4-0 KNOCK OUT AS DUB PROGRESS IN CUP

Ormeau Park, Sunday 15 February 2004, 1:30PM

Dub FC (1)4 Knock FC (0)0

The continued good form of Dub FC showed no signs of abating on Sunday 15 February as they progressed in the Cup at the expense Knock FC, with an impressive 4-0 win.

The game started evenly enough with both sides physical game cancelling the other out. The pitch was of the sand-pit variety, especially in and around the midfield area, so free-flowing football was at a premium. In fact, the pitch may have played some part in the first incident of note as Dub striker Chris Hodgkinson was laid low by a twisting of his ankle. This was an early blow for Dub, losing their target man, however Michael Smyth came on to good effect on the right hand side of midfield, allowing top scorer Phil Doherty to move up front.

The Dub defence played further up the field than their Knock counterparts and this gradually gave them the territorial advantage. Dub also began to get some semblance of a passing game together, spreading the ball wide and looking for space down the flanks.

And so it was the Dub?s first goal came after 35 minutes from wide on the left where Murphy centred a ball for Smyth to collect and lay off to Dixon coming in from the left. He jinked around a Knock defender before firing expertly low into the corner to give Dub a deserved lead.

Dub retained the lead to half time and although they had been well on top overall the game was still very much in the balance at half time. News of Hodgkinson?s departure for hospital fired up the Dub side for the beginning of the second half and an early goal effectively put the result beyond doubt. 007 Quinn played a clever pass out to Smyth who skinned the Knock full back to cross low for Phil Doherty to side foot home from close range. This goal seemed to deflate the Knock bubble and Dub rarely looked like losing after that.

A few churlish looks at the pitch surface where in evidence as Dub fluffed a few simple chances, and a rare foray up front even found Harvey one on one with the Knock keeper. In unchartered territory the centre-half rushed his shot allowing the keeper to parry. Eventually on 63 minutes another right wing centre from Smyth gave Cormac Kernan the chance to extend Dub?s lead and he duly obliged.

McGaughey and Quinn made way for Hill and Magee respectively as Dub sought to freshen things up. Dub continued to press and the impressive Michael Smyth capped a fine display with an individual effort on 70 minutes after he had been gifted the ball by the Knock defence.

After that Dub conceded a few opportunities as they relaxed a little but thanks to some wayward finishing and good work from keeper Liam Gillen they managed to holdout for a clean sheet. A late John Magee effort destined for the right corner was cruelly deflected by one of his own team-mates but it was all academic.

The final whistle brought the traditional handshakes and a rush to swap shirts with Ivan Campo, the floppy-haired Spaniard of Bolton fame, who had mysteriously appeared at the heart of the Knock defence. Fortunately for Dub he proved as error- prone for Knock as he is for Bolton.

Man of the Match ? there were a number of excellent displays for Dub. Sean Doherty at the back, and Quinn, Mullen or Dixon in midfield could all lay claim to the man of the match award, but with a part to play in every goal it had to be Michael Smyth.

Gillen, McGaughey, Harvey, Doherty, S., Murphy, Mullan, Doherty, P (1)., Quinn, Dickson (1) , Kernan (1), Hodgkinson

Subs; Smyth (1) for Hodgkinson 8 mins, Hill for McGaughey and Magee for Quinn 70 mins

Squad

Liam Gillen, Shane Murphy, Mark Harvey, Sean Doherty, Gareth Dickson, John Quinn (sub 70 mins), Sean Mullan, Ryan McGaughey (sub 70 mins), Chris Hodgkinson (sub 10 mins), Cormac Kernan, Phil Doherty

Subs

Michael Smyth (10 mins), Kristian Hill (70 mins), John Magee (70 mins)

Match Statistics

Goals	Cormac Kernan Michael Smyth Gareth Dickson Phil Doherty
Assists	Michael Smyth (3)
Yellow cards	-
Red cards	-
Man of the match	Michael Smyth