OLDEST IRISH AMERICAN NEWSPAPER IN USA, ESTABLISHED IN 1928
Category: Archive

Win gives Bhoys share of Metro Div. 1 lead

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

The Bhoys’ third consecutive victory put them on the 9-point mark, level with the hitherto undefeated Turks and two points clear of Kandia, who gave up a late equalizer in a 2-2 tie with Astoria Gaels.
Doherty clinched the winner for Lansdowne from a free kick on the edge of the penalty box (59th), five minutes after Cem Sahin had canceled out O’Driscoll’s opener (20th). The Turkish ace volleyed home when the Lansdowne defense failed to clear a loose ball.
Doherty could have extended the lead to 3-1 in the 65th minute but was narrowly wide from a good position.
“We had other good chances,” noted Eammon Duffy, the club’s president. “It was a good win again.”

GAELIC THRILLER
Michael Conroy struck on the stroke of full time to salvage a vital point for Astoria Gaels from the 2-2 draw against Kandia at Herbert Lehman High School in the Bronx.
The see-saw match had thriller written all over it from kickoff when Derek Mckenna’s blast, from a Nestor Allen flick-on, shot Gaels ahead even before Kandia had touched the ball.
Kandia, however, hit back 10 minutes later, drawing level through two-goal hero Layton Mattis and then proceeding to give Gaels the run around.
Midfielders Seamus Pilkington and P.J. Burke, the visitors’ inspirational skipper who was returning to the team after a long absence, battled to stem the Kandia tide but could not prevent Gaels conceding a second Mattis’s goal (30th) before halftime.
Second half adjustments, including pushing Conroy from left fullback to right midfield and introducing Gerald O’Brien, Gerry Carty and John Beirne, gave Gaels the upper hand even though Kandia remained dangerous on the break.
It took a couple of point-blank saves by goalie and MVP John Watters to keep Gaels in it before Conroy popped up near the end to snatch an equalizer. Gaels could have even nicked it had Paul Kyle not been denied a stoppage time winner by the Kandia goalie.
“They really snatched victory from us,” said Kandia manager Ricky Reid.
Gaels’ Dave Brown was happy with the outcome. “The result was justified, [but] after one loss and two ties we need to pick up.”
He gave special mention to defender Niall Sugrue and Beirne, who came on as a sub and shone.

WINNING STREAK
Manhattan Celtic, a team that failed to win a single league match last season, won their second straight in Metro Div. 1 action, edging BW Gottschee 2-1 at Francis Lewis High School.
It was a no-holds-barred affair that ended with skipper Ian Woodcock and a Gottschee player being given the marching orders in separate incidents.
Center half Jonah Cohan (25th) brought Celtic back from a one-goal deficit created by Rosario Chiarenza’s early effort (10th), before Stefan Nyvang bagged the winner in the 55th minute.
“A gem of a goal. The best I’ve seen in the league,” Celtic boss John Marron said of the Dane’s right-footed volley set up by Raafat Olian.
Previously, Woodcock had led Celtic to their first victory of the season, a 2-0 decision over Central Park Rangers.

SHAMROCK POINTER
Bottom side Shamrock picked up their first point in Metro Div. 1 after a 1-all tie with Gotham FC at Wards Island.
Shamrock led 1-0 on Becker’s first half goal but were denied full points by Morad Sareed’s second-half leveler.
At McCarran Park, Brendan Watkins (70th) had the only goal of the match in ASA McCarthy’s 1-0 result over Smithfield FC. McCarthy improved to 2-1-1 (7 points) in Metro Div. 2.

GOAL-SHY
Shamrock’s First Division side had to settle for a goalless tie with early stragglers CD Iberia after wasting a slew of chances at Msgr. McClancy High School.
“We missed too many chances. We should have destroyed them,” rued coach Billy Henderson.
It didn’t help that the middle of the table Rocks (1-1-1, 4) were missing numerous starters including Timmy Cummins and Mike Bishop, both lost for the season with serious injuries.
In the reserve fixture, Mark Dylan and Ari connected in a 2-1 Shamrock win.

PADDY’S BRACE
Paddy O’Sullivan, Brooklyn Celtic’s 49 year-old scoring sensation, was on target twice in a 5-2 romp over BW Gottschee at Francis Lewis High School that kept Celtic on the heels of Over-30 West leaders New York Greek-American/Atlas.
O’Sullivan struck in the 14th and 39th minutes after Danny Shields (7th) had drawn first blood. Eaves Limoge (55th) and Mike Sturges (58th) were the other scorers. George Lemes (15th) and Luis Mercardo (75th) replied for Gottschee.
“I’ve still got the touch,” the irrepressible O’Sullivan boasted. “It’s a good performance that keeps us in the hunt.”

Never miss an issue of The Irish Echo

Subscribe to one of our great value packages.

NYAC TOPS
Ronan Downs’ CSL powerhouse New York Athletic Club shrugged off the absence of eight regulars to blank Ridgewood 2-0 at Grover Cleveland Park.
Billy Cronin (55th) and Khouri Mullins (70th) scored before some 50 spectators.
NYAC had gone into the match sharing the First Division leadership with defending champs New York Albanians and Pancyprian Freedoms. But with both their rivals dropping points against Koha and Manhattan Kickers, respectively, the six-time titlists (3-1, 9) are now alone at the top.
“We did great,” Downs acknowledged his understrength side’s performance.
Ridgewood’s reserves forfeited.

KICKERS HELD
Manhattan Kickers shot-stopper Mike Fitzgerald pulled off several daring saves to preserve his promotion side’s one-year unbeaten run in a 1-1 tie with Pancyprian at Commodore Barry Field.
Norman Pile (20th) gave Kickers a lead that held until Rocky Bojovic’s averted an upset for Pancyprian (70th). Fitzgerald, who is also Kickers’ coach, went off with a back injury late in the game.
Pancyprian’s reserves won 1-0.
Albanians also drew 1-all with Koha at Evander Childs High School, after Koha canceled out Tony Camaj’s first half goal.
Koha’s second team prevailed 2-1.

Other Articles You Might Like

Sign up to our Daily Newsletter

Click to access the login or register cheese