CSL Division 2
Polonia NY 3 NY Shamrocks 2
CSL Division 2 Reserves
Polonia NY 2 NY Shamrocks 1
CSL Over 30s Division 1
NY Shamrocks 2 NY Dinamo 0
Metro Women’s League
NY Shamrocks 0 Astoria 3

The Shamrocks Over 30s have clinched the East Division and top seed in the upcoming play-offs after Sunday’s facile 2-0 win over NY Dinamo at Randall’s Island.

Another stunning strike from Danny Parkin was the highlight of the game while top scorer Sean Riley was on the mark yet again, netting his 10th league goal of the season.

“We’re delighted with the achievement,” said coach Paddy Mc Carry. “But we have to push on now and be ready for the battle ahead.”

The firsts and reserves didn’t manage to enjoy their Sunday morning quite as much, both teams losing crucial league ties at Polonia in McCarren Park.

The first team lost 3-2 to league leaders Polonia and are now four points adrift with a game in hand.

Polonia got ahead after 10 minutes following some awful defending by the Rocks. Polonia were 2 – 0 up after 20 mins as Polonia’s left winger kept the ball in neatly at the dead ball line and skipped by two Rocks defenders and finished neatly from six yards out.

Rocks got one back before half-time. Nikle Guzijan with a bullet of a header from a Rocks corner.

In the second half, Mohamed Fofana bagged his seventeenth goal of the season. On sixty minutes, some neat play down the left wing by Michael McCreevy allowed him to feed Sean Doran who swung a cross in which was finished neatly by Mo from close range.

All square with half an hour to play, and pole position to play for. With two minutes left on the clock, Polonia NY got a free kick. They swung it into the box and got a lucky flick on, which was finished from close range.

“Heartbreaking,” said Wrafter afterwards, “but we have three important games to go starting with Iberia on Thursday night. We can still have a say in the destination of this league and we’ll press on.”

The Rocks stay second, however, after the Ukrainians were surprisingly beaten 3-0 by Doxa.

Stevie Doyle’s reserves may have ended up on the wrong end of a 2-1 result but still fully control their own destiny.

The Rocks outplayed Polonia in the first half of this one and took the lead not long into the second half after Paul McDaid steamed through from midfield to finish a low shot to the back of the net.

But Polonia never gave up and made the most of their only two opportunities – scoring a free kick from the edge of the box before an impressive goal sealed the win.

Next week’s home game against NYPD is now a season defining game with the winners surely in the driving seat for the league.

Kick off at St Michaels will be 1pm followed by a 3pm kick off for the first team.

Meanwhile, the Shamrocks women – missing several starters – battled well in a 3-0 defeat to Astoria.

CSL League Cup Quarter Final

NY Shamrocks 0 CPR Whites 0

CPR Whites win 5-4 on penalties after sudden death. 

Saunders Cup Quarter Final

Shamrocks Reserves 3 Metrostars 1

The Shamrocks Reserves scored three second half goals at St Michaels on Sunday afternoon in a come-from-behind victory that earned Stevie Doyle’s men a Saunders Cup semi-final place. 

A vastly improved second half performance proved crucial to the 3-1 victory over Metrostars in the quarter-final of the Saunders Cup at St Michael’s on Sunday afternoon.  

Having struggled in the first half to gain a foothold, the Rocks went 1-0 down with about 35 minutes on the clock. 

But the home team started the second half with purpose and eventually scored two quick goals, a cheeky Paul McDaid back heel and a long range beauty from Braden Ruddy. 

John Riordan was fortunate to see the penalty he conceded go high over the bar and then Colum McComish made sure of the win with a low drive to the bottom corner. 

Meanwhile in the second game of the day at St Michael’s, a valiant effort by the first team was not enough to prevent them exiting the CSL League Cup after penalties at the hands of CPR Whites. 

The game ended scoreless after 90 minutes and coach Glen Wrafter described it as “a fair result, given both teams dominated for spells of the game”.

The penalty shoot out ended 4-4 after the first sets of five penalties but then the visitors scored the crucial winner in sudden death. 

Penalty scorers for the Shamrocks were Sean Doran, Brendan Lane, Mohamed Fofana and Rob Gaynor while James Hudson and Michael McGreevey missed their attempts. 

“Desperately disappointing not to have advanced but delighted with the performance,” said Wrafter. 

“Erich Heintzen did very well making his debut for the Shamrocks in goal.  Rob Gaynor and Larry Slaughter were commanding at the back and Michael McGreevey put in a man of the match position out on the right wing.”

A return to league action next Saturday night at Randall’s Island will see both teams play at Iberia (6pm/8pm). 

CSL Division 2
NY Shamrocks 2 NY Supreme 2
CSL Division 2 – Reserves
NY Shamrocks 3 NY Supreme 0
CSL Over 30s Division 1
Manhattan Celtic Legends 0 NY Shamrocks 2
NY Metro Women’s League
NY Shamrocks 0 Baby Magic 3

The Shamrocks now control their Cosmopolitan Soccer League destiny in all three divisions after two wins and a draw over the weekend.

The Over 30s confirmed their semi-final spot in Division 1 after a 2-0 victory at arch-rivals Manhattan Celtic late on Sunday evening at Pier 40.

Another long distance screamer from Danny Parkin (pictured right) got Paddy Mc Carry’s men on the right track before Brendan Donohue’s clincher ensured a four-point gap at the top over Dinamo. The Rocks have played one less game than Dinamo and have a game in hand over the team they beat 3-0 in December.

Out of both cups, the next time the Over 30s will be in action will be Sunday April 19 when they face Barnstonworth Rovers Old Boys at home in Randall’s Island.

Meanwhile, the Shamrocks first team are now a point clear at the top of Division 2 with four games to play.

For the second week in a row, Nikle Guzijan rescued a point for Glen Wrafter’s men with a second half equalizer after Supreme held the lead twice at St Michael’s on Sunday afternoon.

The away team deservedly took the lead after 40 minutes but Shane Moore (pictured below) equalized for the Shamrocks on the hour mark, his second goal of the season in all competitions.

NY Supreme took the lead again after seventy minutes when a through ball cut open the Shamrocks defense.

The Rocks rallied well however and after a few decent chances, Guzijan pounced on a low cross from the left, slotting the ball to the right hand corner of the Supreme net.

An impressive performance given the fact that Supreme have enjoyed recent wins over Shamrocks title rivals NY Ukrainians and Polonia.

A home defeat on Sunday morning for the Ukrainians against NYPD puts the Rocks one point clear going into the Easter break. Polonia’s win at the weekend means the Sunday April 26 game against Glen Wrafter’s men at McCarren Park will go a long way towards deciding the destination of the Division 2 title.

Stevie Doyle’s reserves held on to their six point lead at the top of the table after their 3-0 win in the curtain raiser against a dangerous Supreme outfit.

Early goals proved crucial while Nick Meola’s seventh clean sheet of the season (his sixth in the league) gives the Rocks more confidence entering the final quarter of the season.

Eoin Lynagh’s tap-in and Braden Ruddy’s long-distance strike had the Shamrocks very quickly in the lead as the visitors struggled to field a team.

Dave Harvey then celebrated his first game back with the club when he scored the third to give the Rocks a platform for the three points.

Next league game for firsts and reserves is Saturday April 18 v Iberia at Randall’s Island (6pm/8pm).

Elsewhere on Sunday, the women’s team were defeated 3-0 by Baby Magic at Randall’s Island.

All previous results and remaining schedules are available here:

SCHEDULES & RESULTS 2014/2015

For all updated standings, click here:

https://nyshamrocksc.com/2012/10/19/latest-standings/

For the updated top scorers of all four teams, click here:

https://nyshamrocksc.com/2012/10/01/top-scorers/

CSL Division 2
NY Shamrocks 2 Doxa 1
CSL Division 2 Reserves
NY Shamrocks 0 Doxa 0
CSL Over 30s Division 1
Megas Alexandros 0 NY Shamrocks 1
Metro Women’s League
NYC Sirens 6 NY Shamrocks 0

Nikle Guzijan was the match winner on Sunday at St Michael’s for the Shamrocks as they came from behind to secure all three points against a dogged Doxa side.

The 2-1 victory was merited but the Rocks were made to fight all the way after going 1-0 down 15 mins in against the run of play after a needless free kick gave the Doxa center forward an easy close range headed goal.

The Rocks just before half-time when Mohamed ‘Mo’ Fofana rifled home a ball to the top corner from 20 yards out after he took possession of a loose ball.

The Rocks took over in the second half but only managed a breakthrough with 15 minutes to go when Sean Doran’s excellent free kick found Guzijan (pictured) at the back post, the defender making no mistake from inside the six yard box.

Next week will present a very tough challenge for Glen Wrafter’s men as they host surging fourth placed team NY Supreme who beat third placed Polonia 3-0 on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Stevie Doyle’s reserves were held by Doxa in a scoreless draw in the curtain raiser.

On balance, a draw was the fairest result although the Rocks had the better scoring chances.

Fortunately, their two main rivals for the league – Ukrainians and NYPD – both slipped up to allow the unbeaten Rocks extend their lead at the top to six points.

Next week’s clash between those second and third placed teams in Brooklyn will go a long way to deciding the destiny of the league.

Paddy Mc Carry’s Over 30s got back to winning ways, beating Megas Alexandros 1-0 thanks to an early wonder goal from Danny Parkin.

Parkin drilled home from 25 yards out to set up the win before 89 more minutes of tense football.

The women had a busy weekend have taken part in Saturday’s Irish-American Soccer Hall of Fame – a 0-0 friendly draw against the newly formed Lansdowne Ghirls – before Sunday’s league game against NYC Sirens.

Congratulations to Dave Clarke of Quinnipiac University and Willie Dempsey of the Irish Rovers who were both inducted to the Hall of Fame at Gaelic Park on Saturday evening.

Pictures here from the event taken by John Riordan.

Well done to our own Glen Wrafter who did a great job with Ian Woodcock (Manhattan Celtic) and Seamus McDaid (Lansdowne) in organizing this growing initiative. And big thanks to our women’s team for taking part.

The well-organized Sirens were too strong and deserved their 6-0 win but the Rocks Women battled hard in the second half with goalkeeper Megan Hare and defender Teresa Brink particularly impressive.

Megan is just back from a broken leg and is already back to her best. Their next game is this coming Sunday at 9am on Randall’s Island Field 82.

All previous results and remaining schedules are available here:

SCHEDULES & RESULTS 2014/2015

As mentioned the Shamrocks men’s teams are all top of their divisions with the finish line in sight. For all updated standings, click here:

https://nyshamrocksc.com/2012/10/19/latest-standings/

Mohamed Fofana is targeting a record goal haul for the club. For the updated top scorers of all four teams, click here:

https://nyshamrocksc.com/2012/10/01/top-scorers/