That Sort of Season

UCFL Div. 3 Shield
09 May 2012

Arthur Griffith Park 2nds 3 - 2 Terenure FC 3rds

This was a game that pretty much summed up our season. Hopes were high coming in, things were looking positive half way through, but inevitably we didn’t push on, missed a few chances and were left disappointed.

The game started fairly cagily with neither side really dominating. AGP were making better use of the ball but our defense was comfortable enough and at time we looked like we might get in behind AGP on the break. It was about 20 minutes in that AGP broke the deadlock, a straight forward free kick was chipped in, flicked on from the edge of the box by an unmarked player and went floating over our keeper an into the net.


We didn’t take too long to respond and our equaliser was similar to AGP’s opener, Matt Deane heading home from a well delivered free kick as AGP tried to step-up for offside. Within minutes we added a second goal as AGP began to look hesitant in defence, central defender Gary Revins picked up the ball around midfield and ran forward, cutting lean through the AGP defence before shooting from the narrowest of angles and beating the keeper. At that stage it was looking like it might be our night, as for all their possession of the ball AGP were failing to create clear cut chances. We might even have added a third as Noel O’Brien was unlucky to head over having found himself in space in front of the AGP goal.

The second half started in a similar fashion and early on we had a couple of chances to extend the lead. Michael Fay had the best of them as he beat the offside trap but his lobbed finish just cleared the cross bar as well as the advancing keeper. From then on AGP really started to take control of the game, but their equaliser still had an element of fortune as Gary Revins turned a ball across the six yard box into his own net.

Knowing that a draw was no good to us we started to throw caution to the wind and left ourselves open to more AGP chances. There were a couple of goal line clearances, and eventually AGP found a winner. Despite throwing players forward we never really looked like getting the goals we needed and the final whistle saw our slim hopes of making the shield final ended.


UCFL Div. 3 Shield
12 May 2012

Terenure FC 3rds 3 – 3 Dundrum Town FC

Wednesday’s result meant this game was a dead rubber, but it was a nice sunny day and the game was played with a surprisingly competitive edge. Once again we were inconsistency personified, playing some nice football all through but managing to lose the lead three times. Dundrum’s league position doesn’t really do them any justice as they have some very good players and we have had three tight games with them this season.

The opening goal of the game came from Paddy McCauley, he pressurised a hesitant Dundrum defender into an error and made no mistake with his sight of goal. Minutes before half time Dundrum scored a spectacular leveler; their right back somehow found himself out on the left wing and sent a smashing strike straight into the top corner. It was probably deserved as they had another great strike against the bar earlier in the game.

The second half was very open as both sides looked to attack with no pressure on the outcome. We took the lead again through Paddy again pressing defenders and finishing well, but within minutes Dundrum were level, as we failed to clear a corner and they forced it home. Mark Mills then put us back ahead turning on the edge of the six yard box and just about getting enough on the ball to force it over the goal line. Yet again we only managed to hold out for minutes as Dundrum converted again from a corner, a more or less free header at the back post.

Both sides might have won it, I’d say we had the better of the play and the chances in the closing stages but there was to be no winner. What might have been a very boring, meaningless, game turned into a fairly entertaining match as both teams just went out to play good, attacking, football. Building for next season and finishing with as many points as possible is now the goal as we go into our last four league games.