Courtesy: FAI Official Web Site

Rovers and Bohs to meet in semi-final

April 8th, 2007

SHAMROCK ROVERS and Bohemians will meet in the semi-finals of the eircom FAI under-21 Futsal League after the final round of league fixtures at the National Basketball Arena on Saturday.

The Hoops finished second behind UCD, who will meet fourth placed finishers Bray in the other semi-final, after an impressive 4-2 win over Drogheda.

A carnvial atmosphere is expected for the Final Four event for this inaugural competition which will see two semi-finals and a final at the same venue on Sunday, April 24.

Drogheda Utd (0) 2 Shamrock Rvrs (1) 4

SHAMROCK ROVERS sealed their final four spot in the eircom FAI under-21 Futsal League with a brilliant tactical victory over Drogheda United at the National Basketball Arena.

Rovers went into the match with just the minimum five players as several of their squad members were in the US playing for the club in the Dallas Cup.

Mark Langtry put the Hoops in front with a low strike after five minutes and amazingly that was the only score of a tense first half.

Rovers keeper John Perkins produced a string of saves and United hit the post a number of times before the break.

Incredibly the Hoops added a second goal just three seconds into the second half when David Vickery beat United keeper Paul Cobbe with a remarkable shot from inside his own half.

Vickery made it 3-0 when he smashed home a free-kick seven minutes into the second half in a incident that saw Sean Brennan dismissed for Drogheda.

Langtry increased that lead to four with another excellent finish on the counterattack 60 seconds later.

Paul Matondo finally found the net with a cracking strike for Drogheda with just over eight minutes left.

Gareth Whelan smashed in another lovely effort for United bt with one minute and 30 seconds left it was too late for Drogheda.

Drogheda United – 14 Paul Cobbe; 7 Jamie Walsh, 8 Paul Matondo, 2 Gareth Whelan, 6 Sean Brennan, 4 Monday Awoyimi, 10 Thomas Carthy, 9 Aaron Timmons.
Goals: Matondo, Whelan.

Shamrock Rovers – 1 John Perkins; 15 Darren Murphy; 6 Stephen Donegan, 3 Mark Langtry, 4 David Vickery. Goals: Langtry 2, Vickery 2.




Bohemians (2) 6 St Patrick’s Ath (0) 2

BOHEMIANS secured a Final Four semi-final clash with Shamrock Rovers after a comprehensive victory over St Patrick’s in the eircom FAI under-21 Futsal League.

The Gypsies got off to a good start when Philip McDonagh scored directly from a free-kick after four minutes.

Michael Mooney extended that lead three minutes later when he beat Ross O’Toole with a low strike from wide on the right.

After pummelling the Bohs goal but finding Gypsies keeper Keith Gallagher in inspired form, the Saints were unfortunate to go a goal further behind with
11 minutes left.

McDonagh broke through and fired past the exposed Saints keeper to make it 3-0. Joey Hayden eventually found a way past Gallagher two minutes later.

Any hopes the Saints had of launching a comeback were scuppered when Mooney grabbed two goals in as many minutes to take it up to 5-1.

Kevin Cornwall pulled one back when he scored from close range after a tapped free-kick by Adam Crowther but Brian Kelly made it 6-2 with three minutes left.

Bohemians – 1 Keith Gallagher; 10 Michael Mooney, 8 Philip McDonagh, 3 Cillian O’Grady, 6 James Lee, 7 Brian Kelly. Goals: McDonagh 2, Mooney 3, Kelly.

St Patrick’s Ath – 20 Ross O’Toole; 8 Adam El Fridah, 9 Kevin Cornwall, 10 Adam Crowther, 2 Joey Hayden, 7 Barry Slattery, 6 Nigel Pearson, 3 Anthony Costigan. Goals: Hayden, Cornwall.




Bray Wanderers (3) 4 UCD (2) 4

UCD secured the top seed spot in the final four of the eircom FAI Under-21 Futsal League with a hard-earned point against Bray Wanderers at the Basketball Arena.

The Students were down to the bare five players due to the inclusion of two players in the Republic of Ireland under-19 side this week and a number of injuries.

Sean Fitzgerald put Bray in front after less than a minute but UCD soon carved out an equaliser when Declan O’Donnell crashed home from the edge of the penalty area.

Bray finally went back in front with nine minutes remaining in the half when colleges international David O’Sullivan fired home.

O’Sullivan then added his second when he dispossessed Ger O’Callaghan before slotting past Killian Gallagher with three minutes left in the half.

UCD got one back just before the break when Eoin O’Cinneide shot home from close range after a clever corner by the Students.

Scott Weir drew the sides level five minutes into the second half with a close range finish.

The Students completed a fantastic turnaround when O’Donnell bagged his second of the afternoon with ten minutes left.

Niall Merriman responded for the Seagulls two minutes later after keeper Gallagher couldn’t hold a low strike by Robbie Manley. That wrapped up the scoring in an impressive draw.

Bray Wanderers – 1 Gavin Snodgrass; 2 Sean Fitzgerald, 3 John Meagher, 4 Niall Merriman, 5 Jack Douglas, 6 David O’Sullivan, 7 Gary McCabe, 8 Robbie Manley. Goals: Fitzgerald, O’Sullivan 2, Merriman.

UCD – 1 Killian Gallagher; 2 Eoin O’Cinneide, 3 Declan O’Donnell, 6 Scott Weir, 7 Gerard O’Callaghan. Goals: O’Donnell 2, O’Cinneide, Weir.



Dundalk (1) 5 Monaghan Utd (3) 3

DUNDALK recorded their first win of the eircom FAI under-21 Futsal League in their final fixture when they beat Monaghan United at the National Basketball Arena.

After a tight opening to the game, Monaghan broke the deadlock in the 11th minute when Finbar Heffernan found the net with a low strike.

Heffernan then extended United’s lead when he cut in from the left and slipped the ball under keeper Donal Greene from a tight angle.

Monaghan went 3-0 up with five minutes left in the opening half when Heffernan arrived on cue to grab his hat-trick.

Barry Woods converted a penalty ten seconds before the break to give the Lilywhites hope then he grabbed another goal five minutes after the restart.

Ger Connolly levelled it up when he found the Monaghan net with nine minutes left.

The Lilywhites took the lead for the first time three minutes later when Martin Dullagher finished off a lightening counterattack.

Woods then extended Dundalk’s lead when he converted a ten-metre penalty after Monaghan had exceeded the five foul mark.

Dundalk – 1 Donal Greene; 2 Liam Crawley, 3 Martin Dullagher, 4 Paddy O’Connor, 5 Barry Woods, 6 Sean Conlon, 7 Ger Connolly. Goals: Woods 3 (1 pen), Crawley, Dullagher.

Monaghan Utd – 1 Ronan McGann; 2 Paddy Finnegan, 3 Tommy Toal, 4 Niall Flynn, 5 Khalid Hussein, 6 Finbar Heffernan, 7 Jimmy Fallon, 8 Shane Reavey,
9 Dean McMahon. Goals: Heffernan 3.



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