Gaels dominate; Shields dazzles for Celtic

By Jay Mwamba

Metro Div. I side Astoria Gaels hit three goals past Central Park Rangers without response at Red Hook in Brooklyn on Sunday to make a grand start to the spring half of the 2001-2002 Cosmopolitan Soccer League season. Gerry O’Brien opened the scoring in the 35th minute. He fired a low drive into the bottom-right-hand corner of the net after being put through by Derek McKenna.

Gaels carried the 1-0 lead into the second half where their counterattacking game wreaked havoc on Rangers.

On one such break, Gaels earned a corner, which Michael Coyle curved into the packed goalmouth. McKenna connected with a header to make it 2-0 (65th).

Michael Conroy sealed the win with No. 3 in the 75th minute, after outpacing his marker and stuffing the ball into the net.

With Metro Div. I leaders Roosevelt Island International’s 1-0 loss to Gotham FC on Argentine Diego Olego’s strike at River Bank State Park, the third-place Gaels (7-1-3, 24) climbed to within five points of first position.

“Great game, lovely game,” said Gaels manager Dave Browne. “We played excellent football from the start.”

Browne complemented all his players for an outstanding performance. Individual honors still went to P.J. Burke — whose play in the middle of the park earned him Man of the Match accolades — and skipper Joe Butler, his midfield companion.

Browne was also pleased by the return from injury of defender Eugene Kyne, who made his first appearance of the season.

Danny boy

Brooklyn Celtic’s Danny Shields played with a youthful zest that belied his age as he approaches 40, notching what club official Jim Murray described as “the perfect hat-trick” in Brooklyn’s 5-1 rout of Rory Finns’ GH Metros in an Over-30 tussle at Wards Island.

Shields scored with both feet and a header (7th, 50th, 75th). There were contributions in between from Murray (30th) and Scotsman Sean Conaghan (60th).

“We had a pretty strong team back, got an early lead and didn’t look back,” observed Murray.

Metros got their face-saver through Steve Bodden, assisted by goalie Armandio Rodgriuez, in what coach Finn said was the club’s only bright spot.

“We’re not doing good,” added Finn.

Celtic (8-3-1, 25) stayed six points behind Pele Masters at the top of the “B” Division (East) table.

Pele blew away sister club Guyana Veterans “B” 7-0 at Randalls Island. Linden Laine (3), Trevor Brathwaite (2), Orphin Baker and Ray Obermuller scored.

Bhoys checked

At McCarran Park, Lansdowne Bhoys made a slow start to the spring season, grinding out a goalless tie with Andersen FC in a Metro Div. II (West) fixture.

“We had all the possession but (the ball) couldn’t go in. Some games go that way,” lamented coach Eamon Duffy.

Lansdowne (10-1-1, 31) still hold a seemingly unassailable 10-point edge over second-place New York Fury, 3-0 victors over United Bulgaria at McCarran Park, on the standings.

Shamrock surge

Shamrock’s third team (4-5-2, 14) made a big jump from seventh place into fourth in Metro Div. I on the back of a 2-1 decision over Barnstonworth Rovers at Randalls Island.

Willie Murphy shot the Rocks ahead on the hour, after a defensive error had left him unmarked in front of a yawning goal, while Bart O’Rourke (85th) latched onto a flick-on from midfield to grab the second goal.

Rovers’ belated response came courtesy of an own goal by Stephen Smith (90th).

Brendan’s trey

Forward Brendan Watkins chalked up a hat trick in ASA McCarthy’s 5-0 thrashing of Homenetmen in a bottom of the table Metro Div. II (East) encounter at Randalls.

Dan Becker and Yannis Legakis also tallied for McCarthy (5-6-1, 16) who leaped from the bottom and into fourth place in the six-team division.

In other Metro action, Krimean Turkish connected through Ali Gul and new Moroccan signing Youssef Baidane in a 2-0 win over Manhattan Celtic at McCarran Park.

“We just can’t score,” moaned Celtic’s John Marron.

Kandia, meanwhile, trounced Magura 6-0 on goals by Layton Mattis (2), Dave Taylor (2), Keegan Petter and Bruce Tolloch.