State Cup wrap-up

Robbie O’Neill’s heroics between the sticks helped the first team progress to the next round of the Flamhaft Cup on Sunday evening after a penalty shoot-out victory at College Point. The score was deadlocked at 1-1 after 90 minutes.

Robbie O’Neill saved two penalties in the shoot-out to set up victory.

NY Shamrocks dominated possession in the first half but squandered a number of opportunities to take the lead. It was College Point who went ahead 10 minutes into the second half after Shamrocks failed to clear their lines and were punished.

Rocks equalized through midfielder Hossan ‘Sammy’ Mohamed who bundled in his first goal for the Rocks following a corner kick that was not dealt with by College Point.

In the penalty shoot-out, Rocks goalkeeper O’Neill proved to be the hero saving two penalties from College Point, the first, a fine save.

Tyrone Kent, Adam Amann and Nikle Guzijan all executed their penalties neatly with Andy Horan the only Shamrocks player to miss, blasting his penalty high and wide.

Meanwhile, in the New York IT Sportsgrounds, the reserve team was beaten 4-1 at NY Irish Rovers, exiting the D’Arpino Cup in a humbling defeat.

The visitors started brightly, taking the game to their arch rivals from Long Island, and when John Mc Donnell whipped in a free from the right to the back post, John Riordan was on hand to head home and put the Rocks 1-0 up.

However, a sloppy equalizer was conceded just before the break and a penalty put Rovers 2-1 up with 50 minutes gone. Two further strikes ensured the battling Rocks could find no way back into it.

There was much better news for the Over-30s who were in action early Sunday morning in Randall’s Island, securing an 8-1 rout of RTG.

A Eugene Gormley hat-trick and a brace of goals from Burim ‘Benny’ Ljuta had the visitors cruising and they will move onto the next round with confidence.

Shamrocks are up for the cup this weekend as all three teams face into away games for the first round of their State Cup bids.

Both the first team and the reserves will take on Long Island Soccer Football League teams while the Over-30s will enjoy the familiar surrounds of Randall’s Island.

In the Flamhaft Cup, the first team travel to take on College Point Flames at 7pm on Sunday evening. The hosts are riding high in the LISFL Division 2 with five wins and one loss.

“It’s a nice break from the league,” said first team manager Glen Wrafter. “But that’s not to say that we won’t be taking it extremely seriously. College Point are an unknown quantity but we’ll be hoping to get off to a good start in the cup.”

The D’Arpino Cup for reserve teams has thrown up an interesting clash between old rivals with the ‘Rocks at NY Irish Rovers at 4pm on Sunday.

“This is a huge Irish derby for us,” said reserves manager Robbie O’Neill. “There will be bragging rights around Queens for whoever emerges on top. It’s a tough trip but we’re determined to come back from there with our heads held high on Sunday. It’s crucial too that we bounce back from that tough league defeat last weekend.”

Meanwhile, in the Marth Cup for the Over-30s, RTG SC host Paddy Mc Carry’s league champions at 8am in Randalls Island field # 75 on Sunday morning.

The first team beat Stal Mielec 4-2  in Roosevelt Island on Saturday night in what was as enthralling encounter and a must win game for the Shamrocks.

Stal Mielec took the lead after ten minutes from a break down their right. Their right winger, Stal Mielec’a best player, hung up a cross from out wide which was headed back across the goal.

Rocks rallied and scored after 20 mins through captain Pablo Graham. Rocks went ahead through a fine move involving right winger Joey Aronovski who squared a precise ball for Sean Riley to finish from a short distance.

Joey Aronovsky added a goal to his fine performance.

Rocks went 3-1 up with a fine goal from Adam Amann after 65 mins when the forward broke from the halfway line and finished with a deft chip to finish.

Stal Mielec brought it back to 3-2 after 70 mins through a penalty, Ray Coyle harshly adjudged to have pushed a Stal Mielec player.

However, Shamrocks quickly reestablished their two-goal cushion with another break away goal from Aronovsky who was excellent throughout.

Meanwhile, the reserve team were beaten 2-1 in the opener.

Rocks took the lead midway through the first half with a great finish from midfielder Ciarán Moloney but the visitors struck back twice before half-time.

Shamrocks dominated the second half as Stal sat back but the home side couldn’t find the back of the net.

On Sunday morning, the Over 30s won their first league game of the season, beating Manhattan Kickers 2-1.

Burim Lujata opened the scoring for the Rocks after just two minutes and while man if the match Mike Bishop sealed the victory with a 70th minute strike.

Five weeks into the new season and fortunes have been mixed for all three teams taking the field for the NY Shamrock Soccer Club.

It was almost a perfect start in WEEK ONE when the First and Reserve teams both secured victories at home in Roosevelt Island over FC Japan while the Over 30s were defeated at home to Manhattan Celtic in Randall’s Island.

The first team’s 2-0 win opened their CSL Division 2 campaign as well as could be imagined. New signing Nikle Guzijan’s 35th minute strike giving the ‘Rocks a 1-0 lead before Sean Riley secured the points after an hour.

In the Reserves game, Shamrock dominated FC Japan 5-1 in a rainy encounter. New central midfielder Keith Cagney opened the scoring with a long range shot that deflected over the goalkeeper.

Centre forward Sean McMullan made it 2-0 after turning on to his right and curling a low shot to the corner. A header from midfielder Ciarán Moloney put the home team 3-0 up midway through the second half after a deep Shawn Duda cross. Japan got one back after the Shamrock defense failed to clear before John Fortney made it 4-1 with a tap-in. McMullan chipped the keeper to round off the scoring in the dying minutes.

The following morning at Randall’s Island, the Division 1 defending champion Shamrock Over-30’s lost to newly promoted Manhattan Celtic Legends.

Celtic went up 1-0 in the first half against a Shamrock Over-30 squad suffering from a few key absentees. Celtic notched another midway through the second half before Steve Keating pulled one back in the 80th minute for the sure-to-improve ‘Rocks.

WEEK TWO was a setback for the club with only the first team securing a point out of the weekend’s clashes.

They drew 2-2 in Crown Heights against Tesoro Brooklyn Knights despite having led twice during the game.

After 10 minutes, a neat finish from Dave Harvey following a good pass from striker Adam Amann had the visitors in front but Tesoro rallied and equalised after 20 minutes.

Sean Riley then netted his second of the season when he rifled home from 25 yards to leave the Rocks 2-1 in front at half time.

Tesoro equalised in the second half 60 mins in when their captain and number 10 picked up a loose ball in midfield and played a one-two with his centre forward before slotting neatly home in the bottom corner.

The Reserves lost 2-1 after a battling performance which was marred by the referee’s refusal to award a goal to the visitors just before the break. Despite the ball hitting the back of the net from a Kevin Farrell shot, it carried on through and the referee awarded a free kick even though the Tesoro players and management were gracious enough to acknowledge that it was a goal.

Things evened out until deep into the second half when Tesoro grabbed a goal on the break. Switching to three at the back, Shamrocks were caught for a second goal but dug in and kept fighting with Keith Cagney getting it back to 2-1 in injury time. Sadly, too little too late.

The depleted Over-30s lost 3-0 to Barnstonworth Rovers.

In WEEK THREE, the Firsts were level with FC Gwardia 1-1 early in the second half at Roosevelt Island when a thunder and lightning storm brought a premature halt to the contest. The visitors went ahead with a penalty in the first half but Adam Amann equalised before the game was abandoned.

Irfan Ladak’s first goal in the Shamrocks colours got the Reserves on the way to their second home win of the season.

Ladak had suffered a worrying looking clash of heads early in the game and not long after he returned to the action, he latched onto a Sean Mc Mullan corner and backheeled the opening goal past the Gwardia keeper.

After soaking up some Gwardia pressure in the second half, Mc Mullan pounced for his third goal of the season with an impressive strike with about ten minutes remaining.

Shamrock Over-30’s suffered their third consecutive loss to the new season away to Tesoro SC. Bingo O’Driscoll got on the board for the ‘Rocks as they went down 3-1.

WEEK FOUR saw the Firsts and Reserves on the road again early on Sunday morning, travelling to Red Hook to take on NY Ukrainian.

The Firsts lost 4-2 having started well against NY Ukrainian only to find themselves a goal down after 15 minutes following a great run and finish by the Ukrainian # 10.

The second Ukrainian goal came by way of a penalty after 30 minutes but Shamrocks fought back after half-time, scoring two unanswered goals. The first was a cooly executed penalty by Matt Partain who had a fine performance in the centre of midfield. The second was a cracker by Jonny Chapman Shamrock’s right full who burst into the box to finish with a deft header.

However, the home team secured the three points with a goal on the break and then another after a badly defended corner.

The Reserves lost 4-0 in the first game while the Over 30s got beaten 4-2 at Guyana Veterans.

WEEK FIVE brought a Saturday evening trip to Randall’s Island for the Rocks and they took away a First Team draw and a Reserves Team win from newcomers Flank United.

The Firsts played out a hard fought draw, squandering a number of gilt-edged opportunities to take the lead. Eventually, Pablo Graham broke the deadlock with a deft chip to beat the keeper having received a fine pass from Sean Steed. Pablo was playing the role of lone striker as five Shamrocks centre forwards were unavailable.

Flank United rallied in the second half and equalized after a mix up from a Shamrocks throw-in allowed a sloppy goal.

The Reserves won 2-0, moving to three wins and two losses for the season. Midway through the first half, Sean Mc Mullan’s cross somehow found the back of the net and after half-time, the visitors took control, finally clinching the points with about 15 minutes to go when Mc Mullan’s deep low cross was drilled home by right midfielder Kevin Farrell.

Meanwhile, the Over 30s drew 3-3 at Barnstonworth Rovers and got their first league point of the season.

Jay Mwamba of the Irish Echo writes a Cosmopolitan Soccer League column for the blog FirstTouchOnline.com. This is his preview of the new CSL season from September 6.

At the end of a successful campaign for most Irish squads in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League last June, Shamrock’s first XI remained the odd team out.

While Shamrock’s Over-30s joined Manhattan Celtic and Lansdowne Bhoys’ Metro Two and Division One panels in an impressive Irish title haul, the Rocks’ first team struggled badly in the CSL second tier and finished with an inauspicious 3-11-2 record.

They hope to put that nightmare behind them when the new season kicks off this weekend. Shamrock open Saturday on Roosevelt Island against FC Japan, another side that struggled in the Second Division.

Also in action Saturday evening are newcomers Flank United who make their CSL debut [6 p.m. reserves] against Tesoro Brooklyn Kings in a Division Two fixture on Randalls Island [field 70].

A full slate of matches in the First, Second, Metro and Over-30 divisions follow on Sunday.

“I believe [our] main problem was squad size,” the Rocks’ Glen Wrafter said. “We had a number of players who were not available until October due to commitments with their Gaelic football teams, which left us short of numbers pre-Christmas. This coupled with injuries and retirees, meant we had ‘the bare eleven’ on too many occasions.”

Shamrock reinforced their ranks over the summer.

“This season, we will [hopefully] be in a much better situation in relation to players,” Wrafter said.

Several players have joined from Central Park Rangers, among them Nikle Guzijan, a 28 year-old center half; striker Adam Amann who’s 24 and the 23 year-old midfielder Oscar Ivanissevich.

“They performed excellently during our recent pre-season friendly against Manhattan

Celtic, Wrafter noted. “Also in fine pre-season form [was] Paul O’Kane.”

A forward, O’Kane, 28, showed his quality against a Celtic side that earned promotion to the CSL top flight with a remarkable one hundred percent record. He struck early in a 3-3 draw.

Shamrock, he added, are also hopeful of signing a couple of players from defending First Division [East] champs Lansdowne Bhoys.