February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Jay Mwamba
Brendan Riley and George McDowell propelled the Shamrock Reserves into the New York State’s Heidecker Cup final with a goal apiece in a 2-1 decision over Long Island’s Islip last Sunday.
Riley tucked away a rebound from a Billy Henderson to give the Cosmopolitan Soccer League team the lead after 20 minutes in the semifinal played on Long Island.
Islip, a mostly Irish side, tied the game before halftime, but despite a spirited effort, were dispatched by McDowell’s drive from the edge of the penalty box (65th).
Shamrock had two other perfect looking goals — one by John Guildea, who provided the assist on McDowell’s winner with a flick-on, and a probable second by Riley — disallowed.
"I don’t know why," Guildea said. "But overall we deserved to win."
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The Shamrock Reserves, who had earlier received a bye into the quarterfinals, where they defeated Lindenhurst 4-1, will meet the winner of the New York Athletic Club-Oceanside tie in next spring’s final.
Shamrock’s senior team currently holds the League Cup.
In Metro Division action, Shamrock’s third team drew 0-0 with BW Gottschee.
Celtics evicted
Irish Rovers shook the net moments after kickoff and again before the final whistle to overcome Brooklyn Celtic 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the Over-30 Carbone Cup. Ralph Glemand (85th) was the Celtic scorer.
"We got sucker-punched with goals in the first minute and in the last minute," remarked Brooklyn’s Jim Murray.
Celtic had defeated BW Gottschee 3-0 to reach the quarters, while Rovers knocked out GH Metros 3-1.
Saints denied
Dennis Frawley was on target twice for St. Barnabas (18 points) against First Division bottom side CD Iberia at SUNY-Purchase, but saw his good work undone by a last-gasp equalizer by the winless visitors in a 3-all tie.
"A good result for them, but a poor one for us. We missed a lot of chances and couldn’t put them away," lamented Aidan Dennis, who bagged the other St. Barnabas goal (70th).
Frawley opened the scoring in the 35th minute when he finished off a Vinnie Norton cross. Jose SanMartin, however, leveled before halftime.
Jose Rodriguez (62nd) shot Iberia ahead, before Dennis, who came off the bench, was released by Freddy Fitzpatrick for the third-placed Saints’ second.
It looked good again for the home side when Frawley headed in from an 85th-minute corner, but Anthony Russo popped up on the stroke of time (90th) to fire in a rocket and earn Iberia their second point of the season.
The reserves produced a goalless tie.
Flying poles
Div. I stragglers Polonia S.C. stunned New York Albanians 4-2 at Evander Childs in the Bronx to record their third win in 11 starts.
Radaslaw Zbikowski (2nd), Paul Zalewski (20th, 70th) and Mario Kulesza (80th) tallied for the Poles, now three places from the bottom (7-3-1, 10).
Rocky Bojovic (20th) and Tony Camaj (40th) replied for Albanians, whose reserves prevailed 2-0.
Rotheim shines
Jeff Rotheim put on a virtuoso performance at SUNY-Maritime to lead 10-man Fairfield/Westchester United to a 4-2 victory over Banatul. The diminutive forward scored all four Fairfield goals (25th, 55th, 60th, 82nd). Mark Mihelic hit back with a brace for Banatul (68th, 75th).
"We found a new way to lose," Banatul’s disappointed coach, Zak Ivkovic, said. "They played all of the second half with 10 guys."
The Fairfield reserves triumphed 4-1.
The Shamrock-Koha and Pancyprian Freedoms-Athletic Club matches were postponed.
Streak ends
Mike Fitzgerald’s Manhattan Kickers had their season-long unbeaten run ended in the Second Division (East) by Barnstonworth Rovers, who posted a 3-1 win at Roosevelt Island.
The result saw the two sides swap places at the top, with Rovers (25), going two points ahead of Kickers, although the latter have a game in hand.
Ron Baskin (12th), Brian McLaughlin (70th) and Yuri Kyrm (80th) were the Rovers marksmen. Norman Pile (40th) was the lone Kickers scorer.
"We should have won, could have won, but things didn’t go our way," said Fitzgerald, Kickers’ player-coach.
Kickers’ reserves also came up short, 1-0.
Goal fest
Third-place Guyana Juniors, behind Kickers only on goal difference, blew out New York Wanderers 6-1 at the Commodore Barry Field. Kestor Darlington (two), Chris Giles, Tallo Hudson and Chief (two) connected for Guyana.
Wanderers reserves lost 4-1.
On Randalls Island, Shin Furutate’s hat-trick sparked FC Japan’s 6-0 rout over Nag’s Head United. Toshi Tatezawa, Uosuke Kimura and Yusuke Nishiyama also got on the score-sheet. The reserves drew 2-2.
S.C. Eintracht’s Eric Oram’s 35th goal canceled out Fode Youla’s earlier effort for Ukrainian in a 1-all tie at McCarran Park. The reserve fixture also finished 1-1.
Dinamo triumph
New York Dinamo drew level with idle Second Division (West) leaders Ridgewood on the 22-point mark after thrashing Clarkstown 5-1 at Allerton Field. Paco Hernandez (two), Jairo Munoz (two), and Murem Ibrahimov scored.
The reserves drew 4-4.
Central Park Rangers also joined Dinamo and Ridgewood on 22 points with a 2-1 victory over Bergen Kickers at Riverside Park. Mike Teaney (60th penalty) and Rich Enticott (75th) struck. The Bergen reserves were trounced 3-0.
Elsewhere in the West, Ripensia-Romania subdued BW Poughkeepsie 3-1 at Kennedy/Zucor Park on goals by Adian Ionete (19th, 70th) and Olimpiu Roman (40th penalty).
Metro action
Sunnyside Genclik (27) and Jersey City FC (25) stayed first and second in Metro Division I, courtesy of forfeit victories over Krimean Turkish and Chile, respectively.
In Metro Div. II, Bart Bettencourt’s goal for ASA McCarthy sent United Bulgaria reeling to a 1-0 defeat.
Over-30s
The prolific scoring George Lesmes salvaged a point for BW Gottschee with
a last minute goal in a 1-all tie with "B" Division leaders Guyana Veterans "A". Gottschee (3-0-4, 13) remain undefeated in the regular season.
Jose Luis Leva, another over-30 hotshot, was on target four times in New York Greek-American/Atlas’ 7-2 massacre of Fairfield/Westchester United. Gus Tsirkis, Evan Milissis and Ton Drizis also tallied for the Greeks.
Nick Kossosis (two) and Peter Elion scored for Greek-American/Atlas "B" in their 3-0 romp over S.C. Eintracht.
And at Travers Island, Willie, Istvan Leovits and Kevin Tracey netted as Athletic Club held off 10-man GH Metros 3-2. Steve Bodden and Julio were the Metros scorers.
"If we had a regular side we’d probably have won," said Metros coach Rory Finn.