Shield of Dreams

UCFL Div. 3
21 April 2012

Terenure FC 3rds 1 - 0 Siemens

Before I get to our shield hopes, there's another league game to catch up on. Title chasing Siemens paid a visit to Bushy Park in another game I missed through injury and were sent home with nothing but a huge blow to their chances of winning the league. Padraig Conlon was the goal scoring hero, and from what I'm told the defence put in a tremendous display. The win was a good boost to the teams confidence going into our remaining games.

UCFL Div. 3 Shield
05 May 2012

Terenure FC 3rds 5 - 2 Three Trout Rovers

With so many games called off recently due to the rotten weather everyone was relieved just to be taking to the field on Saturday. The lack of games had worked somewhat in my own favour as it meant I hadn't missed too many games in my five weeks out and I was ready to come off the bench in this one. Three Trout's last visit to Bushy was a memorable one for them as they recorded a first ever win, and it was one that we didn't want to repeat.


Trout started the better and looked sharper in the early stages, their left winger/striker was lightning quick and causing problems and it was almost inevitable that he would open the scoring. When he did it was a cool finish to a neat through ball and we still hadn't started to play. The response from the lads was excellent however and from that point onwards we were the better side. The equaliser came form Noel O'Brien as he finished from close range and he added a similar second before half time.

With something to build on at half time we started the second half very positively and Three Trout were looking tired, but we started to get sloppy and there was a sense that a sucker punch was coming when we failed to add to the lead. Sure enough a Trout break away lead to a leveller quarter of an hour into the second half.

Shortly afterwards, the real game changing moment arrived as I stepped off the bench Self praise is no praise but I did play a part in the goal that restored our lead. Gary bursting out from centre back played it into my feet and I returned it to him behind the Trout defence, he still had plenty of ground to cover but he had the pace to get away and finished very neatly to give the keeper no chance.

The fourth goal was a great piece of individual skill from James as he decided to try and beat as many players as possible in the Trout penalty area before striking past the keeper. That really ended the game as a contest but there was time for my fellow substitute Eoin to grab a Pappis Cisse style 5th, fair enough it was meant to be a cross to me, but it left everyone looking in bewilderment as it dropped into the net, there was a long pause before the penny dropped with the ref and the Trout keeper sheepishly retrieved the ball from the back of the net.

The win coupled with the fact that Phoenix have lost one game in the shield means that if we win our two remaining shield games, we will play-off with Phoenix for the right to meet Brookfield in the final. AGP on Wednesday are the first obstacle and we haven't beaten them this season so it should be interesting.