Dub up the ante with latest win

Victoria Park, Thursday 31 July 2008, 6:45PM

Dub FC (2)3 Collingwood (1)2

Dub started out with the standard 4-4-2 formation on a miserable evening at Victoria Park. The opposition, Collingwood, have clearly improved and will no doubt prove to be tough opponents in the league this year. Dub started at a high tempo for a change, probably due to the short warm up not tiring anyone out. Cormac and Donal were effective up front in holding up the ball to allow the midfield to get up the pitch put even with the flowing football there were few chances to be had.

A free kick from about the half way line found its way to the Skunks keepers hands and then through them 1-0, stinker. Shortly after a long ball through the middle proved how old the squad is getting as Harvey's hearing gave out just as Alan called for the ball. Harvey headed the ball back to where he thought the keeper was 1-1.

Another McCann free kick saw the Skunks keeper make stinker number two by falling all over the place, team captain McGurk took advantage of the situation to bundle the ball over the time and injure the keeper at the same time, bonus. At half time Phil came off to be replaced by Charlie for his debut. Michael came on for Conan at left back. Neil came on for Alan in nets. The weather deteriorated in the 2nd half with the ref talking about blowing it up early if it got much darker.

A great save by Neil from a difficult bounce (in some ways a lot like Pele vs Banks, and in other ways not a bit like it) kept Dub in the lead. Harvey and Paddy at the back formed a solid defence and the Skunks were rarely able to get past the Dub back line. In midfield both Charlie and Pete were making an impact down the wings with the debut man showing his skills and also how to make tackles in the penalty area without giving away a penalty, Docs take note.

With only 10 minutes to go, against the run of play, Dub lost the ball near the half way line and the Skunks counter attacked and chipped the Dub keeper to make it 2-2. With 5 minutes to go the ball fell to Donal outside the box who calmly curled the ball into the top right hand corner, stinking keeper had no chance. The Skunks don't stink as much as they used to and it was a good match to see the kind of opposition we'll be up against next year.

Neil also mentioned that he's as good in poker as he is in nets, so no doubt there will be cards all over the floor at the poker night.

Man of the match was Sean Mullan.

Dub FC Player of the Month for July; Sean Mullan (well there was only one game to choose from!)

Dub FC Goal of the Month for July; Donal McCann (his second v Collingwood)

 

Squad

Alan Plunkett (sub 45 mins), Neil Smyth, Conan Hodgkinson (sub 45 mins), Mark Harvey, Paddy Taylor, Jimmy Lavery, Sean Mullan, Ryan McGaughey, Donal McCann, Cormac Kernan, Peter McToal, Phil Doherty (sub 45 mins)

Subs

Michael Smyth (45 mins), Charlie Duffy (45 mins)

Match Statistics

Goals	Ryan McGaughey Mark Harvey Donal McCann (2)
Assists	Donal McCann
Yellow cards	-
Red cards	-
Man of the match	Sean Mullan