Courtesy: Shamrock Rovers Official Web Site


Rovers lose Futsal semi final

FAI Futsal Cup - Blue Magic 4 Shamrock Rovers Futsal 3

Saturday, April 2: Gormanston College

SHAMROCK ROVERS saw their FAI Futsal Cup ambitions ended in an unfortunate semi-final exit at the hands of Blue Magic at Gormanston College.

These two clubs have always had tight tense encounters in the past and this clash was no different.
Blue Magic, beaten finalists in the FAI Futsal Cup in 2010, were memorably beaten by the Hoops in one of the best futsal games ever seen in Ireland in the Emerald Futsal League semi-finals in November.
Rovers were missing some key players through injury, illness and work commitments but they produced a disciplined and passionate display.

The Hoops went ahead in the fifth minute when skipper Ian Byrne fired home from close range after Blue Magic keeper Rafal Wirkus had saved a powerful strike by Reinaldo Grube.
Blue Magic had plenty of possession but found the Hoops defence and goalkeeper in solid form.

Unluckily for the Hoops they conceded an equaliser to Blue Magic's leading scorer Bartosz Paskiewicz with five minutes to go in the half when a shot by Artur Opeldus deflected off a defender and fell invitingly for Paskiewicz to convert.

Blue Magic started the second half in good form and Sergei Musteata put them ahead in the 23rd minute after the Rovers defence failed to clear an attack that they appeared to have under control.

It was 3-1 two minutes later when Musteata volleyed home from close range after making a brilliant blindside run down the right.
Rovers refused to panic and began to play their best futsal. Skipper Byrne brought them back in the game in the 30th minute when he smashed in a low strike from a tight angle.

Grube then produced an excellent strike from distance that beat keeper Wirkus but it hit the Blue Magic upright and bounced to safety.

Byrne's brilliance told again with eight minutes left when he found the net to equalise with a thunderous strike from distance.
Just when it looked like extra-time might be needed to separate the sides, Blue Magic snatched the winning goal with four minutes left when Jackson Alexandre bundled home from close range after the Hoops defence had made a poor clearance.

Rovers threw all they had into getting an equaliser but found no way past Wirkus and now Blue Magic will meet EID Futsal in the final next Saturday 1pm at Gormanston College.

"It's never nice to lose a semi-final but I can only be proud of how the lads represented themselves and Shamrock Rovers in this tournament," said coach Stephen Finn.

"We've had to content with injuries and unavailability of key players this year and the biggest disappointment is that it is the FAI Futsal Cup which provides the route to the UEFA Futsal Cup competition.

"Given that we've won the Emerald Futsal League for the past two years, it's very disappointing that our lads will miss out on the European spot again this year. We'll bounce back and hopefully get there next year.

"Ian Byrne was phenomenal again but Vinicius Terco and Richard Maher were magnificent in defence. Everybody battled so hard."

BLUE MAGIC: Rafal Wirkus; Artur Opeldus, Bartosz Paskiewicz, Marcin Fornal, Mariusz Jablonski, Mark Behan, Jackson Alexandre, John O'Donoghue, Wojciech Korzan, Sergei Musteata, Alexandru Gutu, Adam Kowaluk.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: John Somers; Brian Daly, Jason O'Hara, Richard Maher, Ian Byrne, Neale Fenn, Vinicius Terco, Reinaldo Grube, Emmanuel Garcia.


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com