Fitness a factor

Style over Substance were beaten 9-4 last night in a game that would be best forgotten. Short Jim, Stuart and Darragh resources were tight and Tristan O'Gorman was drafted in at the last minute on a free agent contract. The opposition FC Najduchy are a physical, compact and well organised team with a very solid keeper. They must have Trapatoni as an advisor! 


The game started with both teams setting up cautiously and for the first 10 minutes it was a case of each team searching for openings but as players were fresh, runs were covered, positions were filled and neither team gave anything away. After about 10 minutes FC Najduchy worked an opportunity on the right, the shot came past the defender and slow reaction by Brian Butler in goals allowed the ball to zip between his legs. Nutz!!


The game stayed in the same pattern for another 5 or 6 minutes until Style over Substance started to fray slightly at the back and FC Najduchy began to find some more space. A counter attack left a two on one with the keeper and a nice finish to the bottom left corner saw them go 2-0 up. 


Style over Substance rallied for a while, making opportunities but the shooting was atrocious, the passing in the final third was too ambitious given the tight pitch dimensions and it was obvious that half the team had not played together before and spent the last weekend drinking as nobody was making runs or getting themselves free to support the man on the ball. 


This caused the play to break down a lot, Alan Sheehy was working hard in midfield but was finding it hard to get through a phalanx of defenders, Neil O'Mahony was working hard up front but without getting enough support from midfield he was getting pushed around and double teamed by two polish defenders. Tristian O'Gorman slotted in well midfield but he too was isolated in possession and it is something Style over Substance will have to address if they wish to improve as a team.


FC Najduchy got another goal from a bit of ping pong around the box, a ball dropped to one of their players who blasted home from 5 yards. Then another fortuitous goal put them 4-0 up with only a few minutes left on the clock until half time when Tim McCarthy pickup up a ball on the right wing, took it past the polish defender, cut back inside and finished nicely to the corner with a left footed strike.


Half time came and after having a quick word Style over Substance came out with renewed vigour. A much brighter start to the half created some great chances. 


Padraic Nicholas started to come into the game more, screening the defence and holding the centre of the pitch in a role similar to Pique's at Barcelona. He was linking play well with Tristian O'Gorman and Eamonn Kennedy was holding the fort a la Carlos Pujol. This allowed Alan and Neil more time up front and with Padraic making runs through the middle he was clearing out defenders who had to track him. 


This allowed Alan Sheehy to drift in from the left wing, play a nice one two with Neil O'Mahony and slotted it nicely into the bottom right corner.2-5. Another burst through the middle by Padraic was unlucky not to end in a goal as his header was saved by the keeper. Tristan had a shot which scraped the cross bar. Then a ball down the right by Tim set Neil up with a shot and he rifled it into the bottom left. 3-5. 


An unfortunate injury to a polish player resulted in the game being stopped for a minute and this allowed FC Najduchy to get together and stop the rot but Style over Substance still had legs and worked hard to create another opening as Alan Sheehy dinked around some defenders, passed to Padraic who shot and then Alan pounced on the rebound to make it 4-5.


The sustained effort had taken it's toll. Style over Substance were out on their feet with 15 minutes left and lost the final 10 minutes 4-0 as Neil O'Mahony had to leave injured and left Style over Substance without any substitutes to give players a breather, most especially Eamonn Kennedy who looked like an advertisement for the Pioneers and Nicorette rolled into one!


Back to the mistakes of week one, and with a lot of work to do Style over Substance will need to focus on getting a string of performances together or it could be a long season listening to the sounds of polish laughter! 


Scorers - Alan [2] Tim [1] Neil [1]