CSL Roundup: Bhoys roar on Island

On bye in the first round last month, the Bhoys traveled to Long Island bottom of the table in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League First Division (West) with a solitary point from seven matches.
Coach Paul Doherty’s men were also missing three key players in forward Anderson Garcia, midfielder Marty Griffin and veteran left fullback Michael “Mogo” Flood. But they had a Dessie Beattie who was on fire and a Conor Hunter at his predatory best.
Hunter struck twice. He opened the scoring in the 10th minute, taking a pass from CJ Doherty and shooting past the goalie before adding a second ten minutes later when he nodded in a Damian Mescall cross at the near post after Beattie had released the winger.
Beattie pumped in a cross for Cleveland Jordan to score (55th) on resumption, and then set up Mescall for the coup de grace from 25 yards in the 75th minute.
“We waited long for this to happen. I knew they’d do it,” Doherty said. “Four-zero; it could have been more. It was a fantastic performance.”
The coach added that the win takes a lot of pressure off the side.
“No team’s been beating us. We’ve been beating ourselves,” he pointed out, while hoping that the Bhoys will carry their new winning form into league against defending champs New York Greek-American/Atlas at Tibbet Brook Field this Sunday (kick-off 12pm)
Lansdowne’s reserves, who’ve faired better than their first team in the league (2-5, 6), were ousted from the D’Arpino Cup 2-0 by Athletic Club at Travers Island.

ROVERS THROUGH
Also in the Manning Cup, which is open to all top-flight clubs in New York State, Ex-MetroStar, Swansea and Venezuelan international Giovanni Savarese had a late goal for Greek-Atlas in their 2-1 defeat to Irish Rovers at Cardozo High School.
The two clubs met in the D’Arpino Cup second round as well, with the Greeks prevailing 4-3 on penalties after a goalless tie in regulation.

SHAMROCK ADVANCE
Donald Kelly (10th), Mark Cassidy (25th) and Paddy Gerathy (40th) shot Shamrock’s metro team into the third round of the D’Arpino Cup at the expense of Second Division FC Japan’s reserves, beaten 3-0 at Msgr. McClancy High School.
Coach Robbie Walsh lauded his resurgent team, winners of four of their last five games in league and cup action. “Everyone of them played well,” he noted.
He singled out midfielder Emmet Harvey for Man of the Match honors and gave special mention to sweeper Eugene Smyth, defender Owen Sweeney and forward Ciaran Moloney.
The Rocks knocked out Long Island Gaels 2-1 in the first round last month.
Earlier at Msgr. McClancy, Shamrock’s Over-30 side dropped a 1-0 decision to SC Brasil.
Joe Behan was denied an equalizer when his header, off a rebound from his own shot, was cleared off the line by a Brazilian defender.
“The lads were unlucky not to equalize,” observed Walsh. “Give credit to (coach) Sean Keogh. They are not getting hammered.”

CELTIC CLIPPED
Elsewhere in cup football, Manhattan Celtic’s run in the Flamhaft competition ended in the second round when they went down 4-2 to Hellenic American Soccer League entrant Frosinone at Chelsea Pier 40.
Ed McPherson and Michael Thomas connected for Celtic, 3-2 victors over OCFC Middletown in the first stage.
“Good team they were,” Celtic boss Ian Woodcock complimented Frosinone.
Later at Pier 40, the Celtic seconds edged Roosevelt Island International’s ‘B’ team 2-1 in a make-up game to maintain their hundred percent record (6-0, 18) atop the Division Two reserve standings.
Argentine Andres Vacarezza and Devon James scored.

GAELS RALLY
Glen Richie (25th) and Georgy (35th) inspired Astoria Gaels’ 2-1 comeback win over Koha in a rescheduled Second Division fixture at Commodore Barry field in Brooklyn.
“We went ahead and had chances but two goalkeeping errors cost us,” moaned Koha chief Omer Hakramaj, whose Fatos Selimi had netted in the 5th minute.
“Good performance. We had everyone and that made the difference,” remarked. Gaels’ John Rabbit.
Brendan Rielly was on target for the Gaels reserves, who conceded a Mensur Nikaj brace in a 2-1 loss.