February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Jay Mwamba
Defenders Freddy Fitzpatrick and Dennis Frawley came up big for St. Barnabas last Sunday, each scoring once to lead the Saints to a 3-2 decision over Polonia at SUNY-Purchase.
Fitzpatrick, an ex-midfielder-turned-fullback, blasted in a free kick in the 43rd minute to tie the game after Polonia had drawn first blood. Polonia then conceded a spectacular own goal – one of their defenders swiveling and whacking a shot into his own net – before drawing level 15 minutes from time.
With the game on the line, center half Frawley outjumped a posse of players in the 80th minute to nod in the winner from Simon Cahill’s corner.
"They made it tough for us. We could have dropped points," said St. Barnabas spokesman Aidan Dennis, delighted that his side had eked out three valuable points.
It was the Saints’ fourth victory of the season (4-2-1, 13 points), and one that keeps them within touch of the First Division’s front runners New York Albanians (18) and Pancyprian Freedoms (17), who both won.
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Polonia forfeited the reserve fixture.
Late Shamrock blitz
Shamrock were left reeling by a fierce late Pancyprian blitz that completed a 5-0 rout under floodlights at St. John’s University.
"They destroyed us, basically," admitted coach Eugene Smyth, who played in the reserves 3-1 loss, then had a run with the short-handed first team after Robbie Walsh hobbled off injured.
Ben Hickey (6th) and Demo Vasou (18th) put Shamrock in an early hole, before Pancyprian sealed it with late strikes by Harry Tsangaris (75th, 78th) and Lefteris Michaelides (81st).
Owen Sweeney was the lone Shamrock scorer in the reserves’ 3-1 defeat, while Bart O’Rourke, Niall Carolan and Willie Murphy steered the third team to a 3-0 Metro Division I victory over Chile FC at Randalls.
Gaels down United
Astoria Gaels edged Metro Division II rivals United Bulgaria 2-1 at Red Hook in Brooklyn on goals by Nester Allen (20th) and Gerald O’Brien (35th). Bobby Davidov netted for Bulgaria.
"Astoria Gaels played their hearts out and deserved to win this extremely bad tempered game," Gaels manager Jimmy Ralph said.
He singled out right winger Gerald Carty and right back Brett Butler for their exploits in what was a solid team performance.
Lansdowne held
Lansdowne Bhoys salvaged a point from their Metro Div. II tussle with CD Iberia at Van Cortland Park.
Sean "The Legend" Hall (28th) and Paul Doherty (60th) tallied for the Bhoys, while Isidore Tajes and Rocco Baggala replied for Iberia.
"Good game," coach Eamon Duffy noted. "This is the first time Lansdowne have had a full squad. Things are going the right way."
Celtic victory
Scotsman Sean Conaghan, Patrick Pierre and Eaves were on target in Brooklyn Celtic’s 3-0 romp over S.C. Eintracht in an Over-30 encounter at Roosevelt Island.
First division
A second-half goal by veteran striker Tony Camaj at Downing Stadium was enough for leaders New York Albanians to secure their sixth win of the season.
"The field conditions were horrible because of the dust and wind. Both teams had good chances, but it was hard to finish," remarked Albanians’ Martin Shkreli, whose reserves crashed 4-0.
Fair result
Ross Sandler’s 89th minute equalizer earned 10-man Faifield/Westchester United a 2-all tie with Koha at Friend’s Academy in Glen Cove.
Jimmy Vas (20th) shot Fairfield ahead, only to see Herolind Hajdari (31st penalty) and Ismet Gilaj (43rd) hit back for Koha. The Koha reserves were thrashed 7-1.
Conti stars
Mike Fitzgerald’s Manhattan Kickers lost their one hundred percent record in the Second Division after a 1-1 tie with resurgent Nag’s Head United at dusty McCarran Park. Scott Conti’s 70th minute penalty canceled out Brian McLaughlin’s first half effort.
"We had so many opportunities that we couldn’t put away and same with them. [Nag’s] will give a lot of teams a lot of trouble," Fitzgerald, Kickers’ player-coach, said.
Kickers, whose reserves triumphed 4-0, stayed at the top of the East, a point ahead of Barnstonworth Rovers (18), who had earlier pipped S.C. Ukrainian 1-0 at McCarran Park, on coach David Brooks’ goal. Ukrainian took the reserve fixture 2-1.
Juniors checked
Guyana Juniors (17) dropped to third place after being held to a 1-1 draw by S.C. Eintracht at Roosevelt Island. Eintracht’s Andy Doczy (60th) denied the visitors full points after the Guyana reserves were beaten 2-1.
Also in the East, F.C. Japan topped New York Wanderers 1-0 at Randalls, courtesy of Shin Frutate (35th). Wanderers’ second team was thrashed 4-1.
First loss
Marcos Dimitri (25th, 75th) connected twice as BW Poughkeepsie handed Div. II West leaders Ridgewood Romac (19) their first defeat since joining the Cosmopolitan Soccer League last year.
Dan Ciabuca was the Ridgewood scorer in the 2-1 loss. The Poughkeepsie reserves prevailed 4-2.
Central Park Rangers (13) ceded second place to Ripensia-Romania (15) after a 3-0 shellacking by New York Dinamo at Allerton Field. Murem Ibrahimov (25th), Victor Curanovic (70th) and Marcelo Sanchez (80th) scored. Rangers’ reserves won 2-0.
Bergen Kickers forfeited both matches to Ripensia, while Clarkstown beat Homenetmen 3-0 (2-0 reserves) at Kennedy/Zucor Park.
Metro action
Sunnyside Genclik opened up a two-point advantage over Jersey City F.C. (19) at the top of Metro Div. I with a 4-1 pasting of BW Gottschee at Randalls Island. Cen Sahin (two), Omer Koksol and Ohram Tas struck. Terence Heywood got Gottschee’s consolation goal.
Jersey City dropped two vital points in a 1-all tie with Krimean Turkish, whose Ali was on target, at Red Hook.
At Riverside Park, Central Park Rangers blanked ASA McCarthy 2-0 thanks to Peter Kalinney (15th pen.) and Kori Pirouzi (70th). Kalinney was later sent off.
Over-30
Peter Howlett had the only goal of the match in Athletic Club’s 1-0 win over New York Greek-American/Atlas at Downing Stadium. Tony Drizis of Greek-Atlas "B" got on the score-sheet in his side’s 2-1 loss to Pele Masters at Randalls Island.
Also at Randalls, Trevor Burnett (two), and Bernard Britton tallied for Guyana Veterans "A" in their 3-2 decision over Fairfield/Westchester United.
And at Canarsie Beach, a 30-yard cracker by Andreas Britz six minutes from time gave BW Gottschee a 1-0 decision over Guyana Veterans "B".