February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
NYAC’s response came 10 minutes later when playmaker Brett Burns converted a penalty awarded for a hand ball.
Before Lansdowne could regroup, Graham Albert shot NYAC ahead (35th). The Bhoys were then left with a mountain to climb on resumption when Khouri Mullings (65th) made it 3-1.
Yet like in the Manning Cup, the Bronx Irish were not ready to roll over. They pulled a goal back through Marty Griffin (80th) before Mullings (85th) iced it for NYAC.
“It was a competitive game, thanks to Athletic Club,” said Bhoys coach Paul Doherty, whose men now go into the three-month winter break second from the bottom (3-6, 9) on the First Division (East) standings.
“We’re finding it hard to get goals, but we’re looking to get our act together in the New Year.”
NYAC, who’d beaten Lansdowne 2-0 in their first league fixture on Oct. 3, improved to 4-1-2 (14) in second place and cut Pancyprian Freedoms’ lead to 5 points after the previously undefeated Cypriots were stunned, 5-1, by Barnstonworth Rovers.
FIGHT-BACK
Lansdowne’s reserves rallied back from a 2-0 deficit against NYAC’s “B” side to force a 2-2 draw.
Brendan Beattie (60th) sparked the fightback with an audacious free kick from the halfway line that caught NYAC’s goalie off his line. Izar Harpaz notched the equalizer 10 minutes from the end.
Reserve coach Sean Hall, who lost right back Aidan Corr in the second half with a broken collar bone, was pleased with the final score.
“Fair result,” he quipped, even as his second place side (4-3-2, 14) fell 6 points behind Reserve section frontrunners Pancyprian.
O’DRISCOLL STREAK
A week after striking Barnstonworth Rovers’ consolation in a 3-1 Manning Cup loss to Irish Rovers, Barry O’Driscoll was on target again for Rovers in the stunner over Pancyprian. Steve Pugliese hit a hat trick while Tamu Phillip accounted for Rovers’ other goal.
SHAMROCK HITCH
Shamrock’s scheduled return to action against Brooklyn Italians after a four-week layoff was aborted because of poor playing conditions at the Verrazano Sports Complex.
It means that the Rocks, whose last match was a 1-0 defeat by Manhattan Kickers on Halloween day, go into the break bottom of the table in the West (0-6-1, 1) with their only point coming from a 1-1 draw with Barnstonworth on October 24.
GAELS CLIPPED
Astoria Gaels and Kandia renewed a rivalry that began in the Metro Division with a hard fought encounter at Commodore Barry Field that ended 2-1 in Kandia’s favor. Derek McKenna (55th) had canceled out Kris Paarmand’s first half strike (26th) when Bruce Tulloch (75th) won it for the undefeated Second Division pace-setters (6-0, 18).
“We came back and played well. I think we were unlucky in the end,” Niall Sugrue said.
Gaels (3-3-1, 10) finish the first half of the season fifth in the eight-team Second Division.
RESERVE RALLY
Brendan O’Reilly starred for the Astoria reserves who clawed out of a 3-0 hole to tie Kandia 3-3.
Paarmand, Petroy Ellison and Daryll Gibson seemed to have done the job for the visitors, but that was before O’Reilly got going. He bagged a brace before James netted the equalizer.
Never miss an issue of The Irish Echo
Subscribe to one of our great value packages.
McCARTHY EDGED
Foday Kangbay and Paul Wasserman connected for ASA McCarthy in a 3-2 loss to Ridgewood that left the Metro Div. One side (2-4-1, 7) stuck in the relegation zone. Edwin (2) and Sofrone Bakula scored for Ridgewood.
BOYLE OPENER
Niall Boyle opened the floodgates in SC Eintracht’s 6-0 Metro Div. 2 rout of CD Iberia at the Metropolitan Oval. David Hamill, Peter Maris, Gavin Rhodes and Juan Andrade were also on the mark against Iberia, who gave up an own goal as well.