Dub Leave Opposition in Mourning

Cherryvale, Sunday 28 September 2008, 1:30PM

Dub FC (2)5 Mornington FC (0)1

A solid performance by a Dub team playing an under strength Mornington sets up a crucial shield decider against Adelaide in Sunday with the winner progressing to the quarter final. An early goal helped settle any nerves after a good through ball by Michael Smyth set up Mark McCormick for a debut goal for Dub.

Unfortunately the goal didn't inspire Dub to greater things, although Donal had a great chance to make it two after twenty minutes the pressure of his pre-match bet with Art got the better of him when he tried to walk the ball into the net and ultimately hit the side netting.

Mornington had the majority of the possession for the rest of the first half and did have chances from set pieces to level the game however it was Dub who scored next after a well taken goal from McCormick vindicated the 20million transfer fee paid by Art Abromavich and gave Dub a hardly deserved 2-0 half time lead. Dub did improve without being spectacular in the second half and were well served at the back by Harvey, Flannagan the good looking Doherty and Smyth, with Alan dealing comfortably with the long range efforts Mornington were reduced to.

Donal made up for his first half miss ten minutes into the second half with a great cross from the left for Mullan who placed the ball into the corner of the net with a well taken header. This goal effectively won the game for Dub as Mornington heads dropped and the impressive Paddy Mac was the second debutant to earn his stripes as he made it 4-0 after a mistake by the keeper following a good cross from Neil. Dub were sloppy for ten minutes after the fourth goal and a dreadful tackle by Phil Doherty gave Mornington a deserved penalty with the Dub captain lucky that the excellent Tommy gave him the benefit of the doubt and did not give him at least a yellow. The penalty was coolly slotted home thereby breaking Alan's record of four saves in a row from penalty's a record that for some reason only Art was aware of.

That goal was not the end of the excitement however as the skillful Sean Doherty had a wonderful volley blocked expertly on the line by the Mornington defender. Michael Smyth followed this effort and made it 2 goals in two games with a rasper from twenty yards in off the post giving the keeper no chance. Art presented the MOM to McCormick for his two goals in his debut but stated that Mullan or Phil could just as easily picked up the award for there displays.

Dub must improve if they are to progress but certainly displayed signs that they are capable of doing so.

Squad

Alan Plunkett, Michael Smyth, Colm Flanagan, Mark Harvey, Sean Doherty, Donal McCann (sub 53 mins), Sean Mullan, Phil Doherty, Charlie Duffy (sub 40 mins), Cormac Kernan, Mark McCormick (sub 73 mins)

Subs

Neil McCallum (40 mins), Patrick Mcdonald (53 mins), Art Kernan (73 mins)

Match Statistics

Goals	Michael Smyth Sean Mullan Patrick Mcdonald Mark McCormick (2)
Assists	Michael Smyth Phil Doherty Donal McCann Neil McCallum Patrick Mcdonald
Yellow cards	Neil McCallum
Red cards	-
Man of the match	Mark McCormick