24.11.06           6-A-SIDE RESULT 23.11.06 – O’Carrolls 6 – 0 Headless Chooks

 

OC’s recorded another comfortable victory last night over the Headless Chooks. The Chooks started decently and had something of a good spell for a few minutes - could have had something to do with the late arrival of Tancell & the Scousers – they were tying their laces at kick off. It didn’t take long for OC’s to find their rhythm though, and while it may not have been our greatest performance, once Jobba opened the scoring after a neat flick to himself, there was never any doubt of the outcome. We took the 1-0 lead to the break; with every man behind the ball, the Chooks were taking a little time to break down.

 

Second half was better from OC’s and the goals began to flow. In alphabetical order, Angus, Dave, Jobba, Neville & Tancell all got on the scoresheet to inflict a 7th straight defeat on the Chooks, 6-0 this time. One of their players muttered afterwards ‘One goal, we just want one goal against you’. Richie had a bit more to do this week but he was equal to every effort that came his way. Skillz That Killz up next, they recorded a 3-2 win over Inter last night, so we might want to watch them. We met them once before earlier this year and ran out 3-1 winners.

 

I’m signing off, I’m back in Ireland for the next 6 weeks. I will definitely update the scores etc on my travels, but maybe not as frequently as normal. So for me another year with OC’s comes to a close and it’s been a great one. Trophies aplenty and it’s been great playing football with you guys. Have a good Christmas and New Year and see you all in January!

The Editor

 

        23.11.06           7-A-SIDE RESULT 22.11.06 – Gas Off United 0 – 5 O’Carrolls

 

The final grading game last night saw OC’s take on Gas Off United, a side with a solitary point from their opening two games. The game was to be played on Pitch 1 in front of the clubhouse (and referees and players), so we were really looking for a good performance. Richie was back between the sticks, while Bidcom returned after a weeks absence. The surface was unrecognizable from the pristine condition it was in towards the end of the Sunday League campaign. The grass has been replaced with sand, and lots of it; slide-tackling Andy would have lost pounds of flesh on it!

 

A great start from OC’s saw them spray the ball around comfortably between defence and midfield and up and down the wings. There were plenty of early chances, but the Gas Off keeper was getting in the way of everything. Tom missed a golden opportunity to open the scoring after a great passage of play found him with only the keeper to beat after Gibbo had squared the ball back to him. Alas, the attempt to pick his spot went about a foot wide – should have just blasted it! Gas Off continued to frustrate, more for the fact that everything we hit rebounded straight off their keeper. The pressure did eventually pay off however, and it was Gus who opened the scoring. A little drop of the shoulder sent him clear of the defender and he flashed a shot across the keeper into the bottom corner. 1-0, and a deserved lead. Gas Off had a couple of decent opportunities to get on the score sheet but failed to capitalize. Richie made a great stop late in the first half to keep them out. So a slender 1-0 lead was taken into the break.

 

Second half was all about OC’s as we made the large percentage of possession count. The football was outstanding from every player on the field. The lead was doubled by James after the best passage of football of the evening; every player was involved as the ball moved from the back to the front, quick one-touch football, finished brilliantly by the now top scorer. That goal earned a round-of-applause from the clubhouse. 2-0. Gibbo further extended the lead with a gem of a strike from around the halfway line, looping the ball up over the stranded Gas Off keeper. If Gibbo squared the ball every time it was yelled at him he wouldn’t score half the number of spectacular goals that he does. 3-0. James added his second of the evening, taking full advantage of the no-offside rule to poke one home from ½ a yard out after more great passing play. 4-0. The final goal was a great individual effort from Dan G, picking the ball up on the left side and beating a few defenders before squeezing one past the keeper at his near post. 5-0 and scoring complete.

 

Terrific performance and a deserved victory; OC’s top their grading group with a 100% record. Now we face 11 games with the best 7-A-Side teams up there, a challenge everybody will relish. Bring it on! 

The Editor

 

        17.11.06           6-A-SIDE RESULT 16.11.06 – O’Carrolls 1 - 0 Hold The Phone

 

A solid display from OC’s last night as we secured our fifth consecutive victory and our first three points of the top group. Our opponents were Hold The Phone, who we’d met three times previously, OC’s winning two, as well as a scoreless draw. The lineup remained unchanged, with the same seven players for the fifth game in a row. Correct me if I’m wrong, but that may be a first for our 6-A-Side exploits.

 

The only goal of the game came on 4 minutes from a free kick. Gus spotted the keeper out of position; he picked his spot and powered the ball home for his 6th goal of the campaign - quick thinking from the captain. The remainder of the game was a competitive, tough-tackling contest, but it would have to be said that OC’s had most, and the better of the chances. Tom failed to make it three goals in three games when his shot came back off the bar, while Jobba’s wayward shooting ensured that the lead was kept at a slender 1-0. HTP didn’t really have many good chances as the OC’s defence kept them at bay, with Richie having little to do on goal.

 

With Inter & Hamstrung both recording wins (well, Hamstrung were 2-0 up when we left), it was crucial to get off to a winning start. Our next two games are the Chooks & Skillz That Killz, so the opportunity is there to rack up some points before we meet the other top two in games that will surely decide who takes the Kenny’s voucher.

The Editor

 

        16.11.06           7-A-SIDE RESULT 15.11.06 – Sumo 2 - 3 O’Carrolls

 

Round 2 of the grading games pitted us against last years overall second placed team, Sumo, last night. There were only a couple of changes to last weeks line-up with Matt coming in for Richie and Tancell in for Biddy. Richie togged out as a sub, ever keen to prove to us that he will score a goal if he gets the chance outfield.

 

We expected a tough contest from these guys, but the early minutes were all about OC’s as we created a few good opportunities to open the scoring. Sumo have some strong and pacy players so there was always a danger when they countered. It was however OC’s who took the deserved lead after Olly blasted one into the top right corner giving the keeper no chance. The arrogance that Sumo had come into the game with faded as they realized this wasn’t going to be a walkover. OC’s continued to press and create chances. Sumo were fond of leaving the foot in on tackles so OC’s had plenty of free kicks in and around the box; James came particularly close with one effort. The lead was doubled after some great build up play involving Gus and Olly, allowed Dan G a shot from distance that was deflected past the Sumo keeper by one of his own defenders. The goal goes to the Ginger though – 2-0. Some poor marking from a kick-in allowed Sumo in for a soft goal just before halftime.

 

Second half and it was a different story. OC’s were found out for a bit of a lack of fitness and Sumo created chance after chance to equalize. Had their forward even the slightest ability to finish, they could have taken a rather comfortable lead. Luckily for OC’s, it was the only thing his game lacked. They did manage the equalizer after yet another quick break got them in behind the defence leaving them an empty net to tap into, and a 2-0 lead was surrendered. Another defensive slip gave Sumo the perfect opportunity to take the lead but Matt was on hand to make a terrific stop.  With the clock running down, Sumo certainly looked the more likely team to score as OC’s battled hard to prevent another goal. With minutes left OC’s began to regain control of the midfield and pushed for a winner. Gibbo picked up the ball deep in his own half and while Sumo stopped and moaned about a foul, the Brummie stormed upfield supported by Dan G & Gus, where between the three of them and about 5 or 6 passes, Dan G rolled the ball into the net to give OC’s the victory.

 

This was by no means our best performance, but we worked hard and deserved to come away with something. We know we can play better and we can take a big positive from that; these guys were right up there last season after all. I’m still unknotting myself after being turned so many times; if I was done once more there was a big danger of somebody being wiped out! We’ll no doubt face these guys again as the teams are divided into groups of 12 after the grading games.

The Editor

 

        10.11.06           6-A-SIDE RESULT 09.11.06 – O’Carrolls 4 - 0 Headless Chooks

 

Top spot in the group and promotion was secured last night with a comfortable 4-0 victory over previously unbeaten Headless Chooks. OC’s 100% record against this lot continued as we brought our goals scored tally against them to 34. The result was never really in doubt after a great start that saw OC’s create chance after chance and pen the Chooks back into their own half for most of the opening 10 minutes.

 

Gus eventually broke the deadlock after some neat build up play found him with a shooting opportunity just outside the D; he rarely misses from that kind of distance. The Chooks were lucky not to have gone behind sooner after Tancell had failed to put away countless opportunities with his new trainers. The Chooks then wasted their only decent chance to score by blasting wide from close range, and then doing the same with the rebound. You can’t miss those if you want to beat us! Nevchenko promptly went up the other end and continued his record of scoring every game to make it 2-0 going into the break.

 

Second half was more of the same from OC’s as we passed the ball around beautifully leaving the Chooks chasing shadows. Numerous efforts went begging before Nev smashed/toe-poked (delete accordingly) home from what looked like an impossible angle. That’s 11 goals now for the Scouser, one less than his previous best last year, which saw him finish joint top scorer with Gibbo. While Tancell didn’t have his shooting boots on, there was nothing wrong with his passing as he cleverly played Tom in for his second in as many games, the Irishman beating the keeper at his near post. Three of Tom’s five goals in 6-A-Side have come against the Chooks, in case anybody was interested. 4-0 it finished, but it oh so could’ve been more.

 

Next weeks fixture has yet to be confirmed, but we’ll be back mincing it with old rivals Inter & Hamstrung. I wonder if they’ve been taking note of OC’s results? Ciao.

The Editor

 

        09.11.06           7-A-SIDE RESULT 08.11.06 – Mad Peasant Farmers 0 - 3 O’Carrolls

 

OC’s kicked off the 2006/07 7-A-Side season with a sorta-comfortable 3-0 win. While it didn’t eclipse our opening day 8-0 victory of 2005/06, the opinion on the sideline was that it was certainly a better start to the tournament.

 

We lined up in our mix-and-match kit, which actually looked quite good in my opinion – maybe we should keep it for the duration of the tournament!?! Richie in goal, Tom & Biddy at the back. Olly, Gus & James were in the middle with Dan G up front. Gibbo & Matt started on the bench.

 

It was a good start for OC’s as we patiently passed the ball about creating decent opportunities and limiting MPF to hopeful long balls. A goal was certainly on the cards provided we kept doing what we were doing and didn’t get frustrated. There were a few good chances that went begging before last season’s top scorer Olly finished off a great move to give OC’s a deserved lead. With that all-important first goal on the board we began to play with plenty of confidence and new addition James soon doubled the lead with a terrific strike from the left side that found the top corner. It was a strike reminiscent of Gibbo! We continued to control for the remainder of the half with MPF creating no chances of note.

 

Second half wasn’t as pretty as the first; there were a few too many stray passes and we overall just didn’t play as well. MPF got themselves into the game – more so because we let them. A better side would have punished some of our mistakes as MPF squandered a couple of half decent opportunities. Nevertheless the game was effectively over as a contest when James bagged his second goal of the evening to make it 3-0. Great 7-A-Side debut for the Man U man.

 

Not our greatest performance, but a great start and one we needed going into next weeks game against Sumo, a team that finished overall second last time out.

The Editor

 

        03.11.06           6-A-SIDE RESULT 02.11.06 – O’Carrolls 6 - 1 Shaolin FC

 

Last night saw OC’s turn in a top class performance to finally show rivals Shaolin FC what we’re capable of. Payback was due after the last time these two sides met; back in October 2005 a disconcerted OC’s team could only manage a 1-1 draw with a boozed-up 4-man Shaolin side, the only points dropped in that particular round.

 

There was an air of confidence surrounding OC’s going into this one and we certainly were the better team right from the kick-off. (By the way, it now seems the YMCA refs include your warm up in the 12 minute halves). Alas, it was OC’s who went behind after a defensive error gifted SFC an opportunity to shoot. Credit to their player, it was a rocket of a strike that gave Richie no chance. 1-0 down so early and you had to think ‘surely not!’ Richie was alarmingly quiet; we later discovered it was because he was certain we were going to come from behind and win comfortably. Whatever about that, Jobba barely got a dirty look for squaring a ball across MacNeills goal to a SFC player, an error this man got a right b***ocking for last week! We now know a cheeky grin and curly locks are the way to Richie’s heart!

 

Anyway, the first half finished 1-0 to SFC, but it was all OC’s for those 11 minutes. We were creating some great opportunities and were it not for their keeper, we’d have been comfortably winning. This time we did what we failed to do last time and NOT panic. A quick turn around and we picked up where we left off in the first half. Not long in and Nevchenko netted the equaliser after a great cross-field ball was flicked on by Tancell. The Scouser then demonstrated his strikers instinct by adding a further two goals to his tally, both stabbed home from edge of the area rebounds. He had the ball in the net once more after that but played was pulled back for infringement on the D.

 

It was a matter of how many now as SFC ran out of steam against a rampant OC’s. The fourth goal was, for me, the goal of the game. A fantastic individual effort from Tom saw him win possession in his own half and ghost past about 10 defenders (there was definitely more than 6 of them on the pitch by then) before unleashing a thunderous strike that beat the keeper at his near post. It was his first 6-A-Side goal since March and I’m pretty sure it got a standing ovation from the stands… pretty sure! Jobba further extended the lead with a great strike from distance having sent the keeper the wrong way with his eyes. In fact, I’m sure the keeper had dived before Jobba had even struck the ball! The final strike came from Dave inside his own half. While all around him were screaming ‘TIME’ the Irishman glanced up before blasting the ball into the bottom corner and completing SFC’s humiliation. Another mazy run from Tom could’ve seen him double his tally late on but the final shot was straight at the keeper.

 

Terrific performance from everybody that should more or less guarantee promotion to the top grade. Next week we face Headless Chooks, a team we beat 8-2 last time out and we have now scored 30 goals against them in five outings.

The Editor