Red-hot Rocks roll over Ridgewood

A week after stunning New York Athletic Club by 3-1, Billy Henderson’s men were methodical in their destruction of the rugged Romanians.
The Rocks reeled in goals through the in-form Hughie Daley (15th, 82nd), John Ward (35th) and Lucky Williams (70th).
Daley connected on both occasions from crosses provided by right fullback Freddy Fitzpatrick, who deservedly walked off with MVP honors.
“Freddy is probably the reason why we won,” Shamrock’s Jim Keady said.
Savoring another impressive victory, coach Henderson commended his team for playing well and toasted the return from injury of Timmy Cummins, who’d earlier been feared lost for the season.
Shamrock’s second straight win of the season bettered their stats to 3-2-1 (10 points), good enough to nudge Athletic Club out of third place on goal difference.

NYAC WOES
It was another black Sunday for Athletic Club chief Ronan Downs, whose undermanned title contenders went crashing to their third defeat of the season, 4-1 to Koha at New Utrecht High School.
Koha rode the form of several returning players to notch their first league triumph of the season.
Qazim Hakramaj (15th) back after a year’s absence, opened the scoring, while Herolind Hajdari (67th), who was making his first appearance of the season, struck as well. Goalie Edin Gjokaj, out since January, also starred.
Fatos Selimi’s brace (55th, 73rd) sealed the Koha result after Khouri Mullins had pulled one back.
“We had a horrible game and it was terribly disappointing for us,” Downs conceded.
NYAC were missing several players and suffered the additional blow of losing former MetroStar defender Mike Semioli to a red card, for a second yellow, in the 25th minute.

LANSDOWNE RALLY
A second half rally paid of for Metro Div. 1 leaders Lansdowne Bhoys who climbed out of a 2-0 hole at Lehman High School to tie 2-2 with Kandia.
The Bhoys trailed at the interval after conceding an own goal (20th), and an effort by Kimer Green (30th). They, nonetheless, came out smoking in the second half to level the scores through Johnny McFadden (50th) and Damien Dunleavy (65th).
“We played well to come back and were unlucky not to get the winner,” said Lansdowne boss Eamonn Duffy.
The Bhoys’ 5-1-1 (16) record is the best in their division.

MANHATTAN EXPRESS
Also in Metro Div. 1, Manhattan Celtic (4-3, 12) thrashed Shamrock 4-0 at East River Park to move into third position, while Astoria Gaels were denied victory at Wards Island by a late Barnstonworth Rovers goal. The game finished 1-1.
“Another draw,” sighed Gaels manager Dave Browne. “This year is looking more and more out of reach.”
It was still a point well earned in a back and forth match against fourth-placed Rovers (3-2-2, 11), in which converted midfielder Joe Butler and P.J. Burke stood out.
Missing the lively Derek McKenna up front — whose broken leg, suffered in the previous week’s 2-1 loss to Manhattan Celtic, was not revealed until later — Gaels tinkered with their line up, pushing overlapping fullback Brendan O’Reilly in attack and drafting Paul Kyle to replace O’Reilly in defense.
Kyle shone sufficiently enough to earn Man of the Match honors from Browne.
Gaels went ahead when Eugene Kyne initiated a move that ended with Nestor Allan crossing for Phil Troope to drill home in the 75th minute.
The lead held until goalie John Watters was beaten to a bouncing ball by Rovers forward Joe Smith (87th).
Gaels (1-2-4,7) are third from the bottom.

McCARTHY TRIUMPH
Brendan Watkins (30th) and Chris Felley (70th) tallied in ASA McCarthy’s 2-1 decision over Rockefeller FC at Wards Island.
McCarthy’s fourth win of the season point them on the 13-point mark, good enough for fourth place in Metro Div. 2.
At Red Hook in Brooklyn, Mike Zaborksi’s winner (70th) after Shohei Fukuda (50th) had canceled out Dave Carlos’s opener (25th) earned McCormack’s a 2-1 result over FC Japan and first place (4-1-2, 14) in Div. 2.