals of the season.

Almost immediately Style over Substance were back on level terms, Podge won possession in midfield and fed Alan out wide, he ghosted past the left back and pulled back to Darragh who rifled past the keeper. Style over Substance were now in control winning most of the possession and looking dangerous, however against the run of play Boca Seniors regained the lead, again some sloppy defending allowed Boca Seniors a free shot from the edge of the area, 4-3 with 5 minutes remaining until half time.

On the stroke of half time it was 5-3, Style over Substance caught on the break while attempting to find an equalizer, Ed had a good shot parried by the keeper, the resulting clearance fell nicely for the attacker on the half way line and he ran through on goal to restore a two goal advantage.

On the restart Style over Substance upped the ante and played their best football of the night, Good work by Tomas down the left where he went past his marker and delivered a pin point pass into Alan’s path who side footed into the top corner.

Darragh, Tomas and Alan now dominated the midfield area and good work by the trio resulted in Ed picking up possession well outside the area, this mattered little however as he delightfully curled his shot into the top corner to level the game at 5-5. Boca Senior however rose to this challenge and with their best passing move of the game cut open Style over Substance’s rearguard leaving a two on one against Stuart who couldn’t prevent Boca Seniors making it 6-5. Back came Style over Substance excellent running and ball control by Tomas and Ed drew defenders away from goal and when Ed picked out Podge he again drew another defender to release Alan who shifted the ball onto his right and drilled it beyond the keeper into the corner. 6-6 and 9 minutes to play!

From this point Style over Substance’s greater fitness told as they ran a ragged Boca Seniors to a standstill, Alan and Stuart combined well and when Podge then fed Neil we feared a skyward shot but he neatly steered his shot into the corner and Style over Substance were ahead for the first time, Style over Substance were now defending much better, keeping their shape and tracking well, the equalizer  from Boca Seniors was the result of luck more than anything else with a speculative shot which was going wide catching a deflection and finding it’s way into the corner. This set back only fueled Style over Substance’s desire to find the winner and they gleefully pounced on some suspect defending with Stuart hammering past the keeper, almost from the restart they made the game safe, Alan robbed the defender of possession feeding Tomas who cut insdeonto his right and fired into the corner, 9-7 and time almost up. Style over Substance comfortably saw out the remaining time defending well, the victory takes Style over Substance into third position in the table on their own and with the top two playing each other in the next round they will hope to make inroads on the lead.

Scorers:

Alan [2] Stuart [2] Podge [1] Darragh [1] Neil [1] Ed [1] Tomas [1]