Outstanding

Sheridan · 31/07/2003, 10:39 PM

3-1 to Dublin City, and it's hard to believe that this was the same team which struggled to a 1-0 win over Portmarnock on Sunday. I got there an hour or so early as usual, to soak up the, ahem, atmosphere.

City had the better of it from the outset, and Paul Crowley almost scored with a long-range half-volley which zipped just over. The turning point of the game was arguably Terry Gleeson's injury half an hour into the game (which, unfortunately, looked fairly serious, although he seemed to be the guilty party, leading with his elbow.) He was replaced by Barry Burke, who almost scored within a minute of his introduction with a powerful long-range effort which was pushed out for a corner (it was the first of 5-6 such efforts from Burke, all of which came close.)

Limerick had several good chances in the first half, but were frustrated by brilliant saving tackles from Andy Noonan and later Toccy O'Connor (who showed what a legend he is by preventing a goal with a great challenge before galloping out with the ball, beating a man and playing a perfect pass) and a great save from Brendan Kennedy.

City's football had been excellent, however, and Graham Dunning was a candidate for man of the match before the half had even ended. Only in the side because Robert Farrell was out injured, his close control and distribution were astonishing. On several occasions, he controlled difficult loose passes with a brilliant first touch, before spinning 180 degrees and laying the ball off superbly.

The only flaw in City's play was a frustrating tendency to over-elaborate when the simple pass would have produced a goalscoring opportunity. In fact, this tendency was so pronounced that it was difficult to see where the goal that City's play merited was going to come from as the first half drew to a close.

The answer should have been obvious. Ten minutes into the second half, City scored what stats fans might like to learn was their fifth consecutive headed goal from a corner at Whitehall (having scored two such goals against Kilkenny and one against Sligo), this time it was Paul Crowley crashing the ball in past Healy and the defender on the far post.

Gavin Doyle replaced Robbie Dunne with around twenty minutes remaining and was soon adding his name to the long list of DCFC players vying for the man of the match award. After collecting a fantastic cross-field ball with an excellent first touch, Doyle raced down the right, beat his man and bore down on goal, before coolly and selflessly squaring for Alan O'Connor to finish a fine move with a clinical shot to the net.

Thirty seconds later, Limerick were (undeservedly in my opinion) back in the game, when City suffered a classic post-goal slump in concentration, allowing Cosgrave to head a fine cross past Kennedy (who was otherwise impeccable in both the shot-stopping and cross-collecting departments.)

The visitors never really threatened an equaliser, and with five minutes left Doyle finished the game off after another impressive substitute, Robbie Collins, had caused havoc in the Limerick box with some nice footwork. The DCFC fans gathered in the main stand struck up a somewhat ungracious chorus of "You're not singing anymore!" (which was doubly unfair, because the Limerick fans had been silent for a good forty minutes by that stage.)

Burke was a deserving and popular man of the match, his energy, drive and skill were a joy to behold. Dunning was also, as noted above, outstanding, while O'Connor held the ball up strongly throughout and took his goal well. In fact, not one of the fourteen players who turned out for City tonight could be said to have played poorly in any way; Wesley Byrne gave the ball away cheaply a couple of times, but redeemed himself with some top-notch airplane celebrations after each of the goals.

More of the same for the rest season, please!

**�anna** · 01/08/2003, 12:21 AM

Originally posted by Sheridan
Dunning

Is he the fella who used to play with Bluebell? I know his sister from college if its the same fella

Sheridan · 01/08/2003, 12:52 AM

Originally posted by �anna
Is he the fella who used to play with Bluebell? I know his sister from college if its the same fella

Just checked Google, and, unless there's another Graham Dunning out there, it's him alright. He apparently won the FAI award for Intermediate player of the year with Bluebell in May. I know he was one of those who would have been affected by the Junior/Intermediate cup-tying anomaly.

Tell his sister that her brother is okay by me.

Sheridan · 01/08/2003, 2:29 AM

Originally posted by Sheridan
City scored what stats fans might like to learn was their fifth consecutive headed goal from a corner at Whitehall (having scored two such goals against Kilkenny and one against Sligo)

Wow, looks like my excitement rendered me innumerate. 2 + 1 + 1 = 4.