From left, Paddy Kavanagh and Pat Healy and St Pat’s CY team.

Liffey Wanderers v Limekiln
7 December 2:0

‘Keane’ performance by O’Connor!
It was great once again for the team who won the Ringsend cup this summer and a team who I consider to be the best in the area. Liffeys are currently 8th in their league which I find surprising and are 11 points off the leaders. But the plus side about this is that they have four games in hand so it’s not as bad as people think.

Today was a cruise control victory in the FAI 3rd round cup at the expense of Limekiln FC. To be honest, Liffeys could have had a good dozen goals but Limekiln goalkeeper was in spring-board form.

There were that many chances for Liffeys I’d need another page to get them all down. But check this one out, James ‘Sullo’ Sullivan after ten minutes tries a Beckham from the halway line, but I think Posh Spice would have done better, unlucky Sullo!

One player who always stands out for Liffeys is John the Greyhound Derby with his electrifying pace, a nightmare for any defender. By the half hour mark Liffeys had 5 corners to date but to no avail. Then the deadlock was broken with teamwork by Bradshaw and Denby in Limekiln box and it was the strength of Bradshaw that credited him his goal 1:0 after 32 minutes.

At this stage Liffeys were queuing up for goals but squandered many chances. At half-time the likes of Lane, Tormey and O’Toole were rock solid in defence and it was Mullins and O’Connor dominating the middle of the park. Darren Rice made many moves up the left wing and fired over some quality crosses but neither Denby nor Bradshaw could take advantage.

But all the credit goes to John Mullins and mainly Philip O’Connor who reminded me of a fit Roy Keane with his strength, skill and speed. Liffeys did make two late changes, off went Sullivan and Denby and on came Alex ‘Ronaldo’ Eager and Michael Gray and it was Gray who scored the winner moments after his introduction from a Tormey cross, 2:0.

Liffey players and Committee would like to thank Ciaran and Peter Crowley, Adrian Osterloh and Dynarod who are their new main sponsors.
Star Man: Philip O’Connor
Attendance: 59

St Pats CY v Lissadel United
7th December 1:1

Honours shared as Pat’s dominate!
This was a top of the table clash, with both teams level on points it was an opportunity for one team to pull away from the other. But points were shared in Ringsend Park as Pats completedly outplayed Lissadel for the entire second half. Lissadel travelled for some reasons, with only a squad of 12 players and their only sub was used after six minutes after a Lissadel player limped off injured.

The first effort of the game came for Pats striker Marius Ivan but his effort was powerless and went horribly wrong for Pats as Captain Neill Hughes passed the ball back to his goalkeeper Eamon Fennell who picked it up. This is known as a back pass and is illegal in the game. As a result Lissadel took their freekick and scored 0:1!

Lissadel should have went 0:2 on the half hour mark but it was the heroics of goalie Fennell who kept things the way they were. As the first half went on players like Kavanagh, Sweetman and Fernendez started to get on top.

At half-time, St Pats were under pressure but showed great strength of character and a sense of togetherness and were by no means out of this game. It was frustrating for Pats as they were wondering how they were going to break through the best defence in their league.

Yet again it was Sweetman with his fast pace that was causing the most problems for Lissadel’s defence and his hard work paid off when he linked up with Marius Ivan at the halfway line and skinned two players and let in Louis Fernendez who made it 1:1 with a quality strike on the hour mark.

Pats made a change moments later, off went Wayne Byrne, on came Arnaud Guichard. By this time it was one-way traffic for Pats but they could not get that winner that they so clearly deserved. At 81 minutes Guichard did everything right bar stick the ball in the net after his fine control and slick turn from 8 yards out blasted wide.

Patrick Kavanagh’s last gasp effort from an injury-time freekick thundered just wide from 30 yards. Overall Pats were the better team but lady luck was not on their side! St Pats would like to thank Murrays Undertakers (Paddy Kavanagh and Alan Fanagan) for their generous support.
Star Man: Richard Sweetman
Attendance: 31

Railway Union FC would like to wish players and sponsors a Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year.

Above left: Liffey Wanderers team.Aboveright: Star Man Philip O’Connor.