February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Jay Mwamba
Simon Cahill, a 21-year-old Meath native, was waltzing on top of the world last Sunday after completing a killer brace for St. Barnabas with a 90th-minute winner against Koha that put the Saints atop the Cosmopolitan Soccer League First Division.
Cahill’s two goals in the 2-1 victory at Brooklyn College brought his four-match tally for both the St. Barnabas reserves and first team to eight.
"His strong points are his skill and control," the Saints’ Aidan Dennis said. "Obviously, he has a striker’s touch."
Cahill drew first blood in the 15th minute when he ran onto a C.J. Doherty through ball and connected.
It took Koha, who had their chances in a fiercely contested match, the better part of an hour to draw level, Fikrat Celaj firing in from close range. But just as it seemed that the two sides would split points, Cahill struck again on the stroke of full time.
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The move started with midfielder Fran Morgan lobbing the ball over the Koha defense. Cahill, as fleet of feet as any reputable striker, was first to the ball. He rounded the keeper and side-footed the ball into an empty net.
"We haven’t had a striker that can score consistently. Hopefully we have one now," an elated Dennis said.
Even sweeter for the Saints, who joined Fairfield/Westchester United, and defending champs New York Athletic Club in first place on the 9-point mark, was atoning for last season’s 4-0 League Cup loss to Koha.
Michael Flood (two), Sean O’Flynn and Kenny Cavanaugh earned the St. Barnabas reserves a 4-4 tie with Koha’s second team.
Welsh shines
Aidan Welsh got two goals, including the winner, as Shamrock rebounded from the previous week’s 3-0 loss to Athletic Club with a thrilling 4-3 decision over Polonia S.C. at Cantiague Park.
Tim Cummins, whose quick free-kick caught the Polonia defense napping, and Robbie Walsh, with a diving header from point-blank range, were the other scorers in the Sunnyside club’s first win of the season.
Shamrock’s reserves won 3-0 on goals by Leo O’Connor and Carlos Granados (two).
But in a reversal of fortunes, the Shamrock third team, the only victorious side among the CSL’s Irish sides in the previous week’s schedule, suffered the only Irish defeat last weekend.
They were routed 8-0 by Sunnyside Genclik in a Metro Division I fixture. Cen Sahin (three), Mert Akbunut (two), Onder Koksol, Salih Cakirca and Freddy Dolmo scored.
All square
Lansdowne Bhoys came from a goal down to hold Astoria Gaels 1-1 on Ray Barrett’s strike in an all-Irish Metro Division II encounter at McCarran Park. At Red Hook 2, Fiona’s FC and Barnstonworth Rovers battled to a scoreless draw.
NYAC’S edge
Ronan Downs’ Athletic Club had influential sweeper Jeff Traola ejected midway through the second half against CD Iberia at Downing Stadium, but still held on to prevail 2-1.
"They put a little pressure on us after that, but I’m happy with the three points," coach Downs said.
Cam Livingston (25th) and Dan Hatter (62nd) were the NYAC heroes. Iberia hit back through a Santo Russo free-kick (72nd).
"We had a couple of chances, but it was the same story: we can’t finish," Iberia boss Raf’l SanMartin lamented. "Still, Athletic Club are the best of the three teams we’ve played."
Iberia’s reserves fell 1-0.
Banatul beaten
Nikolas Paraskevepoulos (20th), Dino Megaloudes (30th), and Harry Tsanagaris (70th) led Pancyprian Freedoms to their third straight victory, 3-2 over Banatul. Mark Milhavich (50th, 83rd) replied for Banatul, whose reserves were crushed 6-1.
Pole driver
Norman Pile, broken finger and all, dug Manhattan Kickers out of an early 2-0 hole against rivals Barnstonworth Rovers, and then set up Joe Whiteman for Kickers’ winner in the tough encounter at Randalls Island.
With the 3-2 victory, Kickers (11 pts) knocked Rovers (9) out of first place in the Second Division (East). Rovers’ reserves triumphed 3-2.
Mattias Gustafsson and Brian "Makkas" MacLaughlin had Rovers up 2-0 after 15 minutes, before Pile (20th, 44th), with his left hand heavily bandaged, and Whiteman (66th) swung it for Kickers.
"Even if we go down, we have the character to come back," Kickers coach Mike Fitzgerald said with satisfaction.
FC Japan (9) moved into second position in the East, behind Kickers, after defeating Nag’s Head United 4-1 at Randalls. Marcus Davidson (70th, penalty) was the lone Nag’s marksman. Japan’s reserves won 1-0.
Also in the East, Eric Oram returned to the S.C. Eintracht lineup with a bang, hitting a hat trick (18th, 30th, 71st) in a 3-1 romp over Ukrainian S.C. Moroccan Rashid Lachaba (88th) scored for Ukrainian, whose reserves shone 4-0.
Wipe out
B.W. Poughkeepsie showed up for their Division Two (West) tussle with Ripensia Romania at Grover Cleveland High School with only 11 players and were punished for it. They lost 11-0.
Stephan Borota scored five goals, Adrian Ionete had a hat trick, Michael Gagorghe contributed a brace, and Robert Trif one.
East leaders Ridgewood (10) stayed a point ahead of second-placed Central Park Rangers with a 7-0 demolition of shorthanded Homenetmen at McCarran Park.
Dany Anton (10th, 80th), Bichi Dumitru (36th), Bogadan Lascu (55th pen.), Dan Ciabuca (60th), Marian Capatana (70th) and Radu Cretulescu (88th) tallied. Homenetmen’s reserves were edged 3-2.
Central Park (9) pipped Bergen Kickers 1-0 at Overpeck County Park, thanks to Hiro Hagiwara (70th).
Dinamic duo
Two of New York Dinamo’s Argentine connection, Sebastien Arias (25th) and Santiago Verzi (80th), were on the mark as the Second Division side downed Clarkstown 2-1 at Kennedy/Zucor Park. Clarkstown took the reserve meeting 3-2.
Hot Chile
Mauricio Men’s (three), Eduardo Cabrera and Florentino Evanes starred in Chile FC’s 5-1 blow out of New York Anatolia in a Metro Division I fixture at Red Hook 2 in Brooklyn.
In another Metro Division I affair at Red Hook, BW Gottschee and Barnstonworth Rovers tied 0-0.
United Bulgaria also posted a Metro Division victory over Brooklyn Thunder, 3-2, behind coach Tim Serpionov’s double strike (36th, 80th). Hristo Kalolofonov (15th) accounted for No. 3.