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WEEKEND REPORT

An undefeated weekend heralded the return to CSL action for the five Shamrocks men’s teams this past weekend with the highlight being a 3-1 win at champions Lansdowne on Saturday night.

Travis Blair scored twice in the second half after Kurt Cameron’s early opener to send shockwaves around the top flight as the new look Bhoys struggled to break down Kevin Grogan’s energetic Rocks outfit.

Goalscorers Kurt Cameron (left) and Travis Blair pictured after Saturday’s win. (John Riordan)

With just two minutes on the clock, Cameron made it a perfect start for the visitors who had five starting players making their debut. One of those, Dylan McCabe, sent the corner across and another, Mark Roche, had his shot saved only for the ball to break into the big striker’s path and Cameron made no mistake from close range.

A scrappy first half saw Lansdowne push hard for a leveler but the Rocks survived thanks to some goalkeeping heroics by new goalkeeper Stephen Skonieczny. Blair came off the bench with 20 minutes to go along with Nick Laurent, both adding spark to the Rocks attack.

Another McCabe corner fell to Blair and he slotted home to double the lead and then with time running out, Laurent’s pass saw Blair break the offside trap and round the keeper to roll the ball to the back of the net. A late impressive Lansdowne consolation finally got the home side off the mark in injury time.

“It was a good start to the season for us,” said Grogan. “We worked extremely hard which is always the foundation. We need work on our ball retention but that will come. The most important thing now is to focus on our next game against Doxa which will be just as hard. It’s a long season. One game at a time.”

Captain Zachary Gosse speaks to the Shamrocks team before Saturday’s win (Picture by John Riordan)

The Rocks reserves shared a scoreless draw in the opener to start Dan Meola’s second season in charge.

“Overall, the lads and myself are very disappointed,” said Meola. “We feel that we left Lansdowne off the hook, especially in the first 25 minutes. We may look back on the point as an important one, but ultimately, we left two additional points on the field. We learn and move on to Doxa.”

Finn O’Reilly was the man of the match for Shamrocks 1960 as Robbie O’Neill marked his first game at the helm with a brilliant 2-0 victory over Sons of Queens at St Michaels on Sunday.

Meola made up for Saturday’s setback with a goal and Amar Daved made sure of the points with one if his own.

“Delighted with the win,” said O’Neill. “A good start to the season for us and two good goals from Danny and Amir. Very happy with the three points.

“As Brian Clough said, Rome wasn’t built in a day but I wasn’t involved in that particular project.”

Sunday started with an impressive 3-1 win for the Over 30s against Manhattan Kickers Premier – Johnny McGeeney’s hat trick showing that he intends to continue his historic strike rate for the club.

The Rocks dominated the first 20 minutes and took the lead through a brilliant strike from outside the box by McGeeney into the top left corner. Kickers equalized after 35 minutes on a counter attack. McGeeney scored his second on the hour mark after a great header at the back post from a corner from Mauricio Bermudez. Returning goalkeeper Nick Meola made a brilliant diving save from a penalty to maintain the lead and McGeeney made sure of the spoils after 72 minutes with his third of the morning.

“It was a great start today against a very good Kickers side,” said Mc Carry.

“Brilliant all round team performance from the boys and when Johnny is in that kind of form, he is the best Over 30s striker in the state. Very important to get off to a winning start.”

The Shamrocks Legends (pictured above) tied Eintracht 1-1 at St Michaels in tough conditions on Sunday morning. Ger Shivnan had John Riordan’s men off to the perfect start with a brilliant strike set up by fellow returning player Antoin O’Duibhir’s excellent through ball.

The Legends dominated the second half but couldn’t find a second goal and were punished by a late in swinging set piece which was flicked onwards to hit the back post and into the net.

“It was great to get the lads together – some new faces and some returning players,” said Riordan. “It would have been an added bonus to get the win but we have every reason to be optimistic about the season ahead.”

The Rocks are back! It’s been a long hot summer but everything is in place for what should be an enjoyable CSL season kick-off which includes an Irish Derby curtain raiser and a great selection of exciting new players!

CLUB NOTES

We were given a huge boost during the week when Andrew Horan and Alba stepped in as JAKO tracksuit sponsors for the Shamrocks 1960 team. If you know anybody who would like to support kit for any of our teams, don’t hesitate to let us know!

https://www.jako.ie/shop-by-team/ny-shamrocks-sc-official-merchandise

The Shamrocks also sends its condolences to Irish Echo and CSL writer Jay Mwamba whose father passed away this week. We always appreciate Jay’s support and our thoughts are with him and his family.

IRISH DERBY IN YONKERS

It doesn’t get bigger than a visit to the home of the league champions as the Rocks head to Tibbetts Brook Park on Saturday evening for the Cosmopolitan Soccer League’s marquee game of the weekend (kick-off 9pm).

Lansdowne have been the most successful CSL team for most of the past decade with multiple league titles alongside national victories and Kevin Grogan described the showdown as a “big challenge”.

The League Cup champion Rocks have enjoyed an active pre-season with some new young talent integrated into the squad and Grogan has called on his players to rise to that challenge, starting with this weekend’s hotly anticipated clash.

“I am very excited for the new season,” said the gaffer who welcomes back club legend Stevie Doyle as assistant coach.

“We have had a very busy recruitment period during the last eight weeks. I’m happy with my new additions. They are good players with good attitudes who are hungry for success.

“They have a big challenge on Saturday in our first game against the league champions but I feel we have big game players that can perform at this level. It’s a long, long season and as always we focus on one game at a time. Steady wins the race.”

Dylan McCabe

Irish duo Mark Roche (pictured above with Kevin Grogan) and Dylan McCabe (pictured above right) will be hoping for a big debut in Saturday’s derby. Formerly of Portlaoise FC, Athlone Town and Shelbourne FC in Ireland, McCabe has played in the US for Lynn University in Florida and Carson Newman in Tennessee. Roche grew up at the famed Belvedere soccer club in Dublin before playing out a collegiate career at Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA.

Budapest, Hungary native Barnabas Mako joins the Shamrocks from Stony Brook University where he was team mate of Rocks winger Alejandro Fritz for two of his four years. And midfield tyro Yannick Diese joins from Zum Schneider with young prospect Gabriel Vargas also added to the squad.

“We’ve kept the core of our squad but Ethan Evans has earned a contract in Germany and Giuseppe Barone has gone on trial in Spain and we are very happy for both of them!

“We have a big squad and players need to be patient. Over the course of the year everyone will be needed. It very much needs to be ‘WE’ and not ‘I’. We have no room for negativity in our squad. We are one big team regardless of who plays and who doesn’t.

“I also am delighted to have Stevie Doyle back as my assistant coach. We have a great relationship. The club are flying off the field behind the scenes and it’s a very exciting year ahead for the club.”

RESERVES READY FOR OLD FOE

Dan Meola has brought in Paul McDaid as his new player-assistant coach ahead of the reserves curtain raiser which kicks off at 7pm on Saturday evening.

Lansdowne edged out the Rocks in the play-off spots in May but both teams ultimately failed to advance to the league final with Meola’s men particularly unlucky to lose a shoot-out against eventual champs CPR Whites.

“Last season was last season,” said Meola. “The history books will show that we didn’t accomplish what we had set out to. The squad has strengthened a great deal and there is no better test than opening up away to your biggest rival. The lads can’t wait for the season and rightfully so. We have all the tools to have a very special season.”

O’NEILL TAKES THE REINS FOR ROCKS 1960

Another coaching move over the off-season saw the popular Robbie O’Neill take over Shamrocks 1960 whose Metro 1 spell ended in May after just two seasons.

The big Meath man has immediately set his sights on pushing for a quick return, building a brilliant young squad that opens their campaign on Sunday against Sons of Queens at St Michaels (kick-off 1pm).

“I’m very optimistic for the season ahead,” said O’Neill. “I feel we will be there or thereabouts in all competitions this season with an immensely talented squad.”

Robbie O’Neill pictured right by Eoin Sweeney at Sunnyside gardens

TOUGH OPENERS FOR LEGENDS AND OVER 30s

The new Shamrocks Legends player-coach John Riordan has brought in some new faces to try and challenge for a play-off spot in the newly restructured Over 39s Division and that bid begins Sunday at St Michaels with an 11am kick-off against SC Eintracht.

“I am delighted to be given the opportunity of steering this team,” said Riordan. “The priority will be enjoying our games and the results will follow. There is a good energy among the players and we are all looking forward to it.”

Sean Mc Mullan and Paddy Mc Carry have swapped coaching roles for the Shamrocks Over 30s and will enter the new season with an improved squad energized by unluckily missing out on both league and State Cup honors last season.

They will start with a big game against rivals Manhattan Kickers Premier on Sunday morning at 8am (Randalls 74) and they have a full squad to choose from.

“We are looking forward to the new season and it’s a big game to start wit
h,” said Mc Mullan who replaces Mc Carry as coach.

“That’s the challenge our players enjoy so we will be looking to start with a win and move on from there.”

The women’s teams – both now taking part in the top division of the NYMWSL – will kick off in just over a week. Come out and support our men’s teams this weekend! Good luck to all new and returning players and coaches!

Up The Rocks!